Scottish Highland Games Day Trip from Edinburgh
4.5

Scottish Highland Games Day Trip from Edinburgh

By Highland Explorer Tours
Recommended by 92% of travellers
92% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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Ages 5-99, max of 30 per group
Duration: 9h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights

  • Transport by air-conditioned midi coach
  • Local English Speaking Guide
  • Highland Games Entry Ticket
  • Entry/Admission - Blair Castle & Gardens
  • Entry/Admission - Glamis Castle
  • Entry/Admission - Luss Visitor Centre
  • Entry/Admission - Stirling
  • Entry/Admission - Crieff
  • Entry/Admission - The Braemar Gathering
  • Entry/Admission - Pitlochry
What's not included
  • Lunch
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop off


Start:
  • Highland Explorer Tours, 60 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TB, UK
    This tour will depart at 8:30 am from 60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB (except for Braemar Games which leaves 8:00 am). Meet 15 minutes before departure and look for the check-in staff wearing blue high-visibility vests there to greet you.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Near public transportation
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5211HIGHLAND

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travellers can participate
    • The Highland Games tours all depart at 8:30am with the exception of Braemar, which departs at 8:00am.
    • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them to board and disembark
    • It is recommended to book transport to the departure point in advance. Please also allow extra time to get to the departure point for check-in. We advise you arrive at least 15 minutes before the tour departure to allow time to check-in for the tour. Unfortunately, we are unable to hold the bus or refund for any late arrivals.
    • Please note that we are unable to carry any children under 5.
    • Return times are approximate and subject to road conditions and weather. Please ensure you allocate sufficient time for any onward travel plans, allowing at least 3 hours after the scheduled return time for connections or activities.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travellers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5211HIGHLAND

    From
    AU$230.08
    per adult
    Select date and travellers
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    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 60 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TB, UK
      This tour will depart at 8:30 am from 60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB (except for Braemar Games which leaves 8:00 am). Meet 15 minutes before departure and look for the check-in staff wearing blue high-visibility vests there to greet you.
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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Highland Explorer Tours
      4.8 of 5 bubbles12,034
      Edinburgh, Scotland
      Joined in June 2008
    • MVillamor242
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      So much fun, book them now!! :)
      Scott and Nikki are THE BEST!! i had so much fun on this Outlander tour! Super kind duo and loved all of the history+stories along the way to ALL of these beautiful locations! Book them now!! :)
      Written 20 March 2025
    • angellilstar
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A MUST do tour xx
      The tour was absolutely amazing. Very well organised. Worth every penny, We couldn't ask for a better tour. You was not rushed, everything is explained clearly. The views and experience will forever be in my memories. Ryan P was the ultimate guide, with his knowledge and wit. He is approachable, easy to talk to, nothing was too much for him. I would 100% recommend this tour.
      Written 20 March 2025
    • Roving48373176899
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Day of Stories and Great Views
      Had an awesome day seeing many great sights. Our excellent guide Lord Torva Farquaad had many interesting stories to share on the road, with many funny little references thrown in for those in the know. 10/10 guided tour experience. Many thanks again!
      Written 19 March 2025
    • Q7283VUrebeccap
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      100% recommended tour! 10/10
      Ryan P was an amazing tour guide, very knowledgeable and funny! Absolutely stunning views to take lovely photos and plenty of time to explore 10/10! Definitely recommend
      Written 19 March 2025
    • Z8706VOmatthewk
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing Views
      The views were amazing and our tour guide Ryan P made it entertaining and kept our interest into the history of Scotland. He kept us informed of upcoming stops, bathroom breaks, and where the best places to shop were at. Most importantly no one was left behind!
      Written 19 March 2025
    • aralcpf
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great 1day trip
      The trip was super nice and comfortable. The guide, Sophie, was super nice, kind and funny, with a perfect combination of historical facts, legends and information combined with Scottish music. It was a very pleasant and beautiful trip. 100% recommended. Thanks Sophie for the amazing day!!
      Written 19 March 2025
    • P1146GSshellyp
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      I’m so glad I took this tour
      It was a lovely day. The loch was calm and serine. The castle was interesting. The Kelpies were different. Sophie was delightful. Her history lessons and stories were informative.
      Written 19 March 2025
    • 92pattia
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great tour
      Great tour. Got lots of great photos. Sophie was very knowledgeable and fun. Beautiful brand new bus. Made an extra stop to see bridges.
      Written 19 March 2025
    • W3955XCkimberlys
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great day in Scotland countryside
      Great tour! Sophie was a great guide, very knowledgeable!. We lucked out with sunny and beautiful weather. I enjoyed the Scottish playlist! Very festive.
      Written 19 March 2025
    • walterh600
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Family Trip
      If you’ve ever considered taking a trip to the Isle of Skye and were unsure; this is the one. We’ve just returned from the mid-March tour in the care of our excellent tour guides Paul and Caoimhe. Scots history, myths, folk lore tales and landscapes were all expertly described by them and all efforts were made to visit all..and more…planned site visits. This tour is definitely suitable for singles, couples or groups…..of all ages. Highly recommend. Haste Ye Back!
      Written 19 March 2025
    • M3137NRsabrinar
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very nice tour, even for people who aren’t a fan of the show
      The Tour was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed it, even though I didn’t watch Outlander. The entry to the sites were optional so you were able to decide for yourself if you wanted to go in or not. Spontaneously opting to go in was no problem either. Furthermore the whole tour was elevated by our guide Graeme. He would talk about many interesting topics varying from Outlander/ movie facts to the history as well as other general information about Edinburgh and Scotland. He was also very keen to answer any questions we had.
      Written 18 March 2025
    • hannahbX1581ZH
      0 contributions
      1.0 of 5 bubbles
      Keinerlei Empathie
      First, my request to sit up front because I was feeling sick was dismissed with a smile. Then the air conditioning was set to 14 degrees – it was freezing cold. If I wanted to get on the bus early, as it was cold outside and the bus was cold, I wasn't allowed in. Others were. Never again – more of an ordeal than a tour. On Saturday, I went on the Oulander tour with Charly – very empathetic, helpful, funny, and nice.
      Written 17 March 2025
    • r_kai2025
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great trip to Isle of Skye
      Great trip, well worth the money. The tour guides were both very friendly (Paul and Keeva) and had great stories. Paul squeezed in so many more things that were not originally on the tour schedule, so that was an added bonus for which I'm very grateful. The accommodation at the Skye Inn was really nice as well, clean and comfortable. The highlight was of course the Isle of Skye. It's stunning and I am so happy that there are tours organised to go there as it's a difficult part of Scotland to get to. All in all a great experience and I highly recommend both the guides as well as teh company.
      Written 17 March 2025
    • U38ZMericak
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing tour!
      Amazing 3 day tour from Paul & Caimhe! They did a wonderful job explaining and telling stories about all the sites and we even got a couple bonus stops in since we were ahead of schedule. The first and last day were a lot of driving, but they did a really nice job planning stops along the way to give us breaks and of course, great scenery! Day 2 was spent on the Isle of Skye and Paul & Caimhe led us along a couple walks to explore Skye. All in all, a fantastic tour and our guides did such a wonderful job building camaraderie and showing us all the beautiful sights the highlands have to offer.
      Written 17 March 2025
    • rachelles423
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      An unforgettable adventure
      The tour was fantastic. Paul & Caoimhe were fabulous hosts and the highlands are breathtaking. Super informative and so fun. They were also super supportive and accommodating when helping my partner (now fiance) organise an incredible suprise proposal 🥰
      Written 17 March 2025
    See all 12,034 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles25 reviews
    Excellent
    18
    Very good
    5
    Average
    0
    Poor
    1
    Terrible
    1

    Cortney N
    Carnation, WA2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sophie was a fantastic driver and guide to the games. The games themselves were a little different than anticipated, but still fun. The games in Luss had many activities involving local youth: dancing, bagpipes, running races. Local adults also participated in runs and bike rides. Attendees were welcome to participate in a few silly/fun events. Then there were some impressive feats of strength we had the opportunity to witness (this is what I expected more of).
    Written 6 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello there, Thank you for the glowing feedback of your tour with Sophie! We really appreciate the kind words, and are so happy to hear that you had a great experience at the Highland Games. The games are renowned for featuring not only sports, but also but also highland dancing, music, as well as food and local craft stalls. They are very much about bringing together a community spirit and sharing it with our visitors. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another Scottish adventure with us. Best wishes, Ayla
    Written 16 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Shellie Y
    3 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    May 2024 • Family
    One positive, one negative. The guide was charming and funny and told wonderful stories - a true delight and I highly recommend her!!! The negative is that we had to leave well before the games were over. This is a once in a lifetime event for me and to have to leave before the caber toss is done is not what I expected at all. Seems like a little flexibility to accommodate the fact that the event does not run on a perfect schedule would have been the better way to do this.
    Written 26 May 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. We are glad that overall you enjoyed your day at the Highland games and had a lovely time with Louise. We will pass on your kind words to her. We apologise that you had to leave before the games was over and did not feel as if you had enough time there. We understand that due to the weather, there was a delay in the running order which meant we had to leave slightly early to head back to Edinburgh for 5pm. We understand that this is frustrating and hope that despite this, you managed to have a good experience. Please do get in touch directly if there is anything else that you wish to discuss further. Best wishes, Rhi
    Written 9 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Elena
    4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great day out to watch the Scottish Highland Games. If you've got an extra day in Scotland and the games are on, highly recommend it. Sophie was also fantastic, cheery personality and some quick insight into the history of Scotland as we drove through.
    Written 6 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello there, Thank you for the glowing feedback of your tour with Sophie! We really appreciate the kind words, and are so happy to hear that you had a great experience at the Highland Games - they should be on everyone's bucket list We hope to welcome you back for another Scottish adventure with us. Best wishes, Ayla
    Written 16 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Juliana D
    Yonkers, NY26 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Alastair is a kind and fun lad. He got us there and back safely and had plenty of recommendations and historical tidbits to share. The bus isn’t very comfortable (so narrow that the seatbelt buckle pinches your bum), but that’s not the guide’s fault. Overall, do recommends if you want to attend the games but are afraid to drive to the highlands yourself.
    Written 4 August 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, thank you so much for your kind review! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a great experience with Alastair. He's a great guide. Your feedback is truly appreciated, and it means a lot to our team. Thanks, Amber
    Written 3 September 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Amy S
    Austin, TX8 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This was our first visit to Edinburgh and we couldn’t miss a trip to the Luss Highland games. The coach ride was a very comfortable, beautifully scenic 2hour trip to the “west is best”. Sophie is a fantastic storyteller and great DJ - so many good Scottish tunes. I highly recommend this tour!
    Written 6 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello there, Thank you for the glowing feedback of your tour with Sophie! I'm sure she'll be delighted to read that you were well entertained by her. We really appreciate the kind words, and are so happy to hear that you had a great experience. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another Scottish adventure with us. Best wishes, Ayla
    Written 16 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Deimantė J
    1 contribution
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    July 2024 • Solo
    The trip was nice, everything went well and was done on time. Our guide Sophie kept us entertained on the way. Highland Games were great and the views of the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond were spectacular!
    What i think could be changed for the better is the time of departure. Why leave as early as 15:45 in the middle of summer?.. Even the Games themselves are still ongoing at that time and it also leaves you little time to see the Lomond (despite the fact it's not the main goal of this trip, one of course still wants to see it being at the very banks).
    Written 6 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hello there, Thank you for the glowing feedback of your tour with Sophie! We really appreciate the kind words, and are so happy to hear that you had a great experience. We will pass on your feedback regarding tour timings to our operations team. If you wish to spend more time on the banks of Loch Lomond, I would highland recommend our Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and the Kelpies tour where we take a walk at the beautiful Balmaha. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another Scottish adventure with us. Best wishes, Ayla
    Written 16 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Chanel L
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    June 2024 • Friends
    Alistair was amazing as a guide and driver. He was so knowledgeable and funny!!
    The Highland Games were great but didn’t feel like we had enough time to see the games and the castle so the games won. What an amazing day!!!
    Written 9 June 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed yourselves at the Highland Games with our amazing guide Alistair ! We hope that you had a wonderful time experiencing the height of Scottish culture. Best wishes for the future. Rhi
    Written 15 June 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Madot1
    3 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Sept 2024 • Family
    Enjoyed the games. Wish the driver could have given more info on games history and what to expect. Most of the tour never went to the games before and more info on what to expect could have helped us all. Also our driver walked way too fast to the games causing several folks to fall far behind. The timing on the tour was good. Would recommend to others to experience these games.
    Written 15 September 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi, thanks for leaving us a 4 star review. We are glad you enjoyed your tour with us. We will pass your feedback on. We hope to welcome you back on another tour with us soon. Kind Regards. Keith
    Written 5 November 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Mia S
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    July 2024 • Solo
    Brilliant day, plenty of free time to enjoy the games and explore the local area. Sophie was a fantastic guide, funny, approachable and friendly and made everything so easy today!!
    Written 6 July 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, Thank you so much for the wonderful feedback of your tour with Sophie! We really appreciate the kind words, and are so happy to hear that you had a great experience at the Highland Games. We hope to welcome you back again soon for another Scottish adventure with us. Best wishes, Ayla
    Written 16 July 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Lila H
    2 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Callum did a great job driving us to the Crieff highland games and telling us a lot about Scottish history on the way!
    Written 20 August 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Thank you for your great review. I am happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Callum to the Highland Games. Best, Ronja
    Written 22 August 2019
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Scottish Highland Games Day Trip from Edinburgh provided by Highland Explorer Tours

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