Cawdor Castle, Inverness, Culloden, Outlander and Loch Ness Tour

4.5
(330 reviews)

6 to 8 hours (approximately)
Offered in: English

This bus tour from Invergordon features highlights from Outlander, Culloden, Castles, Loch Ness & Nessie! It packs in a lot for one day's tour and is very affordable and good value for money. Entrance to castle is INCLUDED. Our website contains full details of all tours and booking.

Our tours are specially put together after taking feedback from YOU. We have surveyed your desires and requests and put them together in our tours. We provide a quality experience and a guide or driver guide on our minibuses or buses. Our guides will impart their knowledge of their local Highlands and answer any of your questions.

Please check the tour times on our website, as the times listed here are approximate. As a general rule tours leave 30 minutes to 1.5 hours after the arrival of the ship and return at least 1 hour before ship departure time.

This tour is usually in a bus unless it’s a small ship then it may be in an 8 seater minivan.

What's Included

Entrance to castle cost is included in your booking price. Inverness castle is closed for refurb.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

In 2025 the cruise ships will dock at Quay West. Passengers disembark and get onto a shuttle bus which takes them to our meeting location on Shore Road. We are the first stop. All the independent tour guides wait there so look for our Thistle Guides.

End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Duration: 6 to 8 hours (approximately)
  • 1
    Culloden Battlefield

    We will travel to the Culloden Battlefield, where the Jacobites lost many a soul in the 1946 uprising. This was the last battle to be fought on British soil. If time allows we will give guests a chance to walk on the battlefield. Depending on tour we may not stop but just drive by.

    45 minutes Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    After a half hour visit at Clava Cairns, we will pop around the corner to see the famous Culloden or Nairn viaduct, designed by Murdoch Paterson and opened as a railway crossing in 1898. It is a spectacle to behold – there will be photo opportunities.

    Admission ticket free
  • 2
    Cawdor Castle

    Cawdor Castle is a lived in castle which is written about in Shakespear's MacBeth, when he refers to the Thane of Cawdor and the prediction. It has spectacular gardens and guided audio tours in your own language.

    1 hour 30 minutes Admission ticket included
  • 3

    Drop off in the city for shopping or seeing the historical churches and streets. It can vary between 30-90 minutes for this stop.

    45 minutes Admission ticket free
  • Beauly Priory (Pass by)

    We will leave the urquhart castle around 2-2.30pm to journey via a scenic route to Beauly to drive by the historic priory, now a ruin, built in 1230 by a little-known French order of monks. It is also the location where Claire of Outlander fame, is supposed to have met Mairi. It is the true site of the burial ground for the chiefs of Clan Fraser of which the fictional character from Outlander, Jamie Fraser is related. If time allows we will stop.

    Admission ticket free
  • (Pass by)

    Journeying onwards through the city of Inverness we will pass the historic town hall and the Inverness Castle. There will be photo opportunities for the castle and Inverness Cathedral. You’ll be able to visit the castle viewing gallery and the shops, cafes or historic bars. Photos only until 2024 as castle is being renovated.

    Admission ticket free
  • 4
    Loch Ness

    Going over the River Ness onto Loch Ness, where you need to be ready to spot our legend, Nessie, the Loch Ness Monster. Enjoy the comfortable ride by Loch Ness, which takes just around 30 minutes , searching for a sighting of Nessie herself. The last famous recorded sighting of her was a few decades ago, but we live in hope she will be photographed again soon. The scenery is second to none, so have your cameras ready. In recent months there has been footage circulated online of video recordings of an animal similar to Nessie playing in Loch Ness. We will stop at the Loch Ness lay-by for photos but it isn’t possible to paddle in Loch Ness due to the steep hillside location. You’ll travel past Loch Ness for 30 minutes enjoying it and waiting for a glimpse of Nessie. Drive by for 30 minutes. We will try to stop for photos

    10 minutes Admission ticket free
  • 5

    Go see a local farm shop but most of all see the two Highland cows Jamie and Katie-Morag

    20 minutes Admission ticket free

Additional info

  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Specialized infant seats are available
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Wheelchair travellers difficult
Supplied by Thistle Excursions - Invergordon Bus or Coach Tours

Tags

Day Trips
Bus Tours
Private and Luxury
Cultural Tours
Historical Tours
Ports of Call Tours
Luxury Car Tours
Shore Excursions
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Cancellation Policy

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

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Rating

4.5 Based on 330 330 reviews
5 stars
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4 stars
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3 stars
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2 stars
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1 star
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