Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour
Recommended by 92% of travelers
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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 ToursNCP 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
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
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 1,274 reviews
Steve_E, May 2026
The itinerary was great although I think they should add a stop at Falkirk Wheel, considering that the Kelties are very close by. Be warned that the 19 seat coach was way too small for 19 adults! Everyone’s knees were jammed into the seat in front. And our guide had to be reminded to turn the air on EVERY time we left a stop. It was a chilly day and only needed to have outside air come in but not until someone asked.
cassandra_m, May 2026
Charlotte was a great tour guide! She had a great personality. I enjoyed my tour! This was my first time in scotland
Halima_D, May 2026
I was nervous about traveling solo, but I had a fantastic time! Charlotte was extremely informative and the tour was so much fun!
Michael_R, May 2026
Very good guide, Charlotte, and driver, John. Handled the full bus expertly and had clear and precise explanations about the history and the sights.
Richard_D, May 2026
David was great, entertaining and informative. Through in a couple of extra experiences as time and weather allowed. Great taste in music played in between narratives. Plenty of time at all the listed destinations. Not my first time to Edinburgh but first time out of the city. Perfect way to get out and explore.
Deonna_c, May 2026
Super fun and amazing hosts. The tour company does hire pretty knowledgeable folks that gave us lots of facts and pointed out several highlights along our route. We had Jaime driving (excellent navigation of the scary roads) and Graig who was just so fun and welcoming. It’s a full day so be prepared for an early morning departure. The highlight is Stirling castle but the views getting there are spectacular and worth the trip.
Jason_B, May 2026
Stevie B was an awesome tour guide. I highly recommend this tour and take it with Stevie B if possible.
Andrew_M, May 2026
Great trip, great guides. Greig and Jamie were entertaining and knowledgeable. Greig is a natural at hus job and jamie was a safe driver.
Terrie_S, May 2026
Was very disappointed as we asked multiple times if we would make it in time for the tour if we landed at 8a and were never given a straight answer. Then the day of we were 10 mins behind and they said they couldn't wait 😒 and would put us on a later tour...which we agreed to...only to discover it was not the same tour but to some fishing village! How is that comparable? Terrible experience! I asked for a refund ir credit and was denied. Never again!
Response from Host, May 2026
Hi Terrie_S,
We’re very sorry to hear that you were disappointed with your experience and appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback.
Prior to your tour, our Reservations Team advised that tours depart on schedule and that any alternative arrangements for missed departures would depend on availability on the day. On the morning of travel, you let us know at 08:39 that you were still approximately 19 minutes away from the departure point, while the tour was due to depart at 08:45.
As our tours operate to a strict schedule, we’re unfortunately unable to delay departures as this would impact other passengers and the timings for stops and attractions throughout the day.
While we understand that the St Andrews tour was not the original itinerary you had booked, our team did their best to arrange an alternative full-day tour experience for you later that day so that your day was not completely missed.
We completely appreciate your disappointment and are sorry that the experience did not meet your expectations. Thank you again for your feedback, and we do hope you still enjoyed the rest of your time in Scotland.
Best Wishes,
Jodie
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!
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).
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.
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.
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)
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
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.
Lisa_T, Apr 2026
Tour guide/bus driver very informative and nice sense of humor. Great sights and options. Thank you!!!!
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
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.
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
From $77.26
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies Day Tour
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