This page includes affiliate links. If you choose to buy through these links I may earn a small commission with no additional cost to you!
Inverness is practically perfect when it comes to a home base for exploring the Scottish Highlands.
As I mentioned in my previous post, one of the most popular things to do in Inverness is to leave!
From castles to stunning nature to filming locations, the highlands have it all.
Although much of Scotland is accessible via train or bus, there are a few places where having a car is key. These tours remove the hassle of driving, while providing top notch entertainment and history lessons from a professional guide.
Of course, your mileage may vary depending on your guide but all of the guides on my tours were very knowledgeable and fun. Plus, they always do their best to show you a Highland Cow!
Loch Ness Cruise, Outlander & Urquhart Castle Tour
Since Inverness takes its name from being ‘the Mouth of the River Ness’, a trip to Loch Ness is pretty much mandatory. This tour will take you to the ruins of Urquhart Castle, where you can choose to purchase admission tickets for £16.00, or simply admire it from afar on the included hour long cruise of Loch Ness.
Keep an eye out for Nessie on your cruise!
Other stops include a visit to the ruins of Beauly Priory, and Outlander fans will be pleased to stop at the historical Culloden Battlefield and the Clava Cairns. The standing stones at Clava Cairns reportedly inspired the stones that send Claire through time!
Cost: $77.21 (it’s on sale!)
Time: 9 hours (approximately)
Size: 16 person max
Hogwarts Express and the Scenic Highlands Day Tour
Fans of Harry Potter will love this scenic day trip that includes a ride on the Jacobite Steam engine (aka the Hogwarts Express).
This tour includes brief stops at Urquhart Castle, the Commando Monument, the Suidhe Viewpoint, and Dores Beach on the shores of Loch Ness, but the real draw is of course the Steam Engine itself. The train journey takes about 2.5 hours, after which visitors will have plenty of time to explore Mallaig and make another stop in Fort Augustus.
As I mentioned in my Scottish trains post, the Jacobite Steam engine route is also doable in a regular train if you want to save a few bucks!
Cost: $244.57
Time: 12 hours (approximately)
Size: 30 person max
Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Small-Group Day Tour
Perhaps the most talked about location in Scotland these days is the Isle of Skye. This tour out of Inverness stops at several key locations on the island such as The Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, and Quiraing with a lunch stop in the cute town of Portree Harbor.
Visitors will also get the chance to visit Eileen Donan Castle! Check out this post for my opinions on the castle.
Cost: $79.41
Time: 12 hours (approximately)
Size: 16 person max
John O’Groats, Dunrobin Castle & the Far North
Trips to the far North of Scotland aren’t half as common as trips out to the dramatic Western coast, which makes this tour pretty unique!
This tour includes stops at Loch Fleet, Helmsdale Beach, Dunbeath Heritage Museum, and the pristine Brora Beach. You’ll also take longer stops to visit Dunrobin Castle, the Wick Heritage Museum, and John O’ Groats- located on the Northernmost part of the British mainland!
Cost: $69.15
Time: 11 hours (approximately)
Size: 32 person max
Cairngorms National Park & Whisky
This Cairngorms tour includes a stop at Carrbridge for views of the famous Old Packhorse Bridge (and few options to grab a cup of coffee), Loch Morlich with its beautiful beaches, and Aviemore.
Make sure to grab a snack in Aviemore because your next stop is the Tomatin Distillery.
Keep in mind that the tour of the distillery is included, but the whisky tasting itself is an additional cost. The whisky tasting includes three samples of Tomatin’s staple whiskys, and I thought it was well worth the price.
Cost: $51.64 ( + $18.89 for the whisky tasting)
Time: 9 hours (approximately)
Size: 16 person max
These tours do tend to be on the longer side to maximize your experience in the country, but I promise it’s worth it! The guides are usually good about providing plenty of bathroom stops and breaks to stretch your legs (and snap a few photos).
Be aware that several of these tours do not include admission tickets to the castles and museums. Please make sure to read through all of the tour descriptions thoroughly to make sure you have the best experience!
Check out my experience in the Cairngorms here.
Looking for more tours? Check out my Viator Shop for more of my favorite tours of Scotland!
Leave a Reply