Small-group day tours · Start & finish in Edinburgh
Day Trips from EdinburghGuided day tours to Loch Ness and the Highlands, Stirling Castle, St Andrews and Scotland’s film locations
Six small-group day tours with a storytelling expert guide and never more than 16 travellers. Every tour starts and finishes in Edinburgh, near Haymarket, and you’re back the same day.
- Start & finish in Edinburgh
- Maximum 16 travellers
- From £88 per person
- Rated 4.9 on Google & Tripadvisor
At a glance
Compare our day tours from Edinburgh
Choose a big Highland day to Loch Ness, a castle-and-loch day at Stirling and Loch Lomond, the Fife coast and St Andrews, the Outlander or Alnwick film locations, or a seasonal puffin boat trip. Here are the times, ages and prices for every scheduled day trip from Edinburgh; tap a tour name for its details.
| Tour | Length | Departs – back | Ages | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loch Ness & Highlands Day Tour | ~12 hours | 8:00am – ~8pm | 12+ | £96 |
| Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond & Kelpies | ~9½ hours | 8:30am – ~6pm | 12+ | £92 |
| St Andrews & Dunfermline | ~7½ hours | 9:00am – ~4:35pm | 12+ | £88 |
| Outlander & CastlesSeasonal: March–October | ~7½ hours | 9:00am – ~4:20pm | 12+ | £96 |
| Alnwick Castle & Rosslyn ChapelSeasonal: March–October | ~9 hours | 8:30am – ~5:30pm | 7+ | £96 |
| Puffin Boat Trip & CastleSeasonal: May–July | varies with the tides | Follows the tides | 7+ | £142 |
Times are approximate. Traffic, weather and seasonal access can change timings, so avoid tight onward plans on the day. Prices are the lowest adult price per person; the tour page shows the live price for your date.
Our 6 small-group day tours from Edinburgh
Each tour page has the full itinerary, the booking calendar and live prices for your date.
Loch Ness & Highlands Day Tour
A day of Highland scenery, woodland waterfalls and Loch Ness, returning through Glencoe and Loch Lomond.
Highlights: The Hermitage · Cairngorms · Fort Augustus & Loch Ness · Fort William · Glencoe · Loch Lomond
- Lengthapprox. 12 hours
- Departs8:00am
- Backapprox. 8pm
- Ages12+
- Extra costLoch Ness cruise (optional), meals and drinks
From £96 per person
Itinerary, dates & prices
Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond & Kelpies
Stirling Castle, a walk beside Loch Lomond, Highland whisky and the towering Kelpies, all in one day.
Highlights: Stirling Castle · Balmaha & Loch Lomond · Glengoyne Distillery · The Kelpies
- Lengthapprox. 9½ hours
- Departs8:30am
- Backapprox. 6pm
- Ages12+
- Extra costStirling Castle admission, whisky experience, lunch
From £92 per person
Itinerary, dates & prices
St Andrews & Dunfermline
Sea air on the Fife coast, time to explore St Andrews and royal history at Dunfermline Abbey.
Highlights: Queensferry & the Three Bridges · Fife coast · St Andrews · Dunfermline Abbey
- Lengthapprox. 7½ hours
- Departs9:00am
- Backapprox. 4:35pm
- Ages12+
- Extra costLunch and optional attraction tickets
From £88 per person
Itinerary, dates & prices
- Seasonal: March–October
Outlander & Castles
Five Outlander filming locations, from Blackness Castle to Lallybroch, with Scottish history along the way.
Highlights: Blackness Castle · Culross · Falkland · Dysart Harbour · Midhope Castle (Lallybroch)
- Lengthapprox. 7½ hours
- Departs9:00am
- Backapprox. 4:20pm
- Ages12+
- Extra costBlackness & Midhope Castle entry, lunch
From £96 per person
Itinerary, dates & prices
- Seasonal: March–October
- Ages 7+
Alnwick Castle & Rosslyn Chapel
From Rosslyn Chapel to Hogwarts at Alnwick Castle and Marvel’s New Asgard, film locations across Scotland and England.
Highlights: Rosslyn Chapel · Leaderfoot Viaduct · Alnwick Castle · Scotland–England border · St Abbs
- Lengthapprox. 9 hours
- Departs8:30am
- Backapprox. 5:30pm
- Ages7+
- Extra costAlnwick Castle & Rosslyn Chapel admission, lunch
From £96 per person
Itinerary, dates & prices
- Seasonal: May–July
- Ages 7+
- Tickets included
Puffin Boat Trip & Castle
A wildlife cruise in search of puffins, clifftop Tantallon Castle and time in North Berwick, with boat and castle tickets included.
Highlights: Tantallon Castle · North Berwick · Puffin & wildlife boat trip
- Lengthvaries with the tides
- Departsvaries with the tides
- Backvaries by date
- Ages7+
- Extra costLunch (boat and castle tickets are included)
From £142 per person
Itinerary, dates & pricesWhich day trip from Edinburgh is best for you?
For the Highlands and Loch Ness
The Loch Ness & Highlands tour is our big Highland day: about 12 hours via The Hermitage, the Cairngorms, Fort Augustus on Loch Ness, Glencoe and Loch Lomond. Want more time up north? See our multi-day tours from Edinburgh.
For castles and royal history
Stirling Castle, Loch Lomond & Kelpies combines a royal castle with the Bonnie Banks and a distillery. St Andrews & Dunfermline adds Scottish kings and the Fife coast.
For film and TV fans
Outlander & Castles visits five locations from the series. Alnwick Castle & Rosslyn Chapel takes in Hogwarts at Alnwick, The Da Vinci Code chapel and New Asgard at St Abbs. Both run from March to October.
For a shorter day
St Andrews and Outlander are the shortest, at about 7½ hours. Both leave at 9:00am and are back by around 4:30pm.
Travelling with children
Alnwick Castle and the Puffin boat trip welcome children aged 7 and over. Our other day tours are for ages 12 and over. For younger children, a private day tour can be built around your family.
For wildlife and the coast
The Puffin Boat Trip & Castle tour runs from May to July, with the boat trip and Tantallon Castle tickets included. Departure times follow the tides, so check the time for your date.
Good to know before your day tour
Where to meet
Outside The Jolly Botanist, 256–260 Morrison Street, Edinburgh, EH3 8DT. Please arrive 15 minutes before your departure time: scheduled tours leave on time. Edinburgh departure information →
What the price covers
Your expert guide and transport in a comfortable touring vehicle. Meals, drinks and most attraction tickets are extra; the Puffin tour includes its boat trip and castle ticket. Each tour card lists what to budget for.
How to book and pay
Secure your place online with a 50% deposit. The balance is taken 8 days before departure. Prices depend on your date and who is travelling; each tour page shows the live price.
Walking and pace
These are active sightseeing days, with short walks, viewpoints and time to explore on foot. Paths can be uneven or wet, so bring comfortable shoes and a waterproof layer.
Group size
Never more than 16 travellers, so there’s time for questions, conversation and exploring at each stop.
Your guide
Expert guides who share Scotland’s history, folklore and stories along the way. Meet the team →
What travellers say about our Edinburgh day tours
Rated 4.9 by travellers on Google and Tripadvisor. Read more reviews →
★★★★★
Even though it was raining at Loch Ness, the beauty of the scenery to and from was wonderful. Definitely would recommend this activity. Our guide, Magnus, was excellent! Very informative and easy to speak with.
★★★★★
I loved every minute of this tour. Our guide was Isla, who was very warm and welcoming. Extremely knowledgeable about the areas we were travelling to. I’d recommend this tour to everybody.
★★★★★
Loved this trip. Jorgie or Georgie was our guide. She was fantastic. She made sure we had the scoop before we visited each site and also pointed out many details that we may have missed.
Day trips from Edinburgh: your questions
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More ways to explore from Edinburgh
A private day out from Edinburgh?
Travel with your own group and guide. Tell us your interests, who is coming and the pace you’d enjoy, and we’ll suggest a private itinerary.
