Loch Ness, Inverness and Cawdor Castle Tour: Explore Scottish Highlands

Embark on a captivating tour of the Scottish Highlands, visiting iconic landmarks such as Loch Ness, Inverness, and Cawdor Castle. Explore ancient ruins, witness stunning views, and immerse yourself in Scottish history.

Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Beauly Priory - Beauly Priory is currently closed due to recent high winds causing masonry to fall , we do not know when it will reopen. We will still visit Beauly where you can see The Priory from the gate.

Beauly Priory was founded in the 13th Century as a Monastery for Valliscaulian order of monks from Dijon in France , Oliver Cromwells forces were responsible for destroying the Priory in the 16th Century. For centuries this was a Burial place for the chiefs of Clan Fraser and Mackenzie and their families. Their is an Outlander connection because it was here that Claire met the Seer.

  • Urquhart Castle - Urquhart Castle sits on a promontory jutting out in to Loch Ness and has been fought over many times through the years. The views of Loch Ness from the castle are fantastic
    and during the visit you can go and explore the ruins of this 1000 year old castle and you can go down to the water side of Loch Ness. Keep your eyes peeled in case Nessie makes an appearance.
  • Culloden Battlefield - The Battle of Culloden in 1746 was the last battle fought on British soil . Visit the Museum and we walk around the main areas of the Battlefield where the heaviest fighting took place , you will see the memorial cairn , the well of the dead and the gravestones of the clans as well as Leanach cottage. This visit is top of the list for Outlander fans.
  • Clava Cairns - We will visit Clava Cairns and you can enter 2 of the 3 Cairns , this 4000 year old Bronze age cemetery is where Diana Gabaldon took inspiration for her outlander series and you will see the Cleft stone and the stone circles around the Cairns.
  • Inverness Castle - The current Inverness Castle is the 3rd Castle on this site and dates from 1836 , the first Castle was built here in 1057 and stood until 1307 , the Castle was rebuilt in 1548 and was destroyed during the Jacobite uprisings. In the grounds of the Castle you will see the statue of Flora Macdonald who was famous for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape over the sea to Skye.
  • Old High St Stephen’s Church - Behind Leakeys bookshop stands the Old High Church / St Stephens where the Jacobite prisoners were taken after the Battle of Culloden , you can still see the musket holes in the church wall where the Jacobite prisoners were executed. Looking over the river from the graveyard we will see Balnain House which was also a Government Hospital after Culloden and St Marys Church which has Outlander connections.
  • Abertarff House - Further up Church street we pass Abertarff House .This is the oldest house in Inverness and was once the town house for the Fraser Chiefs.
  • Cawdor Castle - Cawdor castle re-opens on the 27th April 2024
    Cawdor Castle with its Macbeth connections is one of the few castles in the Highland area that has been unaffected by the Jacobite uprisings. Home to the Thanes of Cawdor for centuries , you can tour the castle and visit the magnificent gardens and you meet the Dowager Countess of Cawdor who still lives in the Castle. Cawdor Castle re-opens on the 29th April 2023
    Note: The remaining time is for the round tour and time spending in sightseeing or explorations.
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • On-board WiFi
  • Bottled water
  • Snacks
  • Complimentary pick-up and drop-off service
What's Not Included
  • Entrance Fees to attractions - Urquhart Castle $14 , Cawdor Castle $14 , Culloden Visitor Centre $16
  • Lunch
Additional Information

This tour can be customised. Departing from Invergordon port, we travel along the shore of the Cromarty Firth, cross the Cromarty bridge to the Black Isle, and make our way to Beauly Priory, a 13th-century monastery built for an order of Valliscaulian monks from Dijon, France, and destroyed by Cromwell’s forces in the 16th century.

We will then make a brief stop to see some Highland Cattle (see photo) before continuing over Culnakirk Hill to Drumnadrochit to visit Urquhart Castle, which sits on a promontory jutting out into Loch Ness. The views of the Loch are fantastic from here, and it was near this spot that St. Columba is reputed to have seen the Loch Ness Monster.

We then head towards Inverness, passing the Hill of the Fairies as we enter the city. We stop to see The Old High Church, pass Inverness Castle and the statue of Flora Macdonald, and then travel out to Clava Cairns. We have lunch at Cawdor Castle before concluding our tour at Culloden Battlefield.

Location
Beauly Priory
Beauly IV4 7DY Beauly IV4
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(15 Ratings)
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S4136xsdavidb
Aug 10, 2024
Wonderful Tour - Taking this private tour was a great decision. Lawrence, our driver and guide for the day, was excellent, taking great care of us, making sure we got into the venues, castles, etc. not just dropping us off in the parking lot. Professional, he shared his knowledge and history of the area. Schedule was flexible, so we were able to spend a little more time in Inverness. Met us at the Invergordon cruise port and returned us on time. Would book again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G6124mxandym
Aug 5, 2024
Treat yourself! - Lawrence was very accommodating to customizing our tour. Was a WONDERFUL time! He took in to account our preferences, and even did a little research on family backgrounds and clan affiliation. It was my best 60th birthday so far.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
William_z
Jul 3, 2024
Great guide. Great trip! - Our guide himself was one of the highlights actually. Graham was amazing. Easy to work with, funny, and super knowledgeable. Took great care of us. One of our trip highlights.
Review provided by Viator
Laurenbe6165zy
Jun 17, 2024
The Best Tour! - Billy was the absolute best tour guide! Our group had a wonderful time! He was very knowledgeable and we learned a lot about all of our stops! Every stop on the tour was amazing! My favorite was the Cawdor Castle and Gardens!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margied769
Jun 1, 2024
Fantastic tour of Inverness - Our tour guide, Kevin, showed us the grandeur of Lochness, the exquisite gardens of Cawdor Castle, an old Stonehenge like ruin, called Balnuaren of Clava, the site of the Battle of Culloden, a visit to see the "hurry coos" (hairy cows) and lunch at a fantastic local eatery. We were in a caravan of three cars snd all the hosts were accommodating. They also provided us with tasty local snacks and water. Thank you for sharing your beautiful homeland with us! We visited so many places but did not feel rushed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Connector28206040404
May 23, 2024
Exceeded expectations and created everlasting memories! - Billy met us at the port of Invergordon, on time and ready to show us Scotland. I had a few key places I wanted to see, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, Battle of Culloden and Clava Cairns. Billy made many more stops and I was very impressed with his knowledge. I truly appreciate the extra effort and time to show us as much as he could. We had a short stop in Canterbury and Billy recommended a lovely lunch cafe. This tour went beyond my expectations. At the end of the tour, he gifted us with some lovely Tea cakes. I highly recommend Highlander Private Tours. The cost shadows with the experience, time, and memories.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
829masg
Apr 30, 2024
We traveled to castle ruins and a castle still being inhabited. Also tour the Culloden battlegrounds. - I would recommend this tour to anyone coming off a cruise ship and has a day to spend in the area. Billy Maclean was our tour guide and took very good care of us. He was very knowledgeable and we enjoyed our day with him. He was very flexible given we docked late and was able to fit everything in we wanted to do.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
T3462oftanjab
Apr 24, 2024
On the traces of Outlander - I enjoyed my trip to Inverness very much. The driver showed us many different sightseeing attractions and told us something about the history. As an "Outlander-fan" the driver took us for instance to the locations the author Diana Gabaldon got her ideas from. I thank you Billie very much for this unusual experience. I like to think back on this journey.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maryjane_c
Oct 4, 2023
Great tour in Invergordon - Kevin did a wonderful job on this tour. He was very knowledgeable and did a great job showing us all the historical locations that we wanted to visit. I would recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Pkchb
Sep 1, 2023
Exceptional tour of Culloden, Inverness, Loch Ness, and more - William Maclean was the ultimate tour guide and driver. He is personable, knowledgeable, charming, and entertaining; it was a pleasure to spend the day with him. We learned fascinating details about the Battle of Culloden, walked along the shore of Loch Ness, enjoyed a pub in Inverness (Gellions), and much more. William (Billy) was gracious and thoughtful throughout the day; he ensured our comfort, shared countless fascinating stories, and made every single stop fascinating and fun. In addition, ‘Outlander’ fans will especially enjoy his behind-the-scenes stories. Finally, on a purely practical note, he is a very safe and dependable driver. Billy’s cordial nature and knowledge of the Highlands made our day even better than we had imagined it would be. He is fabulous, and we would definitely hire William Maclean again. Very well done!
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