Balmoral & Royal Deeside Tour
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Aberdeen, Scotland
- 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Discover the beauty and royal heritage of the Royal Deeside on this small-group tour from Aberdeen. Head first for Balmoral Castle where you can walk in the footsteps of the royals who have called the castle home. Afterward, head through the east Cairngorms to Ballater, a charming Victorian village of Ballater with royal connections. On the way back to Aberdeen, you'll visit the Cambus O'May suspension bridge, the Tomnavarie Stone Circle, and the Queen's View, one of Queen Victoria's favorite Aberdeenshire views.
- Explore the royal heritage of Aberdeenshire
- Small-group tour (maximum seven): A more intimate experience
- See multiple landmarks, including Balmoral Castle
- Learn about the history of Royal Deeside from your guide
What's Included
- WiFi on board
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Balmoral Castle Tickets (General Admission)£18.50 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- William Wallace StatueUnion Terrace, Aberdeen AB10 1NP, UK
Next to the William Wallace Statue in front of His Majesty's Theatre on Rosemount Viaduct. (AB10 1NP)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Balmoral Castle
2 hours • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Ballater
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Cambus O' May Suspension Bridge
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Tomnaverie Stone Circle
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
B9119
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 7 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.9
based on 102 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Joan_C, Aug 2026
A great day out. Jamie was our guide and he made the whole day very informative and entertaining.
We travelled as a small group of seven people in a large people carrier vehicle. The small group number made it quick and easy to get everyone on and off the vehicle. It also made it a small friendly group for the day out.
We visited Balmoral and had a couple of hour to walk round. Stopped at a couple of villages in the area - very nice places.
Jamie was very informative and able to answer the questions asked.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your wonderful review and enthusiastic feedback of your time with Jamie. We are glad he made you day a good one.
Lawrence_S, Aug 2026
Jamie was an outstanding guide, as good as any we have ever had in all our years of travel. He was extremely knowledgeable, witty, and engaging. We never felt rushed on our seven and a half hour trip, and yet he brought us back to our starting point exactly on time, to the minute -- amazing!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you very much for sharing your experience on tour with Jamie. We appreciate your booking and great review.
Mel_G, Jul 2026
Alex Duncan was a knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly guide. I would highly recommend him by name.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your wonderful review of Alex and your trip with him. We appreciate the feedback.
Matthew_M, Jul 2026
Excellent tour!! Alex was amazing, full of history knowledge and full of hidden and local facts that you wouldn’t get on most tours.
He even gave us a ride back to our hotel since it was on his way so that we didn’t miss our dinner reservations!!
10 out of 10 recommend booking this tour!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your great review of your trip with Alex. Glad to see he was able to help you out with your dinner reservations too.
Jean_E, Jul 2026
Great tour of the Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire area and the Highlands. Balmoral was worth the trip even though we didn’t do the inside tour. Jacqueline was very friendly and enthusiastic - a great tour guide!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for joining us on tour and for your kind review. We are glad you enjoyed your visit to the Balmoral Estate.
Kent_J, Jul 2026
Based upon the description of the tour and my own review ahead of time, this was what I expected. The time allowed was just right.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for booking a tour with us and for your kind review.
June_L, Jul 2026
Great tour. Excellent guide - thank-you Jaqueline! Beautiful countryside and the grounds of Balmoral are outstanding.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you very much for your kind words and we are delighted you enjoyed your visit to Balmoral.
Matthew_M, Jul 2026
Wow what a wonderful day of castles and sightseeing. Our guide was knowledgeable and very personable. She tailored the experience to our needs and made the day thoroughly enjoyable.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your great review. We are happy to see Jacqueline was able to make your day interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for booking a tour with us.
Keith_M, Jul 2026
Great day of touring thanks to Alex. What we saw was great, but the tour was all driven by a great guide. Lots of valuable info, funny, engaging and flexible.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you for your great review of Alex and his ability to make your day great. We appreciate your booking and recommendation.
Karen_M, Jun 2026
Balmoral is not an extravagant castle or setting. One could imagine it as a place for quiet contemplation. The gardens reflect the climate of Balmoral and are not filled with fancy rose bushes. It represents a creative and useful garden for the household.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We are sorry to see you didn't enjoy your tour with us. We will liaise with the guide who took the tour to determine if anything could be done differently.
Cecilia_E, Jun 2026
Our tour was truly one of the highlights of our visit to Scotland. The breathtaking scenery, rich history, and beauty of the estate made for an unforgettable day.
A very special thank you to Jacqueline, who made the experience exceptional. Her warmth, professionalism, and extensive knowledge brought the history of Balmoral to life. She was attentive, engaging, and went above and beyond to ensure everyone felt welcome and enjoyed the tour.
Jacqueline’s passion for Scottish heritage was evident throughout, and her storytelling added a personal touch that made the visit even more meaningful. Her music playlist is memorable. She answered questions patiently and made every guest feel valued.
We left with a deeper appreciation of Balmoral, Scottish history, and the legacy of the Royal Family. Thank you, Jacqueline, for making our visit so memorable. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Scotland.
Dr. Cecilia Evangelista
Philippines
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you very much for your amazing review of your trip with Jacqueline. We are thrilled you had a great experience and that Balmoral and the Royal Deeside tour was everything you wanted.
Cindy_F, Jun 2026
An amazing day visiting so many scenic places! Jacqueline was an excellent and knowledgeable guide! Loved Balmoral Castle and surrounding estate! Such a serene place--no wonder the royal family loves vacationing here! Thoroughly enjoyed our stop in the quaint town of Balleter for lunch. The Cambus O'May suspension bridge was in beautiful wooded area overlooking the river Dee. The Tomnaverie Stone Circle was on the top of a hill overlooking a beautiful valley--a very spiritual place. Our final stop was the Queen's View, which offered wonderful view of the area we had just visited. Highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for joining us on tour and for sharing your thoughts of the trip. We are happy to hear Jacqueline helped make your day special.
Bruce_T, May 2026
Jamie is an excellent tour guide…This was one of the best experiences ever! He didn’t rush us through & was very accommodating.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your great review. Glad that you could enjoy your time with Jamie.
Charla_B, May 2026
We had a wonderful time on this tour. Jaime, our tour guide, was fabulous. He was knowledgeable, fun and outgoing and even took us on a few extra hidden gems because he had extra time.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review and for joining us on tour. We are glad Jamie was able to make you day fun and memorable.
Laura_S, May 2026
Balmoral was definitely worth the visit! It was just beautiful, especially the tulips in the gardens.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for joining us on tour. We are glad you enjoyed your visit to Balmoral.
Katherine_G, Apr 2026
This was a great way to see and learn about Aberdeenshire and Balmoral.
Dress for the weather so you can enjoy yourself.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for joining us on tour and your kind review. Very good advice, to dress for the weather, better to have options on the day as it can change a lot.
Andrew_P, Apr 2026
Fabulous day trip to Balmoral with a few pleasant stops on the way thrown in too. Our guide Alex was wonderful. Mini bus was comfortable. Highly recommended
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for joining us on tour and for your lovely review.
Linda_L, Apr 2026
Our Guide Alex was very informative and the van provided a nice ride to all the sites. Going to Balmoral seemed to transcend time and we had plenty of time to explore.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you Linda for your lovely review, it's a beautiful area with plenty to look at our the window and that does make time pass quickly.
Paige_P, Oct 2025
Alex was a phenomenal guide. He was so knowledgeable and very engaging. I recommend this tour a 100%..
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for your feedback of our guide Alex. We are happy to hear you had a wonderful experience with him.
michelle_p, Sep 2025
Jamie was the BEST!!! He had sooo much knowledge of Aberdeen and Aberdeeshore and answered all our questions, even if they were personal! Showed us the most beautiful sites and took us to the best places I had truly had a great time!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you very much for your enthusiastic review. We are thrilled Jamie made your experience a great one.
Eileen_K, Sep 2025
Beautiful scenery, interesting history, excellent service. The driver and guide, Jamie, was wonderful.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your review. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your day out with us.
Caroline_O, Sep 2025
Tour guide Alex fab great tour guide would recommend fab day out with a lovely bunch of people thanks
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you very much for booking a tour with us and for sharing your experience. We appreciate your kind review.
lhearney, Sep 2025
This was an excellent way to see the beautiful Deeside with a very knowledgeable guide! Alex, our guide was great with his story telling.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your review and glad Alex brought your tour to life.
Mike_J, Aug 2025
Really enjoyed this tour. Our tour guide/driver Jacqueline was great. Very knowledgeable and fun. Perfect amount of time at Balmoral and we enjoyed the drive through the beautiful landscapes.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your review and for joining us on tour. We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time with Jacqueline and hope you had a great stay in Aberdeen.
Catherine_C, Aug 2025
This was one of the best tours we could have asked for. Calum was the most amazing guide. He was so engaging and personable, and the whole day was like a private tour. His knowledge of different industries was very impressive. Calum grew up in Aberdeenshire, and you could tell how much he loves his home. Even though Balmoral is currently closed, Calum improvised perfectly and showed us two other castles. This tour was beyond doubt the highlight of our whole trip.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are happy to hear you had a great day out with Calum.
Catherine_D, Aug 2025
Very enjoyable day trip, informative & knowledgeable. Highly recommended. Plenty of free time. Thanks
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for joining us on tour and for sharing your experience.
Karen_G, Jul 2025
This experience was absolutely AMAZING!! Our driver/guide, Alex, was incredibly knowledgeable and a great driver! The drive and sites were unspeakably outstanding and van was a quite comfortable.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you very much for your wonderful feedback of your experience with Alex. We appreciate the great review.
Maja_B, Jul 2025
This is an amazing trip. Balmoral castle is a place worth visiting definitely, Ballater village, brige and stone circle also. Magnificent nature. The tour was well organized and Alex was an excellent guide. Very professional and well informed about all details. Would recommend without any hesitation. Thanks for good organization
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you very much for your kind review. We are happy you know you were pleased with the tour and our guide Alex.
William_P, Jul 2025
You need additional castle entry to see inside the castle. Excellent guide. Very knowledgeable with good stories to back up the dry facts.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for booking a tour with us and thank you for sharing your experience of the tour.
Cyndi_H, Jun 2025
What a wonderful tour! Alex, our tour guide knew so much HISTORY AND BACKGROUND with every stop we made! Balmoral Castle and grounds was beautiful! Stops at bridges and spawning streams, the path that the Queen would take on way to Balmoral— the whole trip was wonderful!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you for booking a tour with us and for your wonderful review. It's great to see you enjoyed yourself.
From $142.73
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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