Scottish Highlands Day Trip and Edinburgh Military Tattoo
4.5
Scottish Highlands Day Trip and Edinburgh Military Tattoo
By Highland Explorer Tours
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
About
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 5-99, max of 30 per group
Duration: 14h 15m
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More
Audio guide: German, Chinese, Portuguese, English, Italian, French, Spanish
More
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Local English Speaking Guide
- Whisky distillery tour, dram of whisky included
- Edinburgh Military Tattoo Ticket
- Entry/Admission - The Glenturret Distillery
- Entry/Admission - The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks, unless specified
- Entry/Admission - The Kelpies & The Helix
- Start:
- Highland Explorer Tours, 60 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TB, UKThis tour will depart at 8:15 am from 60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB. 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
- Service animals allowed
- 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: 5211TATTOO- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- The Castlehill location at Edinburgh Castle, where the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo takes place, is reached via a short walk along an old cobbled street of some 262 feet (80 meters) and on a steep incline. Some people may find this difficult. There is another 197-foot (60-meter) walk including several steps before the steeply tiered seating area is reached
- Minimum age to travel is 5 years
- 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.
- 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: 5211TATTOO
From
$479.02
per adult
Select date and travellers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 60 High St, Edinburgh EH1 1TB, UKThis tour will depart at 8:15 am from 60 High Street, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, EH1 1TB. Meet 15 minutes before departure and look for the check-in staff wearing blue high-visibility vests there to greet you.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4Pass byForth Bridge
- 5
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- karolh9120 contributionsChill, funny and informationalGuy called Connor? Conor? Conner? Big ginger beard driver was fantastic with his history and mythology stories were great to listen to on the wayWritten 15 January 2025
- ryansM9333VP0 contributionsSuper funny and Great informationYour guide was one of the greatest I’ve ever had. Super nice and funny guy. If he gets any bad reviews it because classmates didn’t want to go on the tour and were forced to go by the professor. He knows the area well and played traditional music throughout the ride. Would give 6 stars if I could.Written 15 January 2025
- sofiaaZ6397AM0 contributionsHaggis Tours is Amazing!I loved our tour guide Rich! He was funny and very entertaining and he took us to beautiful sights such as Stirling Castle and St. Andrews.Written 15 January 2025
- V572UIwilliamb0 contributionsA must do in Scotland!Me and my partner were astonished by the beauty of the highlands aswell as the vast history and culture of Scotland. Our tour guide. Graeme, was nothing sort of perfect, we couldn’t have asked for anyone better. He knew everything we wanted to know and much more, and always gave us a great experience with all locations we visited. Our walks in the Isle of Skye were our favourite part and the folk lore behind all places from the Sligachan river to the Old Man of Storr added so much to the experience. Our b&b was great, and food in Skye was fantastic. The tour was structured really well and Graeme factored in many things we wanted to do and detoured for us when given the opportunity. At the end of the trip Graeme gave us many ideas and suggestions of where to visit in Edinburgh and we are definitely putting these suggestions into our itinerary. Thank you to everyone involved in making and giving us this tour, we would love to do another one sometime soon!Written 13 January 2025
- chloedR3073JB0 contributionsAbsolutely brilliant.Absolutely brilliant tour of the highlands! Our amazing tour guide, Graeme, factored in my love for highland cows on our trip alongside all the breathtaking views in the isle of sky. The tour had a fantastic structure with main attractions in plan aswell as time for small detours to sightsee waterfalls or view points for pictures! There were many short/long stops for toilet/ coffee and exploring which was perfect! We got to know the culture and local history! Not to mention the interesting folklore and myths. The B&B was friendly and within walking distance to the centre perfect for nights out at local restaurants. Overall a lovely experience ~ worth coming again for a longer trip!Written 13 January 2025
- Traveler622926760020 contributionsAmazing tourI had amazing time during the trip. Lovely accommodation. Beautiful mountain views. Nice tour. Totally recommended!Written 13 January 2025
- darrenbI3976DS0 contributionsAmazingJenny’s commentary was very detailed and informative. She has a very friendly personality and made the entire day fun.Written 13 January 2025
- Curiosity566643957190 contributionsAmazing Highlands tourWe had a lovely day-trip to the highlands with our guide Ryan. It was definitely the highlight of our Edinburgh-based trip. We had a small group and due to that we ware able to make more stops for photos. Ryan had so much knowledge on history, music, the flora and fauna, about the whiskys and geology around us. We had a lovely time, learned a lot and would love to do this again. Thanks so much!Written 12 January 2025
- katiepT6578FW0 contributionsBrilliant experience, packed a lot into a dayWe had a brilliant time seeing the kelpies, Loch Lomond and Stirling castle. Connor was a great guide with some really fascinating stories that we’ve never heard and made the whole experience really enjoyable. Thank you!Written 12 January 2025
- mariatrinidadb20240 contributionsAverageThe views were amazing, but the time we spent in the Loch Ness is too short, less than two hours, also is pitchlory we only spent 20 minutes, we recommend to spent more time in the Loch Ness. The lunch is a sandwich is not very good and the tour gives no time to lunch in loch nessWritten 12 January 2025
- R1322ALwaynec0 contributionsOur one day outlander tripThis was a great time of year to take this trip because the weather made you feel as though you were in the show. Our guide was very knowledgeable and had great storytelling. The soundtrack was a highlight for us as well.Written 12 January 2025
- 744aislingk0 contributionsHighlands + Loch Ness TourThe trip was amazing with beautiful views of the Highlands and around Loch Ness. Our tour guide, Connor, was brilliant and told us a lot about the history of Scotland and some great myths and stories too.Written 11 January 2025
- K2839XQmelaniet0 contributionsLoved it!It was a rallye nice experience! We have seen a lot of Scotland on that one day. There were many incredible Views. The Lunch was also very delicious. You got to choose out of 3 sandwich options. I chose cheese chutney which I can recomment. The Guide Connor was very friendly and it was really pleasant to listen to his information and stories!Written 11 January 2025
- ivart20250 contributionsGreat storytelling, beautiful placesGood itinerary for a one-day trip to the highlands (for a first-timer). Beautiful views and I had enough time at the Loch Ness stop to get myself some quality time high up in the snow. I was especially delightful by how our guide Connor proved a master storyteller - lots of humor, history and insider tidbits. Highly recommended!Written 11 January 2025
- Gloria Monica L0 contributionsDefinitely this is something that you should experience!I loved the tour! I enjoyed the Highlands altho I am a bit not over the moon woth the lunch sandwhich that did not taste good. Connor was funny and helpful. Truly a great guide and driver!Written 11 January 2025
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.
Contribute
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.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
18 reviews
Excellent
15
Very good
0
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
0
These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
This service may contain translations provided by Google. Google disclaims all warranties, express or implied, with respect to translations, including any warranties of accuracy, reliability, and any implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and freedom from forgery.
Moira M
Perth, Australia27 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
Excellent tour.Lovely to visit TV locations of Outlander.Plenty.of walking time at the Hermitage.Nice lunch stop in Dunkeld.a splendid day topped off by the Ediburgh Tattoo.I highly recommend Highland Explorer. went to Shetland Up Helly Aa tour 4 years ago. Great guides and drivers.
Written 29 January 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 Moira,
Thank you for taking the time to leave such a wonderful review of your experiences with Highland Explorer Tours. What better way to end a day chasing waterfalls and drinking whisky than to watch a performance of the most incredible show at Edinburgh Castle? The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
You really must love soaking up Scottish culture if you joined us on Up Helly Aa in Shetland too!
We would love to welcome you back on another tour some day soon - we look forward to hearing from you...
Kind regards,
Ayla
Written 2 February 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Sandra M
1 contribution
Aug 2019
Our day was absolutely awesome. Great tour guide/bus driver during the day and the Tattoo was amazing
Written 13 November 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.
4kaz
Ontario, Canada35 contributions
Aug 2019
We had a most enjoyable tour of the Scottish Highlands by a knowledgeable and engaging guide Charlie. Would highly recommend this tour of the beautiful Scottish countryside. Hopefully you too will have Charlie as your guide.
From 🇨🇦
(PS A big hello to Charlie’s Nana on her iPad!)
From 🇨🇦
(PS A big hello to Charlie’s Nana on her iPad!)
Written 19 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.
明美 広
2 contributions
I'm glad I was able to do a lot of sightseeing. However, I didn't know the detailed schedule for each day, so I wish I had received it by email in advance.
The staff were very kind and helpful.
I wish there was a Japanese version of the site.
The staff were very kind and helpful.
I wish there was a Japanese version of the site.
Written 18 August 2023
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.
Leigh D
6 contributions
Our tour guide was Charlie the Scott. He was so informative and delivered the package with absolute professionalism and excitement. He is just what the highland explorer company should expect from their staff to protect the brand of the business. He was fill of knowledge and was funny while delivering his tour. He even showed us some highland coos.
Written 18 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.
Donna H
Ames7 contributions
Aug 2019
Nice daytime tour through the Highlands, but the BEST part was the Military Tattoo, which is only held in August, so if I'm ever able to travel to Edinburgh again, it will have to be in August!!💙😊💙
Written 10 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.
Thanks for your review. It is brilliant to hear you had such a good time on tour and that you really enjoyed the Edinburgh Tattoo, not many people get to see it so we are glad you could experience it. We hope to see you back in Scotland soon! Kind Regards, Emma
Written 22 August 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Neridah P
7 contributions
Aug 2018 • Couples
Our tour guide/driver Duncan was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our day was amazing.....everything went very smoothly and everyone arrived back to the bus at the end of each stop either early or right on time! We felt very safe with Duncan at the wheel of the bus and had a most enjoyable day. The Edinburgh Tattoo was breathtaking and it was also lovely to catch up and have a chat with people whom we had met during the day trip.
Written 31 August 2018
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 for taking the time to write us a review. It is fantastic to hear you enjoyed the tour with Duncan. He has a great stories about Scotland! I am glad he made you feel safe too. The military tattoo is so amazing and we are glad you enjoyed it. Hope to see you on another tour with us one day.
Kind regards,
Siiri
Written 5 September 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jenningseliz
Ridgewood, NJ42 contributions
Aug 2018 • Family
Not sure where to start. Get tickets!! I'll start there. Absolutely, lives up the name and the music and military presence from around the world is so well done. It is a small venue so all the seat are good.
Written 20 August 2018
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 for such a positive review. I am thrilled you enjoyed the Military Tattoo, it's such a unique experience! Hope you will return to Scotland soon.
Kind regards,
Siiri
Written 31 August 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Lynn S
4 contributions
Emily was amazing! She’s a great story teller and…even a Fantastic driver and tour host!
Very informative and interacts very well with all ages!
Very informative and interacts very well with all ages!
Written 17 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, Thanks for the response to the tour. Glad to hear Emily was informative and gave you a great tour.
Hope to see you on tour again in the future!
Best wishes,
Callum
Written 10 September 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Odyssey46851023514
2 contributions
Aug 2023 • Solo
Great trip with Dusty, great story teller.
Seeing the country side outside of Edinburgh was wonderful.
Seeing the country side outside of Edinburgh was wonderful.
Written 11 August 2023
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.
How much are good tickets on a Tuesday in August
Written 13 June 2019
Goedendag, kunt u aangeven welke zitplaatsen we hebben als ik nu boek voor Military Tattoo voor 3 pers. op 24 aug 2019? Is dit de laatste dag? En wordt het inderdaad met vuurwerkshow afgesloten?
Written 20 February 2019
Is covered seating available at extra cost?
Written 12 October 2018
Showing results 1-5 of 5
Buy it with
Top rated
*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.