Beyond Edinburgh (Half Day Tour)
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 5 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Explore further afield without having to worry about hiring a car or navigating unfamiliar roads on a tour that reveals attractions that lie outside of Edinburgh’s city center. This private tour comes with the flexibility to tweak your route and itinerary to include historic castles and chapel, scenic natural landscapes, or art galleries and antique stores.
- Escape the city center on a private tour that lets you explore further afield
- Relish the flexibility to tailor your itinerary
- Letting someone else drive allows you to enjoy the scenery
- Hassle-free hotel pickup and drop-off are included
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Land Rover Discovery for up to 6 adults
- Entry to the sites are not included (Castles, Distilleries etc)
- Gratuities
- LunchBottled water is available in the car free of charge (all other food and drink is not included within the tour)
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to your preferred meeting point, or request pickup.
Operating hours.10:00 am
Itinerary
1
Rosslyn Chapel
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Crichton Castle
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Dalkeith Country Park
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Glenkinchie Distillery
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Infant seats available
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Not wheelchair accessible
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Sam_L
Chris was absolutely amazing - the best tour guide my wife and I have ever had on an excursion. He kept us entertained the entire time with incredible stories and history of Scotland. He did a custom tour for us and brought us to two castles, a loch, the Kelpies, a preserved Scottish village and more. He went above and beyond for this half day trip and it never felt rushed or short cut. I highly highly recommend this booking and Chris as a guide!
Reviews
5.0
based on 20 reviews
James_K, Dec 2025
Great day, flexible about what we were interested in and made great suggestions. Would recommend to others.
Sam_L, Sep 2025
Chris was absolutely amazing - the best tour guide my wife and I have ever had on an excursion. He kept us entertained the entire time with incredible stories and history of Scotland. He did a custom tour for us and brought us to two castles, a loch, the Kelpies, a preserved Scottish village and more. He went above and beyond for this half day trip and it never felt rushed or short cut. I highly highly recommend this booking and Chris as a guide!
Bobbi_W, May 2025
The tour can be personalized to your interest. Chris was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Vehicle was clean and very comfortable.
Hope_G, Aug 2024
Cannot recommend this enough! Chris is amazing and taught us everything and more about Scotland! This was the perfect tour for our mother and son trip!
Adriana_V, Aug 2024
Chris is a PHENOMENAL guide. Kind and his knowledge of Scottish history is incredible. He made the most out of our day and made the trip enjoyable for kids and grandparents alike. I highly recommend this trip, particularly as a start to your vacation to frame the visit !!
Michelle_M, Jun 2024
What an engaging and informative tour and guide!! He talked with all of us and adapted our tour based on the weather giving options that wouldn’t put us in the soaking rain. He was able to link all parts of history to each other and has a deep understanding of the history and development of Scotland. Everyone felt engaged and driving the accommodations were clean and luxurious.
Katelin_G, Jun 2024
This was one of the best tours we’ve ever been on! Monarch Tours was very professional and easy to coordinate with and Chris was an amazing guide - so knowledgeable, warm, friendly, flexible and patient, which was especially helpful as we had an infant with us and couldn’t always predict when we might need to stop. He planned the day based on what I said we were interested in, and found a way to give us the best highlights of the area in the time that we had. The Defender he drives was very roomy and comfortable to spend the day in, and we were using every seat. We also learned so much about Scotland and Scottish history based on all he shared, which made it all so much more memorable. This was the perfect way to get a taste of the star of the Highlands when you don’t have a full day to go to some of the farther sites. It was by far our favourite day in/around Edinburgh that we’ve ever had!
Maryanne_C, May 2024
This tour was designed to meet our needs. We wanted a driving tour of Edinburgh and to see Rosslyn Chapel. The driver, Scott, was full of information and stories that brought to life the history of Edinburgh. Scott was amazing. He was highly entertaining and engaging in all things Scotland. I would do this trip with different destinations, we just lived it.
Joseph_O, May 2024
Wonderful trip, extremely knowledgable guide who was able to speak to history of Scotland from 1400s to 2024. Town of St Andrew’s (cathedral, college, pub) were highlights in addition to visiting the Old Course.
Safe diver, comfortable car for 6
Cheryl_K, Oct 2023
This was such a great tour! Chris picked us up at our hotel at the time agreed on. There were a few places we wanted to go and he suggested another one, which worked out well. Chris was so knowledgeable on Scotland and helped the couple we were with get some information on their family heritage. We ended in Edinburgh as planned. This was certainly one of the highlights of our time in Scotland. We highly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for your fantastic review! It was a pleasure meeting you and I'm thrilled you enjoyed exploring Scotland with us. I'm glad I could assist in uncovering some family heritage information for your fellow traveler. If you ever return to Scotland, I'd be delighted to show you more of this beautiful country!
Cheers,
Chris
Caryn_P, Oct 2023
We couldn’t have asked for more! Our guide Chris Pendleton was excellent, he has such a wealth of knowledge that kept us entertained throughout the whole day. I highly recommend him and the tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for your kind words! It was an absolute pleasure showing you around. I'm delighted that you enjoyed the tour and found the stories about Scotland's history engaging. If your travels ever bring you back to this beautiful country, I'd be honoured to show you more!
Cheers,
Chris
Lois_M, Oct 2023
John was awesome. He took us to explore the beautiful countryside sights of Scotland and Edinburgh. I love Scotland.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Absolutely, Scotland is a gem! John is fantastic at showcasing its beauty. Glad you had an amazing time exploring our stunning countryside and Edinburgh's wonders. There's always more to see in this incredible country!
Cheers
Hannah_M, Oct 2023
Our tour guide Chris was so knowledgeable, interesting and down to earth. Loved the flexibility of the tour so we were able to see what we wanted to. Comfortable nice Land Rover. Toured castle Stirling, saw a beautiful loch, fed some cute highland cows with our 2 children. Great experience!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you for the glowing review! I'm thrilled you and your family enjoyed the tour and the flexibility it offered. Highland cows are always a hit, especially with wee ones! It was a pleasure guiding you through Stirling Castle and the beautiful Scottish landscapes. Should you return for more adventures, I'd love to show you even more of Scotland's wonders!
Cheers,
Chris
Mary_P, Sep 2023
If you love history, ask for Chris and definitely take this trip! It was worth every penny. We were driven in comfort to see the Royal Mile and St. Giles Church, then our request of Rosslyn Chapel, which we toured at our own pace. Beautiful place. The entire time, Chris gave us a clear, concise history of this wonderful country. Finally, he took us to one of his favorite places, Blackness Castle, and gave us a personal tour with all the history of the castle and its strategic location. The day was sheer magic! Thank you so much, Chris!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Cheers, chuffed you loved our Beyond Edinburgh tour! We're thrilled you loved exploring the Royal Mile, Rosslyn Chapel, and Blackness Castle. I try to be passionate about history, and delighted I could make your day so magical. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to welcome you back for more adventures!
Jana_M, Sep 2023
An absolutely brilliant day…our driver, Chris was wonderful…super easy to hang out with all day…gave us a plethora of Scottish history as we drove…was super flexible with the day and gave us tons of suggestions to choose our day. We visited Rosslyn Chapel, Sterling Castle and Doune Castle…it was an amazing day and a highlight of our trip…book this trip with full confidence!
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic experience from our Beyond Edinburgh tour!
We're thrilled to hear that Chris provided an engaging and flexible journey, offering insights into Scotland's rich history throughout the day. Rosslyn Chapel, Stirling Castle, and Doune Castle are indeed incredible highlights, and we're delighted they made your trip memorable.
Your confidence and recommendation mean the world to us. We're grateful for the opportunity to showcase the beauty and history of Scotland, and we hope to welcome you back for more adventures soon!
Warm regards,
The Monarch Tours Team
Vicki_L, Jun 2023
Chris contacted us ahead of time to see what we wanted to do our tour. He met us at the cruise terminal in a kilt and we set off on a tour of Edinburgh. We had a great experience viewing the beautiful city as he relayed the history. He was a great conversationalist and tour guide. We had a great day and would highly recommend his tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Thank you ever so much for sharing your wonderful experience from our Beyond Edinburgh Half Day Tour with Chris. We're thrilled to read about your fantastic time exploring Edinburgh.
Chris takes great pride in tailoring tours to our guests' preferences, and it's wonderful to hear that he ensured your tour was personalised to suit your interests. Donning his kilt to welcome you at the cruise terminal sounds like a true Scottish welcome!
It brings us immense joy to know that you had a great day experiencing the beauty of the city while delving into its history. Chris's passion for storytelling and his engaging nature truly make for a memorable tour, and we're delighted that you found him to be a great conversationalist and guide.
Your recommendation means the world to us, and we're honored that you would highly recommend Chris's tour. Thank you for choosing to explore with us, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for more enriching experiences.
Warm regards,
The Monarch Tours Team
From $615.52
per group (up to 4)-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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Beyond Edinburgh (Half Day Tour)
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