Highland Experience Tours
BEST FOR
Ages 3-15
ENTRY
from £65
WHERE
Edinburgh
What it’s like
A day coach tour out of the city taking kids round Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and The Kelpies with a driver-guide doing the talking.
This is a bus tour, not a ride you can hop on and off, so the day is fairly structured: you get picked up, a driver-guide talks you through the sights in English, and you stop off in towns and villages along the way. The one-day trip to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and The Kelpies is £65 and covers a proper chunk of the central belt in a single day, which is either great value or a lot of sitting still depending on your kid.
Kids aged 3 to 15 travel at the child rate, and that upper age cap of 15 for the concessionary price is generous if you've got teenagers in tow. Under-3s aren't allowed on the scheduled tours at all, only on private custom trips, so this one's off the table for buggies and babies. Three-year-olds should be fine with the pace, the site calls the tours "relaxed", but a long day on a coach with stops for castles and abbeys suits kids who can handle a bit of standing around and listening rather than toddlers who need to run about constantly.
There's no packed lunch requirement. They stop in towns where you can buy food, though you're welcome to bring your own snacks or a picnic if you'd rather not queue up in a village café with a hungry seven-year-old. For longer trips, like the multi-day runs up to Skye, luggage is capped at one cabin-bag-sized case per person, so pack light if you're doing more than a day.
Booking isn't compulsory, they'll take you up to the day of departure, but they're upfront that tours get busy and recommend booking ahead so you don't turn up to a full bus. Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure, which is easy to miss if you're still finding a parking space or wrangling kids into coats.
Need to know
- Best for
- 3 to 15, teenagers still get the cheaper concessionary rate
- Booking
- 1-day tours: 100% refund with 1 hour notice or more
- Check-in closes 15 minutes before departure, so build in time to park and get everyone sorted
- Under-3s can only travel on private custom tours, not the scheduled ones
- Multi-day tours cap luggage at one cabin-sized bag per person, max 15kg
- Proof of age is needed on departure day to get the concessionary child rate
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
The one-day tour to Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle and The Kelpies is £65, with children aged 3 to 15 travelling at a cheaper concessionary rate. Tax is already included in the price.
Do we need to book in advance?
You don't have to, they take bookings right up to the day of departure. They do warn the tours get busy though, so booking ahead saves you the risk of it being full.
Is it suitable for a toddler?
Only from age 3 upwards, under-3s can't travel on the scheduled tours. They describe the pace as relaxed, so a three or four-year-old who's happy sitting on a coach should manage fine.
What about food during the day?
You don't need to bring your own meals, the tour stops in towns and villages where you can buy food. Bringing snacks or a packed lunch is fine too if you'd rather not faff about finding a café.
What if we're travelling with friends but booked separately?
There's no guarantee you'll end up on the same bus. If that matters to you, get in touch by phone or email after booking to ask, though even then it's not guaranteed.
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