The highlands of Scotland offer unparalleled scenic beauty, ancient landscapes and fascinating history – with superb castles, magnificent mountains and enchanting lochs. This tour offers you the opportunity to experience the best of the highlands in a day. Travel alongside the Cromarty Firth and reach the splendid Cawdor Castle, dating from the 14th century. Originally the fortress home of the Thanes of Cawdor, nowadays the castle feels like a living home, rather than a museum. You’ll learn of its rich history as you walk through rooms filled with exquisite furnishings and family keepsakes.

Drive through Inverness, the ‘Capital of the Highlands’, sitting astride the tranquil River Ness. Get acquainted with this bustling town on your way to lunch. Head towards Loch Ness, made famous by the fables of Nessie. You’ll travel through the village of Drumnadrochit and on to visit Urquhart Castle, built both as a fortress and as a residence on the shores of the famous loch. Today, a jagged keep rises from crumbling walls against a lovely backdrop of loch and hills beyond. Enjoy the lovely scenery of the Scottish glens, as you continue towards Beauly, noted for its salmon river. Highland Hills form the backdrop on the last part of your journey.

A bit of history, scenic beauty and time for shopping are combined on this leisurely tour. You’ll learn history when you visit Culloden Moor Visitor Centre, where the Culloden historic battle of April 1746 is graphically described in a beautifully scripted and narrated audio visual. During your drive across Culloden Moor, you’ll see the wooden plaques explaining the clans’ battles and how they progressed. Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of this area as you travel through the Highlands. You’ll see Beauly, a small typical Highland town and Loch Ness. It is impossible to drive alongside the lake without trying to spot ‘Nessie’, the legendary monster.

You’ll stop at one of the lookout points along the lake with the hope to catch that ten million to one shot of ‘Nessie’. Drive across the Kessock Bridge which spans the Beauly Firth waterway, then across Black Isle to return alongside the Cromarty Firth to Invergordon. As for shopping, there are plenty of opportunities during the day. Stop at Drumnadrochit, a small village nestled on the banks of Loch Ness, where you can pick up that special souvenir of ‘Nessie’. And you’ll enjoy free time in Inverness after a panoramic drive to acquaint you with the ‘Capital of the Highlands’. You’ll find a wide variety of specialty shops where you’ll find anything and everything to complete your shopping experience. Lunch will be served at one of Inverness’ delightful hotels.

Think of a picture of Scotland in your mind’s eye and you’ll imagine fairy tale castles, battles between clans, farming land dotted with sheep, deep lakes and small villages at the foot of rolling green hills. Well, your picture comes to life as you travel to Cawdor and Culloden.

Drive alongside the Cromarty Firth, pass quickly through the outskirts of Inverness, and continue on to Cawdor Castle. The name is linked to Shakespeare’s Macbeth and King Duncan’s murder. It is an extraordinary place which feels more like a living home than a museum. In contrast to the stark looking building, the interior is surprisingly personal. It has lovingly been filled with beautiful furniture, fine portraits, interesting objects and fabulous tapestries by the Cawdor family, which still calls the castle their home.

Close to Cawdor is Culloden, a place that stirs the emotions of British history. You’ll drive past the main areas of Culloden Moor, site of the last pitched battle on the British mainland in 1746. Your return drive takes you via Kessock Bridge and Black Isle.

The Earldom of Sutherland is one of the seven ancient earldoms of Scotland and the Sutherlands were one of the most powerful families in Britain who at one time, were the largest landowners in Western Europe. It is against this great historical background you visit Dunrobin Castle. Standing amidst lush, formal gardens that overlook the sea, this white stone chateau contrasts sharply with the usual dark stone Scottish castles. The original keep is still at its heart and your tour of the castle gives you an illuminating impression of the development of architectural styles over the centuries.

Seeing the state rooms, bedrooms and nurseries gives you an interesting insight into the lifestyle of the Dukes of Sutherland in Victorian times. The furniture, pictures – including some Canalettos – family heirlooms, and objects d’art have been carefully displayed in their original settings, creating a true reflection of Dunrobin Castle as a family home and not simply as an historical exhibit. You’ll also visit the Dunrobin Castle gardens, equally as grand as the castle, and modeled after those at Versailles.

For lovers of fine Scotch whisky, a visit to the Scottish Highlands would not be complete without visiting a distillery that produces fine malt whiskey. Travel to Glenmorangie Distillery (or equivalent), one of Scotland’s favorite malt whisky producer for over 150 years. The beautiful building enjoys an ideal setting overlooking the shores of the Dornoch Firth. The methods by which the range is made today remain as unchanged as the surrounding landscape. Only pure, mineral-rich water, and the best malted barley is used in the process.

Accompanied by an expert guide will introduce you to the natural elements and the time-honored tradition. You’ll learn all stages of the whisky making process from mashing and fermenting, to distilling and maturing. See the gleaming copper stills, casks of American oak, operating equipment and methods used in the various stages of processing fine malt whisky. Following a tour of the distillery, you'll be treated to a sampling of a `wee dram`.

You’ll also have some time to browse in the shop which sells a wide variety of whiskies and gifts.

Inverness, the Capital of the Highlands, nestles in a ring of mountains round the mouth of the fast-flowing River Ness as it flows into the Inverness Firth. A transfer journey of 45 minutes traveling alongside the Cromarty Firth waterway and then over the hills will bring you to the bustling town of Inverness. You are then free for approximately 4 1/2 hours to explore this highland town at your leisure.