Edinburgh

Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Tour Including Admission

Badge of ExcellenceEdinburgh, Scotland

Stirling Castle and Loch Lomond Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh

9 hours
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

See Stirling Castle, the Kelpies monument, and Loch Lomond on this day trip from Edinburgh. Pass Linlithgow Palace on the way to the Kelpies, said to be the largest equine sculptures in the world. Then travel through Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, where you can join your guide on a nature walk, before heading to Stirling Castle for an interior tour. This small-group tour in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach is limited to 16 passengers for a memorable experience.

Full-day trip to Loch Lomond, The Kelpies, and Stirling Castle from Edinburgh
Scenic drive past villages, lochs, and mountain vistas with an optional nature walk led by a guide
Small-group tour for a more personalized experience
Travel by a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach

What's Included

Admission Fees - Stirling Castle included in tour price
Small Group Tour (maximum 16 passengers)
Top range 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach
The stories and services of an English-speaking driver-guide

Gratuities
Food and drinks, unless specified
Admission fees to attractions (unless specified)

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Bus Station
Edinburgh EH1 3AY, UK
Please meet your Rabbie's guide inside the Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ (Check in closes 15 minutes prior to departure)

Start time

09:15 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Meet your guide in central Edinburgh and travel in a top of the range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach to the Kelpies, passing Linlithgow Palace, the birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots, on the way.

Stop at the Kelpies monument for an up-close look at the 30-meter high horse heads. The sculptures stand as a testament to the horsepower that drove the industrial development of central Scotland.

Afterward, take a back road to Loch Lomond, traveling through the protected lands of Scotland’s first national park: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Follow a scenic route along the 22-mile-long (35-km) loch’s eastern shore, which is dominated by the oft-climbed Ben Lomond.

Then travel to where the Lowlands meet the Highlands, into the Trossachs or ‘The Highlands in Miniature’. Take in a stunning landscape of steep mountains, shimmering lochs, and thick forests on a nature walk with your guide.

Break for lunch (own expense) in the village of Aberfoyle, located within the National Park, before continuing to the city of Stirling, where you can visit one of Scotland’s most magnificent castles. Opt to take an interior tour independently (own expense) to learn about the castle's history.

Your small-group day trip concludes with the return drive to Edinburgh.

The Kelpies & The Helix

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Loch Lomond

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Stirling Castle

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Minimum age to participate is 5 years old.

Check in closes 15 minutes prior to departure
Stirling Castle – We reserve tickets for you. Included in tour price
Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person on our tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:What is the departure point for the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The tour departs from Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH1 3DQ

Feb 2023

Q:Is parking available near the departure point for the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Parking can be difficult to find in the center of town. It is highly recommended that you take advantage of the excellent public transportation that is available.

Jun 2021

Q:How early should I arrive for the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Check-in closes 15 minutes before your departure time. The tour departs on time, so please do not arrive late.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring luggage with me on the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:You may bring up to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) and a small bag for onboard personal items.

Jun 2021

Q:What should I bring with me on the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your camera and spending money for lunch, optional admission tickets, etc.

Jun 2021

Q:Are admission fees included in the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Admission to selected attractions will be included, which are listed in the Inclusions section. For any that are not listed, you pay for access as you arrive. Most of these locations accept both cash and card.

May 2023

Q:What type of vehicle is used during the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The tour is conducted in a 16 seat Mercedes Mini-coach. There are three steps up into the coach – each 150mm in height. There are grab handles on both sides, the step edges are clearly marked and the treads are non-slip.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring a wheelchair on the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The bus is not wheelchair accessible, however, there is storage available for a folding wheelchair or walking frame. Guests must be able to get on/off the bus on their own or with the assistance of a companion as guides cannot assist physically.

Jun 2021

Q:Are restrooms available on the bus during the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:There are no restrooms on board the bus, however, the group does make regular breaks to use the restroom during the tour.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring my small child with me on the Loch Lomond, Kelpies & Stirling Castle Small-Group Day Tour?

A:All guests must be at least 5 years old to participate in this tour. If your child is 5 or older, but under 1.35m (4.4 ft.) tall, please notate this in the "Special Requirements" box so a booster seat can be arranged.

Jun 2021

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.5

996 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 996 reviews

Fun highlands trip

Karen_S, May 2024

We saw a lot of the highlands. Our guide was so knowledgeable and funny. He told us the history of the castle in an interesting way.

Unbelievable

MariaAntonia_G, May 2024

The whole tour was incredible so much to see And enjoy the beauty of this country Our guide was beyond words couldn’t have asked for me He knew everything about where he was taking Us Just marvelous

An adventure!

Alice_G, May 2024

I loved this tour. Our guide Charlene was hilarious and fun, and the small group size was so great. The Kelpies were the highlight for me, and make sure to get a sandwich at Mhor Bread in Callander. It was an all-around great day

Beautiful Kelpies

Linda_G, May 2024

The Kelpies are gorgeous. Would have been nice if not so many cars and stuff was around it ... sterling castle was beautiful as well. Great trip. Enough time to enjoy the 3 spots ... too bad the weather didn't cooperate.

Our guide was a lot of...

Ramona_B, May 2024

Our guide was a lot of fun and a great story teller. I learned all kinds of cool things about all the places we stopped. My favorite stop was Stirling Castle.

So so experience. Not really worth the money.

Helen_S, May 2024

The Kelpies were nice to see and time of 20 min was plenty. Loch Lomond was total disappointment. The driver only told us where we could get coffee and snacks. We were in a small area where the view of lake was blocked by a couple buildings. We had about 40 min there. When we got back n bus, another couple told us they hiked up a hill where we could see most of lake. Why didn’t the driver tell us?. The next stop was a small town where we ate lunch. Nothing to see there. Lastly we went to Stirling Castle. The castle wasn’t what we expected as the place really wasn’t set up with antiques. At end of visiting tour, we saw a sign that was probably not visible because of people, that showed times of free tours. Why didn’t the driver mention that “you can participate in the free tour”. He handed us the tickets and said to be back to van by xx time. The driver spent a lot of time talking about himself and then talked about his son who was a singer songwriter and then played his music on radio. We would’ve preferred to hear about living life as a Scotsman compared to the past. Also stories about the animals we saw instead of a fake Haggis animal. The content of tour got 3 stars and guide 1 star. He was a nice man but not a good guide.

Great tour

Kalenda_A, Apr 2024

This was an amazing trip. It was relaxing, interesting, informative and fun. Our driver Stuart was phenomenal. He was engaging, considerate and knowledgeable. I highly recommend taking this tour. Lunch at Mohr Bread was so good, we had steak and gravy pies and strawberry tarts. The Kelpies are a must see.

Great day out

Sarah_F, Apr 2024

Micheal was a friendly and knowledgeable host and passionate about Scotland, 5 star. Kelpies are amazing, I would love to see them at night next time lit up. Stirling Castle had amazing views and you can see the William Wallace monument from the castle. Loch Lomond was lovely but due to drive out and rain, would have been happy with just the castle and Kelpies.

Educational, interesting

JamesReed, Apr 2024

The guide was very informative. He added music, stories and especially history to the entire experience.

Very fun

Miriam_K, Apr 2024

Tour guide was excellent very knowledgeable. Excellent driver made trip great. Loved the castle and lake Lomond

Excellent sites and wonderful guide

Linda_H, Apr 2024

The sites were all wonderful and Gregor’s background information was excellent. It rained all day but that didn’t dampen our enjoyment. Truly a fabulous day!

Great Trip

Howard_R, Apr 2024

Our driver Brian was fantastic. Very knowledgeable and fun to be around. Trip was excellent and enjoyed every part of trip.

Enjoyable tour

Alberta_A, Apr 2024

Steven was our guide and driver. He give us history as we drove along and added Scotches music. He made the trip very enjoyable.

Highly recommend this tour

Amy_B, Apr 2024

Really well organised and professionally run. Very punctual and the tour guide was excellent. Easy to find the company at the bus station and staff were very helpful and friendly.

Fun tales, music and culture

Maria_S, Apr 2024

Lyn was a hoot! It was great to hear the history plus her personal stories of the region mixed with humor and folk music.

A day trip in the highlands

Catherine_O, Apr 2024

Loved the Kelpies, loch Lomand and Stirling Castle. I would suggest giving more time for lunch, possibly eliminate passing Stirling Castle for pictures. Use the time to have a longer lunch break

A great tour to see 3 totally different places and all the country in-between.

Maryjane_T, Apr 2024

This tour was very nice. the tour start was very well organized and well managed. Our driver was Swain with Rabbies tours, he keep me interested in what we were seeing. the Kelpies were much more than I expected, truly amazing. I was not really interested in loch Lomond the people is was with were. and they said they enjoyed the hike. Stirling castle was over the top impressive. the only disappointment was the lack of time for lunch. a suggestion would by discontinue the short stop to see the castle from the road and use that time for lunch stop.

Recommended

Nami_O, Mar 2024

It had a little bit of everything we wanted to do. Some roads are very winding and if you're prone to motion sickness, I highly recommend premedicating yourself and having a barf bag handy. We forgot to bring cash but we wish we could have tipped the guide and driver, it was that good.

A fantastic day with a fantastic guide!

Stephanie_C, Mar 2024

A fantastic day with a fantastic guide! I highly recommend this day to anyone wanting to get out of the city to experience art, history, and nature. Our guide David was brilliant in providing history, folklore, and music throughout the tour. I felt there was enough time allocated to eat destination to see everything there was to see - and scope out any local gift shops! To walk alongside the banks of Loch Lomond was the highlight of the day for me as I love being out in nature. I would highly recommend it to anyone and I felt safe throughout the whole day as a solo female traveller. 10/10!

Memorable! 😊

Maria_D, Mar 2024

It was a great experience with so much to explore! I would definitely purchase again & recommend it!

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