Loch Ness, Outlander And Highlands Private Chauffeur Tour From Inverness

What a fabulous day! We were picked up at our cruise ship as by our Tour Guide, Paul in a beautiful Mercedes. We spent the day visit Clava Cairn, Culloden Battlefield, Inverness, Beauly Priory, Lord Lovat’s Mausoleum with a stop at Loch Ness. Paul was incredibly knowledgeable about Scottish history and all things Outlander. It was a busy day and we got back with ample time to make the last tender back to our cruise ship. HIghly recommend!

We loved this experience, and Paul was a fantastic tour guide. He is very knowledgeable and also has a great sense of humor. He was committed to making sure we had a great time. He is wonderfully personable and seems to know everyone as he tours you around. Also, the car was quite comfortable for our group of four adults, and Paul was an excellent driver.

We had an absolutely wonderful private tour with Ryan at Venture Highland and couldn’t recommend him more highly! Ryan picked us up right on time in a very comfortable BMW, and from the moment we started our day, we knew we were in great hands. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the Highlands, and because he was born, raised, and has lived in the area, he was able to share so much fascinating history and local insight that we simply wouldn’t have gotten on a typical tour. We visited Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield, then headed toward Dores Beach and Loch Ness. One of the best parts of the day was getting off the beaten path and away from the crowds. Ryan knew exactly where to take us, and it made the experience feel so much more special and authentic. From Dores, we continued through the beautiful scenery around Loch Duntelchaig and Loch Ruthven, then made our way back toward Inverness via Farr and Inverarnie. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking—and, of course, we couldn’t visit the Highlands without seeing some adorable Highland “hairy coos”! 🐂❤️ Ryan was friendly, professional, accommodating, and genuinely passionate about sharing his beautiful part of Scotland with us. It felt less like a tour and more like spending the day with a wonderful local who was showing us the very best of the Highlands. If you are traveling to Inverness, do yourself a favor and book a private tour with Ryan at Venture Highland. We highly recommend him and Venture Highland! You won’t be disappointed. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Best way to see and learn. Our guide was a wealth ok knowledge that enlightened me of some of the history of the Highlands. Money & time worth it. Hope others have a similar experience.

A great value to learn about Scotland. Our guide Roger was a wealth of knowledge which educated us beyond the expectations. We saw natural wonders and historic sites. Highly recommend this tour.

We had a lovely trip with Ryan:) very knowledgeable, car was very clean and comfortable. The children loved it.

We had an AMAZING experience on our tour! William was very informative and knowledgeable about the history of each place we visited, as well as POIs along the way! William and Ryan accommodated us very last minute which we were extremely appreciative of and were able to get us to every location that we were hoping to see! We would give them endless stars if we could! Highly recommend!

This bespoke tour was tailored-fit to our interests and did not disappoint! From the moment we connected with the Venture Highland team communication was their highest priority and it was obvious that their goal was to create the best day trip for us. Our driver, William, exceeded our exceptions with kindness, enthusiasm for Scottish history and care for our best experience. He created a route that allowed us to see different sites along the Isle of Skye that peaked our interest. We especially loved the ferry from Glen Elg, a tasting at Talisker, and hiking to a quiet beach with waterfall. The scenery in Skye words cannot describe but William was the highlight of our day. He never stopped amazing us with his deep knowledge and enjoyable humor to keep things light. It was the highlight of our trip to Scotland! We highly recommend this company!

From the start, Morven was an incredible guide! She picked us up from the apartment promptly at 9 and had cold bottles of delicious water from her well waiting for us. The van was spacious and comfortable, and we felt very safe. We first stopped at Clava Cairns, which was fascinating and made my Outlander heart happy as it was inspiration for the stones in the novel. Morven then took us to see Culloden Battlefield and gave us time to tour the museum before showing us the grounds herself. It was amazing to hear all the history as well as current events in Scotland. Having been raised in the area, we also got to hear tails and stories from her childhood interwoven into the tour. We learned so much and felt so welcome to see the areas from a local perspective. Morven made sure to ask us what we were most interested in viewing and tailored our tour based on what we wanted to learn about. She was incredibly accommodating and so fun to spend time with. She took us to a tomb and had a key to let us climb the bell tower (a unique experience that wouldn’t happen on another tour). When it came to lunch, we stopped at a small village and she asked if we wanted to stop or take food to go. We took it to go so that we could see more things and save time. It was great to have that choice. Possibly one of my favorite areas was a beach on Loch Ness that we stopped to look for dolphins. No dolphins that day, but we saw a seal and skipped some rocks into the famous water. I took some time to comb for sea glass while my husband was able to chat more about the area. It was peaceful and a lovely stop for us both. I would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone traveling in the Highlands! It was worth every cent and was so specifically tailored to our interests. It was well paced and not overwhelming. Morven made it a really special experience and we couldn’t say more amazing things about her! Thank you!

Just got back from Scotland, but wanted to make sure to write a review for this company and this tour. Having seen the big tour buses around taking loads of time to load and unload at each stop, we decided to splurge on a private tour for just me and my partner to maximize our time in the area. We were picked up at our hotel in a large Mercedes van by Ryan Forbes, the owner of the company. He’s amazing. He revealed the he was born and raised in Inverness, and knows the area extremely well. Based on the weather and our interests, he quickly put together a tour just for us. Ryan is extremely knowledgeable about the history of the area, and was able to easily answer any question I could think of. We saw all of the highlights of the big bus tours, plus were able to make side trips to see the outside of Culloden House (it’s currently a hotel), and a very cool waterfall that are not part of other tours. He even suggested a great lunch place in the charming village of Bealy which is a favorite with locals (and for good reason). He asked if we wanted to include some whisky tasting into our tour, but whisky isn’t our thing, so he just recalculated the tour on the fly and kept moving. There wasn’t a single moment of pausing or asking, “Hmmm, where should I take you next?” Ryan was especially keen to make sure we maximized and filled all of our allotted time and didn’t rush us back to our hotel early. If you’re a big OUTLANDER fan, this is the tour to take if you’re coming to Inverness to see filming locations and get the history of the real Fraser family that the character Jamie Fraser is based on. Ryan even took us down a tiny road to the cemetery where the Fraser family mausoleum is. Not only that, but he got the big iron key that unlocks the door and took us inside the mausoleum and down into the burial chamber. You’re definitely not going to see that on a big bus tour. If you’re traveling alone, or as part of a couple, or with small group up to six people, and have the means to do it, this private tour is absolutely the way to go. I’m going to make sure all of my travel agent friends know about Ryan and his company. This would be a great tour for families with kids because every stop is a quick in-and-out of the vehicle, as much time as you want at the site, then quickly on to the next one. Apologies if the photos I’m attaching are out of chronological order, but all were taken by me on our tour.

This was a unique tour in that I was the only client that day. Driver/guide Morven proved adaptable, competent, knowledgable, in crafting an unplanned agenda. I had actually been to Inverness in 2005, so we skipped a lot of "standard" stuff. Instead, we did things like look for obscure tartan patterns, extensively walk the Culloden battlefield. She even offered to drive ne to Fort William (not part of her usual itinerary) but we finally ran out of time. Since we got to talk extensively, I got to learn more about the average Scot, and vice-versa about the U.S.

We booked this tour in order to have a flexible and smooth experience seeing the highlands for the first time! The car was spacious, the itinerary was incredible with ability to tailor throughout the day based on personal preferences, and our guide was kind and knowledgeable! We saw so much in one day and got to spend time based on our enjoyment rather than a script schedule!! Would definitely do it again!

Ryan Forbes, our guide and the company owner gave us an amazing tour of the countryside around Inverness. He picked us up promptly at 8am and spent 10 hours showing us his Highlands--as he is a local. He customized the tour for us as we visited sites and we both got to know each other better, and took us to some places few tourist see. He also was attuned to the tour bus crowds and helped us stay ahead or miss the crowds in some of the popular spots. I cannot recommend Ryan enough and hope to come back the area and see more with his guidance in the future.

Truly one of a kind. The best part of the tour was our tour guide, Michael! He took time to talk to each of us in the family and adapted the tour for our particular interests. Taking us to places not on the original tour, and even made calls to other places to make the experience so memorable. The patience, kindness and knowledge he shared with our family was priceless! Thank you for the best tour of Inverness!

We were double booked - same day, same time, same itinerary and we are fighting to get our money back on this duplicate tour. The customer care teamis unable or doesn’t care to help.

We travelled to Skye from Inverness and back. This company made the journey so easy! We loaded 7 adults and 2 small children into 2 comfortable vans for the 3 hr trip to Skye for a wedding. The vans were roomy and comfortable and the drivers knowledgeable and friendly. My husband and I also hired our driver, Ryan, for a private tour of Inverness before we needed to get to the airport. We saw many out-of-the-way sites - Beauly Castle, Culloden battlefield, Clava Cairns, and Ft. George. A highlight was a chance to see Simon Fraser, The Old Fox's, grave. The coffin was recently examined and it was discovered that the body inside was not that of Simon Fraser but of a woman. Simon Fraser was the last lord to be beheaded following the Jacobite Rising of 1745/46. (For Outlander fans - he was Jaime's grandfather). We had a lively discussion about whiskey and how it differs from American whiskey. (Barley vs corn). It was so nice to let someone else do the driving rather than try to navigate narrow roads, pouring rain, and driving on the "wrong" side of the road. The trip was pricey but worth every penny! We arrived on Skye on-time and un-stressed. The return trip was the same - though they took a different route to give us a variety to see.

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.

Ryan was an excellent guide, and we loved the tour! We learned so much about Scottish history and had a really fun time. Highly recommend this tour!

Andrew is a great guide. He customized it from the start, so my wife and I saw what we wanted to see, including his recommendations. He knows all the history, but doesn't overdo it. Mostly, he personalized it with Scottish music (asked us first), fun stories and great rapport. Each time we take a cruise, we splurge one day with a personal guide, and I'd recommend this one to anyone. A great day in the Scottish highlands!

Ryan was the most down to earth man and incredible tour guide . He’s very knowledgeable about the history of Inverness and isle of sky! He’s super patient and easy to talk to! The best tour guide ever! Scotland was fun because of him!! Thanks Ryan!!!

Ryan was the most helpful guide for a Scottish adventure for me and my daughter! He made time for us on short notice and made me feel safe and in great hands from the very first email! He was so flexible, knowledgeable, fun, and surprising!! Probably one of the best tours I’ve ever had anywhere!!! Made me wish I could cancel some of my other plans and just hire him for the entire trip🫶. I will be calling him again when I am back this way! Thank you again Ryan!!

Great tour. Great guide. He was flexible and was open to take my other places. Would take the tour gain.

Ryan was an excellent tour guide. Had incredible knowledge about the area and took us to see rare sights! We all had a wonderful time - he truly made the experience memorable. Thank you, Ryan!

We spent 3 full days with Ryan. He excelled at personalizing the experiences to the particular interests of our group of 5 which ranged in age from 20 to 80. He offered a nice balance of information sharing, conversation and went over and above to accommodate everyone. He knows the areas intimately and was a wealth of information both historical and current for each of the locations we visited. He genuinely cares that you have a great experience with him and can adjust and change the plans on the fly should you wish to spend more or less time at locations. He makes you very comfortable and is very easy to be with. Should we be lucky enough to re-visit Scotland we would absolutely book time with Ryan again. Would recommend him 100% to get the best experience of the sites of Scotland. Thanks Ryan for the amazing tours.

What a memorable trip! Ryan helped my friend Rose and I feel comfortable from the start. From the expert in town driving to navigating country one-lane roads, Ryan took everything in stride and helped us make it to all our destinations safely and stress free. Ryan's expert knowledge from living in the highlands gave us an in depth perspective that could not have been gained otherwise. His professionalism made us feel well taken care of and his ability to be personable and relatable made us feel as if we had know him for years. The since of excitement for Scotland is felt through Ryan's love for his country and its unique history. It was the most memorable trip for us. All other tour guides will be compared to this first class treatment Ryan gave to us. We feel we have made a life-long friend!

We had a great time exploring the Highlands with Ryan. We covered A LOT in just one day! We appreciate his knowledge of the area (being a local) and how easy he made the trip. We lucked out with gorgeous weather which made the trip that much more enjoyable.

A tour with Ryan is a custom tour with an amazing friend. My family of 5 spent the day with Ryan and it is by far the most memorable and treasured day of our 14-day trip to the U.K. Ryan started off our trip by quickly getting to know all of us and what we each envisioned for the day. He then proceeded to take us to the most amazing places all over the Highlands. We saw things we would have never been able to see on our own or with a different tour company. Ryan intuitively stayed close enough by to regale us with wonderful accounts of history (he is extremely knowledgeable about history, geography, foraging and so much more), but Ryan also allowed us time for our own reflection on what we were experiencing. He somehow knew how to make the day special for each of us, which can sometimes be a challenge with children (ages 13, 17, 21). A true Highlander, Ryan's passion for the Highlands and what he does is evident. With so much more to explore, we will definitely return to the Highlands and Ryan will be the first person we contact for another wonderful day. I highly recommend Ryan. Without a doubt, he will make sure your tour is exactly what you had in mind and so much more. You will not be disappointed.

Trip of a Lifetime, thanks to Ryan! What a perfect, memorable vacation in Scotland we had, thanks to our fabulous driver/guide, Ryan! Every day was a delight; every detail was worked out to perfection. He is a true professional, always upbeat, ready to help and patient. On a 1–10-point scale, Ryan is a 100! Ryan helped us plan our daily route throughout Scotland, combining the must-sees with unique, interesting spots not in a tour book. What amazing places we visited around Inverness, the Highlands, Isle of Skye, Oban, and Edinburgh. We saw so much more than we ever thought we could. His experience along with his colorful narration and wonderfully fun attitude during our whole trip made the stunning sights and historical perspective of the region come to life. Ryan has such a wealth of knowledge about the rich and deep heritage of Scotland and, as a bonus, about its wildlife. (We visited a private castle where the original family descendants still live. Its gardens held natural treasures like an ancient Spanish chestnut tree, planted in 1553, which is the oldest tree in Britain!) We also saw Minke whales and dolphins while taking a ferry. Ryan was ridiculously flexible. Our travel company made a major error in our train reservation, scheduling us for the wrong way. Ryan made this still happen for us: he drove the same route three times that day to drop us off and pick us up so we could ride the scenic train. He then even surprised us by going out of his way to capture the train on film for us. Ryan promptly picked us up every morning in a clean, new Mercedes SUV with ample room for luggage, and super comfortable. He is an excellent driver we always felt stress free under his careful management. While we were visiting Scotland, Queen Elizabeth passed, and Ryan even got us to Edinburgh to see her hearse pass! It was difficult for all of us to say Good-Bye to Ryan. We felt such a warm friendship and we always remember him as a highlight of our trip. Thank you, Ryan, for being the best driver and guide!!! You are a tremendous ambassador for the country of Scotland. Lesley Roberts