Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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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 ToursCastle Terrace, outside the, NCP Castle Terrace Car Park, 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.Start time.8:45 am
Itinerary
1
The Kelpies & The Helix
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Balloch
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
3
Loch Lomond Shores
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
4
Aberfoyle VisitScotland iCentre
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
5
Stirling Castle
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
6
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
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Mandar_D
Great experience especially Sterling Castle which was amazing. Full of history. Personally liked more than Edinburgh Castle.
Suggestion… don’t need to purchase an audio guide. Free guides are available at castle. Give very good info.
Loch Lomond… didn’t do the cruise ( did it at Loch Ness just 2 days back). Had a stroll along the Loch .. very pleasant
And yes, our driver / guide Adam was awesome.., great sense of humour
Highly recommended tour
5 stars for Adam
Reviews
4.7
based on 1,396 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Patricia_F, Sep 2026
The day was terrific! Brian the guide was fun, professional and very informative! At the and of the day we were really impressed
Barbara_K, Sep 2026
Bring rain gear. Be ready to be resourceful as driver is not a tour director. We had to find our own restaurants. I wish he had given definite times to return to bus. I often rushed back when it was unnecessary. Didn't leave enough time for full Stirling Castle visit. He really wanted to give us ALK the experiences but really??? Cows and a bridge view???
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for travelling with Timberbush! We value your feedback on the timings, stop durations and lunch arrangements. Comments like yours help us review and improve the experience for future guests and will be taken back to our team.
Peter_R, Sep 2026
Brian was very knowledgeable and courteous. We traveled to 5 locations as described. Was able to answer everyone's questions and or find the answer.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for travelling with Timberbush! We're delighted you enjoyed the tour and that Brian's knowledge and courteous service helped make the day memorable. It's great to hear he could answer everyone's questions while showcasing all the locations as promised. We hope to welcome you back soon! 😊
Clifford_W, Sep 2026
Excellent day tour outside Edinburgh! Kelpies, Loch Lamond, Stirling Castle and a glimpse of the Highlands!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for travelling with Timberbush! We're delighted you enjoyed exploring Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies. It's wonderful to hear the mix of locations gave you a great taste of Scotland. We hope to welcome you back for another adventure soon! 😊
Jennie_P, Sep 2026
John was a great driver and tour guide with fun stories and bad jokes. Lol!!
If you have good weather do the loch cruise.
It was a Great day out with Timberbush
Ara_D, Aug 2026
Well organized, loved all itinerary stops and Sam our guide was very knowledgeable, would definitely recommend this trip
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for choosing Timberbush Tours! We're delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour, the itinerary stops, and Sam's knowledgeable commentary. Thank you for your recommendation, and we hope to welcome you on another Scottish adventure soon. 😊
Kristen_H, Aug 2026
Our tour was fantastic! Adam was incredibly knowledgeable and informative, and you could tell he really enjoyed sharing the history and stories with us. He also had quite the sense of humor—he clearly thought he was a comedian, and honestly, that made the tour even more fun! 😂 Highly recommend him if you want a tour that is both educational and entertaining.
Iren_D, Aug 2026
We had a driver called Sam. He was brilliant and funny. Enjoyed every minute of the tour. I went with my mum as she wanted to see Scotland. I had to translate the whole time but it didn't bother me. We both had an amazing time. Highly recommend it.
Esther_J, Aug 2026
I missed the bus by 3 minutes and joined a tour of St Andrew’s fishing village instead. I didn’t know it then but ended up having so much fun and made two new friends as well.
High regards to Gary as he was exceptionally good.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We’re sorry you missed your original departure, but delighted to hear the day still turned into such a positive experience.
It’s great to hear you enjoyed the St Andrews and fishing villages tour, made some new friends along the way, and that Gary made such a strong impression. We’ll be sure to pass your kind comments on to him.
Thanks again for travelling with Timberbush!
Cheryl_B, Aug 2026
The coach wasn't parked QUITE where indicated in the directions, but I spotted it en route from the direction I was coming. The coach was new and clean, Alistair was informative and helpful. No wifi, unfortunately.
The first stop at The Kelpies was an adequate amount of time to view this awesome pair of equines. The trip to Loch Lomond was next, and the boat ticket is not included in the trip, which is on me for not reading things more carefully. I mean... yeah, go on the boat ride. It was grey and chilly and I stayed below and was later joined by others who were topside. It's a lake. The information narrated about it is interesting. It's the meeting point of the High and Lowlands. It's fine. Maybe on a sunnier day I would've been more awestruck.
We made a quick stop to meet some charming cows, then lunch in charming Callander, which was kind of rushed, but reasonable enough time.
But Stirling Castle (ticket also not included in the price)... for my money, this should be the 1st, or at least prioritized stop. A rushed tour of this fabulous place would be considered 2 hours. I needed 3, bare minimum. We got 1 1/2, with Alistair informing us the Edinburgh Castle would be a disappointment compared to this. So - not at all adequate time. Plus, there was a wedding scheduled, which caused more delay at the entrance to allow busing in of catering. So not REALLY 1 1/2 hours. But that is the problem with these packages.
Just flip this around. The time at Loch Lomond - I mean, no monster is included - in this bucolic area of Scotland is not nearly as necessary as being able to really explore this architectural piece of history.
And since there's no nuance in recommendations (I'd add a maybe), I guess it'd depend on your friends priorities. But if it's historical site and time to peruse them, then no.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed review. We’re pleased to hear you found the coach clean and comfortable, and that Alistair was informative and helpful throughout the day.
We’re also glad you enjoyed stops such as The Kelpies, Callander and meeting some of our Highland cows along the way. As you mention, tickets for the Loch Lomond cruise and Stirling Castle are optional extras and are not included in the base tour price, allowing guests to choose which experiences they would like to add.
We’re sorry, however, that you felt the time at Stirling Castle was too limited. Our itineraries are carefully planned to balance the different stops across the day, but we completely appreciate that guests with a particular interest in history may naturally want much longer at a site such as Stirling Castle. On this occasion, the wedding activity at the castle also appears to have reduced the time available once inside, which understandably added to your frustration.
Thank you as well for highlighting the departure point and Wi-Fi. Feedback like this is genuinely useful when we review both our tour information and the overall customer experience.
We appreciate your thoughtful comments and are glad that, despite some parts not quite matching your priorities, there were still elements of the day you enjoyed.
Anna_M, Aug 2026
Our guide was wonderful very knowledgeable, friendly and a great sense of humour. Our time at the Kellie’s was great learnt much there, along with our visit to Sterling Castle both were amazing
Could have skipped Loch Lomond not what we expected
However it was enjoyable even with the rain.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for the lovely review! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed your Driver-Guide’s knowledge, friendliness and sense of humour.
It’s great to know The Kelpies and Stirling Castle were particular highlights, and we’re glad you still enjoyed the day despite the Scottish weather making an appearance! We appreciate your feedback on Loch Lomond too, as everyone naturally has different highlights from the itinerary.
Thanks again for travelling with Timberbush!
Wilfred_G, Aug 2026
Loved the trip only thing I would change would not to stop at the 3 bridges to have more time for lunch.
Candice_M, Aug 2026
The 5-star review is for the driver and overall experience but not for the nonfunctional AC on the tour bus. John L. was a great chauffeur and tour narrator providing a lot of historical information along the way, along with some funny jokes. The tour was well organized with sufficient time at each stop and was a great way to see several historical sites outside of Edinburgh. Highly recommend taking the cruise on Loch Lomond and purchasing tickets for the Stirling Castle tour as these were excellent. The only downside was that we discovered after about 10 minutes on the motorway that the bus air conditioning was not working. John and several passengers tried to get it working, without success. We credit John for keeping his cool (no pun intended) and managing the situation as best he could, since he too was impacted by this problem. But the day was quite hot and the ride unbearably hot at times. The tour company, Timberbush, should do a better job ensuring that everything on a tour bus is in working order or be prepared to bring a replacement bus.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a detailed review. We’re really pleased to hear you enjoyed the tour overall, and especially that John made such a positive impression with his commentary, knowledge and humour. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to him.
We’re also glad you enjoyed the itinerary, Loch Lomond cruise and Stirling Castle.
We are, however, very sorry about the issue with the air conditioning. We completely understand how uncomfortable this must have been on a hot day. Our vehicles are maintained and checked regularly, but unfortunately faults can occasionally develop unexpectedly while a vehicle is in service. John did everything he could to manage the situation on the day, but we appreciate that this still had a significant impact on your comfort.
Thank you again for your feedback and for recommending the tour despite the issue.
Isabelle_G, Aug 2026
We had a one day tour with Alistair, the driver. Went to Loch Lomond, the Kelpies, Stirling Castle and Callander. We had a terrific time at each of these places. Alistair did a great job of providing the right amount of background while deftly and safely driving our motor coach. Thank you!
Paul_S, Aug 2026
Great trip and wonderful commentary from Brian Steele our drive. Very lively history, jokes and music. Wonderful scenery and comfortable bus. Highly recommended.
William_K, Aug 2026
Had a wonderful tour of the Kelpies, Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle!
Would recommend the tour starting with the castle first since it was the highlight of the trip. Our guide Alistair was very knowledgeable and great driver!
Maki_S, Aug 2026
Our guide was very knowledgeable and great company. All the places we visited were impressive**,** and the trip didn't feel long at all
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi there!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review!
We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies with us! We are very happy to hear that you had a wonderful time on tour with one of our knowledgeable and passionate driver-guides and enjoyed their commentary.
We hope we can welcome you back again soon for another adventure!
Best wishes,
Elizabeth
valentina_m, Aug 2026
Unfortunately, I’m only publishing my review two years later. I had the best guide, who put together a perfect itinerary!! Even the playlist in the car was perfectly put together and explained! Thank you very much, and I highly recommend it
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi there,
Thank you for taking the time in leaving a wonderful review!
We are so glad that you had a memorable time on tour with us, it is amazing to hear positive feedback - even 2 years later! It is lovely to hear that you appreciated the playlist on your tour, many drivers pride themsleves on their music choices!
We hope to welcome you on tour again in the future!
Kind regards,
Eleanor
Sinisa_B, Aug 2026
The tour with our guide Brian today was fun and interesting. My family and I have learned a lot about Scotland and its history. He gave us a lot of great recommendations for different sights to visit at each stop and it was evident that he put in a lot of effort to make sure all of us had a great time. Thank you, Brian!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Hi there!
Thank you so much for your kind review!
We are so thrilled to hear that you had a great time on tour with Brian! He really knows how to make a tour entertaining with his amazing stories and fantastic facts. We will be sure to pass along your kind words to him!
We hope that we will see you again in the future!
Best wishes,
Elizabeth
Kathleen_H, Aug 2026
Kelpies are good for a photo, 15 mins max
Loch Lomond take the boat ride, it’s nice
Stirling castle was amazing if you love castles, and we do!
Callum was a very good driver.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for your review! We're delighted you enjoyed the tour, especially Stirling Castle and the Loch Lomond boat trip. It's great to hear Callum helped make the day enjoyable, and we'll be sure to pass on your kind words. Thank you for choosing Timberbush! 😊
Turuvekere_M, Aug 2026
Great coverage. Well spaced out. Good history by the driver interlaced with good humour. Definitely recommend.
Anonymous, Aug 2026
Brian was an amazing tour guide. He kept the whole bus laughing and learning about history. The highland cows were a total bonus!!!
Joseph_H, Jul 2026
Excellent tour! Really nice pacing to the day, and our guide Karis was so informative and helpful. Would highly recommend!
Kara_K, Jul 2026
It’s a good way to explore outside of the major cities in Scotland. Stirling Castle is absolutely a must see!
Mary_H, Jul 2026
Must buy entrance tickets at each stop as they are not included. No way to see Loch Lomond without taking the boat tour.
Ramon_B, Jul 2026
Great tour, Gary was great. Got to see a lot of the country side that otherwise would not see. Comfortable, safe and lots of knowledge. Everything went well!
Zoran_K, Jul 2026
A very good excursion, well organized and timed. For us, the highlight was Kelpies. It looks like something from a fairy tale. I wish we were able to inside these amazing sculptures. The rest, Scottish highlands, as impressive as.
Natasha_K, Jul 2026
Lovely day out!!!! Our tour guide really knew his stuff and made everyone feel welcome. I am going to book another experience with this company when I am next visiting Edinburgh. Can’t wait.
Christine_B, Jul 2026
It is a very long tour, but gives you a very good overview of the countryside outside of Edinburgh. The guide was great.
Stephanie_E, Jul 2026
Great day taking in the Kelpies, Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle. Gary, the driver, was excellent, providing interesting facts whilst negotiating a route that a car would have struggled with, never mind a coach.
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