Inverness and the Highlands 2 Day Tour

Day 1

Leaving Edinburgh we pass Stirling Castle and the National Wallace Monument prior to our first photo stop at 13th century Doune Castle (restrictions may apply).

Doune Castle as featured in Outlander and Game of Thrones

Small groups of around 12 passengers

Protecting the gateway to the Highlands the medieval castle has recently been seen as Castle Leoch in Outlander, Winterfell in Game of Thrones but is probably most famous for featuring in the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail. As we continue north the mountains and lochs provide a dramatic backdrop for our journey to Glen Coe, perhaps the most famous of all Scotland’s glens.

This narrow valley is where the bloody massacre of the MacDonalds took place in 1692. You may even recognise this part of the Highlands, used as a backdrop for many movies including Skyfall.

Glen Coe

The Wee Red Bus in the Highlands

Glenfinnan Viaduct as featured in several Harry Potter movies

After lunch we visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct (Apr-Oct only) which famously features in several Harry Potter movies as the Hogwarts Express train crosses the bridge.

Historically this stunning viewpoint also marks the spot where Prince Charles Edward Stuart (Bonnie Prince Charlie) landed on mainland Scotland and raised his standard prior to the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion.

More time off the bus and extra photo stops

Monster hunting at Loch Ness

We stop for a photo of Britain’s highest mountain (Ben Nevis) before continuing along the Great Glen to the world’s most mysterious lake, Loch Ness.

There will be an opportunity for photos and souvenir shopping in the charming village of Fort Augustus. We continue along the full length of Loch Ness for a photo of Urquhart Castle… eyes peeled for monsters!

Our overnight stay is in the northernmost city of the UK and pretty capital of the Highlands, Inverness. There are numerous pubs, cafes and restaurants for evening entertainment.

Inverness - your base for the night and capital of the Highlands

Day 2

After being collected from your accommodation it’s only a short drive to Culloden Moor where the Jacobites were finally defeated by government soldiers in 1746, the last battle to be fought on British soil.

You will have time to walk on the battlefield and learn more about this tragic event that killed 700 Highland clansmen in three minutes.

Walk and talk at Culloden Battlefield

Visit Outlander filming and story locations

Standing stone at Clava Cairns

From there we visit one of Scotland’s most evocative and sacred prehistoric sites, the nearby 4000 year old stone circles and burial mounds at Clava Cairns. As we drive south through the Cairngorms National Park you’ll hear about the flora and fauna of this wonderful wilderness which was officially protected in 2003 and is the largest national park in the British Isles.

After lunch in one of the charming villages inside the national park we arrive at the lively Highland town of Pitlochry with an elegant main street packed with shops and restaurants.

Ruthven Barracks in the Cairngorms National Park

During our break here options include souvenir shopping, a short stroll to the famous hydro electric dam and salmon ladder or a lovely woodland walk to the Black Spout waterfall. Our final stop is a gentle riverside walk through Big Tree Country at Dunkeld, a beautiful way to finish the tour all seasons of the year.

Highland town of Pitlochry

The Hermitage woodland and waterfall walk

As we return to Edinburgh we cross the Forth Bridge with stunning views of the Forth Rail Bridge and the new Queensferry Crossing. The rail bridge amazed the world when it was completed in 1890 and has become an enduring symbol of Scotland’s engineering heritage.