Car Tours
7–8 hours
Free cancellation
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Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£590
per group
Highlander Private Tours
Highlander Private Tours
Highlander Private Tours
5
Full view
About
Born in Stratherrick on the south side of Loch Ness, we have lived here all our lives and know the Highlands as only a local would. We have spent many years guiding visitors to the most stunning, photogenic places in the Highlands. We know and take pride in this land we call home, and we are eager to share it with you.
This is a Private Individual
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Inverness, Scotland
Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024
Why book with Highlander Private Tours
- English
- Professional tour guide
Tours and Tickets by Highlander Private Tours
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Car Tours
6–7 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£590
per group
Day Trips
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£750
per group
Day Trips
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
£600
per group
Historical Tours
6 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
£400
per group
Travellers talk about
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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5.0
228 reviews
Excellent
225
Very good
4
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
0
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StephenInWSeattle
Seattle, WA559 contributions
Aug 2022
Lawrence picked us up and he was amazing. We wanted to see a few specific locations, and Lawrence was very accommodating and even suggested a couple of other potential stops based on our proposed itinerary.
My wife and I wanted to see some Scottish Highland Cows (AKA Hairy Coos), so Lawrence said he knew just the place to stop. After the farm in Beauly, we went to the Beauly Priory. Amazing with history back to 1230, when it was originally created. Then on to Dornoch Firth Viewpoint and Dunrobin Castle & Museum. We also saw a Falconry Show (Thanks to excellent planning by Lawence), visited Dornoch Cathedral and learned about the ties to Andrew Carnegie.
Lawrence was skilled at driving, but he was also very good at sharing history during the drive, to help frame what we were seeing and answering any questions. He was so thorough; we only asked a couple of questions all day! It was a great day of learning, investigating and seeing rich Scottish history. We loved it! Thank you, Lawrence!
My wife and I wanted to see some Scottish Highland Cows (AKA Hairy Coos), so Lawrence said he knew just the place to stop. After the farm in Beauly, we went to the Beauly Priory. Amazing with history back to 1230, when it was originally created. Then on to Dornoch Firth Viewpoint and Dunrobin Castle & Museum. We also saw a Falconry Show (Thanks to excellent planning by Lawence), visited Dornoch Cathedral and learned about the ties to Andrew Carnegie.
Lawrence was skilled at driving, but he was also very good at sharing history during the drive, to help frame what we were seeing and answering any questions. He was so thorough; we only asked a couple of questions all day! It was a great day of learning, investigating and seeing rich Scottish history. We loved it! Thank you, Lawrence!
Written 3 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen , thank you so much for your lovely review , I am delighted that yourself and Brenda enjoyed the tour and it was a great night in Macgregors. It would be my pleasure to take you around again if you happen to come back to Scotland.
Written 19 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kim H
Seattle, WA7 contributions
Jun 2022
If you are looking for a personal tour with down to earth, great story telling g uides you have found the right place! Not about gimmicks, but about how places you visit are steeped in history and woven into the current local life. We had an unexpected delay in our trip and were looking for a way to explore the Loch Ness area which we had already been to in more depth. Lawrence took things at our pace while keeping us on track to be home on time. We never felt rushed and there were pleasant little surprises along the way. After a steep walk back up from seeing some beautiful falls on a warm day, Lawrence introduced us to a favorite spot for a soft serve ice cream. As they say in the description, the guides have lived in the area all their lives and it shows. When we stopped for lunch, we heard about the history of the community and use of the building. Be sure to ask for a few fun tales! You will end your tour feeling like you have made a new friend.
Written 24 August 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Kimberley , Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a lovely review. I look forward to seeing you both again in Inverness in the near future
Written 19 September 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amber T
3 contributions
Sept 2022 • Business
Lawrence’s took myself and some fellow musicians round different locations in Scotland as part of a tour, was very well organised but flexible and tailored to meet our needs. His knowledge of the highlands and wider Scotland is incredible, even with the highlands where I am a local, Lawrence told me many things I did not know.
Tours with Lawrence are much more than a tour with information at each destination so to speak, so much information along the way.
Very easy going easy to chat to guy.
Tours with Lawrence are much more than a tour with information at each destination so to speak, so much information along the way.
Very easy going easy to chat to guy.
Written 30 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you Amber , it was a pleasure taking you all around for the live@5 tour , the music as always was fantastic as well.
Written 1 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
bsr1065
Atlanta, GA31 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
We had done two 12 hour tours in Inverness and we still wanted to see Clava Cairns and the Culloden Battlefieds but since we were leaving for Glasgow that afternoon did not have time for a full day tour and I found this tour. We did a 5 hour tour which did both of these and our tour guide Billy was amazing. We decided on going to a distillery and since we still had time he suggested the Beauty Priory and the Frasier family mausoleum. Billy gave us so much information about Simon "the Fox" Frasier we are all now looking into the mystery of his burial. I would highly recommend this tour company for either a half day or full day tour.
Written 17 August 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for your kind review and it was a pleasure to take you and the family around on a half day tour and I'm glad the boys enjoyed a wee dram
Kind regards
Billy
Written 17 August 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Kathy G
4 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
Highlander Private Tours, Party of 6 adults
We spent a lovely day with Billy. He picked us up from our cruise ship in Invergordon and drove us in a very comfortable van with plenty of room for the 6 of us.
Billy was so friendly and loved sharing his homeland with us. He shared the local lore and history and the geography of the land.
He was very flexible with our itinerary and gave us several options.
We started in Dornoch at the Dunrobin Castle with Skip the Line tickets which we appreciated. The Castle was exquisite but the grounds were just breathtaking.
During a stop to see a beautiful church we witnessed a wedding party walking from the court house to the reception hall, led by the music of bagpipers. That was really fun to see & hear.
We saw beautiful scenery and spectacular views everywhere we looked. We also saw the beautiful Loch Ness and saw Millionaire’s View
Billy also took us to see the Hairy Coos (Cows). We stopped at a local woolen shop and also had a lovely lunch at a local eatery where he had called ahead to get us a reservation. We would highly recommend Billy as a tour guide. He is absolutely charming and we will have very fond memories of our time in Inverness
We spent a lovely day with Billy. He picked us up from our cruise ship in Invergordon and drove us in a very comfortable van with plenty of room for the 6 of us.
Billy was so friendly and loved sharing his homeland with us. He shared the local lore and history and the geography of the land.
He was very flexible with our itinerary and gave us several options.
We started in Dornoch at the Dunrobin Castle with Skip the Line tickets which we appreciated. The Castle was exquisite but the grounds were just breathtaking.
During a stop to see a beautiful church we witnessed a wedding party walking from the court house to the reception hall, led by the music of bagpipers. That was really fun to see & hear.
We saw beautiful scenery and spectacular views everywhere we looked. We also saw the beautiful Loch Ness and saw Millionaire’s View
Billy also took us to see the Hairy Coos (Cows). We stopped at a local woolen shop and also had a lovely lunch at a local eatery where he had called ahead to get us a reservation. We would highly recommend Billy as a tour guide. He is absolutely charming and we will have very fond memories of our time in Inverness
Written 17 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for this kind review and I'm glad you all enjoyed your time here in the Highlands and the piper was a lovely sight on the riverside and hopefully we may see you back in the Highlands one day
Kind regards
Billy
Written 20 May 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Seaside25952406745
3 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
My daughter and I took a 4 day tour with Lawrence and it was fantastic! He picked us up in Edinburgh in his very comfortable van which includes internet and yummy snacks and water. We took the ferry to Skye the first night and then spent the next 2 nights in Inverness. Lawrence is so knowledgeable and clearly loves his country and shared so much history and insight with us throughout the trip. We saw so much of the highlands because he wanted us to have the total experience and if he ever got tired-we never saw it. My family has roots in Scotland (Clan Gunn) and Lawrence drove us all the way up to Caithness to visit the clan heritage museum. It made our trip even more special. I would advise anyone to avoid the stress of trying to navigate the roads in Scotland and treat yourselves to an unforgettable private tour with a wonderful company.
Written 7 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Laurie ,
Thank you so much for your lovely review , it was a pleasure taking you and Karina around and I am so pleased you enjoyed your trip and I am happy also that you were able to visit The Clan Gunn Museum and find out a bit more about your Scottish + Norse Heritage.
I hope to see you back again soon.
Keep well and all the best.
Lawrence
Written 8 July 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jo MacG
1 contribution
Sept 2022
Lawrence is an absolutely brilliant guide.
His stories and knowledge of the Highlands and of Scotland is unrivaled.
We have spent 4 days around Scotland with Lawrence and he's the perfect guide,
managing to get us into places only a local would know.
we can't recommend him enough.
His stories and knowledge of the Highlands and of Scotland is unrivaled.
We have spent 4 days around Scotland with Lawrence and he's the perfect guide,
managing to get us into places only a local would know.
we can't recommend him enough.
Written 29 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your lovely review , it was a pleasure taking your party around.
Written 1 October 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ronald v
9 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
we did 2 one day tours, our first was with johnny going to isle of skye. our second one was with billy going north towards dunrobin castle, bal blair distillery. these guys are funny, great knowledge of scottish history, these private tours are worth the money because you tell them what you want to see and do. we past an art gallery... johnny can we turn around and stop.. you bet. billy took us some off the beaten path places he knew and they were great. these guys make you feel so comfortable its like a road trip with friends. they made our time in the highlands priceless... in a 5 star way! thank you guys!
Written 3 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Ron
Thanks for this great review and it was a pleasure to show you around our beautiful country and hopefully see you back one day
Kind regards
Billy
Written 6 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jasmin N
3 contributions
May 2024 • Family
We had our eye on a private tour from Invergordon, as we had docked there for a day with Aida. During my search I came across Highlander Private Tours and got in touch. We already had a few desired destinations in mind and a time frame. Lawrence responded very quickly and clarified with me what was possible in that time. Our tour guide for the day was Kevin and we were so impressed with him and the tour. Not only we, but also our two children, 15 and 12, found him extremely likeable. He met us at the port, as promised. Right at the start he showed us a wide range of snacks and drinks, and asked us to speak to him at any time if we needed refreshment. As the weather was more typically Scottish that day, Kevin suggested a sequence of sightseeing that he had adapted to the weather. On the trip he told us all sorts of interesting facts about the area and every wish we had was fulfilled. At each sightseeing point, Kevin explained to us how much time he had planned, but he would not ask us to please take more time, even if we exceeded the planned time frame for the tour. This meant that we were able to take our time everywhere and relax.
A very special highlight was a discussion between us parents and our children at the very beginning of the trip about the pronunciation of the English word poor. We had learned the pronunciation "Puur" at school, and our children "poor", so with an o rather than a u. When asked about this, Kevin said that Puur is pronounced with a U, like the word pool or looping. This discussion occupied him so much, however, that he approached everyone at each sightseeing point and asked for the correct pronunciation. In the end, we had collected 15 Scottish PUUR and 5 English Poor. There was a particular laugh in Dornoch Cathedral when Kevin explained to the two older ladies there that, believe it or not, 5 English people had claimed that it was pronounced "Poor". The lady shook her head in horror and said indignantly "Definitely not!!!
That made the day our personal highlight of the trip, because Kevin's commitment in all areas was simply incredible. We know that if we come back to Invergordon, we will definitely book a tour with Highlander Private Tours again, because both the contact with Lawrence and the tour with Kevin were unproblematic and highly recommended.
A very special highlight was a discussion between us parents and our children at the very beginning of the trip about the pronunciation of the English word poor. We had learned the pronunciation "Puur" at school, and our children "poor", so with an o rather than a u. When asked about this, Kevin said that Puur is pronounced with a U, like the word pool or looping. This discussion occupied him so much, however, that he approached everyone at each sightseeing point and asked for the correct pronunciation. In the end, we had collected 15 Scottish PUUR and 5 English Poor. There was a particular laugh in Dornoch Cathedral when Kevin explained to the two older ladies there that, believe it or not, 5 English people had claimed that it was pronounced "Poor". The lady shook her head in horror and said indignantly "Definitely not!!!
That made the day our personal highlight of the trip, because Kevin's commitment in all areas was simply incredible. We know that if we come back to Invergordon, we will definitely book a tour with Highlander Private Tours again, because both the contact with Lawrence and the tour with Kevin were unproblematic and highly recommended.
Written 29 May 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello Jasmin ,
Thank you very much for your kind review , Kevin is an excellent guide and I am so pleased you and your family enjoyed the day.
Keep well and all the best
Lawrence
Written 1 June 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
anwalt05
Philadelphia, PA3 contributions
Jun 2023
If you are seeking a customizable small-group tour experience with knowledgeable and engaging guides, you can hardly do better than Highlander Private Tours.
We had a wonderful time with Lawrence visiting locations in and around Inverness. He was extremely accommodating in arranging a half-day tour featuring Beauly Priory, Urquhart Castle, Culloden, and Clava Cairns among other places. He responded immediately to our various questions during the planning process and was generous in sharing his insights. We also had a great experience with Lawrence’s colleague, Ken, on our drive from Fort William the day before. Ken enhanced what could have been a simple transfer with several interesting stops along the way. The vans they used were clean and sufficiently spacious for our group of six.
Something that really stood out about Lawrence and Ken was their ability to assess and skillfully respond to our group’s diverse interests (we had three generations, grandparents through grandkids, including a huge Outlander fan). For example, sensing our boys needed to get out of the van for a bit, Ken worked in an impromptu stop to feed the ducks on the shores of Loch Ness. Lawrence let us take all the time we needed at Urquhart and then, seizing advantage of the unusually fine weather, arranged for us to grab some sandwiches on the way to Culloden so we could enjoy a picnic after touring the battlefield. These special memories – enabled by our guides’ kind consideration – resonate with us as much as (or perhaps even more than) seeing the sights.
We had a wonderful time with Lawrence visiting locations in and around Inverness. He was extremely accommodating in arranging a half-day tour featuring Beauly Priory, Urquhart Castle, Culloden, and Clava Cairns among other places. He responded immediately to our various questions during the planning process and was generous in sharing his insights. We also had a great experience with Lawrence’s colleague, Ken, on our drive from Fort William the day before. Ken enhanced what could have been a simple transfer with several interesting stops along the way. The vans they used were clean and sufficiently spacious for our group of six.
Something that really stood out about Lawrence and Ken was their ability to assess and skillfully respond to our group’s diverse interests (we had three generations, grandparents through grandkids, including a huge Outlander fan). For example, sensing our boys needed to get out of the van for a bit, Ken worked in an impromptu stop to feed the ducks on the shores of Loch Ness. Lawrence let us take all the time we needed at Urquhart and then, seizing advantage of the unusually fine weather, arranged for us to grab some sandwiches on the way to Culloden so we could enjoy a picnic after touring the battlefield. These special memories – enabled by our guides’ kind consideration – resonate with us as much as (or perhaps even more than) seeing the sights.
Written 16 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your lovely review , Ken is an excellent tour guide as is proved by your comments , It was no problem to organise a picnic for you , I enjoyed it as well. Look forward to seeing you back in the Highlands at some point.
Written 18 July 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
No questions have been asked about this experience
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.