Inverness Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt
Overview
Inverness is the Highland capital — a city with a castle, a character, and considerably more history than its modest size suggests.
This app-led scavenger hunt takes you through Inverness on foot, using phone-based riddles to guide you from one landmark to the next. No guide, no fixed start time.
• Track down Inverness Castle, the Inverness Town House, and Gellions Bar — history, civic pride, and a pub that's been standing since the 1700s
• Start when you arrive and walk the city at your own pace
• Great for couples, families, and groups of all sizes
Available in 24 languages including English, French, German, Spanish, Italian — see the full list when booking and choose yours when you start the game in the app.
Around 2 hours - any group size.
No kilt required, but the Highland welcome is genuine.
What's Included
- Learn about town stories, history, and local legends
- Total flexibility: no waiting, start anytime, walk at own pace and do as many breaks as you want
- Free download of the Explorial App from your appstore required (iOS and Android supported)
- Points and scoring system — compete with your group
- Clear hints and map guidance — so you never get stuck or lost
- Self-guided city tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks
- A Smartphone is required and not provided. Fully charged with active data connection (internet)
- This is not an audio guide
- No live guide: The tour is 100% self-guided – no one will be meeting you at the starting point
Meeting Location
18 Academy Street
Inverness IV1 1LG, UK
Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
What To Expect
Starting at 18 Academy St, Inverness IV1 1JN, UK, open the Explorial app and enter the 6-digit game code that you received by text and [BRAND] chat message. The riddles take you through a city that has been the gateway to the Highlands for over a thousand years.
Your first landmark is Inverness Castle, a striking 19th-century red sandstone building perched above the River Ness on the site of a much older fortress — now offering some of the finest views over the city and hills beyond.
From there the app guides you to the Inverness Town House, the Victorian Gothic civic building where a Cabinet meeting was famously held by Lloyd George in 1921 — the first and only Cabinet meeting ever held outside London or Edinburgh.
The route concludes at Gellions Bar, one of the oldest pubs in Inverness, a traditional Highland howff where locals and travellers have been sharing stories since the early 19th century.
Around 2 hours on foot. The Ness riverbank is a pleasant extension if you want to keep going after the game ends.
Additional Info
- Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Weather & Health Guarantee: If bad weather or illness prevents you from starting the tour, you can simply reschedule it for another day. You can also rebook to a different city or request a refund
- Smartphone required: Bring your own fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection to the start of the tour. Please disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to malfunction or disconnect.
- Recommended attire: It’s best to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes — approx. 2 hours of light walking
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Max 15 people per booking. For larger groups, make multiple bookings.
- After booking you receive a text message and a [BRAND] message with your game code. Download the Explorial app from your appstore. Open the app, enter your 6 digit game code
Frequently Asked Questions (7)
Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Inverness Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt?
Cancellation Policy
Still have questions?
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Activity code: C-298466P234
Traveler Photos
Reviews
Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 2 traveler reviews collected by City Balloon Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor
Additional Info
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Frequently Asked Questions (7)
The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Balloon Tours customers.
Filter by:
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
- Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (GMT).
- Learn about town stories, history, and local legends.
- Total flexibility: no waiting, start anytime, walk at own pace and do as many breaks as you want.
- Free download of the Explorial App from your appstore required (iOS and Android supported).
- Points and scoring system — compete with your group.
- Clear hints and map guidance — so you never get stuck or lost.
- Self-guided city tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks.
- A Smartphone is required and not provided. Fully charged with active data connection (internet).
- This is not an audio guide.
- No live guide: The tour is 100% self-guided – no one will be meeting you at the starting point.
There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..
Apr 2025If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.
If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.
Apr 2025Accessibility information for the Inverness Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt is as follows:
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Weather & Health Guarantee: If bad weather or illness prevents you from starting the tour, you can simply reschedule it for another day. You can also rebook to a different city or request a refund
- Smartphone required: Bring your own fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection to the start of the tour. Please disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to malfunction or disconnect.
- Recommended attire: It’s best to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes — approx. 2 hours of light walking
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Inverness Self-Guided City Walking Tour & Scavenger Hunt will be included in your confirmation email from City Balloon Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!
Mar 2024Once your refund is processed, it usually shows on your card statement within 5–10 business days. The exact timing depends on your bank or card issuer.
Want it sooner? When you cancel, choose Receive a refund to my wallet instead. The credit is in your Wallet straight away and is applied automatically at checkout on your next booking when you’re signed in with the same email. You can see your balance any time in My Wallet.
If you paid part of your booking with Wallet credit, that part always goes back to your Wallet. Trip protection isn’t refundable.
Oct 2026What's Included
- Learn about town stories, history, and local legends
- Total flexibility: no waiting, start anytime, walk at own pace and do as many breaks as you want
- Free download of the Explorial App from your appstore required (iOS and Android supported)
- Points and scoring system — compete with your group
- Clear hints and map guidance — so you never get stuck or lost
- Self-guided city tour with interactive riddles, trivia challenges and photo tasks
- A Smartphone is required and not provided. Fully charged with active data connection (internet)
- This is not an audio guide
- No live guide: The tour is 100% self-guided – no one will be meeting you at the starting point
Additional Info
- Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Weather & Health Guarantee: If bad weather or illness prevents you from starting the tour, you can simply reschedule it for another day. You can also rebook to a different city or request a refund
- Smartphone required: Bring your own fully charged smartphone with an active mobile data connection to the start of the tour. Please disable any VPN and avoid city Wi-Fi, as these will cause the app to malfunction or disconnect.
- Recommended attire: It’s best to wear weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes — approx. 2 hours of light walking
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Max 15 people per booking. For larger groups, make multiple bookings.
- After booking you receive a text message and a Viator message with your game code. Download the Explorial app from your appstore. Open the app, enter your 6 digit game code
