Invergordon Shore Excursion Highland Bucket List Tour
Description
Let us collect you directly from your cruise ship from the Cromarty port Invergordon Our first stop Clava Cairns is where you will find the standing stones made famous by Diana Gabaldon the author of Outlander. But what else happens at this famous site. Find out with your guide the stories and mysteries of this 4000 year old site. We now move on to where in April 1746 on a cold wet moor by the name of Culloden, a battle took place which would change the life of the Highlanders forever. Visit where the gallant Jacobite's took on the might of King George II army. A trip to the Highlands is never complete without visiting the most famous Loch in the world, Loch Ness. Take your camera just in case Nessie makes an unexpected appearance. Next lets try some nessie water and taste some Gin and grab a free dram at the award winning Great Glen Distillery. Our final stop we stop and Explore the romantic Urquhart castle nestled on the shores of Loch Ness with its 1000 year history
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our first stop we find The Clava Cairns—or the Prehistoric Burial Cairns of Balnuaran of Clava—are all that remains of what was once a much larger Bronze Age burial complex. Dating back 4,000 years, the evocative cemetery site retains original features, including passage graves, standing stones, and ring cairns (stone circles).
Our second stop take us to Culloden moor Marking the spot of the last major battle on British soil, the wild moor at Culloden is the resting place of 1,500 Jacobite and 50 Government soldiers who fought and died here in 1746. Today, you can walk along the battle lines and see the graves of the soldiers beside the memorial cairn in the Centre of the battlefield. Flags represent the front lines of both armies and show the vast scale of the battle, whilst in the centre clan markers indicate the graves of the fallen. As part of our continued conservation of the site, we work hard to try and restore the land, as closely as possible, to how it would have looked in the 18th century. Working alongside our Facilities team, we have goats and Shetland cows who graze the land just as they would have years ago. The unique landscape of Culloden is also home to a rich variety of wildlife, including skylarks (who both live and breed on the battlefield) and garden tiger moth caterpillars
We now drive along the banks of Loch Ness where we can gaze at the amazing views of the most famous loch in the world, Nessie is the friendly monster that is said to live here. Grab your cameras.
We now grab a chance to taste some nessie water and have a choice to try a free Gin tasting at this award winning distillery, Maybe try freshly made local ice cream.
Wild natural beauty and 1,000 years of history - Urquhart Castle offers a taste of the Highlands at their most dramatic. Discover 1,000 years of drama, experience a glimpse of medieval life and enjoy stunning views over Loch Ness from the ruins of the greatest castle in the Highlands. Climb the Grant Tower that watches over the iconic loch, peer into a miserable prison cell, said to have held the legendary Gaelic bard Domhnall Donn, and imagine the splendid banquets staged in the great hall. A more comfortable view of the iconic ruins, against a backdrop of Loch Ness and the hills of the Great Glen, can be enjoyed from the café. Urquhart’s stories are also told through a remarkable collection of artefacts left by its residents, historic replicas, including a full-sized, working trebuchet siege engine, and a short film.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Visiting the Culloden Battlefield Site is free of charge, however the optional entry to the exhibition cost an estimated 10 Pounds per adult
Reviews(43)
Tour was great. Richie was amazing. Very knowledgeable and got us to all the sites with time to spare. With no rush
Thankyou so much Daniel it was wonderful having your family on tour today and hope one day you all return to Bonnie Scotland :)
Comprehensive and fun tour with Richie- excellent guide, willing to customize your tour to what the overall group wants to do. We were 6 on the tour and this was perfect!
Thankyou Sandra for a wonderful 5 star review and it was just a fantastic day having you guys & sharing the Highlands :)
Incredible experience! We just had a 12 day European trip, and this was our favorite excursion. Amazing things to see and Richie was AWESOME!!!
Thankyou Karen for your amazing 5 star review it was fantastic sharing the Highlands with the both of you :)
Richie provided a fantastic tour that hit all of the “high spots” of the area, provided a clean and comfortable van, was knowledgeable of the history of the area, and was genuinely a fun guide. Would absolutely book with him again.
Thankyou Daniel for your wonderful 5 star review, You were both fun all day on our Highland adventure thanks again guys :)
Richie was an amazing guide for the day. I cannot say enough good things about him and his personalized service. First, getting off the ship was difficult, because NCL had us clear UK customs before getting off for the day. This made us late, but Richie was waiting on us with a smile. He told us what the standard plan was, but also told us we could adapt as we wished. He quickly took us to a spot on Loch Ness that the tour buses do not frequent, which gave us great photo opportunities. Then we hit a local bakery, Harry Gow’s for some great treats and then it was off to Culloden and the Cawdor Castle. We never felt rushed and Richie explained everything well to us, giving us a history and geography lesson. Highly recommended this trip if we you have just 7-8 hours for the Highlands.
Thankyou so much Ryan & family for such a wonderful 5 star review, You guys were the best all day and it was a pleasure sharing our part of the Highlands with you all and Harry gows :)
Absolutely our best excursion to date! Richie was a delight to visit with. Thanks so much for a lovely day! 🥰
Thankyou Laura for your fab 5 star review and it was wonderful to share the Highlands with yourself & daughter and hope you enjoy your time in Edinburgh
Great overview of The Highlands. Richie was very informative and entertaining as a guide. He went out of his way to accommodate us.
Thankyou so much Rebecca for a wonderful 5 star review and it was such a fun day from your cruise ship enjoy the rest of your holiday :)
Highly recommendable, it was a great day! Everything was very well organized, Richie addressed our wishes at all times!
Thank you Katja & family for your fab 5 star review it was a very fun day from start to finish :) enjoy Iceland
Richie was the best tour guide. Very friendly and knowledgeable. The tour itself was most enjoyable despite the weather.
Your most kind Stephen I really enjoyed sharing this part of the Highlands with the both of you, and thankyou so much again. Soup was great hope yer dogs give you a warm welcome :)
Richie was great - knowledgeable, friendly and very informative. The van was comfortable for the 7 of us.
Thank you so very much Cynthia we had a fantastic group from your ship that day and so happy you could enjoy our journey through the Highlands :)
