BMW X5 SUV Cruise Loch Ness, Visit Urquhart + Cawdor Castle, Culloden + Clava

My sister Jenni and I booked a private tour of the Highlands so we could see as much as possible in one day. (This was a side trip on a longer London stay.) Our guide Jim arrived at Kingsmill Hotel in Inverness sharply at nine in the morning. He was nattily dressed in a kilt and traditional broad-shouldered black jacket. With charm and enthusiasm, he ushered us into a posh Audi to see Loch Ness and the ruins of Urquhart Castle straightaway. Inverness was romantically atmospheric with rolling fog and scattered sunshine. We enjoyed a tour and Scotch tasting at Glen Ord distillery and savored clotted cream shortbread on our way to see the Culloden battlefield and the mysterious Clava Cairn stones. Here, Jim gamely played "Jamie Fraser" to my sister's "Claire Randall" for the requisite Outlander photo. It was mid October and we had many of the sites to ourselves. The fall colors were gorgeous as we drove through the countryside to see the famous railway viaduct from the Harry Potter movies. We checked off every item on our Must-See list and loved the whole experience. We highly recommend Whisky Tours for customized day trips with friendly, bonafide Highland guides.