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

Recommended by 92% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

Edinburgh, Scotland

Trending

Booked 5+ times in 12 hours.

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

Why travelers loved this

4.6

· 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.

· 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.

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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

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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

Teisha_M

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

Reviews

4.6

based on 1,226 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

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

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!

Overall it was a good...

Krishnan_V, Dec 2025

Overall it was a good experience for our family, covered main attractions as mentioned in the itinerary on time. Our guide Alastair was good.

Response from Host, Jan 2026

Hi there, Thank you for the review! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour! We hope to welcome you back on tour with us someday soon! Kind regards, Faye

Sam was the BEST!

Cory_L, Dec 2025

Sam was the best tour guide we’ve had here in Scotland! Give him a raise! Good combination of history knowledge, comedy, great playlist and spot on recommendations. We will be asking for him next time we come to Scotland!

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Thank you for the fantastic review! We are thrilled to hear Sam made your tour such a standout. We are delighted to have him on the Timberbush team! We’ll be sure to share your comments with him. Hopefully, we can welcome you again in the future. Steve

3rd Viator booking. A...

Mark_C, Dec 2025

3rd Viator booking. A great way to tour an area of interest. Great informative tour guides and plenty of time to capture memories.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Dear Mark, Thanks for the lovely review! Loch Lomond is such a stunning part of Scotland and the cruise there is definitely a must! We are happy you had such a good time there! We hope to welcome you on another tour soon! Kind regards, Fatima

Wonderful day out

Jennifer_P, Dec 2025

Morag was excellent! Lots of information, great personality and driver! Would highly recommend this tour, especially with her, even on the dampest day!

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Hi there! Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your tour to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies with Morag! We're very proud to have entertaining and informative drivers, and we are glad that you enjoyed your time with Timberbush tours! We appreciate you taking the time to write a review and hope to see you again sometime soon! Best wishes, Elizabeth

One of a lifetime experience

Deepa_S, Nov 2025

Had a marvelous experience. The tour guide was fabulous and made the whole trip lively.It was worth every penny.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Deepa, Thanks for the wonderful review! It's lovely to hear that you felt so comfortable with our driver and were able to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the beauty of Scotland. We hope to see you again sometime soon so we can help you experience more of the magic of Scotland. Kind regards, Fatima

Absolutely Amazing!

Kaylee_S, Nov 2025

Ash was an INCREDIBLE tour guide! We loved hearing his stories and his facts about Scotland. Such a fun day- and was the highlight of our trip. We would recommend this tour to anyone!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Kaylee, Ash is great at sharing some of the reasons why they love Scotland so much- and we're glad to hear you got to see some of the reasons why! We hope to see you on another tour soon! Kind regards, Fatima

Ash is a rockstar!

maria_c, Nov 2025

Had a fantastic experience on today’s tour! Ash was an excellent guide—friendly, professional, and genuinely engaging throughout the day. He kept us entertained and made sure to highlight all the important sites, along with some hidden gems along the way. Would happily join another tour with Ash if I get the chance!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Dear Maria, Thank you for taking the time to leave Ash such a lovely review! He really does know how to ensure everyone has a great time on tour, with his wonderful stories and hilarious anecdotes. We will make sure to pass along the amazing feedback. We hope we can welcome you on another tour soon! Kind regards, Fatima

Recommend!

Pamela_M, Nov 2025

Very interesting and your guide was extremely thorough about history and culture. You guide was friendly and professional. Would recommend!

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Good Afternoon, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave us a review. We are delighted you learnt so much from your guide, and that you enjoyed the tour! We would love to welcome you on tour with us again in the future. Best Wishes, Hannah

Best guide ,John!!!!!, very personable,just a delight to spend time with.

Dorothy_M, Nov 2025

Covers a lot of ground and all are not to miss stop John was a delight to spend time with, super knowledgeable,very funny, very informative,it was like as huge history lesson

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Hi there, thank you for your review. The Highlands have beautiful scenery, but cover a very large area, so we are glad to hear you appreciated John's varied and interesting commentary throughout the tour, and that you learnt a lot from him. We are happy to hear that his commentary made the hours fly by! We hope we can welcome you back on tour again soon! Best wishes, Luisa

Adam was an awesome...

Melissa_C, Oct 2025

Adam was an awesome guide. We had a perfect day. The tour was well organized and a good size group. Lots of historical info and humor made for a fun day.

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Hi, Thank you for taking time out of your day to leave us such a kind review. We are glad to hear that you not only learned a lot, but that you shared a few laughs along the way. We hope to welcome you back on tour one day soon! Kind regards, Sophie

Thank you Adam

Jessica_J, Oct 2025

Had a great time, saw lots for beautiful sights and learned heaps of history. Adam was very informative. Thankyou for a great day

Response from Host, Nov 2025

Hi, Thank you for taking time out of your day to leave us such a kind review. It’s always great to hear feedback like this - We hope to welcome you back on tour one day soon! KInd regards, Sophie

Fabulous tour!

Susanne_F, Oct 2025

Wonderful knowledge shared with us and history of the castle. Lots of questions answered. I can’t remember the tour guide name, but was very fun and shared all his history knowledge.

Response from Host, Dec 2025

Hi there, Thank you for your kind review. We are happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour! We hope you learned a lot of new and interesting facts about Scotland! We hope to see you again soon! Kind regards, Faye

Enjoyable but could be better.

Kimberly_G, Oct 2025

Good stops and lots to see and do. Totally understand the need to keep to a schedule, but the guides need to understand the areas they stop in (particularly for lunch breaks) and know that less than an hour to find a place, then a seat, order, get food, eat, etc isn’t enough time. The lunch stop in Callender would have been nicer with a little more time and a guide who didn’t find pleasure in making little jokes about the paying guests being 2 minutes late. The directions to the meeting spot could have been better as well.

Sterling castle tour

Neelam_C, Oct 2025

Adam.. Was very knowledgeable and very entertaining. Although it was a rainy day but he made the tour very enjoyable, with nice stories and songs. He drove through some beautiful roads too with amazing fall colors and mountain views.

Amazing Tour

Daniel_D, Oct 2025

This tour was amazing, the Loch Lomond and seeing Highland Cows were the highlight of our trip. Graham was our tour guide and he was Hilarious and very knowledgeable. We loved this tour.