Private Outlander Tour Highlands: Urquhart Castle & Culloden

The Highlands hold the real locations behind the novels, not the film sets down south.

A private tour through the Scottish Highlands visits the actual Outlander locations and historical sites (Urquhart Castle on Loch Ness, Culloden Battlefield, Clava Cairns and Old High Church) in a luxury van with a driver who builds the day around your interests. Urquhart Castle entry and the vehicle are included. Culloden Battlefield is free to walk, though a visitor centre charges separate admission. You choose the pace, the stops and where to eat, and the driver finds a restaurant when you're ready.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Urquhart Castle1h · entry included
2. Culloden Battlefield30m
3. Clava Cairns20m
4. Old High Church10m

Visit Outlander locations in Highlands

• Drive along Loch Ness
• Enter Urquhart Castle grounds and Visitor Centre
• Visit Culloden Battlefield war grave
• Optionally visit Culloden museum
• See Clava Cairns standing stones
• Visit Fraser burial ground
• Visit 13th Century ruinous church
• See Old High Church prison site

The experience

You're picked up from wherever you're staying in the Highlands and driven in a private luxury van with plenty of legroom, air conditioning, complimentary water and WiFi. The route follows Loch Ness to Urquhart Castle, where you walk the grounds and visitor centre with entry already paid for: the castle sits on the water and the loch stretches behind it. From there the day moves to the sites connected to the Outlander novels: Clava Cairns, the ancient standing stones said to have inspired Diana Gabaldon's writing; Culloden Battlefield, the genuine location of the 1746 battle and now a war grave; and Old High Church, a 13th-century ruin in Fraser country that served as a prison after Culloden.

This is not a fixed itinerary you follow. The driver knows all the stops and the history, but you decide which ones matter to you, how long to spend at each, and whether to add or skip anything entirely. Lunch happens when you want it. The driver will help you find somewhere to eat, and you pay for your own meal. The whole day runs seven to eight hours, but the timing is yours to set.

The van carries small groups (either one to four people or five to six, depending on which option you book), so the experience stays intimate and the driver can focus on what interests your group. Service animals are welcome, and infants can sit on an adult's lap.

What’s included

• Private transportation in a luxury van.
• Urquhart Castle entry and visitor centre access.
• complimentary bottled water throughout the day.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• multi-user WiFi where reception allows.
• pickup and drop-off from your chosen location in the Highlands.

Options for this experience

2 options

1-4 personsUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timeLike all my tours, this one is laid back and relaxed, and it takes up to 4 people in style on my Outlander Featured Tour. Lunch is entirely up to you and can be arranged as part of the pickup that is included.

5-6 PersonsUp to 6 per booking · Guide in English · No fixed timePrivate luxury van option for 5-6 people, with pickup included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Paid on site£ 14.50

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomeInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Highland-Excursions.Com

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to move at your own pace through the real Highlands locations rather than follow a set schedule: the driver adjusts stops, timing and the route itself to what you actually want to see, so a morning spent longer at one castle or a detour to a site the group discovers on the way becomes the day instead of a disruption to it.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is actually included in the Urquhart Castle stop?

Urquhart Castle entry and access to the visitor centre are included in the tour price. You walk the grounds and explore the castle ruins overlooking Loch Ness without paying an additional fee at the gate.

Do I have to visit every stop on the route?

No. The tour is built around your interests, so you can exclude stops, add others or change the order. The driver knows the Highlands and the Outlander locations, and will help you spend your time on what matters to you.

What happens at Culloden Battlefield?

Culloden Battlefield is free to walk as a war grave and memorial site. There is a visitor centre and museum on the grounds that charges separate admission if you want to enter it. The driver can help you decide whether to visit.

Where do we eat during the tour?

You choose when and where to stop for lunch. The driver will help you find a suitable restaurant or café when you're ready to eat, and you pay for your own meal.

How many people can fit in the van?

The tour runs for either one to four people or five to six people, depending on the option you select at checkout. The van has adult-sized seats with excellent legroom and air conditioning.

Is WiFi really available in the Highlands?

Complimentary WiFi is included in the van wherever reception allows. Coverage in the Highlands can be patchy, so it is not guaranteed at every stop, but the vehicle carries it when the signal reaches.