From Inverness To Loch Ness , Culloden , Clava And More

If you are planning a trip to Scotland, do yourself a favor and book with Lawrence. I cannot recommend him or his tour company highly enough. What began as a 10 day vacation exploring Scotland as a family visiting from the United States turned into an unforgettable experience that we will treasure for the rest of our lives. Lawrence was, without question, one of the very best parts of our entire trip. We spent approximately 10 days traveling across this beautiful country with Lawrence, beginning in Edinburgh and making our way to Inverness for the Highland Games, the Isle of Skye, the Isle of Eriska, Oban, Loch Ness, Loch Lomond, and countless magnificent castles and historic sites along the way. We explored Harry Potter filming locations, visited places that brought Outlander to life, and experienced the breathtaking beauty of the Scottish Highlands. My personal favorite was walking the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye — an absolutely magical experience that I will never forget! But what truly made this trip extraordinary was Lawrence himself. He went above and beyond in every imaginable way. He didn’t simply take us from one destination to another; he made sure we experienced everything on our wish list and then found ways to make the journey even more special. His knowledge of Scotland’s history, culture, traditions, and hidden gems was remarkable. What made it even more meaningful was how he connected the history of the places we visited to our own Scottish heritage and family ties. Those personal connections transformed beautiful sightseeing stops into deeply memorable experiences. Lawrence was also incredibly thoughtful and accommodating when it came to mobility challenges within our group. He worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone could participate, experience the sights, and enjoy the trip to the fullest. No one was made to feel left behind, and that meant more to us than words can express. His patience, compassion, and willingness to go the extra mile were truly exceptional. And the food! Lawrence seemed to know all the best places for dinner, from wonderful local spots to memorable dining experiences we might never have discovered on our own. Every detail felt thoughtfully considered. Perhaps the greatest luxury of all was how effortless he made the entire experience. Lawrence essentially created an all-inclusive journey across Scotland. We didn’t have to worry about the logistics, what to see next, where to eat, or how to make the most of our time. We could simply relax, enjoy one another, take in the spectacular scenery, and make memories. Everything was handled with care, professionalism, and an extraordinary personal touch. By the end of our time together, Lawrence no longer felt like our tour guide. He felt like family. That is a rare gift. Anyone can arrange transportation and point out landmarks, but it takes a truly special person to make you feel cared for, understood, and connected to a place in such a meaningful way. Lawrence gave us so much more than a tour of Scotland. He gave us stories to tell, memories to revisit, a deeper appreciation for our heritage, and an experience that brought our family even closer together. We traveled all the way from the United States, and I can say without hesitation that choosing Lawrence was one of the best decisions we made for our vacation. If you want to see Scotland’s incredible sights, discover its history, experience its hidden treasures, and have someone who genuinely cares about making your trip extraordinary, look no further. Lawrence, thank you for sharing your Scotland with us, for taking such wonderful care of our family, and for making every single day special. We arrived as visitors and left feeling like we had gained a friend for life. We will remember this trip forever, and we cannot recommend you highly enough! If you are considering a trip to Scotland, book with Lawrence. You will be so glad you did! He knows how to navigate around a long line :)

We did a 4-days private tour of the Highlands as a family of four. We covered different parts of the Highlands during this tour. We had a wonderful experience with Billy and Ken. They made the tour very easy and flexible. The amount of knowledge they had about the history of the Highlands was amazing! We learned so much through the journey. Thank you so much for this wonderful and unforgettable experience!

Don’t hesitate with these guys! I could not have been more impressed with our tour and guide. This was Way better than a ship booked tour. Kevin our guide was spectacular, he provided a well thought out tour with a wealth of information. Thanks again Highlander Private Tours for making our time in port amazing.

Wonderful experience. Our guide, Lewis, was polite, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Accommodated us by adjusting the schedule with our reservations for a later visit to Edinburgh. Made sure we made it back in time for boarding our cruise. Great time! Plus we were traveling with three children, 8, 13, and 15.

This tour was great! Lawrence was so knowledgeable and entertaining. He customized our tour to our interests and the pickup and drop-off were perfect. Highly recommend.

This experience was THE highlight of our Scotland trip - we booked 3 separate trips with them (2 transfer tours and one Loch Ness tour) and every day was truly amazing. Lawrence and Billy are locals and have so much knowledge about the Highlands and history that everyone will learn something, AND be entertained along the way. They truly know how to make every stop memorable, and they went above and beyond for our group of 4 with each stop. There is no need to look at any other tour or transfer company, I highly recommend them and we would never book with anyone else! 🙂

Kevin was wonderful! We had such a fun day. We really got a taste of what the Highlands offer exploring castles, battlefields, a distillery, historic sites, and we even got to pat some coos! We simply could not have had a better experience with a better guide! Thank you, Kevin!

Excellent full day tour taking in all the sites on our wish list plus more. Our driver and guide, Billy, was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable.

Billy was so knowledgeable, entertaining and friendly! The tour was very interesting and fun. I learned a lot, had a relaxing day, and thoroughly enjoyed the adventure.

Lawrence was excellent,a very nice tour and very knowledgeable of all the history. He was attentive and loved his little extras.

This was more than a tour of various sights. Our guide Lawrence, who owns this company with his brother Billy, wove all the stops and more together with a running tale like episodes on a TV series. UK history is deeper and longer than what we Americans have with the Scottish royalty, uEnglish Lords and the many clans. Lawrence was factual, informative and fun. He was a delightful raconteur and he created a perfect day for us.

Lawrence did a superb job in helping us to see Northern Scotland. We customized our tour and he was very receptive to places we wanted to go. He is very knowledgeable and helped us understand some of the history of this great land. Our trip was less stressful as he did all the driving! Don't hesitate to hire him!

We (2 couples) spent a wonderful day with Kevin. Kevin was very attentive and knowledgeable about the area and sights we visited. We greatly appreciated Kevin's advice and guidance the entire day. Would not hesitate to spend another day with Kevin!

My huband and I booked a day tour with Larry while in port on a cruise. Larry was well aware that I am a big fan of the show 'Outlander,' and that I love animals. Larry took us to many Outlander inspired sites and explained the history behind each of these sites. I also really appreciated the enthusiasm he conveyed towards his country and their history. If my husband and I made a unique request, Larry was sure to do everything he could to make it happen! I feel like he helped us make the absolute most of our time while visiting and I can't wait to return someday. Thanks so much, Larry!

Most excellent all day tour. Our tour guide did an excellent job in his time management. Couldn't believe how much we saw and did, all on a one day tour off the cruise ship. Had us back right on time to the boat. Super knowledgeable and friendly. Rolled with our ever change request for shopping for the ladies. Thanks for the best tour on our cruise. Signed the Park Sister's, Utah, USA.

We booked the “From Inverness to Loch Ness, Cawdor Castle, Culloden, and more through Viator, and they used the local company Highlander Private Tours. Our guide was Billy – and he was absolutely amazing! It was just the four of us (my sister, husband, and niece, whom we were visiting on her break from university in St. Andrews). From his pick up at our hotel to our drop off – Billy was so much fun! He listened to our interests and completely catered our tour to ensure we saw everything and a ton of extras! He personally walked with us through Culloden and gave us stories and the history – while 2 of us were Outlander fans and 2 not so much – it didn’t even matter! The Outlander fans were so thrilled with how Billy wove that into our tour, and the 2 who weren’t, were absolutely spellbound by the history. There were some places that weren’t open (Cawdor Castle), and on our journey, we discovered the Beauly Priory was closed due to renovations, but Billy ensured we were not disappointed by taking us to other fascinating sights, including old cemeteries and mausoleums (because I love them and the history he told of the occupants) to visit James Mackenzie Fraser – the gorgeous Highland Cow. Billy went above and beyond for us; once he heard we were driving to the Isle of Skye the next day (without a plan – we were just going to put the Fairy Pools in the GPS and go), while we were getting a wee dram at a distillery, Billy spent his downtime creating a stop-by-stop itinerary for us for the next two days, handwritten on two sides of a large notebook paper. We are so appreciative; without it, we would have missed so much! He even recommended the ferry to us (that we didn’t even know about), and it cut off a good chunk of our driving time and allowed us to check off everything on our “must-see” list! We plan on going back in 2026 for my niece's graduation and will be making it a large family trip – and Billy will be the one I reach out to for all touring for my family. There is no one else I would trust my family to – and I know he will make that trip as memorable as he did this tour for us. Well done, sir – and THANK you so much!

Awesome tour with a great guide. Larry picked us up and returned use to the cruise port. We covered nearly all of the highlands. The van for transportation was clean and comfortable. Larry curated the tour to our needs and what we wanted to cover. He provided us with refreshments. Thanks Larry for the warm Scottish welcome.

Lawrence picked us up from the cruise dock to start our day. He tailored our trip to what we were interested in and made sure to tell us the history and sights along the way. Gave us plenty of time at each location and allowing us to view highlights at our leisure. We really enjoyed his knowledge and company for the full day tour. I highly recommend using him for your Scotland tour needs

Lawrence picked us up at our AirBN and we were off on our journey. He provided an overview of what we would see and shared a number of facts and stories throughout the day. Lawrence was a fan tree attic guide. He provided water and shared great suggestions for restaurants, pubs with Trad & and whisky tours. We had a great day of learning more about the history of Lock Ness and the Scottish Highlands. We had a group of five and we were very comfortable his amazing van. It was clean and provided a great ride. If you plan to visit Inverness, and you should! Schedule this tour with Lawrence, you will have an amazing day. We have also taken a couple of other tours with Lawrence and they were exceptional as well.

I had the most amazing experience with our Scottish tour guide Lawrence! We were planning this trip for two years and we cannot be happier with the choice of this tour. His knowledge of the history and culture was truly impressive, and he shared it all with such enthusiasm. We loved his boisterous laugh and it was like traveling with a long lost family member who was an expert in Scottish culture. He also had water and Scottish snacks and crisps at the ready and was very considerate for my mother and her interest in learning about her Fraser roots. From the stunning landscapes to the hidden gems, every moment was captivating. Their storytelling made the trip unforgettable, and I can’t wait to explore more of Scotland with Lawerence in the future. Highly recommended!

We had a wonderfull day, spent with Lawrence. Visited Inverness, Urquhart castle, Culloden Battlefield. Had a lot of knowledge about the history of Scotland, Highland and place. Perfect day!!

Lawrence, from Highlander Private Tours, is one of if not the best guides we have ever had.  For Inverness tours and to learn about the Highlanders way of life he can tell you firsthand because he has lived his entire life in this area.  You will learn more about the history of this section of Scotland than you could ever imagine.  Among many other sites you will see the real Outlander stones and get a chance to touch them in person.  Careful, not to have any gems in your pockets.  He will take you to the site of the Battle of Culloden and explain the slaughter the jackovytes endured, and what happened afterwards to survivors.  You will learn of the proud highlanders and the different clans thru out this part of Scotland  If you book a tour with Highlander Private Tours, with either Lawrence or his brother Bill, guaranteed it will be a highlight of your trip!! 

Lawrence treated us to a wonderful, fact-filled day accommodating our time constraints. A wonderful day visiting Beauly Priory, Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness, and Inverness. With highland cows thrown in for good measure. We can’t wait to come back and let Lawrence show us more! It was a perfect day!

This was one of my all time favorite tours! Lawrence spent the day catering to our tourist needs and let me tell you, he did not disappoint!!! Highly recommend!

Our tour guide was good but not great. We had trouble hearing him in the back of the bus. He knew a lot and was great about answering questions. He took us to so many stops more than I was expecting.

What a terrific tour! Beautiful day with a knowledgeable guide. Nice, clean vans. Would definitely recommend!

We booked a tour with Highlander Private Tours. The booking process was easy and they worked with us to customize the trip. William was our tour guide. He arrived in a sparking clean car. He provided us so many interesting facts about the area and took us to several special places. He knew the spots to stop at to get the best pictures and was always willing to take pictures so we could all be in the photos to capture the memories. We requested to add a boat cruise of Loch Ness and they sent us the options so that we could add this to our trip. It was an unforgettable trip. We highly recommend this tour.

This tour was one of the best parts of our trip to Scotland! The tour operator, Lawrence, was an absolute joy to work with. He reached out immediately via Viator, to find out if we needed any dietary restrictions or special equipment. I then asked him if I could amend certain parts of the tour because I had my young son traveling with us. He then informed me that we could customize to whatever we wanted! I let him know the major things that we wanted to see in Inverness, and he emailed me back the next day with a timed itinerary. I also decided that we would need lunch due to it being a full day tour. He was able to recommend a restaurant overlooking Loch Ness (that had a kids menu) and even made a reservation for us. We arranged for pickup from our hotel and were able to do a cruise on the Jacobite Freedom of Loch Ness. It has sonar (in case of any Nessie sightings), a snack and drink bar, an informative history of the Loch. We then toured Urquhart Castle, which was amazing! The views of the Loch were unbelievable from here. They also have a period trebuchet that you can check out! All parts of the castle have plaques which explain each part and it’s function, which is helpful. We then went for lunch at the “Clansmen Hotel” which was right next to where we got off the boat. The food was good and decently priced. Their scones were wonderful! After, we began our private tour of Inverness with our guide Ken. He was very knowledgeable and a great driver, as the roads were small, windy, and slick from rain. He was able to show us the Fraser family tomb, where most of the family is buried. We also visited Beauly Priory, which is gorgeous ruins of a church. We then got to stop at Robertson’s farm to see some adorable highland cows! After, we headed to Culloden. We made an unscheduled stop at Culloden House where Bonnie Prince Charlie was kept for two nights before the actual battle of Culloden. It was gorgeous and made a great photo op! The weather was rainy, so we did the Culloden museum exhibit first. It was done so well! The artifacts and stories behind them were amazing to see. They even had a “Battle Immersion Theater” where you step into the room and the screen is in a circle around you. They play movie footage of what the battle would have looked like if you were standing in middle of the battlefield. There are Redcoats and Jacobite’s swords clashing and cannons firing. It was an amazing thing to witness and is probably the best recreation of a battle that I’ve ever seen. My son, who is elementary school age, was mesmerized. It’s a gift to have him see, in person, the stuff he studies in school and have it be able to not just be a page in a book. It allowed him to see the stories of actual live people and how they’re way of life was basically taken from them. Very powerful and eye opening to say the least. We did a quick tour of the battlefield because it was pouring rain, but we were able to pay our respects to the people who lost their lives there and appreciate their cause. The gift shop was surprisingly filled with great things! I usually can’t stand gift shops, but here they had meaningful gifts. They had most tartan plaids, small batch craft scotch whiskey, clan pins, traditional hats, beautiful ornaments and toys, most of which seemed to be from small business around the area. I found quite a few nice gifts here. We then headed to the Clava Cairns or “Outlander” stones. It was an astonishing sight to see how these centuries old rocks and huge stones were methodically placed to create actual structures. They were used for burials and are still being excavated today. The Outlander Stone was fun to see and we have a great pic of everyone placing their hands to time travel! Our wonderful guide Ken was also a great photographer and immediately began taking pictures without us even having to ask. He was also full of fun information about the Jacobite rebellion, how the clan families still have roots in Inverness, which Outlander characters were real people in history, and how the show has helped Inverness soar in popularity. He even brought us to a local shop to pick our snacks and drinks for the tour, which was so thoughtful, because he knew we had some people with allergies in our party. Overall, this was one of the best ways to see all the sites Inverness has to offer! The fact that the itinerary can be customized to your specifications, offers hotel pick up and drop off, makes this tour worth every penny!

We ended up doing 2 days with Lawrence bc we thought this was soooo worth it. To start: the amenities were unexpected and thoughtful. His comfy car (that fit 3 of us and all our stuff) was stocked with water, Scottish treats and crisps, maps, and umbrellas. When considering, don't underappreciate how nice it is to just be on your own tour instead of a bigger one. We had more freedom to stop when we wanted to. A tour would not normally be our thing but this was so good and we got to do stuff off the beaten path. Lawrence is personable and you feel like you're riding around with a knowledgeable friend--he is not some stuffy, boring know it all. Highly recommend this or any tour these guys do!

Lawrence is an excellent guide. He has great recommendations but also listened to our requests. We had the most fabulous day!!