Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour

Recommended by 92% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Edinburgh, Scotland

High interest

Booked 5+ times today.

9 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.6

· Joe_M ·

Apr 2026

Wonderful experience from start to finish. Clear and easy meeting point for departure. Comfortable coach. Great way to see the countryside and top attractions outside of Edinburgh! Stirling Castle was fantastic. Adam was an amazing and informative tour guide who was very knowledgeable about Scotland's history and the attractions themselves. Adam was kind and approachable.

· Nicole_P ·

Mar 2026

Gary was an excellent guide. Professional and knowledgeable. Really enjoyed seeing the kelpies up close, they are magnificent and the drive through the highlands was excellent. Did the cruise on Loch Lomond and with it being quite misty, we got some stunning pictures. Enjoyed Stirling Castle too. Overall, a fantastic day and easy way to see some incredible, historic Scottish places. Definitely recommend.

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Overview

Explore Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle (admission tickets own expense)—and delve into the world of William Wallace, Robert the Bruce, and Rob Roy—on this multi-part tour from Edinburgh that checks off many top sights and experiences. Additionally, head through the Trossachs National Park to the Highland village of Balloch, upgrade for a lake cruise, see the famous Kelpies statues, and more.

Explore Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle, and other sights in just one day
Discover sights and Scottish lore you'd miss if exploring alone
Round-trip transit from Edinburgh makes heading into nature easy
Leave all the logistics, navigation, and trip-planning to someone else

What's Included

Driver/guide
Air-conditioned vehicle
Live commentary on board

Food and drinks
Gratuities
Attraction Tickets
Restroom on board
WiFi on board

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Timberbush Tours
NCP Castle Terrace Car Park, Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2EW, UK
Our Edinburgh tours depart from Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH1 2EW, outside the NCP Car Park. What3Words Address: ///casino.cove.works

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Operating hours
.8:45 am

Itinerary

The Kelpies & The Helix

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Balloch

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Loch Lomond Shores

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Aberfoyle VisitScotland iCentre

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Stirling Castle

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

South Queensferry

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Minimum age is 4 years old.
Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark.

Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.
Minimum numbers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or a full refund.
Digital translations in English, German, French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian & Mandarin available on request.
Please arrive a minimum of 15 minutes before your tour's departure time.
Entrance tickets for Stirling Castle are not included in the price of your tour but can be purchased on the day from your driver-guide.
Please note: from 3rd December 2024 our Edinburgh tours will depart from NCP Castle Terrace, EH1 2EW.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 53 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Featured review

Rory_C

Entertaining day with our driver and guide, Ewan (hopefully I'm spelling that correctly). He was incredibly accommodating, informative and conscientious. He added colorful humor throughout the trip, continually kept us updated and overall provided us with an absolutely lovely day. I would definitely do another excursion with him again!

Reviews

4.6

based on 1,262 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Fascinating, astounding, bucolic and informative

mary_R, May 2026

Our driver/guide, John, was deeply informative and knowledgeable. He answered all of my questions. We felt quite safe as we meandered narrow roads through the countryside in a large coach. He was one of our best guides as we have had many. Loved his accent, lived his music choices and lived the tour.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you very much for taking the time to offer us such lovely feedback on your Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed your time exploring Scotland with us and we’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to your Driver-Guide John We hope to welcome you on tour again soon!

A day-trip packed with laughter and storytelling

Lucija_B, Apr 2026

Greig, the trainee and Jimmy, the driver and guide were very knowledgeable and forthcoming and above all born story tellers and so funny that would make their listeners hang on every word told with a proper Scottish accent (Greig) and true love for Scotland (Jimmy).

Loch Lamond tour

Amanda_R, Apr 2026

It was a bus ride that felt rushed and truncated. We were told to not be late, however we waited for our bus for over 30 mins to arrive so we could leave. The tour guide was nice but almost felt like he didn’t know a lot about the bus he was driving. The tires scraped and screeched over every turn and bump. The bus was either boiling hot, or freezing cold. To be fair it was our first bus tour, and I don’t think it’s an experience we would do again. I think we’re more suited for solo travel and being on our own time frame.

Great day trip from Edinburgh

Christine_S, Apr 2026

Our guide Shug was great, funny and knowledgeable. We saw some amazing scenery and landmarks, and the stops were spaced reasonably so we weren't on the bus for too long at any time. Even though the bus didn't have toilets we had no trouble finding places to go (important when traveling with kids). Callender for lunch was a great place to stop.

Mot the best option

NICK_A, Apr 2026

Not the best choice if you want to see the Highlands or lochs or castles !!! Better choose another route. The driver was friendly in contrast with the mini van ( very narrow seats)

Definitely recommended

John_K, Apr 2026

The locations we went to were wonderful. Adam and Sarah did a great job telling us stories. Claire was a little too dramatic and loud. I still highly recommend.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hello there, thank you for your review. We are very happy to hear that you had a brilliant time on tour with one of our knowledgeable and passionate guides and enjoyed their commentary. We are glad you enjoyed the views throughout the day and hope you were able to take some great photos. We hope we can welcome you on another one of our tours again in the future! All the best, Hannah

Lovely day to Loch Lomond and Sterling castle

Sandra_T, Apr 2026

Lovely tour, well planned so you're not exhausted at the end of the day with all the travel. Our gude Graeme was great, gave us a lot of info about Scotland in general not just the places we visited.

Great day!

Lisa_T, Apr 2026

Tour guide/bus driver very informative and nice sense of humor. Great sights and options. Thank you!!!!

Scotland learning

Melba_P, Apr 2026

It was fun and enjoyable and we had a great time learning about Scotland and we would recommend the tour to our friends

A great way to sample...

Marjorie_G, Apr 2026

A great way to sample Scotland outside of the big cities. Definitely recommend buying the additional boat ride on Loch Lomond and tickets to Stirling Castle. Our guide, Gary, was excellent as both driver and speaker.

Highly recommended and a most-do here in Scotland

EligioJose_M, Apr 2026

Wonderful experience. Great weather and we enjoyed every bit of the tour. Our tour guide John even made it more enjoyable. He is very knowledgeable and entertaining. I highly recommend this tour and the tour company Timberbush who faciliated it via Viator.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your kind review! We are delighted to hear that you had a wonderful time on tour to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies with John! His entertaining stories and amazing knowledge really makes a tour special! We are happy to hear that you lucked out for weather on your tour, considering good weather is a rare occasion in Scotland! Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

A very nice trip with our...

Pauline_B, Apr 2026

A very nice trip with our fantastic guide Jamie ! He has so many good stories about Scotland to tell us ! With a good sense of humour ! That was a perfect day ! thanks again !

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your great review! We are overjoyed to hear that you had a great time on tour with Jamie! His fascinating stories and fun sense of humour really makes a tour special! We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him! We hope we can welcome you back again soon for another adventure! Best wishes, Elizabeth

Perfect Day Trip with amazing Tour Guide

Joe_M, Apr 2026

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your fabulous review! We are thrilled to hear that you had a great time on tour with Adam! He certainly knows how to make a tour fun! We hope you learned plenty of new and interesting facts. We hope that we will see you again in the future! Best wishes, Elizabeth

Great Time

Cat_P, Apr 2026

Overall a great experience. Jaime was awesome and provided great information and had great music selection.

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had a great time on tour with Jamie! His fun music taste and fantastic knowledge really makes a tour special! We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him! We hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

10/10 Best in Show

Meghan_G, Mar 2026

Jamie was wonderful, and very knowledgeable. On the way up to the castle I personally saw him fight a lion, and a dragon! No other guide could do that for ya! But that’s the kind of stand up tour guide ya get with him!

Response from Host, Apr 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your great review! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your time on tour with Jamie! He really knows how to make a tour memorable! We will be sure to pass along your kind words! We hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

This experience was above...

Lorie_J, Mar 2026

This experience was above what I expected. Our guides, Shug and Josh, were FABULOUS! The history and their stories, and the singing, were more than I expected. They were kind, informative, on time and full of information. I truly can not say enough. I am so glad I went on this tour during my quick stay here. Edinburgh had made an impression on my heart and soul. Thank you, Shug and Josh! I hope to see you again-maybe over a glass of 40 year old Macallan. 🥃

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there, Thank you for leaving us an amazing review! It is excellent to hear that your driver guides, Shug and Josh, made such a positive impact on your experience with us. They both definitely know how to make a tour fun and personalised! We hope to welcome you back to Scotland and on tour with us again in the future! Kind regards, Eleanor

It was a very enjoyable...

Teisha_M, Mar 2026

It was a very enjoyable trip and our guide Jamie was outstanding!! He was VERY knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour!!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there, Thank you for leaving us a lovely review! We are so glad you enjoyed your time on tour with us and that your experience was enhanced by our knowledgeable driver guide, Jamie! We will be sure to pass along your kind words. We hope that we will see you again in the future! Kind regards, Eleanor

Great time

Anelia_M, Mar 2026

Stevie was a great tour guide, full of jokes and interesting facts. Had a lot of fun! He came prepared with a bag of carrots to entise the hairy coos, even though they weren't officially on the agenda.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there, thank you for your review. We are pleased to hear that you had a great time out on our tour with Stevie. We're happy to hear you especially enjoyed meeting the Highland cows! We are very glad you enjoyed your day and we hope we will see you again on tour with us. All the best, Luisa

Brian and Grieg's grand day put.

Susan_A, Mar 2026

It's a great day out. The Kelpies are magnificent. The boat trip on Loch Lomond was pleasant, however I think it would have been better if the sun had been shining. Stirling Castle was impressive. We had a quick stop off on the way home to admire the three bridges over the river Firth. Our driver Brian was excellent, and kept us entertained through out the journey. His knowledge of Scottish history was amazing and he imparted this to us in an entertaining way. You will not be bored, especially with his funny jokes. Grieg another staff member on board, was also a great guy, sharing his interesting historical story on the way home. The size of the group consisted of 16 people, which was really nice. We actually saw Brian's mum on the way home, so we all gave her a wave. A fun experience, and we will always remember singing the national song of Scotland on the way home, which actually sounded like the Proclaimers' 500 miles song. Uncanny.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are absolutely thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your time on tour with Brian and Grieg! They really know how to make a tour unforgettable with their fun sense of humour and amazing stories! We will be sure to pass along your kind words to them! Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

Edinburgh exodus

Kathryn_P, Mar 2026

This bus trip is a nice jaunt out of Edinburgh. We got to see the surrounding countryside, lochs, and stirling castle. It was a lot less walking for the day. Our tour guide Brian and his assistant Greig were delightful. They told the history of Scotland with facts, humor, and jokes that made us all chuckle.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your kind words! We are so happy to hear that you had a wonderful time on tour with Brian and Greig! They really know how to make a tour special with their fantastic facts and wonderful senses of humour! We will be sure to pass along your very kind words to them! We appreciate you taking the time to write a review and hope to see you again sometime soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

Holly our driver and tour...

Isabel_H, Mar 2026

Holly our driver and tour guide was exceptional and very entertaining. It trip was about 8-9 hours long, but we made several stops to take pictures and stretched our legs. The different sites that we stopped by well worth it and less crowded that in the city.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are so thrilled to hear that you had a great time on tour to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies with Holly! She really knows how to make a tour entertaining with her fascinating stories! This tour really gives a chance to see some beautiful Scottish nature as well as the amazing Stirling Castle! We are so happy to hear that you appreciated this balance in the tour! We hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

George knows his sheep!

Lauren_H, Mar 2026

Literally one of the best tours I’ve ever done. I would choose any tour from this group again! Jada was incredibly knowledgeable and added such depth to the information she provided on the trip. George was brilliant and knew every possible detail there was to know about farm animals, especially sheep! If ever you had a question about sheep, he is the go to. Professional and fun, thoroughly enjoyed! 15/10 would recommend

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you for leaving an excellent review! We are very happy to hear that you had a great time on tour with George and appreciated their deep knowledge of Scotland's history. We pride ourselves on our emmersive tours! We hope to see you again sometime soon so we can help you experience more of the magic of Scotland - and hopefully more sheep! Kind regards, Eleanor

Gillian rocks!

Sotia_M, Mar 2026

Gillian is all sorts of amazing! She knew the answers to our questions, took us to the more picturesque spots, and kept us entertained with local history, fun facts, and anecdotes. If we weren’t leaving tomorrow, we’d happily go on another roadtrip with her as our guide.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you for your wonderful review! We are so happy to hear you had a great time on your tour with Gillian. They certainly know how to make a tour fun! We are glad you learned plenty of new and interesting facts. Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Kind regards, Eleanor

Gary was an excellent...

Nicole_P, Mar 2026

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your great review! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Gary! His fantastic knowledge really makes a tour special! We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him! Loch Lomond, the Kelpies and Stirling Castle are all such magical sights and we are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your stop at each one! Please don't be a stranger, we hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

This is my second time...

Melissa_R, Mar 2026

This is my second time visiting Scotland and this day tour did not disappoint. We visited the Kelpies, Stirling Castle, and Loch Lomond. This tour is easy going and for all fitness levels and family. One of my favorite activities was the boat ride on Loch Lomond. It was beautiful and very educating - the scenery was majestic. The Stirling Castle is a one of the major sites in Scotland and worth the visit. You get to stroll the grounds. My friend and I visited the kirkyard near by and found a bench on top of a hill with a gorgeous view of the castle and surrounding area.

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there! Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed your Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies tour with us! Stirling Castle is certainly an amazing location with so much to see! It is always lovely to hear positive feedback about our tours! We hope we can welcome you back again soon for another adventure! Best wishes, Elizabeth

Awesome tour most do!!!

Denise_R, Feb 2026

Was a terrific experience. Gary, our tour guide was very knowledgeable & friendly. We had plenty of time to see everything & take pictures. Highly recommend this tour!!!

Response from Host, Mar 2026

Hi there, thank you for your review. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed your time on our tour with our driver-guide, Gary. We are also glad to hear that you enjoyed Gary's varied commentary. We will be sure to pass your kind comments onto him. We hope we will see you again on one of our tours again soon! Many thanks again, Luisa

Stirling Castle-Scotland.

Javier_N, Feb 2026

Amazing tour. Adam, our tour guide is the best. You can learnd a lot about scotland history during this tour. 200 % recommended . It is a mix between the new and the old.

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi there, thank you for your review, We are very happy to hear that you had a brilliant time on tour with Adam and appreciated his deep knowledge of Scotland's history. We hope we can welcome you on another one of our tours again in the future! All the best, Luisa

Excellent day of adventure

Kellee_B, Feb 2026

A fabulous day, lots of beautiful scenery & our guide Adam was excellent with not only local knowledge of the areas but of Scottish history & myths. He was very entertaining

Response from Host, Feb 2026

Hi there, thank you for your review, We are very happy to hear that you had a brilliant time on tour with our driver-guide Adam and appreciated his deep knowledge of Scottish history. We will be sure to inform him of your kind comments. We hope we can welcome you on another one of our tours again in the future! Many thanks, Luisa

Scottish humor

Samantha_M, Feb 2026

Tour guide had a great sense of humor. Very prompt and charming. The sights were amazing and got lucky with sunny weather.

Great Day out of Edinburgh!

Michael_K, Feb 2026

We were only in town for a short visit to Edinburgh, and this was our only day spent out in the country. It was great to see the countryside, art and history all in one. Adam was a fantastic guide and made the day enjoyable!