Loch Ness Tour: Day Trip to Loch Ness, Outlander Sites and More

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Recommended by 100% of reviewers

| Invergordon, Scotland

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7 to 8 hours (approx.)

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Overview

Discover top Highlands attractions, including Loch Ness and sites featured in the Outlander series, with this private guided tour from Inverness or Invergordon. Visit the local sites with your local guide around the Inverness area, from the famous Loch Ness to Outlander sites Clava Cairns, Culloden and more and learn the history of the Scottish Clans. Try our world award winning local Gin and Whisky. A fun full day of things to see and try all in one day for guests wanting a full taste of the highlands with a short time frame.
Local Guide
Private Tour
Comfortable Air Conditioned Vehicle
Customisable to your Taste (within reasonable distance)

What's Included

Private Comfortable Vehicle
Snacks & Water
Free Gin Tasting
Local Guide

Whisky Tours & Tasting’s
Lunch
Urquhart Castle

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Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point

Pickup details

For Meeting Points we will be there with a board with your name on it.

Meeting point

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

What To Expect

Urquhart Castle

The present ruins date from the 13th to the 16th centuries, though built on the site of an early medieval fortification. Founded in the 13th century, Urquhart played a role in the wars of Scottish independence in the 14th century. It was subsequently held as a royal castle and was raided on several occasions by the MacDonald Clan. The castle was granted to the Clan Grant in 1509, though conflict with the MacDonalds continued. Despite a series of further raids the castle was strengthened, only to be largely abandoned by the middle of the 17th century. Urquhart was partially destroyed in 1692 to prevent its use by Jacobite forces, and subsequently decayed. The castle, situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness, is one of the largest in Scotland in size of area.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Inverness Cathedral

Inverness Cathedral, also known as the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew, is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church situated in the city of Inverness in Scotland close to the banks of the River Ness. The Cathedral dating back to 1869 with its Gothic Style architecture along with its cherry blossoms outside and stained-glass windows inside makes it a beautiful stop for visitors before heading to/from Loch Ness.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Clava Cairns

The Clava Cairn is a type of Bronze-age circular chamber tomb cairn, named after the group of three cairns at Balnuaran of Clava. They fall into two sub-types, one typically consisting of a corbelled passage grave with a single burial chamber linked to the entrance by a short passage and covered with a cairn of stones, with the entrances oriented southwest towards midwinter sunset. In the other sub-type an annular ring cairn encloses an apparently unroofed area with no formal means of access from the outside. The Clava Cairns serves as inspiration for the fictitious Craigh na Dun standing stones in the book and TV series Outlander. the famous “Cleft stone” that transports the main character Claire back in time can be found here at Clava Cairns.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Culloden Battlefield

The Battle of Culloden took place on 16 April 1746, outside Inverness. A Jacobite army under Charles Edward Stuart was decisively defeated by a British government force commanded by the Duke of Cumberland, ending the Jacobite rising of 1745. Culloden Marks 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. 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.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Cawdor Castle

Cawdor Castle is a castle in the parish of Cawdor. It is built around a 15th-century tower house, with substantial additions in later centuries. Originally a property of the Calder family, it passed to the Campbells in the 16th century and today is still owned by the Campbells which is now home to the Dowager Countess Cawdor, The earliest documented date for the castle is 1454, the date a licence to fortify was granted to William Calder, 6th Thane of Cawdor. However, some portions of the 15th-century tower house or keep may precede that date. Architectural historians have dated the style of stonework in the oldest portion of the castle to approximately 1380. Along with its Beautiful Gardens is a must see and popular stop for visitors.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Culloden Viaduct

Designed by Murdoch Paterson, Chief Engineer of the Highland Railway, the bridge was built between 1893 and 1898 and is still in use today. The curved stone structure with concrete foundations is 1800 feet in length. This makes it the longest masonry railway viaduct in Scotland. It has 29 arches in total. One wider central arch over the river, with 14 on each side. It was built using local red sandstone from the Leanach Quarry on Culloden Moor. As a place of special architectural interest.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Beauly Priory

Beauly Priory was a Valliscaulian monastic community located in Inverness-shire and was founded in 1230. The French monks, along with Bisset (a nearby, recently settled landowner), had a strong enough French-speaking presence to give the location and the river the name “beau lieu” (“beautiful place”) and have it pass to the English. Most of the Priory was destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in the 16th century and he removed a lot of the stone to build a citadel in Inverness. The Priory also served as an ancient burial ground for the chiefs of the clans Fraser and Mackenzie who are laid to rest here to this day.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Great Glen Distillery

Drumnadrochit is a village on the shores of Loch Ness, known famously as the home to the Loch Ness Monster. Drumnadrochit is filled with novelty shops where Scottish clan items and other Scottish staples can be enjoyed. We also visit Great Glen Gin Distillery, Scotland’s smallest distillery where they offer world award winning free Gin tastings made from the waters of Loch Ness so you get a true taste of Nessie.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Singleton Distillery

Glen Ord Distillery was founded in 1838 and is currently owned by the large brand Diageo. Glen Ord is the last remaining distillery on the Black Isle and are one of the very few that still malt their own barley on site. Enjoy cheeseboards and a massive range of their tastings on offer in their newly 6-million-pound internal refurb where a few of their whisky’s can only be tried in certain regions of the world or right here at this distillery. For any guests that don’t like Whisky they offer other alternative refreshments.

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

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Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Specialized infant seats are available
Time for any Lunch period guests may want has been time managed into the tour.
Total travelling time has been included in total time

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Loch Ness Tour: Day Trip to Loch Ness, Outlander Sites and More?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (BST). Read more Apr 2025