Private Central Highlands Driving Tour
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Edinburgh, Scotland
- 7 to 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Escape the bustle of Edinburgh for a full-day private tour of the central Highlands. See castles, waterfalls, and historic villages as your local guide takes care of the driving. Customize the itinerary according to your personal interests, including a possible stop at a whisky distillery. Get personalized advice on where to eat traditional food. Hotel pick-up and drop-off are included.
- Explore the central Highlands with a private tour
- Skip the hassle of a rental car and let your guide do the driving
- Adjust the itinerary according to your interests
- Visit a whisky distillery, historic castles, and scenic waterfalls
What's Included
- All guiding fees and vehicle costs.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Local guide
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Booster seats for up to 2 children.
- Transport by private vehicle
- Entrance fees for castles/distillery
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Pickup details
We will pick up from any Edinburgh hotel, BnB or Port. Pick up in locations outwith Edinburgh will require and additional fee if it is possible for us to get there.
Operating hours.9:00 am
Itinerary
1
Stirling Castle
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Callander Visitor Information Cantre
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Kilmahog
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Loch Lubnaig
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Falls of Dochart
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Deanston Distillery & Visitor Centre
1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Rob Roy's Grave
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
8
The Kelpies & The Helix
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 106 reviews
Melissa_B, Oct 2025
I wish I could give 10 stars!! Top notch - the BEST tour guide EVER! Scott was the most incredible tour guide we have ever had. He truly loves his country and loves to share it with his clients. We were absolutely captivated by his stories and knowledge (and jokes or course) - we learned so much about Scotland. We will be back! And we will contact Scott!
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Dear Melissa B,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review for your private tour to the Scottish Highlands with Scott.
Scott is a brilliant person to spend the day with, he is an expert in Scottish history and culture as well as having a great sense of humour.
All of our team want to make your private tours of Scotland, so we are always happy to adjust the tours to suit your needs when we can and we always like a good mix of history, fun facts, stories and laughs. We are not a "read from a script" type of company, we love what we do and that's why we get so many great reviews 😀
randykeeling, Sep 2025
Perfect way to see The Highlands without the worry of driving. Our driver, Scott was the perfect guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and a great story teller of Scottish history. We made lots of stops along the route and saw some amazing things that I’m not sure you would see if you were driving on your own. We stopped for a great lunch at such a quaint restaurant with delicious food. The stop at an award winning chocolate factory was a lot of fun. It rained midway through our tour but Scott made sure that did not hinder our trip. We would highly recommend this tour if you’re in Edinburgh!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Dear RandyKeeling,
Thank you so muchbfor taking the time to write a review of your tour with Scott.
Scott is an amazing guide, historian, story teller and all round great guy to spend time with.
Here at Iconic Tours we always want to get people away from the crowds, show them local spots they wouldn't find on their own and introduce some great local places to eat and drink. We always make sure everyone experiences Scotland like a local.
We hope you can come tour with us again one day.
Kind regards
Will
Jim_U, Aug 2025
A great time rain or shine! We hiked to the most spectacular view and ate a delicious local lunch. Who know Steak and haggis pie was so good!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thanks for the review Jim,
I thoroughly enjoyed our day together and I am glad you managed to enjoy the delights of both our great views and our amazing haggis. A true Scottish experience for you.
Laurie_M, May 2025
Wonderful, private 9 hour experience led by our very friendly and knowledgeable tour guide Bryan. He asked us what we wanted to see and also made fantastic recommendations. He was impeccably dressed, professional, and very interactive with our family. He made advanced reservations for us at a lovely restaurant with amazing views. We saw everything we wanted to see - Kelpies, Stirling Castle/Wallace monument (from a distance on the bridge where Bryan told us the history of the battle that occurred there), highland cows, hike to a scenic overlook, Rob Roy grave, and walked down to the Loch. Plenty of stops to use restrooms along the way. We knew this tour only went to the mid-part of the Highlands which we were fine with since we had limited time. If you want high country, you will spend a lot of time in the car and need a much longer tour. We were so inspired by Bryan's historical talk, we watched Braveheart that evening ha ha
Response from Host, May 2025
Dear Laurie,
Thank you so much for taking the time to write a review for your tour with Bryan from Iconic Tours.
Bryan is always impeccable in every way and is a great person to spend a day with to get an amazing insight into Scottish history and culture whilst exploring the Highlands.
The Highlands is a huge area and we feel we can give a great taste of the lower and Central Highlands without having to do huge drives that involve just whizzing by places without many chances to stop. We love to get people away from the crowds and see the Highlands in it's natural beauty.
We hope you can come tour with us again.
Will
Brittany_w, Mar 2025
It was such an amazing day. I was traveling with my 21 year old twins and Will was our guide. Will make sure we saw everything we wanted and some hidden spots that were amazing. He was funny, kind and everyone really enjoyed ourselves. Highly recommend this tour
Response from Host, Mar 2025
Dear Brittany_w,
It was really great fun to spend the day with all three of you. As well as some of the famous must-see spots we always like to get people off the beaten path to some hidden gems.
I am also glad that the stories and history being supplemented with some humour was appreciated as well. It's always fun to have fun.
Hope to see you again one day.
Will
Carolyn_M, Sep 2024
We had the most perfect day with Gary! He picked us up in a very comfortable car which was preloaded with waters for us, not to mention he is a top notch driver. His warmth was exuding from the moment he said hello and we immediately felt like we were spending the day with a dear friend. He took us to so many incredible spots, especially those off the beaten path! Along the way he had incredible stories and history to share with us and we truly felt we got a great experience of the central highlands. He took us to the most incredible restaurant for lunch (Mor84 - you must try the fish and chips!) We never felt rushed, he always offered to take our family photos, and just had us smiling and laughing the whole day through. We could not recommend this tour enough, don't think twice - book now! Also a shout out to the owner Will, when confirming our pickup spot of our Airbnb Will promptly confirmed and then provided a slew of recommendations for nearby restaurants, coffee shops, and more. It was a truly kind gesture for him to take the time to share those with us. You all are amazing - thank you! We can't wait for another booking when we come back!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Dear Carolyn,
Many thanks for the kind words for both Gary and myself.
We love to show people the best of Scotland and make sure they get a day personalised to suit your needs and Gary always goes above and beyond to make sure you have the most wonderful day with us.
I also like to male sure whisky in Edinburgh people get to try the best local eateries as well so I am always happy to share.
Kind regards
Will
Rore_M, Sep 2024
Our private family Highlands driving tour was an experience we'll treasure forever! From the moment Scott, our guide, picked us up, we knew we were in for something special. His deep knowledge, infectious energy, and great sense of humor made the tour engaging and fun for everyone, including our kids.
The highlights of our tour were absolutely unforgettable. We explored the historic Doune Castle, which felt like stepping back in time. As we journeyed through the Highlands, we were amazed by the vastness and depth of the various lochs we visited. Scott shared fascinating insights about the Picts and their impressive stone houses that dotted the landscape, making the experience even more enriching. To top it all off, we visited an award-winning chocolatier, where we indulged in some of the best chocolate we've ever tasted—an unexpected delight! Even the lunch spot was charming and delicious.
Scott tailored the tour to suit our family's pace and interests, ensuring that everyone had an amazing time. His stories and insights brought the history and culture of the Highlands to life, and his funny anecdotes kept us laughing throughout the day.
The personalized attention we received on this private tour was exceptional. Scott took care of every detail, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy the experience. If you're looking to explore the Scottish Highlands, I can't recommend this tour and Scott enough. This was a highlight of our trip to Scotland, and we will cherish the memories for years to come. Thank you, Scott, for making our Highland adventure so memorable!
Response from Host, Sep 2024
Dear Rore M,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review of your amazing Highland tour with Scott.
We are truly blessed to have so many amazing places in Scotland we can take people to have an amazing time in, but having a guide as excellent as Scott who can easily adapt every tout to suits everyone's needs makes our tours that bit more special we hope.
We look forward to touring with you again one day.
Will
Judith_L, Aug 2024
This tour was, indeed, the highlight of our time in Scotland. Even though the day was a bit rainy and somewhat dreary, our tour guide, Scott, made it a fabulous and memorable day for our family of four! Scott is……exceptional. We’ve been on many tours with just our family and this one was, undoubtedly, the most enjoyable. Scott has a wealth of knowledge about all things Scottish (and many other things as well!) and he imparts his insights in a lovely, kind, funny, interesting, and altogether excellent way. You just have to take this tour with Scott to see what I mean. You will NOT be disappointed. We laughed, we learned, we chatted, we laughed some more and had a wonderful day. Just book this tour and ask for Scott. He will exceed your expectations and your day will be a total delight. Thank you Scott! Come to Reno and visit us!!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Dear Judith,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review. Scott is exceptionally, he delivers all you expect and more and is a real credit to Scotland and we are delighted it was the best tour you have had.
Many thanks and hope to see you again.
David_S, Jul 2024
Our 5-person family really enjoyed this tour. While we have also enjoyed group tours on Viator, having a personalized guide and tour was really enjoyable. Jim, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and entertaining. At multiple time, he gave us options (e.g., see the castle or spend more time at a hiking trail), which helped customize the tour to what we wanted to see and experience. He also gave us the opportunity to visit local shops and cafes to sample the best local options. The Highlands are absolutely gorgeous and would recommend this tour to folks staying in Edinburgh. You haven’t seen Scotland unless you have seen the Highlands!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear David,
Thanks so much for the review of your tour with Jim. He always goes above and beyond and makes sure people get exactly what they want and we are very happy you feel it is worth it to do a private tour
Dana_B, Jul 2024
Gary was a great tour guide. We had a wonderful experience with him. He gave us great recommendations and was able to incorporate things the kids were interested in as well. They loved it! We all had a lovely time. Would take another tour with him.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Dana_B,
Thank you so much for the review of your tour with Gary. He is amazing guide and always manages to make tours suit what everyone wants to get from the day.
We hope you can come tour with us again.
Will
Margaret_H, Jul 2024
Our guide, Jim, was a master storyteller and had an envious knowledge of Scottish history. We thoroughly enjoyed the experience and would definitely go again. We saw many beautiful places that weren’t even on the initial itinerary, and we attribute that to Jim’s knowledge of the area. This tour was 100% perfect!
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Margaret,
We are delighted you all had such an amazing time with Jim. He is not only a gifted story teller and historian, but he also has a great sense of humour and after speaking to people a bit really knows how to get them to places he knows they will love.
We hope you can come tour with us again.
Kind regards
Will
IOANNA_R, Jul 2024
Brian was excellent. Very polite and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the trip very much and it gave us a very good idea of the country.
All the stops were very interesting to see.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Ioanna R,
We are delighted you enjoyed your tour with Bryan so much. Scotland is a great country and he is an amazing guide.
We hope you can come visit again.
Jodi_B, May 2024
Thoughtful private around Edinburgh and lowlands tour. This is NOT a highlands tour. You will see many lovely things but this is not a true highlands tour. Scott is thoughtful, and knowledgeable and tries to figure out what the private tour participants want/should see. Scott's narration on the hours of driving are exceptionally helpful. The local kirk, roadside lunch and chocolatier are a treat.
Response from Host, May 2024
Dear Jodi_B,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review.
To get to the Highlands you have to drive from Edinburgh (in the Lowlands) and there are some options to stop in Lowland spots such as the Kelpies and Stirling Castle, but from Callander, Balquidder, Loch Lubnaig, Killin, Loch Tay and the Chocolatier you were in the Highlands and then you returned to Edinburgh, so you did spend a lot of time in the Highlands and we apologise if you were under the impression they were Lowland spots.
The Highlands is a vast area and we are glad we go to show you some of them. We hope you can come back again one day and we can show you more of them, such as Glencoe which we also offer as a day tour and is even further north.
Kind regards
Iconic Tours
Katherine_K, Dec 2023
Our tour guide (Scott) was simply fabulous! He was full of knowledge and kept us entertained the whole time. He was able to adjust our tour to accommodate weather issues, and personal preferences. We took our 8 year old daughter (who can be quite the talker) and he was so kind to her. We were worried she would get bored and brought things to entertain her- but never had to bring them out! She was fully engaged the entire time. We were able to squeeze a lot of fun in a day. Thanks again for a simply fabulous time!
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Dear Katherine_K,
Thank you for taking the time to write a review. Scott always goes above and beyond and always likes to engage everyone. We are very glad to hear both you and your daughter were entertained.
Many thanks and hope you can tour with us again one day.
Will
Jane_P, Sep 2023
We spent the day with Scott as we traveled into the highlands with many stops along the way. His combination of wit and knowledge, far exceeded our high expectations!! He was truly outstanding. When we parted at the end of the day, our knowledge of Scotland had grown, while at the same time we felt we had made a friend, we would highly recommend Scott as your guide for your trip to Scotland.
Response from Host, Oct 2023
Dear Jane P,
We are glad top hear Scott exceeded your high expectations. We like to set the bar high and we hope you can come tour with us again one day.
Michael_F, Sep 2023
Our tour guide Gary was terrific. Very knowledgeable and humorous. Enjoyed his company immensely. He adapted the tour to exactly what we wanted. We would highly recommend Gary for this tour
Response from Host, Sep 2023
Dear Michael F,
We are happy you had such a great time with Gary, he is an excellent guide and a great person who always easily manages to make tours suit peoples needs.
I hope you can come tour with us again one day.
Many thanks,
Will
Nicole_R, Jul 2023
We absolutely loved every minute of our Highlands tour with Gary as a guide. Not only are the Highlands breathtaking, but we visited out of the ordinary destinations that really gave us a feel for life in the area, and above all, with a gifted storyteller who made history and lore come alive. Thank you for a wonderful day!
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Dear Nicole,
Many thanks for the review and we are happy to hear Gary gave you a real feel for our great wee country.
We hope you can come visit again
Kind regards,
Will
Cynthia_L, Jul 2023
Our guide Scott gave us a day to remember! He adjusted the schedule to fit our interests and had some wonderful alternate suggestions. I can't think of anything he could have done to improve upon our tour. I would highly recommend this tour - especially if Scott is your guide.
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Dear Cynthia,
We are very happy to hear you had such an amazing time with Scott, he is brilliant and gives everyone an amazing tour experience.
Many thanks and hope you can come tour with us again.
Will
david_l, Jul 2023
Scott was amazing - knowledgeable, funny, and tailored the experience on the fly for our family of four - especially for our two kids (10 and 7) who have gigantic personalities lol. also, his skills developed during his storied career at the bbc really shown through - it was like having an amazing television personality to ourselves for a day :)
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Dear David_I,
A day with Scott is a real treat, he is so knowledgeable and quick witted he keeps everyone entertained on so many levels.
He's too good for the BBC, we want to keep him ;-)
Carrie_B, Jul 2023
Scott was our guide and he was amazing! He was super knowledgable and catered to our diverse age group. He kept it lively and exciting!
Response from Host, Jul 2023
Dear Carrie B,
Scott is amazing, everyone loves tours with him for good reason and he always makes sure the tour is lively and exciting for everyone from start to finish.
Tammy_H, May 2023
I would rate this 10 stars if it were possible! We were privately escorted through the Highlands with an extremely knowledgeable and fun guide named Gary. Saw beautiful villages and walked amazing landscapes.
Response from Host, May 2023
Dear Tammy_H,
We sure delighted to hear you would rate Gary 10 stars if you could, he certainly is worth it.
We are glad you had such a great time and I hope you can visit again.
Kind regards,
Will
Michael_M, May 2023
Our guide Scott was informative and personable! He made our tour memorable. We saw everything we requested to see!
Response from Host, May 2023
Dear Michael_M,
We are glad you enjoyed your day either Scott so much, he is a great guide and a wonderful person to spend a day with.
We hope you can come tour with us again.
Cookie_C, May 2023
Will is an excellent guide! He has a wealth of knowledge of all subjects Scottish & especially history and culture.
We had a day full of memorable experiences and delightful conversation
Response from Host, May 2023
Dear Cookie_C,
It was a real pleasure to meet you both and I am glad you enjoyed the day as much as I did.
I hope you get to come visit again one day.
Kind regards,
Will
Matt_P, Apr 2023
Scott was our driver for the day and provided such an amazing experience for our family of 3 kids, ages 12, 12, and 14. He custom tailored our journey based on interests and filled in the the travel time with great stories and history. The lunch stop was also incredible. There's not a single negative thing to say about the excursion. By the end of the day, it felt like we had made a new friend.
Response from Host, Apr 2023
Dear Matt P,
Many thanks for taking the time time write such a nice review of your time with Scott. He is an excellent guide who can adjust every tour to suit the interests of everyone with him.
We hope you can come tour with us again.
Kind regards,
Will
Kelly_F, Mar 2023
From the moment we booked, Will knew exactly the kind our tour we needed with our 10 year old and 7 year old. Couldn’t be happier. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Dear Kelly F,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review. We are always happy to take families with young children on tour and I small glad everyone enjoyed it so much.
I hope you all manage to come visit again one day.
Safe travels.
Will
Anika_H, Dec 2022
Book the tour!! Wills passion for Scottish history (and whisky) is infectious and extremely impressive. My husband and I had such a memorable day enjoying the dramatic scenery and visiting local vendors. Thank you Will!
Response from Host, Dec 2022
Dear Anika_H,
Thank you so much for the kind words. It was an absolute pleasure to meet you both yesterday and I am glad you enjoyed the day as much as I did :-)
I hope you guys get to travel here again some day.
All the best,
Will
Geri_S, Oct 2022
Graham was great. Very knowledgeable, entertaining, and informative. And he sings!! Would definitely recommend.
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Dear Geri_S,
Many thanks for the review. We are very happy to hear you found the tour entertaining and informative. Grahams says he hopes his singing was in key as well.
We hope you manage to tour with us again one day.
Iconic Tours
Jodi_H, Sep 2022
We had a wonderful day exploring parts of the central highlands. We saw
several small villages and saw beautiful scenery. Had a great local lunch stop along the way as well. Our guide, Graham, was very knowledgeable on local history and facts. I would definitely recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Dear Jodi_H,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review for your tour with Graham. We are glad you enjoyed the scenery, the history, the stories and the local food.
We hope you can come tour with us again some day.
Kind regards,
Will
Iconic Tours
John_D, Sep 2022
Henri was able to take us where we wanted to go. He was polite and professional and he took us to some out of the way places.
Response from Host, Sep 2022
Dear John_D,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review for your tour with us. We are glad you enjoyed it so much and you found your guide both polite and professional.
Kind regards and I hope you get to come visit again.
Rebecca_S, Aug 2022
We had an absolutely wonderful experience. Graham, our driver and guide, was a wealth of knowledge of history and culture, as well as quiet and beautiful stops out of the way of crowds and tour buses. He took very good care of us and kept us entertained (even the teenagers) during this full day experience. Communication was also excellent leading up to the tour. I highly recommend this experience. It’s well worth the money if you want to get off the beaten path for a day trip out of Edinburgh.
Response from Host, Aug 2022
Dear Rebecca S,
Many thanks for taking the time to write a review about your wonderful tour with Graham.
We are very happy you enjoyed your time so much and Graham kept everyone captivated with his stories and history whilst he took you away from the usual tourist routes.
I hope you can come tour with us again one day.
Iconic Tours
From $1,146.59
per group (up to 7)up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Private Central Highlands Driving Tour
106
8 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$1,146.59
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Shore Excursions
- Full-day Tours
- Bus Tours
- Historical Tours
- Day Trips
- Tours, Sightseeing & Cruises
- Private and Luxury
- Private Sightseeing Tours
- Cultural Tours
- Edinburgh
- Shore Excursions - St. Andrews
- Full-day Tours - St. Andrews
- Bus Tours - St. Andrews
- Historical Tours - St. Andrews
- Shore Excursions - Stirling
- Full-day Tours - Stirling
- Bus Tours - Stirling
- Historical Tours - Stirling
- Shore Excursions - Dundee
- Full-day Tours - Dundee
- Bus Tours - Dundee
- Historical Tours - Dundee
Attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland
- Calton Hill Tours & Tickets
- Georgian House Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Chapel Tours & Tickets
- Hopetoun House Tours & Tickets
- Edinburgh Dungeon Tours & Tickets
- Rosslyn Castle (Roslin Castle) Tours & Tickets
- Royal Mile Tours & Tickets
- Leith Tours & Tickets
- Scottish Parliament Tours & Tickets
- St. Andrews Castle Tours & Tickets
- Isle of Islay Tours & Tickets
- Edinburgh Zoo Tours & Tickets
- Scottish National Portrait Gallery Tours & Tickets
- John Knox House Tours & Tickets
- Linlithgow Palace Tours & Tickets
- Museum of Edinburgh (Huntly House) Tours & Tickets
- Royal Yacht Britannia (HMY Britannia) Tours & Tickets