From Inverness: Cawdor Castle, Cairngorms and Highland Coos

Overview

Available languages

English

8 hours 15 minutes

Mobile ticket

Start your adventure on this small-group tour at the ancient Clava Cairns, one of Scotland's best-preserved Bronze Age burial sites. Next, we’ll journey to the iconic Cawdor Castle, steeped in history and surrounded by captivating legends. Explore its enchanting halls and stroll through the meticulously landscaped gardens that embody its charm.

Our next destination is to meet with the fluffiest locals - the hairy Highland coos. Afterward, enjoy a relaxing walk through the ancient Scots Pine Forest, home to Scotland’s majestic native trees. We’ll then take a break for lunch in the vibrant town of Aviemore, the perfect place to soak in the local atmosphere.

Our journey continues through the stunning landscapes of Cairngorms National Park, where breathtaking views and potential wildlife sightings await. Finally, round off your day with a visit to Rothiemurchus Farm Shop, a great spot to browse and treat yourself to some tasty local produce.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Children under 5 years old, including infants who do not require a seat, are not permitted to travel. We are unable to accommodate any child under the age of 5. Anyone aged 5-17 must be accompanied by an adult.

The order of the itinerary route is subject to change.

Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them to board and disembark.

Return times are approximate and subject to road conditions and weather. Please ensure you allocate sufficient time for any onward travel plans, allowing at least 3 hours after the scheduled return time for connections or activities.

It is recommended to book transport to the departure point in advance. Please also allow extra time to get to the departure point for check-in. We advise you arrive at least 15 minutes before the tour departure to allow time to check-in for the tour. Unfortunately, we are unable to hold the bus or refund for any late arrivals.

If downloading an audio guide, remember to bring your headset.

Due to vehicle availability, there may be instances where this tour runs on a bigger bus.

The tour may operate with our sister company, HAGGiS Adventures.

The order of the itinerary route is subject to change.

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Foreign language audio guides available

Transportation in air-conditioned mini-bus

Local, passionate guide

Entrance to Cawdor Castle (unless option chosen)

Food and drinks not provided

Tips

Hotel pick up and drop off

What To Expect

Clava Cairns

Discover the ancient mystery of Clava Cairns, a prehistoric burial site dating back over 4,000 years. Nestled in a serene Highland landscape, these atmospheric stone circles and passage graves offer a captivating glimpse into Scotland’s distant past. A must-see for history lovers and Outlander fans alike!

20 minutes • Admission Not Applicable

Cawdor Castle

Step into the timeless beauty of Cawdor Castle, a Highland gem steeped in history and charm. Wander through its enchanting gardens, explore centuries-old rooms, and immerse yourself in the legend of Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Perfect for history buffs and nature lovers alike - Cawdor Castle is where Scottish heritage comes to life!

1 hour 40 minutes • Admission Not Included

Options

Tour with Cawdor Castle ticket

Entrance to Cawdor Castle

Tour without castle entry

Reviews

4.94

85 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

The best
Curiosity68618912853,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Donnie our driver was great and very knowledgeable . I loved going around Cawdor castle. The views of the lochs was magnificent . Coos brill
Well appointed and informative
wrguillory,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
So well executed ! Donnie our tour guide really pulled out the stops and gave us so many back stories and info on every stop!
Clava cairns, Coos and Castles
sinchanad2017,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We had a wonderful time with Donnie at Cairngorms, Cawdor castle and coo adventure! I have been on few trips with Rabbies and Timberbush, but what stood out here is he acknowledged our presence and spoke to us directly ( we are from India). I felt the real Scottish hospitality which I had kept hearing about but had never truly experienced till now. Thank you Donnie for that! We loved the stories too and The Welly Boot song! We enjoyed feeding the Hairy Coos gardens at Cawdor , views from the Castle Roy Autumn colours, walk through the forest to Loch Morloch, and pines and mushrooms at the cairngorm forest! And of-course the mystical Clava Cairns.
Fantastic!
emilybO7537KF,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour was lots of fun! There were so many awesome things packed into one day and the tour guide was great. Thanks so much!
Made my dream come true of meeting a highland coo!
850lisetted,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This was an amazing tour of Cawdor Castle, the Cairngorms, and a special meet and greet with two of the cutest highland coos! Emily was a charming and lovely tour guide who went above and beyond to get everyone the perfect picture with a coo - she even brought carrots! She is very knowledgeable about the area, and I loved learning more about Scotland’s history. Great tour!
Incredible experience and even better tour guide, Emily!
N9838SFconnorh,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Would highly recommend this tour. The Highland Coos are of course the highlight, but nothing would have been possible without an incredible tour guide. We had Emily as our tour guide and she was amazing. She clearly loves her job and has so much knowledge about the country and history as well as the wildlife. From Lockes to castles this 8 hour day trip provides so much that Scotland highlands have to offer.
Humor + History
seangR4877GL,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
A well-paced tour through the countryside south of Inverness. Our tour guide Emily brought enthusiasm, humor, and a strong command of history that takes the tour from a rote trip to something a lot more fun.
Fantastic Day
Z4798UHpetrag,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Emily was great. She had great stories to tell along the way and made the day wonderful. The castle was lovely and the coos were wonderful. The countryside is purely magical.
A Great Day Out
O7199NKmichaelg,
Oct 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
An excellent day out with stunning scenery and fabulous places to visit. Emily was a brilliant guide! Thank you for a very memorable trip.
Cawdor Castle and Cairngorms National Park
P2505DPjenb,
Sep 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
3.00
The overall tour was lovely and we throughly enjoyed the history and scenery along the way. Our tour guide, Iain was very knowledgable and an expert in navigating the charming and twisting roads. We appreciated the balance of informative commentary and time to enjoy the scenery while listening to music. For feedback, we were really disappointed not to see Highland cows on our tour as was advertised and one of the reasons we booked this tour specifically. There were no Highland cows near Cawdor castle as expected by our guide, and no there were no other stops made on our tour for this purpose. We looked at reviews from participants of this tour on different dates that had multiple interactive Highland cow experiences throughout their day. On our tour, the Highland cow portion was explained as a chance sighting that may or may not happen, however this is not how it is presented in the description of the tour. If you are booking in part for this reason, be aware this is not actually part of the tour per our experience. Could not give best rating this reason.