Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle & Culloden: Small Group Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.76 (128 reviews) 86% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/11

Duration6h–8h

GroupUp to 33

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Urquhart Castle ruins, Culloden’s echoes, Clava Cairns stones and Loch Ness tales on a winding Highland route

You’ll feel history under your feet at Culloden Battlefield, stand among ancient stones at Clava Cairns, peer across Loch Ness from Urquhart Castle ruins, and meet shaggy Highland cows near Beauly—all in one day with a small group and local guide. It’s not polished or perfect—it’s honest Scotland.

6h–8h

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Culloden, Inverness, Loch Ness

Travel to Culloden Battlefield
Visit Culloden Battlefield site
Travel to Clava Cairns
Visit Clava Cairns
Travel to Inverness city centre
Visit Inverness Castle viewing gallery
See Flora MacDonald’s statue
Explore Inverness shops and cafes
Travel beside Loch Ness
Stop for Loch Ness photos
Visit Nessie centre and gin shop
Visit Urquhart Castle and video centre
Travel to Robertson’s farm at Beauly
See highland cows and alpacas
Pass by Drumnadrochit village and ancient Priory
Return to ship

The Experience

I didn’t expect Culloden Moor to feel so quiet. Our guide, Ewan (he wore a tartan scarf and had this dry humor), told us to listen for the wind—he said it always sounds different here. I kept thinking about the stories he shared of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the clans. There’s something heavy in the air, maybe just history or maybe just the smell of wet grass after last night’s rain. We wandered between the markers where the clans fell—someone left fresh thistles on one. I caught myself walking slower than usual.

Fifteen minutes later we were at Clava Cairns. The stones are older than anything I’ve ever touched—4,000 years or something wild like that. Ewan joked about Outlander fans looking for “the stone” but honestly, standing in that circle with moss under my boots and sunlight flickering through birch leaves, it did feel kind of magical. I tried to pronounce “cairn” properly; Ewan laughed and said even locals argue about it.

Inverness was busy but friendly—statue of Flora MacDonald outside the castle (which is still being renovated, so just photos for now). We ducked into Gellions pub for a half pint; smelled like old wood and yeast. Then came Loch Ness—gray water stretching forever, little whitecaps from the wind. We stopped for a photo (no Nessie, unless you count a floating log). The drive beside Loch Ness was longer than I thought but somehow not boring—just green hills rolling past and sheep ignoring us.

Urquhart Castle sits right on the loch’s edge—ruins with crooked walls and wildflowers poking through cracks. There’s a short film in the visitor center (subtitles if you need them), but honestly I just wanted to walk down to the water and touch one of those old stones. Afterward we met some real Highland cows at Robertson’s farm near Beauly—big ginger beasts with hair in their eyes. One licked my jacket sleeve; not sure if that’s good luck or just lunch for her.

What’s included

Your day includes pickup from your cruise ship port, all parking fees covered, entry to Urquhart Castle with access to its video presentation (subtitled), stops at Culloden Battlefield and Clava Cairns with time to explore each site, plus visits through Inverness city center and photo stops along Loch Ness before returning comfortably ahead of ship departure.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyInfant seats available

Operated by Thistle Excursions - Invergordon Bus or Coach Tours