Private Scottish Highlands tour from Edinburgh: Castles and lochs

Kilchurn Castle sits surrounded by water on three sides, and you'll photograph it from the shore.

A private guided tour departing from Edinburgh City Centre explores the Scottish Highlands over nine hours, visiting Inveraray Castle, Kilchurn Castle, Loch Lomond, Glencoe and the Three Sisters viewpoint, ending at the Kelpies—two 100-foot horse statues. Pickup is at 10am or a time you request; the guide speaks your choice of language; water, snacks and air-conditioned transport are included. Inveraray Castle admission costs extra if you choose to enter; lunch is your own arrangement.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Scottish Highlands and landmarks

• Meet Highland cows Thelma, Louise, Angus
• Drive 90 minutes to village of Luss
• Visit Luss village and Viking gravestone
• Drive 30 minutes to mountain viewpoint
• Stop for photos at mountain viewpoint
• Drive 30 minutes to Inveraray Castle grounds
• Explore Inveraray Castle grounds and town
• Drive 30 minutes to Kilchurn Castle
• Take photos at Kilchurn Castle
• Drive 60 minutes through Glencoe mountains
• Visit Three Sisters Viewpoint
• Photo stops at Glencoe and Rannoch Moor
• Stop at Highland viewpoint with mountains and lochs
• Drive 90 minutes to see the Kelpies statues
• Visit the Kelpies horse statues

The Experience

The day starts with a meet-and-greet with Thelma, Louise and Angus—three Highland cattle at the pickup point—then a 90-minute drive carries you to Loch Lomond and the village of Luss, perched on the water with views across to Ben Lomond. The village holds a rare Viking Hogback gravestone and sits steeped in history; there are gift shops, toilets and places to eat if you want to stop. From there, a 30-minute climb takes you to a mountain viewpoint over 800 feet high, where the photographs of the surrounding peaks are the reason you came.

Inveraray Castle sits 30 minutes on, one of the few Scottish castles still lived in by its owners, the Duke and Duchess of Argyle. The grounds are open to the public at no charge; if you want to walk inside the castle itself, there's an admission fee. The castle closes November to March, but the grounds stay open year-round. Nearby Inveraray town has lunch options and views of Loch Fyne. Another 30 minutes brings you to Kilchurn Castle, used by the English army as a barracks for over 200 years and ringed by water on three sides—a fortress built for defense and now built for photographs.

A 60-minute drive through the Glencoe mountain range delivers you to the Three Sisters Viewpoint, the most photographed place in Scotland. The landscape carries poignant history alongside its scale; the drive back threads through Glencoe with multiple photo stops, including Rannoch Moor—the largest bog expanse in the UK. A viewpoint along the way gathers mountains, lochs and forests into a single frame. Your last stop, roughly 90 minutes from Glencoe, is the Kelpies: two horse statues standing 100 feet tall, the tallest equine sculptures in the world. The guide handles all the driving and timing; you handle the camera.

What’s included

• Private transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• a live guide in your choice of language.
• bottled water and snacks throughout the day.
• pickup from your chosen location in or around Edinburgh City Centre at 10am or a time you request.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by E2G Travel

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see three castles and two lochs without arranging your own transport or timing—the private vehicle and guide handle the route, the stops and the nine-hour day, leaving you free to photograph and absorb the landscape.

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Top questions

What's the drive time from Edinburgh to the Three Sisters viewpoint in Glencoe?

The Three Sisters Viewpoint sits about 60 minutes into the drive through the Glencoe mountain range from Inveraray Castle, which itself is roughly 30 minutes from Loch Lomond—so plan on two to two-and-a-half hours of driving time from Edinburgh to reach it.

Can I enter Inveraray Castle, or do I just see the grounds?

Inveraray Castle grounds are freely open to the public, so you can walk the estate and photograph the castle from the outside at no extra cost. If you want to step inside, there is an admission charge; the castle is open Thursday to Monday, and closed for winter from November through March, though the grounds remain accessible year-round.

Is lunch included in this tour?

Lunch is not included; you arrange your own meal. The tour stops at Luss village and Inveraray town, both with restaurants and cafés, so you have time and options to eat during the day.

How many people can fit in the vehicle?

The tour accommodates up to four, six, seven or eight passengers depending on which option you book at checkout; a luxury vehicle option is also available. UK cars are smaller than American vehicles, so if you're booking for four adults, confirm the vehicle size before finalizing.

What languages does the guide speak?

The guide is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and five additional languages; you choose your language when you book.

Are the Kelpies free to see, or is there an admission charge?

The Kelpies are free to visit and photograph; there is no admission fee to see the two 100-foot horse statues.