Cawdor Castle, Inverness, Culloden, Outlander and Loch Ness Tour
Invergordon, Scotland
- 6 to 8 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Save hours researching and planning a Scottish Highlands itinerary, and go on an action-packed bus tour instead. Starting from Invergordon, travel with ease between dispersed sites including Cawdor Castle, Culloden, Loch Ness, Inverness, and Beauly Priory, made famous by the hit TV series "Outlander." Clava Cairns is excluded due to access restrictions. It’s the ideal tour for travelers with limited time who want to see multiple highlights in a day.
- Enjoy a tour designed for Invergordon cruise ship passengers
- Travel with ease between dispersed sites on a bus
- Check off many Scottish Highlands highlights in a day, including Culloden
- Try and spot the Loch Ness Monster by stopping off at Loch Ness
What's Included
- Entrance to Cawdor Castle is included
- Clava cairns is excluded due to bus and weak bridge
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 35 Shore Rd, Invergordon IV18 0EH, UK
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
1
Culloden Battlefield
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Culloden Viaduct (Pass By)
2
Cawdor Castle
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Inverness
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Beauly Priory (Pass By)
The Inverness Castle Experience (Pass By)
4
Loch Ness
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Robertson's - The Larder & Highland Cows - Beauly
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Wheelchair travellers difficult
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 53 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.5
based on 362 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Malcolm_B, Jul 2026
This excursion is brilliant value for money. You visit so many different sights. Culloden, Loch Ness, Inverness, Urquhart Castle etc. This female led organisation is simply THE BEST. We had Mo as our guide. Her general knowledge & interpersonal skills are superb. She drove us safely around all day rigged up like Madonna in a headset! I also interacted with Maxine and June who were both equally enthusiastic. Thistle Tours are a 10/10 organisation. Thank you ladies.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so Much
Susheel_Y, Jul 2026
This was a fantastic tour, our guide, Eleanor was truly amazing. We learned lots of history, it was super interesting and Eleanor was wonderful!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so Much
Kris_M, Jul 2026
Simon was amazing, enjoyed the tour. The bus was clean and air conditioning was great. I would suggest it to everyone.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for the 5 stars.
Pam_S, Jul 2026
The Orkney islands are so beautiful! Rob, our tour guide was personable and highly knowledgeable of the area I would recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you but I don’t think this is our tour. We don’t do Orkney.
Lorie_V, Jul 2026
Well organized, nicely narrated and covered a lot of ground. We enjoyed the informative tour and the included stops.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you 🙏 appreciated.
Tatyana_M, Jul 2026
We recommend this excursion: it was interesting, plenty of time to explore on our own and looking at historical sites. The only stop, we thought was kind of shallow, was seeing the highland cows. We saw two cows…. And that was yet. It would be more impressive to stop by herding cows in the plains somewhere. Our tour guide Mowe was very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you. A lot of people love the wee cows though.
Jason_S, Jul 2026
Our tour guide Mo and driver Ewan were amazing. They gave us history, a safe ride and lots to see. This day was just the right amount of time at each stop! We were gone by 9:05 and back 15 min before sailing away! The bus times were perfectly planed. We did not feel rushed and yet we did it all!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We actually had you back 1 hour before sailing but 15 minutes before the ship return time but Thank you for The lovely review.
Thomas_H, Jul 2026
Most of the time on this trip seemed to be spent driving from place to place. Due to sailing schedules, it felt rushed. Our guide was knowledgeable, and shared a lot of information, not all of which was needed.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Unfortunately we cannot alter the geography of the Highlands nor the ship’s schedule. Sorry.
Dave_G, Jul 2026
Comprehensive knowledge by guide added to the interesting places visited. Well organised for meeting etc
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you Dave Very kind of you.
Charlotte_F, Jun 2026
Our Guide was 87 years old. A wonderful day with him! Such a personality! We are german and he spoke such an understadalbe English. A wonderful Tour. Thank you!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you Seoris is a star.
Rick_A, Jun 2026
The operators were fantastic. Our tour was delayed due to UK immigration. They were very flexible. Great communications. The tour leader Eleanor was fantastic, friendly, and knowledgeable of the area.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much Rick. You got to us in the end. Must’ve been your Scotland rugby shirt LOL.
Patty_E, Jun 2026
George was aGreat tour guide; told you what to expect at the right time & on the bus so as not to waste time. He gave us an amazing tour of Culloden with just enough historical info.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much.
Heidi_k, Jun 2026
This trip was fabulous. Our tour guide, Seòras (sp? -George) McGillivry, was spectacular. At Culloden, he shared that he is a 7th generation descendant of a clansman that perished during the battle. Very informative gentleman. Great overall trip. Love those Hairy Coos!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much. We’re so lucky to have Seoris (George) as our guide.
Christine_C, Jun 2026
George Macgillivray was our tour guide and there is nothing that he doesn’t know about Scotland! He is actually a descendant of the leader of Clan Macgillivray who lost his life on the Culloden Battlefield. He gave us a wealth of information about the Jacobites and the rebellion, as well as many interesting facts about the highlands. The drive through the highlands was incredibly beautiful! We also toured Cawdor Castle and had time to explore Inverness. We had a wonderful day overall!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We’re so happy with our Seoris (George). Thank you. He is very special.
Lynne_L, May 2026
This was a great way to see the Scottish highlands and our guide, Mo was excellent. We enjoyed all the stops and Mo kept us entertained and well informed.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you so much.
Susan_D, May 2026
The trip is well organized and pick up from the port is fast and easy. The guide is knowledgeable and maximized our time in port. I had pre/cruise concerns which were addressed immediately.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you Susan. Great review.
redondo, May 2026
Wonderful group of 5 in small van with a delightful and informative guide, June. Very enjoyable 7 hours Easy to find after leaving ship. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for the lovely review.
CASSANDRA_K, Mar 2026
My husband and I took this tour with Mo as our guide. We had an incredible time! Mo was informative and friendly. She made us feel comfortable with asking any questions we had and because it was just us and her, she was eager to show us everything she possibly could. We loved Mo and all the sights we got to see! Take this tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
So pleased you had a wonderful time. You were the first guests of our 2026 season. Thank you again
Marita_T, Oct 2025
Tour guide (Mo) was nice, but would say “over here there is xyz”, no idea if it was to right or left and often couldn’t see off bus. Loch Ness was very lame. The Robertson farm had 2 cows, no bathrooms, waste of time. Then the bus broke down. Would not recommend
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Usually there is only one side for you to look at. Not sure why you couldn’t see through a bus window? Loch Ness is a vast area of water. Not sure what you wanted. We can’t change an iconic landmark. Robertsons does have two highland cows - correct! We didn’t expect you to use it as a toilet stop. There were many other locations with toilets. Bus did not break down. It has a sensor gone on which put into limp mode for 5 minutes until it cleared. Can’t please everyone I guess. 99% of guests LOVE Mo!!
To top it all though THERE IS A TOILET ON THE BUS!!!
Kristy_B, Sep 2025
Great guide and driver. Loved the scenery as we drove as well as the interesting stops snd history comments
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
James_H, Sep 2025
Tour operator was so helpful in fixing my reservation when I booked the wrong day. Mo, our tour guide was great and calm under pressure when the bus stalled. She went right to work to make sure we would get back to the ship in time despite the hiccup. Anybody can do a great job when things go perfect but what separates the best is how well they pivot when things don’t go as planned and despite the mechanical issues we had a wonderful day, saw everything we were supposed to and got back together the ship in time. Thank you Thistle Tours.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
John_A, Sep 2025
Wasn't really expecting all the Outlander stuff. Thought it would be more of a historical tour. It was quite good in that our guide Emma was historically knowledgeable as well. She was friendly with all on board.
Two stars removed for the following reasons. The coach was small and brutally uncomfortable especially for those unlucky enough to land in the back row. There is a step at the back not clearly marked as an elevation change and 2 of us fell on it twisting knees and ankles (fortunately not seriously). Instead of ramming us in like sardines, we needed a bigger coach/fewer people on it.
Thistle tours cuts it WAAYYYY to close for all aboard. Their plan was a half an hour to spare (which does NOT leave enough time for emergencies). Another of their coaches broke down in front of us and we stopped to help them. We were back at 5:32 for a 5:30 all aboard. Whilst we did make it, it was a very uncomfortable feeling for the people on both coaches. Other tours we took allowed an hour before all aboard to be back which is much more comfortable for unforseen circumstances. For this reason, I would not use Thistle Tours again.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
John I’m disappointed in your review as it is NOT all accurate.
The bus was back 10 minutes after our scheduled time of 5.00pm which is 1 hour prior to ship sailing. This is when nearly ALL buses get back, including the ship’s own bus tours. I know you dropped off at 5.10 because I was parked up watching you!
Secondly the other bus which has a temporary problem also dropped off at the same time. Despite it ‘breaking down’ once the driver looked at the engine they realised it was a sensor and after that the bus was perfectly ok.
About Outlander - the tour is billed as I including those venues. Others liked that. Emma who was the guide you is highly trained in all aspects of the area as well as being a local. Considering the high tips she received everyone else has a great time.
The bus has to be a small one in order to drive over the weak bridge which leads to Clava cairns. On the day you went a lot of guests wanted to book it so we just left 3 seats. All of this information is in our product.
However you’re the only one who has an issue with that day. We can’t please everyone.
Jessy_R, Sep 2025
We did this tour as a shore excursion and had a wonderful time. There's alot to see in the area and they take you to everything and allow ample time at the stops. Emma is a great and knowledgeable tour guide and Ross is an excellent driver. Highly highly recommend this tour with this company!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
Suzanne_C, Sep 2025
Lots of stairs in Castle so probs not ideal for everyone but we really enjoyed it
Loved Culloden. Tour guide was terrific!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
Robin_L, Sep 2025
Seoris/George did an amazing job. He was so knowledgeable about the area and history. Especially Culloden! There was a stone for his ancestor. He was also kind to locate a bandaid for me.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
Nina_S, Sep 2025
Tim was great . He was knowledgeable. Very friendly and polite. gave us suggestions on what to do. He left it up to us to decide where we wanted to go. We did a three hour tour with him and he took us to every possible place we wanted to go . Great friend friendly guy.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
DrMonica_D, Sep 2025
After a somewhat chaotic start, we launched off on a fun, informative day. Guide Mo was absolutely hysterical and kept the flow going well all day while Handsome John brilliantly piloted our coach thru some harrowing spots. Mo was very informative and it was a great way to see the whole region and learn about its history. It would be very helpful were the meet up site set up better, as several in our group wandered the streets of Invergordon looking for us. Each guide should be lined up w signs, with a greeting host sending us off to line up w our appointed guides. Thank you for a memorable trip!!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
Gary_D, Sep 2025
The tour took was very nice but it took over 8 hours because we made a number of stops where some people continued to be late in returning to the bus. The tour guide and bus driver were very good.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
Amy_M, Sep 2025
Absolutely fantastic tour! Our guide Seoris was superb! His personal knowledge made the information more interesting and retainable!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
JULIE_A, Sep 2025
Finding the starting location was poorly visible. Instructions said “post office”…NOT. Found a guide with the company name and she kindly found us our guide. Our guide was friendly, thoughtful. The Castle was most interesting. Our tour ran late all day. We nearly missed our dinner reservation.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for taking the time to give Thistle a great review. It helps the guides feel really appreciated and gives them huge job satisfaction. It also helps the company know we’re getting it right.
So very kind of you.
From $182.99
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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