Invergordon Shore Excursion Highland Bucket List Tour

Highlights

Inclusions

Itinerary

1. 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).

   30 min

2. 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

   1.5 h

3. 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.

   30 min

4. 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.

   45 minAdmission included

5. 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.

   1.1 h

Cancellation

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.

Reviews

Ratings come from 44 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.

Showing reviews written in English.

• 5We had a great day with...

  We had a great day with Richie! We saw all the planned sites plus some bonus stops. The day was both educational and fun.

  Susan_HSeptember 2026via Viator

• 5Great experience

  Tour was great. Richie was amazing. Very knowledgeable and got us to all the sites with time to spare. With no rush

  Daniel_BAugust 2026via Viator

• 5Comprehensive and fun...

  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!

  Sandra_SJuly 2026via Viator

• 5Highly recommend!

  Incredible experience! We just had a 12 day European trip, and this was our favorite excursion. Amazing things to see and Richie was AWESOME!!!

  KarenRobinsonGroesbeJuly 2026via Viator

• 5Great Experience

  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.

  Daniel_SJune 2026via Viator

• 5Small group, personalized attention.

  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.

  ryank377June 2026via Tripadvisor

Know before you go

How it compares in Invergordon

• Its from-price is 77% below the median of the 83 day trips we list in Invergordon.
• Its length is typical for the group.
• By number of reviews it ranks 17 of 83.
• The operator lists free cancellation on it.

About Invergordon

Invergordon is a small port on the Cromarty Firth in the Scottish Highlands, with wall murals, nearby distilleries and a deep-water harbour.

Invergordon stands on the northern shore of the Cromarty Firth, a large sheltered natural harbour, in the Highland area of Easter Ross. It was a Royal Navy base in both world wars, and its deep-water port still receives large ships. The town's walls are covered with murals showing local history, and a museum recalls the naval years, including the 1931 mutiny of sailors over pay.

See all 111 experiences in Invergordon