• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Imagine this: a scenic road trip from Edinburgh to explore Loch Ness 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

12 hours

Transport mode

Car

Available languages

English

Included

• Private guide
• Car transport
• Guest pick up
• All Withlocals tours are carbon neutral
• Pick-up Included

Excluded

• Meals
• Loch Ness cruise

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 6 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. Station Meeting Point

   Meet and greet your local host at an agreed station and get an introduction to your full-day trip and what to expect

5. 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 Loch Ness while telling you incredible stories and insights

6. 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

7. What’s in Store for You

   Check out from viewpoints, nature, and cultural gems such as Loch Laggen, Pitlochry and Loch Ness cruise plus other stops your local host has prepared for you along the way

8. 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

9. 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

Jessica🇺🇸 United States

(About local Justin)

13 July 2023

My mother and I spent 11 hours (round trip via car from Edinburgh) touring the highlands with Justin and it exceeded our expectations! He was knowledgeable, engaging, and tailored the experience especially according to our interests. He also knew the best spot to stop for delicious scones and tea along the way! I would highly recommend Justin to anyone who wants an extra special private tour. Wonderful experience!

William🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Justin)

27 November 2022

It was an all-in carefree package with a great guide who knows a lot about the history of Scotland and the hidden places too. Definitely back again! Must_have

Annette🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Neil)

21 May 2022

We vent with Neil on friday 13th of May, on a tour in the Highlands. He made the tour out of our little groups interest. He was very easy going and we can highly recommend you to chose Neil as your local guide.World class tour!

Frédérique🇫🇷 France

(About local Neil)

2 May 2022

Neil a su s'adapter à notre demande, il a été parfait, une très bonne conduite en voiture. Très prévenant et courtois. Merci d'avoir réalisé mon rêve ! Les paysages étaient magnifiques ! Mille fois merciUne tres bonne journée !

Silvia🇦🇹 Austria

(About local Monica)

29 April 2022

Monica hat unsere Besichtigungserwartungen eindeutig übertroffen. Kleine Änderungswünsche wurden berücksicht, was letztendlich dazu geführt hat, daß wir genau das gesehen haben, was wir besichtigen wollten.Wunderschöner Tagesausflug

Scott🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

11 October 2021

We had a wonderful day driving through the Scottish Highlands with Monica! We visited castles, made photo stops, and learned some Scottish history. Monica was very friendly and fun to be with. It was a great day! A day in the Highlands

Kate🇺🇸 United States

(About local Neil)

8 January 2020

The day I spent with Neil traveling around the Highlands was the highlight of my trip. He was incredibly easy to get along with and a great conversationalist. He also knew when to chat and when to simply let me enjoy taking everything in. Neil put together a great itinerary for the day, and given we had limited daylight, we covered A LOT of ground! High on my list was seeing Loch Ness and visiting a cairn, and he delivered. His knowledge of history and his country helped me, as a first-time vistor, put everything in context. What an absolutely wonderful day! I've already shared his name with some of my friends in Boston who are interested in exploring Scotland, as well as learning more about whisky. I'll bet his whisky trips are fantastic! Totally worth the money to book a day with Neil. You won't regret it!Day in the Highlands with Neil

Jennifer🇺🇸 United States

(About local Mandy)

2 December 2019

This was a truly wonderful tour. We are glad to have booked this. Despite the length of the tour, our guide, Mandy had her prepared itinerary. She took us to enjoy the highlands, with a side tour of Stirling Castle and Duck Bay Marina, and opportunities for pictures. What made this tour more memorable was the care and preparation Mandy took. She had little bags for me and my husband and my 2 boys, which were filled with snacks, coloring books and a nice little present. She made sure we stopped for a quick coffee break, and a nice lunch overlooking Loch Lomond. Because the weather started out rainy and foggy, she was constantly checking the wether report to make sure we didn't venture into unsafe territories. This is definitely a good choice, rain or shine. Mandy was very informative and a great conversationalist!Good Tour, Great Guide!

michael 🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Monica)

28 November 2019

We had a really nice Thursday in November with Monica, to Loch Ness, no rain, cold and some sun, with snow on the mountains a fantastic view, you have a very beautiful country, not like in Denmark where everything is flat. Monica knows a lot about Scotland's history, which she tells about with warmth and insight. She has a great sense of humor. Thank you to Monica for a really nice day to Loch Ness. The three older ladies and Michael. Scottish Highlands & Loch Ness

Sheila de

(About local Monica)

29 October 2019

My friends and me had a wonderful day experience with Monica at the Highlands! She is very kind, attentive and knows a lot about the Highlands! She did everything that was at her hand to offer us a great trip! Once I love Outlander, we went to Doune castle and she played the musics of the film for us at car music player! So lovely!!! She also took us to as many places as possible in one day at the Highlands! It was really a great experience! And I really recommend Monica for your trip to the Highlands!! A wonderful day at Highlands

Bob🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

15 October 2019

We planned a no-castle day trip with Monica via the website. Monica was very receptive and flexible in planning. After picking us up at our flat near the university, we left Edinburgh about 0900. Despite morning traffic, we soon left the busy routes. Stopping briefly on Linlithgow for hot chocolate, we stopped to see the beautiful Loch and Linlithgow Castle. The early light, swans and trees changing colour were spectacular. That really started our day – with laughter, informed discourse, beautiful sights and education. Monica is a great host - talkative, informed and fun. We stopped at several beautiful spots as we headed for Glen Coe. Glen Coe is so fantastic, and Monica’s detailed historical description was both informed and passionate. After lunching in Glen Coe, we headed towards Oban, passing the beautiful Stalker Castle and views of Loch’s Laiche and Linnhe before heading back to Edinburgh. All in all, it was a great day. We thoroughly enjoyed Monica’s history lessons, ability to find and stop at beautiful sights and great driving. Great day with Monica touring west to Glen Coe

Alex🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

4 October 2019

Because of unexpected last-minute changes in plans, my wife and I found ourselves with some down time in Edinburgh. Even though our request for a tour came at the last minute, Monica fit us into her schedule. She was great all the way through a long but extremely worthwhile tour through the Highlands and Loch Ness. Her knowledge of history, geography, culture, current events, and many other areas was impressive. We never ran out of things to talk about. And she has a great personality. She immediately put us at ease. Her main goal was making sure we got what we expected out of the tour; she was not handcuffed to a predetermined script. The memories will last us a lifetime. We're so glad that she was able to accommodate our late request. And the next time we plan to visit Edinburgh again, we will certainly book her for another tour. Strongly recommended!! Great way to spend a day!

Alesya

(About local Monica)

12 September 2019

We had a tour with Monica to Loh Ness, visiting on our way other spectacular lakes, glades, waterfall, valleys, all that nature beauties of Scotland! We also went to the castle, where Mary the queen of Scotland was born, wend to a hidden gem - the grave of Rob Roy - the location Robbing Good. Monica loves what she does, she is so cheerful and she love history, so she is a great storyteller! Highly recommend to book a tour with her, you’ll have wonderful time then!! Monica is absolutely amazing!!!

Michele🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

2 September 2019

My sister and I were in Scotland for three days as part of a yearly sister trip. We are not fond of "group tours" but after two days in Edinburgh on our own we wanted to get a flavor of the countryside. We searched and found the withlocals.com travel site and read the review of Monica. She sounded perfect and with a few clicks we booked for the next day. She immediately contacted us with confirmation and pick-up arrangements. She arrived to pick us up a few minutes early and off we went. Monica was more of an instant friend than a tour guide. She asked us what we wanted out of the trip and listened and made suggestions and tweaks to the itinerary to enable us to have the adventure we wanted. We saw waterfalls, mountains and mists, kelpies (have to see to believe), churches, whiskey distillery, shops, parks, Loch Ness, etc. Wonderful meals in quaint out of the way places with friendly people and off the tourist track. She then went out of her way to drop us off at the train station at the end of our trip. Anyone who is fortunate to book with Monica will have a wonderful day! Wonderful Day With Monica

Teresa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

11 September 2025

Chris was charming and our family group enjoyed the tour very much. He was kind to our picky eaters and spent extra time with us making sure we got to see a lot of wonderful things. Highly recommend as a nice introduction to Edinburgh.Wonderful time with Chris

Michelle

(About local Chris)

7 September 2025

My husband and I recently spent 4 days in Edinburgh and decided to try out one of these food tours with a local guide. Best money we spent the whole trip! It was amazing! There's something so nice about having a guide wholly focused on you and your interests. Chris was so kind and friendly and excited to share his city's beautiful food with us. He shared a lot of very interesting history on the city and culture of Edinburg and Scotland while introducing us to food we would never have had here in the US. He helped teach us about the amazing taste of haggis and why it's really not as scary as most Americans think. He taught me how to appreciate a good whisky and fed us the best little pies I've ever had. We left our tour fully inspired to try new foods and drinks and with an excellent whisky recommendation to cook with. This tour felt like a family friend was showing us around his home city, proud to share the special parts of it with us. I will absolutely recommend this tour with Chris to anyone looking for a unique experience in beautiful Edinburgh. He left such a wonderful impression on my husband and I. We both agreed that his tour was our favorite part of our whole 8 day trip through London and Edinburgh. Can't recommend Chris's tour enough! A delicious tour from an incredible guide!

Michael

(About local Chris)

6 September 2025

My wife and I had a great tour with Chris. He was informative, friendly and adapted the tour based on what we told him we were interested in. We tasted all sorts of local food as well as some fantastic whiskey. Chris provided a nice history of the city as well as fun stories of some of the important people who added to Edinbugh's history. Highly recommend.Great history and food tour

James🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

5 September 2025

Chris was an excellent guide. He adjusted his schedule to meet ours with some unexpected travel issues. He was very kind. He tailored the tour to our expectations and desires. He was well-versed and made the history of Edinburgh and Scotland interesting. I have been blessed to travel quite a bit. Chris rates equal to the best I’ve had. Book him and you will enjoy the day. What a wonderful tour and guide.

Miranda🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

4 September 2025

Chris gave us an informative walking tour of the history of the city, its architecture and storied places. He also gave us some tips for our next journey to Skye. A great overview for someone new to Edinburgh!Great tour of the city!

Jennifer

(About local Monica)

3 September 2025

Monica was brilliant! We had a fun afternoon exploring Edinburgh castle with her, learning about the castle’s fascinating history, tales of Edinburgh and Scotland. She also gave us helpful travel advice for our departure to the Highlands the next day. Her tour was a special treat. Fantastic historian and storyteller

Frauke🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Chris)

19 August 2025

Our Whisky-Tour with Chris was fantastic! The pubs were very traditional and he knew lots of thinks to tell. It was a really nice evening. Thank you so much!

Mark and Lynnette along with Lyle and Vicki🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

17 August 2025

Chris was absolutely wonderful!!!! I would highly recommend him. He is a 10 for sure!!!Hire Chris hes awsome!!!$$$$

Christine

(About local Monica)

8 August 2025

Tolle Führung, viele Infos, supernette Frau!Ein großartiges Erlebnis!

Ashley🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

3 August 2025

We absolutely loved our tour with Alec who was personable, knowledgeable and went above and beyond! He was prepared for any question we could ask and typically had additional information at his fingertips to share with us. Highly recommend! Wonderful experience with Alec

Cameron🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

3 August 2025

My family is still raving about our walking food tour with Chris! He is very knowledgeable about Edinburgh’s history and took us through various neighborhoods we would have otherwise missed. Along the way, we stopped at local establishments and tried delicious Scottish foods. He even accommodated our allergy requests. Book this tour now, you won’t regret it!Excellent experience

Gabby & Peter🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Chris)

31 July 2025

History is obviously one of Chris’s specialties. Chris engaged early and read his clients well. As we like to walk and explore, our 3 hour walking tour took us to a larger area than expected which was superb. Would recommend being introduced to Edinburgh by ChrisFriendly, engaging and very informative

Arthur

(About local Alec)

26 July 2025

We had a great time with Alec on the food tour. At the beginning, he asked us a few questions to get an idea of our interests beyond food and quickly curated a lot of great sightseeing to go along with the snacks. Alec had great stories and histories to share about the town and kept the entire time very engaging. Because we were moving pretty quick, we also got to go on some bonus adventures, which was very welcomed. The food that was selected was great! If I had one critique, I would say that the back end of the tour where we sampled 4 different pies was a lot all at once. I think I would have preferred we did 1 or 2 pies (because you have to of course!) and maybe another quick stop for something different? However, we had such a great time on this tour and can't recommend it enough!Great Bites and Stories in Edinburgh

Heike🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Chris)

26 July 2025

Very interesting tour and Chriswas very flexible. Ask him a question and you will get the answers. We had a great tour with Chris!

Arne

(About local Monica)

20 July 2025

Wir hatten zu viert eine private Tour mit Monika. Das war super, sehr informativ , sie geht auf alle Fragen ein. Fragt zu Beginn nach unseren Interessen. Thanks a lotSuper

Kirsty

(About local David)

18 July 2025

David, went above and beyond for us. Cannot thank David enough. His knowledge was on point. We did so much in the one day, even though what we planned he gave us so much more! Cannot recommend David enough! He was so bloody brilliant! He is a good tour guide who will give you 110% and more! Even though we were the rowdy the crowd he joined in all the fun. Good job David! You were bloody awesome for us! - from (Rob Roy McGregor Family) thank you! Best Tour Guide, Scotland

Pam🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

16 July 2025

Chris was fantastic! He was very knowledgeable in the history and the food was great. The tour was wonderful and we had a lot of fun.Great tour

Katie

(About local Chris)

15 July 2025

We loved our tour with Chris. He was incredibly knowledgeable of the city and took us to some really unique places. I don’t think we ever would have discovered or walked around the places he took us so it was all very fun to do. He even got my aunt to try haggis and she was adamant about not wanting to during our time here. This tour is a major highlight of our trip. Thanks again, Chris! Such a fun time!

Andrew🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

13 July 2025

Alec gave a really enjoyable tour with lots of tips and information we likely wouldn't have found on our own. We especially enjoyed the bit about the Heart of Midlothian and watching to see who stepped on it and who did not.

Rex🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

1 July 2025

We had a really great time with Chris. He’s a very pleasant person and shared interesting stories about the city he grew up in. It was a perfect introduction on the first day we arrived. Highly recommend doing a tour with him!Great tour with Chris!

Rob🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Alec)

27 June 2025

Alex was a wonderful host who had some incredibly interesting stories and insights about Edinburgh. Would highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys a bit of of history interlaced with a glass of whiskey along the way!A fascinating insight into Edinburgh!

Julie🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Chris)

25 June 2025

Chris was an excellent guide for our food and walking tour. He customized the tour for our family of four, which included a 13 and 10 year old. He provided some great history of the city and the food while guiding us to several great local places. Great tour!Great food tour!

Mary

(About local Chris)

25 June 2025

Chris was such a nice guy and a wealth of knowledge about Edinburgh and Scotland. He was very personable and wanted to tailor the experience to our needs/wishes. I'm not sure that we tasted 10 items but it was close and the food was appropriately Scottish. The tour was good but I would not say good value for the money spent. It was expensive and the tastings were always one item shared between the 3 of us, which included the guide, and out of the same bowl/plate. So 3 people eating one soup or sipping one whisky. Take that as you will. If the food portion of the tour was improved upon it would be a top notch tour. A fun experience

Nicole🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Alec)

22 June 2025

Alec war ein fantastischer Gästeführer, der uns nicht nur einige interessante Geschichten über Edinburgh zu erzählen wusste, sondern auch kleinere Lokalitäten kannte, in denen wir typische Speisen verkosten konnten. Besonders Haggis hat uns gezeigt, wie groß Qualitätsunterschiede sein können. Herzlichen Dank, Alec für die grandiose Führung!Leckereien und Erzählungen

Sheila🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

16 June 2025

Chris is a great guide, we felt like locals after just 90 minutes with him. Started with an old map and some history and then from there, he incorporated the new with the old, and related stories to solidify the experience and location. As a result, today, our second day in Edinburgh, we got around with ease and comfort. So helpful, we highly recommend. Thanks, Chris! Sheila and PaulThorough and fun 90 minutes with Chris

Lessa🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

14 June 2025

Despite the rain (after all it is Edinburgh), Alec showed us interesting historical sites and bought us lovely treats. I even ate haggis, even though I never thought I would. It was delicious! I especially appreciated how Alec tailored the tour to our interests. For example, he took us to the University of Edinburgh because I told him I had a special interest in colleges. Hire Alec for a wonderful, fascinating day!We had a great day with Alec!

Cynthia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

13 June 2025

My son & I very enjoyed our tour with Chris. We had just arrived in Edinburgh and met up with him at a spot along the Royal Mile. We chatted a bit about special needs (one of us has a food allergy and the other one is a bit slow moving). Chris was able to adjust the tour to fit our needs. Never having been to Scotland or partaken in traditional Scottish food & drink- we very much enjoyed the whole experience. Chris is very knowledgeable and pointed out many historical facts along our way- Also pointed out some Harry Potter related places and gave us the tips for the rest of our visit. It was a great way to start our visit to Edinburgh! Highly recommend! Unique, Enlightening & Engaging tour

Sandy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

12 June 2025

Our food tour with Chris was really great! We’d been to Edinburgh previously so our interests were a bit different from the norm. Chris was able to quickly adapt and we thoroughly enjoyed all the food, drinks and history of the area. And especially a stop at Greyfriar’s Bobby to see the statue. Thanks Chris!Great Food Tour

David

(About local Monica)

7 June 2025

Monica was simply the best — friendly, kind, and accommodating. She created an extended tour at our request and provided true “local” insights to her hometown. Her communications were excellent. The info was a combination of history, human interest and local insights. A very fun time. Highly recommend seeing Edinburgh through the eyes of Monica. The best

Chris🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alec)

6 June 2025

Alec provided us with a terrific tour of Edinburgh; full of history and current events. He really entertained and educated us a the same time.Alec is a Great Guide

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Monica)

4 June 2025

We had a great tour of Edinburgh Castle with Monica. She customized it to accommodate my bad knee, which was so helpful. Monica told us many wonderfully rich and historic tales that tied the history of Scotland together using the castle as thread. Highly recommend booking With Locals and requesting Monica. I could have spent days listening to her stories of Scotland. Wonderful tour of Edinburgh Castle

Beth🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

2 June 2025

Chris was such a great guide around Edinburgh! He is very knowledgeable and led us to places we would have never found. We learned a lot and had laughs along the way. I wouldn't hesitate booking with him again!Chris was a fantastic tour guide!

Dana

(About local Chris)

1 June 2025

The tour with Chris was one of the best I've ever been on. There were only four of us, including Chris, so the tour was truly personalized. Chris first asked us which preferences we have foidwise and what we are interesded in regarding the history of Edinburgh and choose our route and stops accordingly. The tour was not only informative but also interesting in terms of cuisine. At the end, we received a few great tips for the rest of our time in Edinburgh, so we were well-taken care of. From our point of view it was a great tour with a good price-value.Very delicious and individual experience

Paige🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Monica)

1 June 2025

Monica gave us a bespoke introduction to Edinburgh. As we mentioned things along the way, she took us points of interest unique to us. We saw incredible views of the city from hidden lanes and back streets. And, her stories were so interesting, we didn't realise we had spent 5 hours with her! I would highly recommend this tour and Monica as a guide.Great introduction to Edinburgh

Chelsea🇺🇸 United States

(About local Chris)

30 May 2025

Chris was great, he reached out ahead of time to get information and feedback from us - we weren't very helpful as we mostly just wanted to try different things so Chris was good at coming up with something thay worked great for us. We really enjoyed the mix of trying different foods, but also walking around and seeing different parts of the city with a bit of history attached as well. He also was great at giving us ideas and advice for the rest of our trip. Overall I'd highly recommend this tour and Chris for your next visit.Great Mix of Food and Info

Ethan

(About local Alec)

30 May 2025

Alec was an absolutely fantastic guide. He walked us through the streets of Edinburgh, stopping at places we never would have stopped at before, recounting fabulous stories. He is extremely learned, and is able to tailor tour to what his audience cares about and is fascinated in. I would 10/10 recommend people booking this tour!Knowledgable, interesting, and helpful!