Top Edinburgh Day Trips

A huge thank-you to Brian, our guide and bus driver extraordinaire! He managed to be entertaining, informative, and incredibly knowledgeable while also expertly navigating us through a full day of sightseeing. His stories, humor, and insights brought Scotland and its history to life, and we learned a tremendous amount without ever feeling like we were sitting through a history lesson. Brian kept us laughing, kept us on schedule, and somehow made even the time on the bus part of the experience. A thoroughly enjoyable day with a terrific guide — highly recommended!

This was a very long day, but you basically get to see all of the Scottish Highlands and the stops were well spaced. Our guide, Bob, was fantastic! We got to feed the hairy coos, which was a surprise. I loved doing the cruise option to Urkhart Castle! Definitely worth it, even in the rain (we came prepared and were glad we did). Definitely recommend packing snacks!! We brought some, but not enough. There’s so much to see, you don’t want to waste time waiting in line for food or trying to find food. You’ll do enough of that for the toilets.

Duncan was a great driver and guide. Be prepared for about eight of the twelve hours being seated and underway in the 16 seat van.. The seats are comfortable, but it’s a long day. Stops for food and/or bathroom are sufficient. You will have time to get baked goods or snacks at a few stops, or it acceptable to bring food with you. The highlands and Loch Ness were beautiful the day of our trip. Duncan, being native to the area, expertly narrated the trip and described points of interest with enthusiasm and good humor. Worthwhile tour for us.

One of the most amazing tours I've been on. The bus ride was very smooth and they took us through the highlands allowing us to see the amazing scenery around us and they stopped at the bottom of the 3 sisters and allowed us to take really nice pictures of the scenery. We also got to see a seaside town and a few more attractions and finally arrived at loch ness which was beautiful. Do note that there is a boat tour around loch ness and the tour guide books that in advance if you want to go but you need to pay him in cash for that as you cannot book in advance but I recommend the boat trip as well. I can see why this tour is rated as one of the best in the UK because it sure is

Wonderful tour - and guide, Ross! There were some technical difficulties with the microphone on our bus, but Ross gave an enthusiastic, humorous and very informative tour through the beautiful Scottish countryside. Please double his salary! Stirling Castle was the highlight of the tour for me personally (which had its own wonderful guides). I’d highly recommend for anyone with limited time to explore Scotland.

Hairy Coo Tours provides an absolutely fantastic Scotland tour experience! From the beautiful scenery to the interesting stories and history, everything was well organised and enjoyable. Our guide Stephen was friendly, knowledgeable, and entertaining throughout the trip, which made the experience even more special. We had an amazing time and created some wonderful memories. Highly recommended if you want to explore Scotland and enjoy a truly memorable tour! 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿❤️

Keep in mind, George is navigating Highland roads (if you like roller coasters, wee!) AND delivering fantastic lore and historical facts AT THE SAME TIME! If you don't become enamored with his brrrogue or (our new Spotified) playlist, you'll love his funny, macabre, and deep cut history of Scotland. The trip is an ever-giving testament to the deeper than Loch Ness depth of character and strength of the Scottish people. I was trying to put a name to what I had long detected in friends and acquaintances from Scotland and, when George said it, it hit immediately. The Scottish are not afraid of mortality AND they hit FAR above their weight. This comes across as an authenticity not seen in many. I enjoy "Edin-bra" immensely, walkable, easily accessible and replenishing for the soul - this extends to this trip, as well. George is merciful on the need for replenishments and the bladder, there are many pit stops at perfect intervals. He knows all the instagrammable spots and it's mind-blowing how many films have chosen the Highlands as backdrops, but you'll see and understand why. Have mercy on George though - he is against a tight schedule to get YOU to the sites you want to see on time and those locations don't stop for anyone, not even the tours. You want to catch the cruise? Keep to HIS timetable. Glencoe is gorgeous, perfectly Scotland-weathered (bring rain gear/umbrella and something warm), Urquhart Castle reminds me of another medieval castle from my home country, Château Gaillard, loved being able to compare and store memories of both. The Loch is shockingly deep, I had no idea and learned a lot from the cruise (while my teen made fun of it, he appreciated it and that there are folks who BELIEVE!). The bus was comfortable, sleepy folks will benefit from a neck pillow. I typically have a few carsick family members - they experienced zero symptoms on this trip. We read the trip instructions and purchased food the night before for the trip (there are Lidl's, etc in Edinburgh for stocking up), so were ready to roll every time needed. Frustratingly, there were always a couple of folks/groups who consistently pushed the group's timetable for extended photographic moments (hard to believe when there was SO much time given for these at each stop). Consideration for other travelers AND the tour guide goes a long way! There is beyond plenty of time given for restroom, photography, food/drink at every stop - just no reason to return to the bus late, unless emergency-related. Throughout the trip, I became convinced that everyone in Scotland must be a singer - the lilting manner of delivering even the vivid death of William Wallace sounds like a melody. Try to fight your sleepiness upon returning to Edinburgh because George has an amazing trove of facts specific to the city as you return. It's incredible how much has come from Scotland, not an immensely populated area, but a birthplace of ideas, inventions, and entrepreneurs. Thank you, George, for sharing the Highlands with us, heralding us safely there and back, managing the Loch "Stress" of keeping us rambunctious tourists on track, and leaving us with the story of Scotland's unbreakable spirit. As a side note: we tipped using US dollars (apologies for the terrible exchange rate, it was all we had on hand!). Of all tours taken in the UK, this one deserved a sign of appreciation and more.

Had a great experience with the tour. Adequate stops for food and restroom breaks. Stunning views. Your guide was an expert driver and an excellent guide. He was knowledgeable and entertaining. Only one thing we did not like was that the seats were not comfortable at all but again we got the last row.