Arriving at Invergordon Cruise Port gives you something special: a day at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands.
From ancient castles and historic battlefields to Highland villages, dramatic landscapes and the legendary waters of Loch Ness, there is a remarkable amount to discover beyond the port.
For cruise passengers who prefer to explore independently, renting a car near Invergordon Cruise Port can give you the freedom to create your own Highland shore adventure.
At NESS Drive Car Hire, we’re a small independent Highland car hire company based locally in Inverness. Here’s what you should know before planning your day.
Why Rent a Car When Your Cruise Stops at Invergordon?
Organised shore excursions can be an excellent option, particularly if you prefer having every part of your day arranged for you.
But they’re not the only way to explore.
Hiring a car gives independent travellers something different: choice.
You decide where you want to go, which attractions matter to you and how long you’d like to spend at each stop.
Perhaps Loch Ness is at the top of your list.
Maybe you’d rather explore the Black Isle, discover a Highland castle or spend part of your day in Inverness.
With your own hire car, your shore day becomes your itinerary.
Where Is Invergordon Cruise Port?
Invergordon sits on the Cromarty Firth in the North Highlands of Scotland, approximately 24 miles north of Inverness.
The port welcomes cruise ships from around the world and provides access to a surprisingly large variety of Highland attractions.
That makes Invergordon much more than somewhere your ship docks.
It’s your starting point for discovering the Highlands.
What Can You Visit from Invergordon?
One of the advantages of hiring a car is the number of different directions you can take from the port.
Inverness
Head south towards Inverness, the capital of the Highlands.
Explore the city, walk beside the River Ness, enjoy lunch in a local café or use Inverness as part of a wider route towards Loch Ness.
Loch Ness & Urquhart Castle
For many international visitors, seeing Loch Ness is one of the highlights of coming to the Highlands.
Continue beyond Inverness towards the famous loch and, depending on the time available, visit Urquhart Castle, dramatically positioned on its shores.
And, of course, keep an eye out for Nessie.
The Black Isle
You don’t necessarily need to travel far to experience beautiful Highland scenery.
The Black Isle offers countryside, coastal villages and views across the Moray and Cromarty Firths.
It’s an excellent option for visitors who want a scenic drive without trying to fit too much into a single port day.
Culloden Battlefield
History lovers may choose to visit Culloden Battlefield, the site of the final Jacobite Rising battle in 1746.
It can be combined with other nearby attractions if your cruise schedule allows.
Dunrobin Castle
Instead of heading south towards Inverness, drive north and discover another side of the Highlands.
Dunrobin Castle is one of the best-known attractions in the North Highlands and can form the centrepiece of a completely different shore-day itinerary.
Don't Try to See Everything in One Day
This may be the most important piece of advice in this guide.
The Highlands are bigger than they look on a map.
Cruise passengers have a fixed deadline: your ship will not wait indefinitely because you found one more castle you wanted to visit.
Choose a realistic route with two or three priorities rather than trying to see the entire Highlands in a few hours.
Allow additional time for traffic, weather, unfamiliar roads and unexpected delays.
And plan to return to Invergordon well before your ship’s required all-aboard time.
Your cruise line’s instructions should always take priority.
Driving in the Scottish Highlands for the First Time
If you’ve never driven in Scotland before, remember that we drive on the left-hand side of the road.
Some rural Highland roads can also be narrow or single-track.
On a single-track road, you’ll encounter designated passing places that allow vehicles travelling in opposite directions to pass safely.
Don’t rush.
Allow faster traffic behind you to pass when it is safe to do so, pay attention to local road signs and never stop in a passing place simply to take photographs.
The Highland scenery isn’t going anywhere.
Enjoy the drive safely.
Do I Need a Huge Car to Explore the Highlands?
Not necessarily.
For couples, solo travellers and small groups, a compact car can actually be very convenient.
Smaller vehicles are easy to manoeuvre through towns and villages, straightforward to park and comfortable on many of the narrower Highland roads you’re likely to encounter.
The important thing is choosing a vehicle appropriate for the number of passengers and the amount of luggage you’re carrying.
Why Choose a Local Highland Car Hire Company?
At NESS Drive, we’re not trying to be another enormous international rental company.
We’re local.
We’re independent.
And we’re growing.
Our aim is to provide a more personal, straightforward way to hire a car while visiting Inverness and the Scottish Highlands.
For cruise passengers, that local connection matters.
You’re arriving somewhere that may be completely unfamiliar to you, with only a limited number of hours to experience it.
Having a local company behind your car hire means you’re dealing with people who know the Highlands and understand the kind of journey you’re planning.
Plan Your Car Hire Before Your Cruise Arrives
Cruise days can bring thousands of visitors into Invergordon and the surrounding Highlands at the same time.
For that reason, we strongly recommend arranging your hire car before you arrive, particularly during the main cruise season.
When making your enquiry, tell us:
- the name of your cruise ship;
- the date you’re arriving in Invergordon;
- your expected arrival time;
- your ship’s required return or all-aboard time;
- the number of passengers; and
- the places you’re hoping to visit.
That information helps us understand exactly what you’re planning.
Create Your Own Highland Shore Adventure
There’s no single correct way to experience the Highlands.
For one visitor, the perfect day might mean finally standing beside Loch Ness.
For another, it’s walking through centuries of Scottish history.
Someone else might simply want a beautiful drive, a quiet Highland village, a good lunch and enough time to stop whenever the scenery demands it.
That’s the advantage of exploring independently.
Your day doesn’t have to look exactly like everyone else’s.
From Ship to Scottish Highlands
Your cruise may only be in Invergordon for a day.
But that day can still become one of the journeys you remember long after you’ve returned home.
Plan carefully. Choose what genuinely interests you. Leave plenty of time to return to your ship.
And then enjoy the road.
Arriving at Invergordon Cruise Port? Explore the Highlands your way with NESS Drive Car Hire.
Local cars. Local people. Highland journeys.
