The 12 Best Scottish Highlands Tours in Inverness

1.Hogwarts Express and the Scenic Highlands Day Tour from Inverness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,227 reviews · from $262Our pick

Travel from Inverness through Loch Ness country to Fort William, then ride the Jacobite train to Mallaig. Guides such as Harrison, Iain, Emma, and Stewart add stories and local detail. The train may run with a diesel engine instead of steam, so plan for scenery first and Harry Potter nostalgia second.

“Excellent trip! The train ride was fun. Our driver Harrison was super knowledgeable. We got to see several beautiful places on the drive to and from the train!”

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2.Loch Ness & The Highlands

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 301 reviews · 8 hours 45 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Spend nearly nine hours circling Loch Ness from Inverness with guides such as Alex, Malcolm, Karen, or Stewart. You will see Urquhart Castle, Fort Augustus, Foyers Falls, and Dores Beach, with an optional castle visit and boat cruise. Expect scenic stops, live commentary, and some walking.

“This tour was a lovely experience & a great way to see the sights around Loch Ness! Alex was a true delight — a perfect mix of historical information, folk tales & personal anecdotes, and pleasant conversation in between.”

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3.Inverness Highlands Bucket List Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 111 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $165

Join Richie or Richard for a small-group Highland tour from Inverness. In about six hours, visit Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and Great Glen Distillery, with local stories, bottled water, and a wee whisky dram included.

“We had a fantastic day and really enjoyed our guide. Lots of opportunity to do what you wanted to do rather than being stuck with the group the whole time. The guide was very informative.”

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4.Full-Day Outlander Experience in the Scottish Highlands from Inverness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Travel privately from Inverness with guides such as Andrew, Michael, Ryan, or Steve to explore Culloden, Clava Cairns, Castle Leod, Beauly Priory, Fort George, Loch Ness, and Urquhart Castle. Expect live history, flexible stops, hotel or port pickup, and room for personal requests.

“We had the pleasure of having Steven as our guide. I can not say enough about our experience with him. He is so knowledgeable of the area and anything we wanted to know, about history, politics, food, culture, anything about the area. He was so accommodating and even showed us a few surprise sites! He even made recommendations for the next leg of our journey. We would highly recommend this tour for anyone who loves the series Outlander or just wants to get everything they can out of visiting Inverness and the beautiful Highlands.”

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5.Cairngorms & Whisky Day Tour from Inverness Including Admission

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 55 reviews · 9 hours 15 minutes (approx.) · from $63

Travel from Inverness in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach through Carrbridge and the Cairngorms to Loch Morlich and Aviemore, then tour and taste whisky at Tomatin Distillery. Guides such as Scott, Amy, Duncan, and Gregor are known for lively stories, local history, and occasional extra stops.

“I can definitely recommend this tour! It was a lot of fun.The stops we made were very relaxed and we were able to take our time to eat, drink and look around. Our tour guide was very enthusiastic and knew so much about everything! It was great!”

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6.Applecross, Loch Carron & the Wild Highlands

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 50 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $85

Travel from Inverness in a small group of up to 19 people with a driver-guide such as Marita, Sinclair or Kathleen. Cross the Black Isle, climb the Applecross Pass, pause in Applecross, Shieldaig and Beinn Eighe, and return through the Highlands in about 10 hours.

“We thoroughly enjoyed this great tour! Our guide was fantastic and the tour participants were fun to be around! The sights were beautiful and we were provided plenty of time for each stop. The restaurant we visited for lunch was awesome! We highly recommend this tour!!”

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7.Alternative Loch Ness Tour by Secret Highlands

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 33 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $376

Travel from Inverness with Secret Highlands guide Jamie in a private vehicle limited to five people. See Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle, Corrimony Cairn, Glen Affric, Plodda Falls, and Beauly Priory, with short walks, snacks, and bottled water included.

“If you don’t like standard tourist roads if you like something special this trip is great to explore the Highlands. You can trust me as its my third trip to the blessed Highlands and I’m sure it’s not last. We spent day with fantastic guide, smart and kind man Jamie who knows a lot about Scotland. Glen Affric is unique and stunning place with breathtaking views. I’m in love with Plodda Falls and forest. We will keep great memories about this trip and day with Jamie!”

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8.Loch Ness, Outlander and Highlands Private Chauffeur Tour from Inverness

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 23 reviews · 8 to 9 hours (approx.)

Hire a private Mercedes V250 and local guide for 8 to 9 hours from Inverness. Visit Culloden, Clava Cairns, Loch Ness, Beauly, Castle Leod, and Outlander-linked sites, with room to adjust the day to your interests.

“Culloden was fascinating and moving. Cawdor Castle was also a highlight. Our guide Michael was very knowledgeable, and took us to some places we would never have seen or known about.”

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9.Discovering Inverness: A Self-Guided Audio Tour of the Capital of the Highlands

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 19 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $9Best value

Follow a self-guided VoiceMap walk through Inverness, starting at St Andrew’s Cathedral and passing the river, Greig Street Bridge, Old High Church, Leakey’s Bookshop, Inverness Castle, Eden Court, and the Ness Islands. Pause for pubs, sights, or photos, then continue at your own pace.

“Very diversified information provided, very useful to be introduced to Inverness. One single regret: while the castle is still under restoration hence not accessible, the audioguide was not updated accordingly.”

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10.1 Day Isle of Skye and Scottish Highlands Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · 12 hours (approx.) · from $80

Travel from Inverness to the Isle of Skye in an air-conditioned coach with a local driver-guide such as Ross, John, or Allen. See the Skye Bridge, Portree, Kilt Rock, the Quiraing, and Eilean Donan Castle, with short walks, food stops, and live Scottish stories along the way.

“It was a long day but well worth it. Our second tour with Hairy Coo company and did not disappoint. Comfortable seats each with charging plugs. Our great driver/guide Ross did a great job showing us the island with some really tricky roads to maneuver! Such beautiful scenery and great stops for refreshments and breaks! Highly recommended!”

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11.Executive Travel & Guided Tours through the Highlands of Scotland

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · 8 hours 30 minutes (approx.)

Spend 8.5 flexible hours with a local guide such as Bob or David Ogilvie, traveling by private, air-conditioned vehicle from Inverness to Culloden, Clava Cairns, Cawdor Castle, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and Beauly Priory. Outlander fans, castle lovers, and first-time Highland visitors get a full day with room to adjust the pace.

“Our tour made Scotland come alive. Our tour guide David Ogilvie was highly informative in regard to the history and natural beauty of Scotland. He was also a great guide to the fabulous distilleries. He could not have been more gracious and informative. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone interested in an outstanding experience in Scotland”

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12.BMW SUV Tour of the Scottish Highlands with Kilted Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 8 hours (approx.)

Spend eight hours with a private kilted guide in a comfortable BMW SUV, traveling from Inverness to Struie Hill, Dunrobin Castle, Dornoch, Glenmorangie, and Black Isle Brewery. Guides such as Peter, Liam, and Gavin tailor the day, with whisky, chocolate, snacks, and bottled water included.

“We had a great time with Peter for our tour of the castle and gardens, finding some hairy coos, yummy whisky tasting, as well as a hike up to the Fyrish monument. Car was lovely and he was very good with our 12 and 14 year old kids.”

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