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Scotland Day Tour: Castles, Lochs, and Highland Cows
4.9
178 Ratings
Edinburgh
Experience the best of Scotland on this small group tour from Edinburgh. Explore castles, mountains, lochs, and more. Perfect for nature lovers and history enthusiasts.
Experience the best of Scotland on this small group tour from Edinburgh. Explore castles, mountains, lochs, and more. Perfect for nature lovers and history enthusiasts.
Duration:
9 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Dunkeld Cathedral - Wander through charming narrow streets and/or explore Dunkeld Cathedral, which is free to enter.
- Blair Castle & Gardens - Enjoy lunch at the castle’s restaurant.
-
Queen’s View - Pause at Queen’s View to admire the renowned Highland scenery along Loch Tummel, with views extending to the distant peaks of Glen Coe.
-…
- Dunkeld Cathedral - Wander through charming narrow streets and/or explore Dunkeld Cathedral, which is free to enter.
- Blair Castle & Gardens - Enjoy lunch at the castle’s restaurant.
- Queen’s View - Pause at Queen’s View to admire the renowned Highland scenery along Loch Tummel, with views extending to the distant peaks of Glen Coe.
- The Hermitage Woodland Walk - This delightful riverside walk leads past some of Britain’s tallest trees to a stunning waterfall and viewpoint, where salmon can often be seen leaping.
- Forth Bridge - Take in the breathtaking views of the bridges crossing the river Forth.
- Taste Perthshire - Capture photos with Highland cattle (‘hairy coos!).
What's Included
- Local guide
- Transport by air-conditioned Mercedes mini coach
- Live commentary on board
- Small group tour - average group size of around 12 passengers
- Driver/Guide
- Local guide
- Transport by air-conditioned Mercedes mini coach
- Live commentary on board
- Small group tour - average group size of around 12 passengers
- Driver/Guide
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Attraction Entrance Fees
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Attraction Entrance Fees
Additional Information
This intimate tour, with an average group size of roughly 12 passengers, encapsulates all the fantastic features of Scotland in one compact excursion – castles, mountains, lakes, photography opportunities, a walk alongside the river, historic battlefields, tales of heroes, and the sight of Highland cows. This tour provides plenty of time off the…
This intimate tour, with an average group size of roughly 12 passengers, encapsulates all the fantastic features of Scotland in one compact excursion – castles, mountains, lakes, photography opportunities, a walk alongside the river, historic battlefields, tales of heroes, and the sight of Highland cows. This tour provides plenty of time off the vehicle, which is ideal for those who wish to take in the Highland landscape and wildlife at a leisurely pace. The tour highlights include the breathtaking Blair Castle, the magnificent Highland panorama at Queen’s View, and a brief riverside stroll and waterfall visit at The Hermitage.
- Small group tour - average group size of 12 passengers
- Minimum age is 5 years old
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Operates in all weather conditions (unless it is unsafe to do so), please dress appropriately
- Please inform us 7 days in advance if you are bringing a service animal
Location
EH1 3BQ
Waterloo Place
This tour departs from (and returns to) Bus Stand ZE, Waterloo Place, Edinburgh, EH1 3BQ. (opposite Howie's Restaurant)
Please arrive no later than 08.45
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(178 Ratings)
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165omaro
Jan 12, 2026
Great Private Tour from Edinburgh to St. Andrews. - Great tour with The Heart of Scotland. Our guide, Calum, was spectacular and incredibly knowledgeable. We had a private tour for 12 tailored to our needs. I would recommend this company to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Krshneel_m
Oct 24, 2025
Excellent adventure outside of Edinburgh - Great experience. Our guide Angela was a wealth of knowledge. She also kept us on schedule and got us to all the sites and back in a speedy manner. For a 12 hour trip, it didnt feel like it. We enjoyed Scotland!
Review provided by Viator
34simranr
Oct 22, 2025
Brilliant day tour and special thanks to our brilliant guide and driver Roddy - I did the “Best of Scotland in a day tour”. I saw a lot in the space of a day but it felt that for a day tour there was a good amount of time at each stop. I especially enjoyed taking a quick walk to Loch Faskally in Pitlochry to see the reflections of the beautiful autumn leaves and the walk at The Hermitage to see the waterfall. The main reason the tour was so enjoyable was due to Roddy, our brilliant guide and driver, who was funny, informative and always made sure we were comfortable. Thankyou so much Roddy!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Cherylfr188dp
Oct 21, 2025
Great Small Group Tour for an Experience of the Scottish Countryside - We (spouse and I) had an unforgettable time on the Heart of Scotland's 'Best of Scotland in a Day' on the Wee Red Bus with Roddy as our guide. Roddy was funny, warm and charming, with an encyclopedic knowledge of Scottish history and a witty delivery that really added depth to the experience.
The itinerary had a lovely balance of historic sites (castle, church, village) and sites of gasp worthy natural beauty, with historical and contemporary Scottish music playing in between locations. Roddy was so attentive to all the travelers, making sure each person was having the day they had hoped for. The tour itself was grand, but Roddy made it especially memorable.
And, Roddy, if you are reading this, we are the two white haired women from San Francisco on a recent tour. Hiya and great meeting you!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sherylr592
Oct 16, 2025
A great Tour Experience - I had a great experience on this tour. Roddy was great, full of Scottish history knowledge which I found interesting. I loved all the places we went, especially Killiecrankie Gorge, Queens View and The Hermitage. I have mobility issues but I was able to handle the walking and took breaks when I needed to save my energy for the things I really wanted to participate in. I would highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kari_d
Oct 14, 2025
Fun day near Edinburgh - Our tour guide, Roddy, was informative, friendly and helpful. His stories and facts made the drive go quickly, and we thoroughly enjoyed all our stops as well. So much history and beautiful scenery! The waterfall area was amazing, wish we had more time there. And feeding the cows was a fun end to the day. Would recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Anne_p
Oct 1, 2025
Highly Recommend!! - Wonderful day, nicely paced, Roddy was a warm, and engaging host! The scenery was stunning with plenty of time to take pictures!
Review provided by Viator
Rebekahm794
Aug 5, 2025
A PERFECT Cruise Stop, a WONDERFUL guide, and a GREAT day! - On Sunday, 20 July 2025, Angela took us on a red bus to tour around Edinburgh.
We met her at the cruise ship dock where she was waiting close by... she was extremely knowledgeable, full of entertaining stories, and had obviously taken several days to map out her route through the city (which is like a maze) so that we could see everything to the best advantage! After a driving tour, we popped out at Holyrood House to see the official home of the monarch in Scotland, then we went up the Royal Mile as far as was possible and around to Edinburgh Castle... it was a perfectly Scottish day, weather-wise, so we got a little damp... she made sure to get all 11 of us a spot at a pub nearby for lunch... we nipped over to St. Giles for a brief moment before hopping back onto the bus for our entry time to the Royal Yacht Britannia... which was a REALLY wonderful experience... Finally, she got us back to our ship in PLENTY of time.
ALL IN ALL - I have NOTHING but EXCELLENT and GLOWING memories of our time with Angela and Heart of Scotland Tours. I will be recommending them to friends, I would recommend them to ANYONE... they are a wonderful and efficient outfit to work with!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
L3766pkkristih
Jul 10, 2025
Fantastic Day!! - So much to see in so little time. Roddy was an amazing tour guide on the wee red bus. He was personable friendly and knowledgeable. He had great stories. We did the best of Scotland tour. We walked to see the old Birnam Oak Tree near Dunkeld, we saw a castle, stopped at a Loch, hiked to falls and pet hairy cows. What a fantastic day!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andrzej
Jun 30, 2025
Great trip - Roddy was a great host and very knowledgeable about the areas we were shown. He also was so kind and friendly, offering to take pictures of us at scenic spots. When he learned the couples were celebrating, he got them postcards and we all signed it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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