• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Imagine this: a scenic road trip from Edinburgh to explore the Highlands with stops along the way to discover viewpoints, villages, incredible nature, and cultural gems. Sounds like a dream? No, it’s possible on a Withlocals day trip with a local host leading the way!

Destination

Edinburgh, Scotland

Category

Day Trips

Duration

10 hours

Transport mode

Car

Available languages

English

Included

• Private guide
• A/C car
• Whisky tasting
• Guest pick up and drop off
• whiskey tasting or entrance to the Stirling Castle
• CO2 neutral: all tours carbon emissions are offset
• Pick-up Included

Excluded

• Entrance for other attractions then mentioned not included
• Lunch (on guest expenses)

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 9 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   You will be picked up anywhere in Edinburgh. Your local host will contact you regarding the exact pickup point.

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Convenient Pick-up & Drop Off

   On the day of your day trip, your local host will pick you up from your accommodation or an agreed location. Once the day trip comes to an end, they’ll drop you off at your accommodation

4. Scenic Trip

   This full-day trip is arranged for you, so all you have to do is enjoy the sights as your host takes you through the Highlands while telling you incredible stories and insight

5. Only You & Your Host!

   Forget about cramped touristy buses, on this private day trip, you’ll have all of your host’s attention. Get the chance to speak 1-1 and get all of your questions answered for a personal experience that will make this trip more memorable

6. What’s in Store for You

   Check out from viewpoints, nature, and cultural gems such as Dalwinnie whisky distillery, Stirling Castle and Linlithgow Palace plus other stops your local host has prepared for you along the way

7. Optional Lunch

   Along the way, your local host will recommend you typical and local places where you can stop to have lunch and catch a break. Lunch is not included in the price

8. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Chris🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Neil)

12 May 2024

Neil was very informative and a real pleasure to spend the day with. He allowed us to change our itinerary so we could visit Blair Castle as well as the distillery at Blair Athol, which is our family castle and distillery.Flexible

Heidi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

11 May 2024

We had picked Monica specifically because her bio mentioned a bubbly personality, and she was exactly that! Our tour of the highlands was everything we had hoped for and more. From the moment Monica picked us up in old town Edinburgh, she was a fount of knowledge for every building and landmark we passed and every question we asked. The tour was specific to our interests; even as we were driving Monica was tweaking our experience as we talked and she got to know us, so that we would see what we would enjoy most. We were given lunch options so that we could eat when we were hungry rather than at a pre determined spot. We managed to stay clear of tourists for the most part. And our takeaway was that the car ride was as much a treasured part of the experience as was the jaw droppingly beautiful sights we saw. Our tour with Monica was worth every cent! We hope to have the opportunity to tour with her again!!!Monica is the best tour guide rver!

Sharon

(About local Ross)

25 October 2023

Ross curated a personalized itinerary that covered all of our interests in a short period of time (one day). Our itinerary included amazing countryside, nature walks, waterfalls, traditional food, castles, and lots of history. Ross’ attention to detail and professionalism was fantastic. Exploring the Highlands

Shaun🇨🇭 Switzerland

(About local Ross)

11 August 2023

Had an unforgettable day with Ross, travelling up into the highlands via castles, whiskey and chocolate tastings, off the beaten track side visits, waterfalls and nature walks. Every part of it was easy, from the booking process to communication before the tour and the tour itself. Ross is a such an expert guide (ask him anything; I bet he has the answer!) and above all a super easy guy to get along with. While the highland landscapes spoke for themselves, for me Ross's company made this tour, and I couldn't give it less than a 10. The perfect introductory tour for a first visit to Edinburgh. I'd recommend Ross without reservation! Awesome tour with Ross

Shanthi 🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates

(About local David)

28 June 2023

I had a wonderful time on this tour. David designed it perfectly, around my interests and priorities. I got to do exactly what I wanted and wasn't stuck wasting time on things that weren't on my list just because someone else decided that's what a visitor needs to do. David was friendly, professional and so knowledgeable, with fascinating stories about the history and landscape. He's also an excellent driver, clearly very experienced and safe. I can't rate this tour highly enough!Amazing tour!

Michael🇺🇸 United States

(About local Ross)

26 November 2022

Ross is simply amazing. Don’t plan on the trip as advertised. There is so much more and not enough time. Ross did an amazing job of managing a schedule to our specific goals and will plan as much or as little as you want. Transportation was very nice, Mercedes Van with plenty of space. Ross’s knowledge and communication are better tag we expected and we could not be happier with our day together. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!Most flexible and attentive trip

Justin 🇺🇸 United States

(About local Justin)

4 September 2022

Our experience with Justin went above and beyond expectations. He is a wealth of knowledge, and seemed to have an answer to every question we had. We enjoyed our conversations with him as much as the beautiful scenery of the Scottish Highlands. He was so accommodating and patient with our party that ranged in age from 21-71. Well worth the cost. We would highly recommend taking any kind of tour with him. Next time we travel to Europe, we will definitely reach out to Justin for another tour. The Hansons Indianapolis, IN USAOutstanding experience

binayak🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Neil)

7 August 2021

Neil is the perfect fellow traveller to show you around Scotland. Best of scotland!

Christine🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Neil)

2 December 2019

Neil ended up not being able to be our guide. He let us know several days out and made arrangements for us to spend the day with a colleague of his Dave. It was a fantastic experience. We got castles, cows, Lochs and liquor! Everything we could want in a day around Scotland tour. Thanks Neil for taking care of us.Wonderful.

Duane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mandy)

4 October 2019

We just completed two great days with Mandy. My wife and I were visiting Scotland for the first time and wanted to see as much as we could. We asked Mandy to create an itinerary that would include beautiful scenery and some filming areas for the TV series "Outlander". Mandy was on time for our pick up, the vehicle was clean and comfortable and Mandy was friendly and personable, which was great since we were going to be spending two days together. We were taken to several castles, historic in their own right, but also tied-in to the show. I am sure we would not have found these on our own, and by the amount of tourists there, many didnt know they were there either - which makes it special. The exception being Stirling Castle, but of course, that's because its Stirling castle. Our second day was more about scenery, we were taken into the backcountry, or as some in Scotland would call, the wild. Beautiful scenery and again, views and areas of the country we would not have seen on or own. We stopped an old pub from 1705 for lunch. The pub had served the likes of Rob Roy, which was the real life person for which the character Robin Hood was based. Great time and unique experience. We would book Mandy again.The gems of Scotland

Angela

(About local David)

8 July 2019

Fantastic tour. David is very knowledgeable & informative. The six of us had a great day seeing the beautiful & historic sites of Scotland in the luxury & comfort of the tour bus. Highly recommended. Fantastic

David

(About local Mandy)

8 July 2019

Mandy has shown us a castle that we did not even know existed. The secret location was great and very historical. Mandy recommended a great place for dinner, food was great. I will be booking Mandy again for future tours father afield on my next visit.Great day out

Dean

(About local Monica)

28 June 2019

One of the highlights of our trip to Scotland was the day trip we took to Glen Coe with Monica. It was a cloudy morning in Edinburgh, but the weather cleared and temperatures rose as we headed west. By the time we got to Glen Coe we had shed our jackets and were happily sitting in the sun amid the highland splendor. Monica knew all the best places to stop along he way. In Falkirk, we spent time enjoying the awe inspiring Kelpies. Monica also showed us around Edinburgh. Our first night in town, she suggested The Elephant House, not far from our hotel, which was so lovely. The delicious food and a great view of the castle! Frances Mulvey Thank you so much! You made our very special day even more special. We loved the time and effort you put in to make our trip to Glencorse woods so personal to us. We loved the Outlander style vows, the quaich and the stories so much. slainte!Highlight of Scotland

Frances

(About local Monica)

25 June 2019

Thank you so much! You made our very special day even more special. We loved the time and effort you put in to make our trip to Glencorse woods so personal to us. We loved the Outlander style vows, the quaich and the stories so much. slainte!very special

Dean

(About local Monica)

4 June 2019

One of the highlights of our trip to Scotland was the day trip we took to Glen Coe with Monica. It was a cloudy morning in Edinburgh, but the weather cleared and temperatures rose as we headed west. By the time we got to Glen Coe we had shed our jackets and were happily sitting in the sun amid the highland splendor. Monica knew all the best places to stop along he way. In Falkirk, we spent time enjoying the awe inspiring Kelpies. Monica also showed us around Edinburgh. Our first night in town, she suggested The Elephant House, not far from our hotel, which was so lovely. The delicious food and a great view of the castle! informative

Moxu

(About local Mandy)

29 May 2019

Very very good is we all can say Friends and myself enjoyed a whole day with Mandy our tour guide was very pleasant.very good

miranda

(About local Monica)

24 February 2025

Konrad

(About local Alec)

16 February 2025

We definitely recommend a private tour with Alec for the first moment you arrive in Edinburgh. We enjoyed the whole tour from the first moment and it was a great start to our long weekend. It was very informative and interesting. It was lovely to hear all the stories from Alec. Awesome way to know the city

andrewmackay48

(About local Monica)

16 February 2025

I visited for my first time, we took a tour of the castle, stopped in a fantastic little pub, walked through greyfriar etc. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip and Monica was supper friendly and made my trip a memorable one by making a few amendments by request. Including a picture with the grave of he who shall not be named for my daughter. Fantastic experience

Alan🇮🇪 Ireland

(About local Alec)

9 February 2025

Very informative and thought provoking tour with Alec. Lots of history (naturally) laced with plenty of good humour. Real privilege getting to see the Thistle Chapel in St Giles Cathedral.Edinburgh Old Town Tales

Charles🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

8 February 2025

Exploring the Edinburgh castle with Alec was a wonderful experience and was a highlight of out trip. He is super knowledgable, attentive and has a very warm personality. My wife and I are looking forward coming back to Edinburgh and have Alec show us more of the wonders of the city. The perfect guide

Victoria

(About local Scott)

4 February 2025

I would highly recommend this experience! Scott is a wonderful guide-he is very attentive and knowledgeable, and made our first trip to the Highlands special.Highlands

Maria🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

2 February 2025

We had an absolutely fabulous tour of Edinburgh with Alec. We saw all of the key sights in the old town which is beautiful. Alec was extremely knowledgeable and was full of stories which were enlightening and funny! Alec was a pleasure to spend our afternoon with and we would highly recommend him as a tour guide. Thank you so much.Cannot recommend Alec enough

Johanna

(About local Alec)

1 February 2025

Alec met us in front of the Royal Mile Whiskies right on time and took us on a very interesting and entertaining historic tour through Edinburgh. He was very knowledgeable and a good storyteller, with many details that only locals know. We had three lovely hours with this guide, although our expectation was that we would have a food tour with ten different samples of local food and some culinary explanation. So, a great experience, although not what we expected.History tour

Mike

(About local Scott)

20 January 2025

Incredible private tour of the Highlands! Excellent communications beforehand between louis and Scott. Asked in advance what we would like to experience is their website and was given advice based upon the weather forecast. On time pick up and drop off at our accommodations! Very comfortable transportation for our family of five. Scott wad knowledgeable, safe, friendly, and easy to get on with. The weather was a bit dodgy and Scott was super flexible and made sure we saw everything and had ample time to relax and explore. We did the glen or tour and visited Doune Castle. The Geography was breathtakingly beautiful and majestic and exceeded our expectations for awe and natural beauty. We enjoyed the small towns we stopped in and the food recommendations. We felt like we were traveling with a family member and would highly recommend this this tour.Castles

Rebekah

(About local Scott)

17 January 2025

Highly recommended! Gorgeous locations and great conversation. We had the best day with Scott! If you want a day trip to St Andrews, you can't go wrong with this tour.St Andrews

Debbie

(About local Scott)

14 January 2025

We thoroughly enjoyed this private tour with louis' associate Scott! He was extremely knowledgeable about history and geology of Scotland and was terrific conversationalist. He went above and beyond for us and we highly recommend this business.History tour

Melonie🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

12 January 2025

Our time in Edinburgh was really special thanks to Alec. In our short time together, he shared many of Edinburgh’s hidden gems and interesting historical stories. We would never have learned all of the neat things he shared roaming Edinburgh on our own. We can’t say enough great things about Alec and his fun, energetic personality. We will be back to tour with Alec again!Edinburgh with a pro!

Kristen

(About local Scott)

10 January 2025

Scott was our tour guide for a day trip to the Highlands. He arrived promptly, had a very clean and comfortable SUV and most importantly he was a great host for the day. He had a great knowledge about a lot of topics beyond, and helped us see Stirling castle, a great waterfall and the Highlands ( we went to Glencoe) lunch at the bakery in Callander was delicious and easy as well. Easy to talk to, the day flew by. Would definitely hire him for other tours if we return to Edinburgh!Highland tour

Mary🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

3 January 2025

Don’t hesitate if you are thinking of booking the city kickstarter tour. ALEC personalized our tour and it met our needs perfectly. I highly recommend both him and this tour on your arrival to Edinburgh. My granddaughter and myself are thankful to have done this. Thank you again, Alec. Local knowledge helps to plan your trip

Allie

(About local Scott)

1 January 2025

Our highland day trip with Scott was phenomenal. He customised the day to fit our needs/interests, and asked if we would like to stop or skip certain activities along the way. We stopped at Deanston distillery for a 1hour tasting/tour and it was wonderful! Because of this, we needed to rearrange our day, and Scott walked us through all our options. He was professional, communicative, knowledgeable and very friendly. The entire drive was comfortable and safe, and we stopped at Mhor bakery ( definitely recommended). The weather was a bit rainy/cloudy/cold given the time of year, but Scott helped us make the most of it- and he took some lovely photos of us throughout the day. If your looking for a great trip out of Edinburgh, look no further!Distillery tour

Stuart🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

25 December 2024

The tour with Alec was great. In addition to a cutting witty humor, Alec was full of interesting facts only a local would know. His intimate connection and love for his city was evident and made for a lovely tour experience. Absolutely worth it. Excellent Experience

Simon🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

15 December 2024

We took a 90 minute tour with Alec which was a great introduction to the city Alec has an amazing depth of knowledge relating to the history of the city and he was happy to share this with us. I would highly recommend him and will certainly book him again on my return.Wonderful Edinburgh

Pascal🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

14 December 2024

Starting off, Alec is simply amazing and a well of information! We had a blast walking the Royal Mile, looking at lots of details and getting funny and interesting insights into things to see in Edinburgh. Would not have wanted to miss it for the world and would him straight away for next time. As a matter of fact - we will for when we get back to visit the Highlands 🤩Alex is a MUST-BOOK when in Edinburgh!!!

Robin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

12 December 2024

Monica was a fantastic tour guide! Very accommodating to customize our tour so that we could see everything we wanted on our day. I will definitely use her again when I return to the area. Wonderful Tour!

Kristin

(About local Scott)

8 December 2024

Scott was so knowledgeable about the history of Scotland. He also put us right at ease with his sense of humour like. We communicated the about an itinerary based on our interest. Everything we did was so unique. It felt like a once in a lifetime experience. We can't wait to come back to Scotland to see more!Countryside tour

Tammi

(About local Scott)

23 November 2024

We just completed a whirlwind trip through several countries and took several tours. Without question this was our favourite tour of all. Scott is a great conversationalist, thoughtful host and superb at imparting his knowledge of history. It was if he knew our family for a long time as we shared many great laughs. He's also a great photographer and caught many good family photos of us along the way. We highly recommend this full day 5- star experience.Day trip

lynda🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

25 October 2024

1

Alec was an amazing historian and story teller. He exposed us to areas and stories we would most definitely have missed. The city tour was diversified and Alec was accommodating, adapting the tour to our mobility concerns. 10+++Fantastic Edinburgh city tour

Mark🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Alec)

25 October 2024

William

(About local Scott)

24 October 2024

Scott was an excellent guide and was clearly extremely knowledgeable. We loved his consistent flow of facts throughout the comfortable ride. He was friendly, professional, calm. Flexible. We saw several beautiful sights in the Highlands paired with an informative historical narrative. He also even gave us a whole or restaurant recommendations once we were back in the city. We are lucky we had him as a guide and you would be too.Highland review

6y5ywzrcby

(About local Monica)

22 October 2024

My husband and I had an amazing tour with Monica in late September. She was very personable and we felt like old friends fairly quickly. Her knowledge of the City and history was perfect. She gave wonderful recommendations for things to do and places to eat/drink for the rest of our stay, and they all turned out to be perfect. One of her pub recommendations was so good that we went there a few times over the course of the week. We’d absolutely recommend Monica for anyone looking for a good walking tour.We had a wonderful tour with Monica!

Birgitta🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alec)

13 October 2024

My daughter and I had a lovely time with Alec despite the not so welcoming weather (rain and hail). He had answers to all our questions and was pleasant to listen to. He was very knowledgeable with a good sense of humor. We highly recommend him.Fun and knowledgeable tour

Larry

(About local Alec)

12 October 2024

Alec was a friendly and knowledgeable guide. He was flexible when it came to what we were interested in eating. Highly recommend you spend some time with Alec in Edinburgh.Great fun

Allison

(About local Scott)

12 October 2024

This was such a wonderful experience!!! We only had a few days in Edinburgh but really wanted to experience the Highlands. This was a perfect way to have exposure to this beautiful side off Scotland in a short amount of time. Scott was an amazing tour guide. So Knowledgeable, kind, and entertaining! I highly recommend this tour. It was gorgeous and so much fun!Edinburgh

Megan

(About local Scott)

10 October 2024

Scott was a fabulous tour guide! He was very knowledgeable about a variety of subjects and could carry on a conversation during the entire day. You could tell he is passionate about Scotland and sharing with visitors. This tour was magical with the snow covered hills and mountains and fog in the valleys. We were lucky when the clouds broke enough to see the peaks. So glad we booked this tour!Winter your

Liza

(About local Alec)

7 October 2024

We booked Alec for a food tasting tour around Edinburgh old town on a busy Saturday. Alec was extremely friendly, polite, approachable and knowledgable. It was great to hear tales of bygone era as well as from Alec’s own childhood in the town. Many of the historical sites we visited we may have just walked on past and not fully appreciated but Alec really brought the history to life. I wouldn’t recommend eating anything prior to your tour as we were well fed (the Greggs lorne sausage being a highlight). Thanks Alec for sharing your knowledge and for being a top tour guide. A brilliant experience

Erin🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

6 October 2024

Alec was a delight. Witty, professional and knowledgeable- couldn’t ask for anything more from a tour. We had the best time learning about Edinburgh from him. Absolutely book Alec. Exceptional guide & tour!

Neha

(About local Scott)

5 October 2024

We did our tour with Scott and it was such a wonderful experience! We had limited time in Edinburgh wanted to feel like we could actually see the Highlands and Scott was so flexible in working with us to experience so many different places! It was also so comfortable getting around in his van, and even with the weather being gloomy and rainy, we still had a magical time due to his vast knowledge of the region and dedication to picking unique spots that we could still enjoy! Thank you Scott for such a wonderful day!Edinburgh/ Highlands

Jen

(About local Scott)

3 October 2024

We did a tour with Scott and had a fantastic day seeing the gorgeous views. There were a lot of Stops but nothing felt rushed. This was our favourite part of our trip and would recommend it to anyone on the fence DO it!Countryside tour

Mathilde🇳🇱 Netherlands

(About local Alec)

3 October 2024

This was probably the highlight of our weekend in Edinburgh! Alec is a fantastic guide, very knowledgeable about history and his city, it was a real pleasure to discover Edinburgh with him. He also gave us great tips on other things to do and discover in our own time, and recommended some other good food places to try. One thing to clarify, before booking the tour I saw other reviews mentioning the fact that the title of the tour "The 10 tastings of Edinburgh" was misleading as there were less than 10 dishes. This was true in our case, so maybe the title and the description of the tour should be amended to reflect that better. We tried 6 different dishes in total, and those were all delicious and a true discovery! I would definitely recommend the tour to other people, especially if you are lucky enough to get Alec as a guide, but with the caveat that you will most likely not get the 10 dishes as advertised in the title. However, it's still a tour that is 100% worth your time!! Great tour, great food, great guide!!