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USD $49.00
Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Travel to Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond in style on a small-group tour by Mercedes minivan from Edinburgh. With a maximum group size of 16 passengers, you are sure to have a memorable and personal experience on this special excursion to Stirling and Loch Lomond.
Leave Edinburgh and travel through the historic grace of Linlithgowshire. Your guide will help you spot Linlithgow palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots.
On the way to Loch Lomond you stop at the Kelpies Monument. These two horses’ heads stand as a testament to the horse power that drove the industrial development of Central Scotland.
From here you head to the shores of Loch Lomond, which is Scotland’s largest loch and is protected as Scotland’s first National Park.
This is the perfect place to enjoy a walk along the ‘bonny banks’ and take in fantastic views of the mountains. This tranquil area was once the home of Scotland’s famous highland folk hero, Rob Roy MacGregor. By spending time on the trails by the loch you’ll be walking in the footsteps of one of Scotland’s greatest legends.
Then head into the Trossachs or ‘The Highlands in Miniature’, where the Lowlands meet the Highlands. Steep mountains, shimmering lochs, and thick forests: this area is stunning.
Stop for lunch in Aberfoyle, a charming village in the heart of the National Park (own expense) and then continue to the city of Stirling where you can visit one of Scotland’s most magnificent castles. Opt to tour the inside independently (own expense) and learn why this castle was so instrumental in Scottish history.
From here your short journey back to Edinburgh passes The Kelpies once again before arriving back in the capital.
This was an amazing tour! Rabbies did a great job getting us there quickly, safely, and in good company. Our guide was Mahri, and she did a phenomenal job! She had a great balance of sharing stories of Scotland, playing music that was connected with her stories, and providing some quiet time on the bus. The particular tour was a shorter day about 9 hour day which was nice to give us some more relaxed time when we got back to Edinburgh.
Review by: Helen W, April 2018
We had a great tour. Our guide Sharon was a bible of information. Very good driver also._br/_ Nice castle but I expected more. But dont miss the kelpies, you wont believe it when you see them._br/_ And the good thing about this tour is that its a small group. Thank you Sharon._br/_ Helen_br/_ Québec
Review by: James S, April 2018
Amy was a great guide who kept us entertained all day with history and trivia as well as some great music and humour._br/_ The tour took in the beauty and history of Scotland giving us more than just a taste, considering it was only a day tour.
Review by: Kelsey E, January 2018
Fantastic day trip! Talkative and personable guide and a lovely coach. 10/10 would recommend.
Review by: Lori S, January 2018
This is a wonderful day tour...Enough time for a hike at Loch Lomond and plenty of time for touring the castle with stops along the way. Highly recommend this tour company!
Review by: Cintia F, January 2018
Although the weather was not really friendly, the tour was really good! We saw the Kelpies - best part of the experience! - then the fabulous Loch Lomond and finally Stirling Castle that definitely is not as beautiful as Edinburgh Castle, but it's worth a visit!
Review by: Harry v, December 2017
A very good trip to the Kelpies amazing, Loch Lomond very, very beautiful and Stirling Castle nice to see. A stop for the lunch in Callander with good opportunities. The driver, Steve, was great. He drove very well and had some interesting stories. My wife and me had a very pleasant day thanks to Rabbies and driver Steve!
Review by: Kelly R, December 2017
This tour was amazing!
Review by: Pamela P, December 2017
Our driver/tour guide was amazing, very informative! The travel was comfortable. I wish we'd not gone to the Kelties and instead spent more time at Sterling Castle. Otherwise, it was a terrific outing.
Review by: jvautour, November 2017
Jude from Rabbie tours was excellent. The whole experience was very organized and I enjoyed the trip
Review by: Lars H, November 2017
Jonathan is a superb tour guide. He is knowledgeable, personable, and seemed to enjoy his job very much. This tour is a long one, but was time very well spent. Jonathan put Stirling Castle and its environs into perspective. In addition, the time around Loch Lomond was fascinating. One was left with feeling there was not enough time at the national park. There really needed to be another hour or hour-and-a-half to allow time to hike into the park. We were left with a choice between hiking or eating. _br/_ By the way, the inn there had a wonderful Scottish black ale no brand which was delicious and which was even better than Guinness._br/_ Overall, we were very impressed with Rabie's Tours. The guides were knowledgeable, the vehicles were excellent, and the tour routes were well chosen.
Review by: Kaye M, November 2017
Another fabulous tour!! First stop the kelpies and then onto Loch Lomond for amazing scenery and a lovely walk along the Lochs edge. It was a perfect day for it to!!! The xun was out, and a perfectly clear day. The comfy 16 seat coach had plenty of room well timed stops along the way and nformative commentary from Dave which was historically accurate and funny - always a bonus!!! And then we finished the day at Stirling Castle with lots of time to explore it. What a great day ....
Review by: deborah, November 2017
A long day and a bit rushed due to heavy traffic. Clean comfortable bus small group means 16. Driver delivered nearly continuous flow of interesting information over a clear audio system. Good amount of stops, although they grew shorter and more rushed as the day progressed. Although it was November, the highlands are beautiful and stirling castle was not overly busy. Drop off near our hotel on the way back was a nice bonus
Review by: Nicola H, October 2017
We had a great day on this trip. Mike our driver kept us entertained throughout the journey with loads of historical information, he was great. First stop was The Kelpies which was an unexpected bonus. On to Loch Lomond where we had free time before a short walk to the edge of the Loch. Unfortunately it was not a very bright day so didnt get the best views but Mike showed us a picture of what it looks like when the suns out, stunning! Our final stop was Stirling Castle which we really enjoyed, amazing views and lots to look at.
Review by: tlittle680, October 2017
Bruce was our guide for this small group tour. The meeting place was very convenient near Waverely Station and easy to find. Our first stop was to view the Kelpies sculptures just outside of Edinburgh. This was a quick stop and just the right amount of time for some pictures and a rest room break. Our time at Loch Lomond was damp and rainy and limited our views, but rain is something that cant be controlled. Given a drier day, I would have taken one of the short walking trails near the visitor center. Bruce was very enthusiastic about his Scottish history and full of stories and local lore. So much, in fact, that he got so involved in telling a long story that he drove right through the town for our lunch stop. Rather than turn around there was agreement to go on to Stirling Castle and let the ones wanting to eat do so there at the café or in the town. I cant speak for the others on the tour, but I felt this mistake was wonderful because it gave us more time at the castle. I would actually recommend that the tour operator consider doing this on a regular basis. There were several places at or near the castle for lunch or a quick bite. For me, the castle was the highlight of my trip to Edinburgh. Plus, as a bonus, Bruce stopped for a quick photo op at Doune Castle which was used in filming Monty Python and Game of Thrones. A long day, but a very nice trip.
Review by: SUZANNE T, October 2017
This tour was excellent!!! Ross was our tour guide and he was extremely knowledgable and made the tour so much fun. The hike up to see Loch Lomond was absolutely beautiful and Ross went at pace that accommodated both young and old. The stopover for lunch in Aberfoyle was great - and again Ross did not disappoint. He told us a little about each place to eat so that we didn't have to waste time going from place to place to look at the menus. He also got is hooked on Scottish 'tablet'. We never would have tried it without him recommending it. Stirlong Castle was nice to see but Edinburgh Castle is much nicer. Definitely go on this tour. You won't be disappointed.
Review by: Jillian S, October 2017
The tour guide, Martin, was very knowledgeable about the areas we saw. I loved the walk around Loch Lomond, it might have been my favorite thing I did during my entire time in Scotland. Unfortunately, I found Stirling Castle lacking. Possibly that was partly because I had been to Blair Castle a few days before, which is a fully furnished space, and Stirling Castle only has a few rooms furnished. The customer service at Stirling Castle was pretty terrible the special exhibition and gift shops closed 40 minutes early?, which obviously is not Martin or the tour company's fault. Martin was great about how disappointed we were in Stirling Castle and took us to see beautiful views of the bridge as a bonus. I would recommend Loch Lomond, and I would recommend Martin, but I might suggest seeing different castles unless you're really passionate about William Wallace and Braveheart.
Review by: Harold F, September 2017
Tour guide felt the need to fill all the time with commentary, often was repetitive, didn't preview the day, so it wasn't clear how much time we would have at each stop. Really wasn't adequate time at any stop for a decent lunch. Last stop involved a bit of a walked, but guide didn't let us know how far, whether shoes were appropriate or give us the options of not going.
Review by: ronknowlton28, September 2017
Terrific. Our tour guide Jan, was very knowledgeable, humorous and thoughtful
Review by: Larry F, September 2017
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour! Our guide Jan was amazing! He had so much knowledge of Scottish history that made the trip really great. I would definitely recommend this tour with Jan as your guide. It was the best day of our trip to Scotland.
Review by: Katherine D, September 2017
we loved seeing the kelpies. we didn't get enough time at sterling castle. maybe because we spent too much time at loch Lomond, which we loved._br/_ we also got started late.
Review by: Otto L, September 2017
Having heard a lot about Stirling castle, was somewhat disappointed in the end outside is rivaled by others such as Doune, and inside is not furnished with art or military regalia and info such as at Edinburgh. The Loch Lomond lake is pretty, with a short walk that's nice if weather good. One gets good history lesson on the independence wars. The Kelpie horses can be seen from motorway, so getting close up is not that compelling except for bathroom break. Perhaps one would be better off spending day in picturesque Stirling village and see all the monuments and Doune castle.
Review by: Oscar S, September 2017
Great trip all around. Craig, the tour guide, was very knowledgeable and helpful. I'm very glad I booked this trip and wish I had time to book another to explore all of the other areas north of Edinburgh.
Review by: rnikonchuk, September 2017
Make sure you go on a day with good weather. This was a good tour but the day I went was crummy weather and so dampened it a bit. Still the guide was very nice and interesting. It seemed he knew a little bit about everything. He entertained us along the way with interesting stories and history of the places we went and about Scotland in general. _br/_ My main disappointments were 1 The girls directing things at the meeting point didn't provide clear instructions and were a bit rude when I tried to ask questions. 2 At Sterling Castle we were only allowed little more than an hour to tour. Even though we got a small discount on the entrance fee, I still felt a bit ripped off to pay normal rate for such a minuscule amount of time to visit. Again, the windy and rain did not add anything positive to the experience.
Review by: Randy T, September 2017
It was a full day but relaxing. Ian was our guide, would not hesitate doing another trip with him as our guide. Only negative was the time we had for lunch, felt rushed. Nice break at Loch Lomond. Surprise stop at Kelpies, had never heard of this memorial. Glad we stopped.
Review by: Doris C, September 2017
Amazing tour. Very well organized and punctual. Beautiful views and castle. We were with Paul, our guide, and we were very happy as he was all the time providing information and telling interesting stories about Scotland. _br/_ Highly recommended!
Review by: Nurettin A, August 2017
tour guide nick was a nice knowledgable guy,_br/_ i really enjoyed the tour,
Review by: jeremy s, August 2017
Victor is a terrible company to use. Go directly to the website of the tour company of your choice to save money and get better service
Review by: Christine I, July 2017
We enjoyed the Kelpies and Stirling Castle. The visit to Loch Lomond was a bit of disappointment-perhaps our fault. We opted not to go with the driver for a hike into the Trossochs, thinking we would walk to and around the Loch. We couldn't get to the Loch! We bought tea at a shop, took several abortive efforts and finding a path to the Loch and gave up and went to the nature/visitor center and learned more about the area and wildlife.
Review by: David R, June 2017
This was a fantastic day trip. The castle and the scenery were amazing. This experience was made better by our tour guide who had an amazing wealth of knowledge about all things historical relating to the tour. A very relaxed day out which I would thoroughly recommend to anyone looking for an experience outside of Edinburgh.
Review by: Michael T, June 2017
We only had one day to see Loch Lomond and experience the highlands. Sterling Castle and the Kelpies were a bonus. Our tour guide, Martin, was friendly and knowledgeable. The size of the group was just right. It was a wonderful day we have talked about often.
Review by: mairelove, June 2017
Loved this tour. Our tour guide Gillian shared a lot of information about Scots and history. She is very nice and patiently waited when we had our wee walk in Loch Lomond. Got discount in the entrance to Stirling Castle for this tour. We stayed for 2 hours in Stirling Castle and enjoyed it very much. We had the short stop at the Kelpies.
Review by: betty94549, May 2017
Seeing Loch Lomond and Sterling Castle were well worth the trip. Our guide, Ross, did an excellent job of explaining what we were seeing and Scottish history. At Loch Lomond, he took those of us interested on a hike that provided good opportunities for pictures. Stirling Castle was very impressive. We also stopped and saw the Kelpies on the way which are much more modern than anything else we saw in Scotland.
Review by: audjim, May 2017
Nice way to experience the countryside, great views.
Review by: Nancy B, April 2017
Wonderful day trip- outstanding archeceture
Review by: viator, February 2017
Excellent, had a really great time. Good Guide.
Review by: Trevor Raymond K, November 2016
The tour was a bit rushed and did not meet our expectations. The Stirling Castle part was great, but the Loch Lomond section left us wanting more. Luckly we visited Loch Lomond at a later time on our visit to Scotland to fully appreciate the area.
Review by: JOHN A, November 2016
Great trip with a really knowledgable driver/ guide. Coming from Australia my wife and I had very little teaching about Scotland from school days. Sure we knew lots abou England, it's Kings and Queens, but nothing about Scotland._br/_ So we really enjoyed Douglas with his knowledge and enthusiasm _br/_ .
Review by: James D B, October 2016
Nice fun trip with side trip extra! Good guide, nice people, friendly.
Review by: amber_ressmer, October 2016
We had Jodi as our tour guide and she made this day trip an AMAZING experience!! We drove by Stirling Castle on the way out to Loch Lomond where we could capture some great pictures of the castle with the Hairy Coo's down below. Next stop was Loch Lomond which was a very quaint area and we had adequate time to explore and again, get some fabulous pictures. We circled back to Stirling and just in time to jump into a tour with another amazing tour guide who brings it all back to life! I must admit, I have NEVER had a tour guide as friendly, knowledgable, and captivating as Jodi hope I am spelling her name correctly. She has a deep love and passion for Scottish history and culture! Her tour was flawless and well-timed. She has a charming disposition, and I would HIGHLY recommend making sure you have a tour with her. We went on another tour the following day and did not enjoy our guide at all. All of Scotland is bonnie, but to have a guide such as our bonnie bonnie Jodi created a life-long memory for us and our love of Scotland grew even more with this trip! Next time we are in Edinburgh, we will request a tour with Jodi!
Review by: Naomi S, October 2016
Great guide and sights!
Review by: kim.stewart8, September 2016
Great tour and a lot of fun. The tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. We had enough time to view the castle and see the graveyard. We got great views of Loch Lomond.
Review by: Bonita H, September 2016
Gillian from Rabbies was spot-on and cheerful. We learned so much and enjoyed the tour immensely. I highly recommend both Viator and Rabbies.
Review by: Janice H, September 2016
Our tour guide, Dougie from Glasgow, was fantastic!
Review by: Roger A, September 2016
Simply stunning, saw so much, loved every minute of this and the comfort of the mini bus. Wonderful staff, thank you
Review by: Barbara, September 2016
Our tour guide was wonderful! Love, love Scotland!
Review by: Bonnie B, September 2016
Rabbies people and service were fantastic. James M. was a wonderful guide to Stirling and Loch Lomand, also making a few unplanned stops that were true highlights. Brilliant.
Review by: Kevin B, September 2016
Fantastic tour. Nick was great, very informative and entertaining. Highly recommend it.
Review by: ginadiggins, September 2016
Our tour guide Graham was knowledgeable and entertaining. Beautiful scenery! Can't wait to go back.
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