Collecting you from the Port gate we travel along the shore of the Cromarty Firth and cross the Cromarty bridge to the Black Isle and make our way to Beauly Priory , the 13th century Monastery built for an order of Valliscaulian monks from Dijon in France and destroyed by Cromwells forces in the 16th Century. We will then make a brief stop to see some Highland Cattle ( see photo ) before we carry on over Culnakirk Hill to Drumnadrochit and visit Urquhart Castle which sits on a promontory jutting out in to Loch Ness , the views of the Loch are fantastic from here and it was near here where St Columba is reputed to have seen the Loch Ness Monster. We then head towards Inverness and as we come in to Inverness we pass the Hill of the Fairies. We stop to see the Cathedral and The Old High Church and we pass Inverness Castle and the statue of Flora Macdonald before we travel out to Clava Cairns and have lunch at Cawdor Castle before concluding our tour at Culloden Battlefield.
Tour Options
2 - Group of up to 6 people
Pickup included
1 - Group of 4 People
Pickup included
3- Group of up to 8 people
Pickup included
Itinerary
60 min
Beauly Priory is currently closed due to recent high winds causing masonry to fall , we do not know yet when it will reopen. We will still visit Beauly where you can see it 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.
Admission not included80 min
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.
Admission not included60 min
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.
40 min
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.
10 min
One of the oldest streets in Inverness is Church street and the first place we see is Leakeys bookshop , this was a Government Hospital after the battle of Culloden.
60 min
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.
10 min
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.
Admission not included90 min
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.
Highlights
Private transportation
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Snacks
Free pick-up & drop-off
What's included
Included
Private transportation
WiFi on board
Bottled water
Snacks
Free pick-up & drop-off
Not included
Entrance Fees to attractions
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up all travellers from the port gate and we return the travellers to the gate within the time specified. We will be waiting outside the gate for you to disembark and we will have a board displaying your name.
Traveller Ratings
5.0
78 reviews
5
75
4
3
3
0
2
0
1
0
Important Information
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Full-Day Private Tour to Urquhart Castle Loch Ness and Inverness lasts about 7–8 hours. The itinerary has 8 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $854 per person for this Invergordon experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 3 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. We pick up all travellers from the port gate and we return the travellers to the gate within the time specified. We will be waiting outside the gate for you to disembark and we will have a board displaying your name.
Pickup points include CONTACT_SUPPLIER_LATER, LOC-o0AXGEKPN4wJ9sIG0RAn5EKcpXTnb8IiL2nESqhDc+udJ6Tq2cpKcdV/+4LkoEey.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 78 verified reviews; it is run by Highlander Private Tours. Most-mentioned highlights: Private transportation; WiFi on board; Bottled water.
Reviews(78)
5
517CGM
August 11, 2026
Cruise 2026
The tour was incredible! Jimmy was very enthusiastic and offered a lot of stories about Scotland that only locals would know. He was also very helpful in structuring our tour so that we could make the most out of it. I very much recommend you take this tour to get the best experience here.
Operator response
Hi Alberto
Thanks for this great review and we are glad you had a great day with Jimmy who is a great guide and a asset to our small team
Kind regards
Billy
A
A1192SXhannahw
July 28, 2026
The Best Highlander Tour!
Our tour with Highlander Private Tours was absolutely brilliant! Our driver/guide Bill was so incredibly considerate and accommodating. We learned so much about Highlander history and culture. Bill was our personal guide everywhere we went and he knew where all the hidden gems were. He knew exactly how much time we needed in each place to enjoy ourselves and create fantastic memories, but still get us back to our cruise ship with plenty of time to spare. Booking the tour was also super easy to customize. I can’t praise this team enough, and I would recommend this tour company to everyone! It was a perfect day.
Operator response
Hi Hannah
Thanks for this great review and it was a pleasure to take you all on tour and I'm glad you had a great day with myself
Kind regards
Billy
Q
Q870FFcoryc
June 24, 2026
Amazing Highland tour with our Family
Amazing experience with this Highland Tour exceeded all of our expectations. Our drivers were kind, helpful, and brought us lots of snacks and waters. They recommended different family friendly places. Farm Ness is a must do for families. Thank you for a great day in the Highlands.
Operator response
Hi Cory
Thanks for this great review and we are so glad that both families enjoyed there day with us
Kind regards
Billy & Ken
I
Iluvafrica
June 11, 2026
Wonderful
We had a wonderful tour with Billy. He was so knowledgeable and fun, we even had some silly requests like hitting golf ball and petting a coo (cow). He was able to do everything.
Operator response
Hi Dave
Thanks for this kind review and it was a pleasure taking you to feed the coos and get some golf in at the home of Golf and I’m glad you both had a great day
Hopefully see you back one day
Kind regards
Billy
K
kathycM9586BE
June 10, 2026
Great day in Scotland highlands
Great day. Saw parts i never would have seen on my own. Great guides and timed well. Would book again.
T
T259NQlizn
April 26, 2026
Great day with Lawrence
I had a lovely day with Lawrence! Everything was smooth and taken care of all day. He worked with me ahead of time & let me customize the tour a little bit. It was my birthday and I wanted to see some hairy coos and he came through! Seeing Loch Ness & the castle was wonderful, we did that first so we beat the crowds a bit. We saw Beauly Priory, Culloden Battlefield & Clava Cairns. We stopped for lunch at a cute little cafe & it was great. He was nice to talk to and I had a great time. Would definitely recommend & will use again when I return! Wishing I had booked a Whiskey tour too!
Operator response
Hello Liz ,
Thank you for this lovely review , it was my pleasure taking you around on your birthday and I am delighted we ticked all the boxes and you enjoyed the day. Hopefully we will see you again in the Highlands some day.
Keep well and all the best
Lawrence
H
hl146
September 1, 2025
Must do tour to Loch Ness
Super good guide! We loved the trip to Loch Ness with the castle. The guide knew some quieter areas around Loch Ness and knew a lot about the history of the clans and Scotland as well as the local area. We could plan our trip individually with the guide, who was good at making it fit with time. Can definitely be recommended.
V
V9378FAnancyb
August 24, 2025
Great!!
Excellent Trip would highly recommend this group!! our driver was Ken and he was great, but so was the Mclean’s. their recommendation to go through The CAstle was spot on.
Operator response
Hi Nancy
Thanks for this kind review of your trip with Ken who is a great person & guide and I'm glad you all enjoyed Cawdor Castle
Kind regards
Billy
J
Jennifer_L
August 5, 2025
Hairy Coos!
Our tour guide, Bill, was so knowledgeable and interesting. He shared a lot of great information and history. Bill was so kind and went out of his way to find opportunities for pictures with the hairy coos. When it started to rain, he made sure we had rain jackets. Absolutely outstanding tour and guide!
Operator response
Hello Jennifer ,
Thank you for your kind review , Bill is an excellent guide and a lovely person , I am delighted you enjoyed your day with him.
Keep well and all the best.
Lawrence
T
tomgM895RW
July 30, 2025
Inverness and Loch Ness
Shamus was a great tour guide and customized our tour to enable us to see as much as possible in the short time we had available for our shore excursion.
Compare similar tours in Invergordon
Tour
Duration
Rating
Price
Full-Day Private Tour to Urquhart Castle Loch Ness and Inverness