Loch Ness , Outlander , Inverness Castle , Clava and Culloden
Description
Combining both our Outlander tour and our Loch Ness Tour with local Highland guides we travel from Invergordon along the shore of the Cromarty Firth and make our way to Beauly , stopping at Robertsons Farm Shop to see some Highland Coos . We continue to Beauly Priory , the 13th century Monastery built for an order of Valliscaulian monks. The Priory was an ancient burial ground for the Clans Fraser and Mackenzie and has featured in Outlander. Leaving Beauly behind 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 where you will have an opportunity to visit the new Inverness Castle experience get some lunch and see some of the town centre. before we travel out to Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield before we take you back to the port.
Tour Options
Itinerary
On our way to Beauly we stop at Robertsons Farm Shop in Beauly where we will see some magnificient Highland Coos , including a gorgeous Black Bull named Jamie Mackenzie Fraser after the Outlander Hero.
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 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.
Inverness is known as The Capital of the Highlands. We stop in Inverness and visit the Old High Church where Jacobite prisoners were executed after the battle and you will see musket ball marks on the tower wall where the executions took place. You will also have an opportunity to visit the newest visitor attraction in Scotland - Inverness Castle where you can also grab some lunch and see some of this Historic town.
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.
The Battle of Culloden in 1746 was the last battle fought on British soil . We walk around the main areas of the Battlefield where the heaviest fighting took place and our guide will tell you about the Jacobites and the battle, 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.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick up all travellers from the port gate within an hour after your ship arrives and we return the travellers to the gate within the time specified. We will confirm with travellers the pick up time. We will be waiting outside the gate on the other side of the road for you to disembark and we will have a board displaying your name.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(17)
Highlanders Private Tour and Kevin (our guide) took wonderful care of us. He customized our day to include all the sights we wanted to see. Highly Recommend!
Hi Karen Thanks for this great review of your tour with Kevin and we’re glad you all enjoyed your day trip to Loch Ness and hopefully see you all back one day Kind Regards Billy
Spent two days with Billy showing us around the Highlands. He was great!! Knowledgeable about the history and the locals. Professional yet amusing, kind, and courteous. A great story teller! Thank you Billy!
Hi Baker Thanks very much for this great review and I'm glad you all had a good time with myself and hopefully we may see you back in the Highlands one day Kind regards Billy
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!
Hello David , Thank you so much for your kind review , I am so pleased you enjoyed your tour and hopefully we will see you back in the Highlands in the not too distant future. Keep well and all the best Lawrence
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.
Hello Andy , Thank you for your lovely review , I thoroughly enjoyed taking you and your friends around to help celebrate your 60th Birthday and I am so pleased you enjoyed your tours. Keep well and all the best Lawrence Maclean
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.
Hello William , Thank you for this lovely review , Graham is a lovely person and an excellent guide , I am so pleased you enjoyed your day with him. Keep well and all the best. Lawrence Maclean
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!
Hi Lauren Thanks for your kind review and I'm glad you all had a great day out with me and hopefully see you back in the Highlands one day Kind regards Billy
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.
Hi Margie Thanks for this kind review of your tour with Kevin and we are glad you had a great day Kind regards Billy
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.
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.
Hi Thomas Thanks for your great review and I'm glad you had a great day with us and hopefully you may come back one day Kind regards Billy
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.
Hi Teresa Thank you for this kind review and I'm glad you enjoyed the day and hopefully see you back one day Kind regards Billy
