Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle & Estate *Balmoral Castle & Estate is closed from the 12th of August to 1st of October 2024. This tour stop will be changed to the National Trust for Scotland's- Crathes Castle during this time. When the Balmoral Estate reopens as a country park, we will resume a visit to Balmoral in October 2024. Balmoral is a treasured family home for the Royal family since 1850, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert chose this beautiful region to create their great escape. A landscape with stunning views of the hills and mountains, fields of heather and the majestic river Dee that flows through it. The estate was the late Queen Elizabeth's private country retreat in Scotland and a beloved home. King Charles III has a great affection for the castle and grounds and often spends time walking through the estate. We highly recommend listening to the audio tour. The audio will share stories and guides you around the estate. (Pre-booked Balmoral entry tickets will receive the audio tour free!) The Ballroom is only room open to visitors within the Castle. The objects in the Ballroom are from within the Castle, and are all objects that belong to the Royal Family. Village of Ballater The Victorian village of Ballater sits in the heart of Royal Deeside, at the eastern gateway to the Cairngorms National Park, making it one of Scotland’s most scenic visitor spots. A stroll around the village reveals an interesting range of specialty shops and good selection of restaurants and cafes to enjoy some of the local food & drink. Be sure to visit the beautiful Victorian Railway Station and the tourist information centre which has more information about the village. Cambus O’May Suspension Bridge The Cambus O' May suspension bridge spans the river Dee and is a legacy from the estate of Alexander Gordon. Built in 1905, the footbridge is 50 m long and carries visitors to the other side. Footpaths from the bridge lead to Torphantrick wood and the Muir of Dinnet nature reserve, popular spots for visitors who enjoy woodland walks and wild swimming in the river. Tomnavarie Stone Circle Tomnaverie is a recumbent stone circle, a kind of monument found only in north-eastern Scotland. The stone circle surrounds a burial cairn dating to about 4,500 years ago. Relatively little is known about why we have these structures, there are several theories which you’ll discover on your visit. The Queen’s View Just outside the village of Tarland is the Queen's View. 'The Queens View' gained its name from Queen Victoria who fell in love with the view of the lower valley of the Howe of Cromar which includes a view of the peak of Lochnagar.

Discover Edinburgh's hidden gems with our audio tour. In addition to the well-known attractions, our audio guide will unveil the city's hidden treasures as you take a delightful stroll, showcasing why Edinburgh is a city worth exploring. Are you ready to explore the heart of Edinburgh on foot? Put on your most comfortable walking shoes, as we have the perfect itinerary just for you. Start your self-guided walking tour with the CityAppTour app, where you will discover the city's key highlights and some hidden treasures. In just three hours, you can visit Edinburgh's most famous landmarks, including the Scott Monument, St Giles' Cathedral, the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Arthur’s Seat, and more. This itinerary has been thoughtfully designed to ensure you make the most of your time in the city. The CityAppTour app uses GPS and a detailed map to navigate your journey, eliminating the need for an expensive guide. Listen to captivating stories collected by a local professional guide as you explore. This tour will lead you past Edinburgh’s major attractions, notable public buildings, historic places of worship, cultural hotspots, restaurants, and cafes. You'll also discover some lesser-known facts about the city along the way. Take breaks at your leisure to relax and enjoy a coffee at one of the charming cafés en route. With CityAppTour, you have the freedom to walk at your own pace and truly savor the experience. Once activated, the tour is available until the end of the next day, giving you ample time to complete your journey. Don’t wait any longer; book now to embark on your self-guided adventure and experience Edinburgh on your own terms.

Day 1 You head north through the Kingdom of Fife, to your first distillery; Lindores Abbey. This is a modern Scottish distillery built on the site of the first-ever recorded distiller in the country in 1494. Visit this site to discover the historic legacy of the area blended with innovation and sustainable practices all captured in their fine whisky. Continue north towards the UK's largest National Park, Cairngorms National Park. This will be a stunning drive, so keep your cameras ready. You stop in Braemar and have some time for lunch and a little explore. A bite to eat is a good idea though because your next stop is the Whisky Castle. This whisky emporium has been selling the finest malt whiskies for over 120 years and is stocking over 600 malts. Savour three Speyside whiskies to get familiar with a distinctive taste of this region. Once you’ve warmed with this dram of “the gentle spirit”, you continue through the Cairngorms National Park before reaching Grantown-on-Spey, your base for two nights. Day 2 Today you spend the whole day exploring Scotland’s most famous whisky region. Your first stop is Cardhu Distillery*,which is the first distillery pioneered by a woman, Helen Cumming. Today, Cardhu is the most important whisky in Johnnie Walker Black Label. After lunch in nearby Aberlour, you travel along the Spey River to Craigellachie for a visit to the Speyside Cooperage**, where you see another aspect of the whisky making process. After a scenic drive towards the coast, you head to Glen Moray, where you can try whisky matured in a wide selection of casks. Time permitting, your driver-guide might stop in at Sueno's Stone for a quick photo, where you can admire this incredible Pictish standing stone. From here you travel back to Grantown-on-Spey. Day 3 In the morning get ready for a whisky and chocolate tasting at Dalwhinnie Distillery, set in splendid mountain scenery at the heart of the Cairngorm National Park. You then leave the Highlands and journey south to Perthshire. Lying in the heart of Scotland, Pitlochry is a beautiful little town with plenty of shops, restaurants, and cafes. The time is yours to explore and have some lunch. Next, you stop for a walk among towering Douglas firs in the Hermitage, a lovely forest with a roaring waterfall. From here the route south takes you to the stunning wee village of Dunkeld, where you've got some time to explore before heading to your final whisky experience of the tour. You then over the Firth of Forth, take in the magnificent South Queensferry bridges, and head back into Edinburgh. *Itinerary and distillery visits are subject to change.

This is a private tour for your group only. Aberdeenshire has many treasures to offer and we will take you on a private tour to areas that are stunning and interesting. A suggested itinerary depending on your hotel location and availability: -Old Aberdeen - Fascinating medieval history -Dunnottar Castle - one of the worlds most iconic -Crathes Castle - 16th century masterpiece with amazing gardens -Lunch at nice restaurant -Royal Lochnagar Distillery/Glen Garioch Distillery - Whisky Tasting tour (included in cost). We can also include Balmoral Castle instead of the Distillery. Please note Balmoral is usually open Apr-Aug but in 2024 it may extend these dates. Please contact us at time of booking with any requests or questions. Choose your own itinerary. Pick up/drop is included. Access to the castle interiors and Distillery Tasting Tours are subject to seasonal opening times. Most castles are free to see from the outside. Please contact us for details. You must be over 18 to taste the whisky during the Distillery Tour but younger people are welcome.

Balmoral Castle and Gardens - 10% Off Belwade – Free Farm Entrance (normally worth £3) Blair Castle & Gardens - 15% Off Bothies Tours & Transport Services - 10% Off Cullen Sea School - 10% Off Cairngorms Activities - 10% Off Dewars Aberfeldy Distillery - 10% Off Discovery Point & RSS Discovery – 10% Off Grampian Transport Museum - 50% Off Kincardine Estate Beat – 10% Off Maryculter House Hotel - 10% Off More in Moray Tours- 10% Off Ogilvy Spirits Farm and Distillery - 10% Off Peterculter Golf - 25% Off Peterhead Prison Museum - 10% Off Ride in Peace - 20% Off Strathisla Distillery- 10% Off The City of Aberdeen Distillery & Gin School - 10% Off The Gordon Highlanders Museum - 10% Off Timberbush Tours - 15% Off Toll House Spirits - 20% Off Verdant Works – 20% Off Coming Soon: His Majesty’s Theatre This product website is updated on a regular basis, and all reasonable steps are undertaken to ensure that the information and data shown on it is as accurate as possible. The aim is to correct any errors or omissions as soon as practicable after being notified of them. However, it cannot be guaranteed that the Website will be fault free and the company do not accept liability for any errors or omissions. Business listing information such as opening times, prices, availability, and other information may change from time to time. To the extent permitted by applicable law, we therefore disclaim all warranties and representations (whether express or implied) as to the accuracy of any information contained on the Website.

Departing from Edinburgh, our small group tour will travel across the iconic Forth Bridges, spanning 3 centuries of development, we continue through the Kingdom of Fife towards Dundee. Famous for its publishing industry, Dundee is home to the V&A Museum (optional extra). First opened in 2018, the V&A is Scotland’s first design museum and is also the first Victoria and Albert museum outside of London. With ever-changing exhibitions celebrating design from Scotland and around the world, it makes for a fascinating visit. After a short stop at the seaside village of St Cyrus we continue to the spectacular Dunnottar Castle, one of the most famous sights of the northeast. Sitting on a rocky headland and surrounded by water, not far from the village of Stonehaven, stands the castle. Following our stop at Dunnottar Castle, we will head towards the picturesque town that sits below it - Stonehaven. Here, there will be time to explore the seaside towns’ streets and shops. Our final stop of Day 1 is Aberdeen, also known as the "Granite City" for the abundance of granite buildings, which you may notice will appear to sparkle in the sun. Here, you will check in to your overnight accommodation and have plenty of free time in the evening to explore the city. Day 2 We will begin our second day by checking out of our accommodation and heading westwards out of Aberdeen towards Crathes Castle. Enjoy views of the Granite City and its surrounding areas as you leave. With magnificent turrets, gargoyles and a beautiful walled garden, Crathes Castle is a fantastic place to visit. Spend time here taking in the history of the 16th century castle and explore its spectacular grounds which go back to the 18th century. We continue westwards, through scenic towns like Banchory and the beautiful Aberdeenshire countryside, towards Ballater, where we will stop for a lunch break. Our next stop is the world-famous Balmoral Castle, the much-loved Highland home of the British Monarchy. Here, we will spend time and you will be able to see the exhibitions. As well as this, you will be able to enjoy the spectacular grounds on which the castle lies. After our tour of Balmoral Castle, we head south towards Edinburgh. On the way, we will stop at the Devil’s Elbow viewpoint. It offers spectacular Highland views and is still part of the massive Cairngorms National Park. Keep an eye out here for much of the wildlife that is known to inhabit the area. As we continue further south, our final stop before we reach Edinburgh will be the city of Perth. After a comfort break here where you will have a short time to explore the historic city, we begin our journey back to Edinburgh. There will be another chance to get a look at the magnificent Forth Bridges as we cross the Forth for a 2nd time before arriving back in Edinburgh.

Discover the enchanting allure of Queen Victoria's "paradise in the Highlands" on a guided tour of Balmoral Castle and the surrounding area. Explore what makes this stunning region so beloved by the Royal Family and how its rich history and heritage continue to influence our culture today. Hear from one of Aberdeen's legendary kilt experts how tartan is a symbol of Scottish heritage and pride, originally serving both practical and cultural purposes. Peruse the different tartan patterns, learn about the differences between tartan and tweed, and how traditional Highland dress is worn today. See the majestic River Dee, one of Scotland's most scenic and significant rivers. Learn how the river's pure waters support a rich diversity of wildlife, including otters, freshwater pearl mussels, and various bird species like ospreys and dippers. Stop for refreshments at the Potarch Cafe before visiting the country estates of Aberdeenshire, renowned for their stunning landscapes, featuring rolling hills, ancient woodlands, and expansive moors. See how land management on these estates is crucial for preserving the environment and maintaining the area's biodiversity. Stop at the Glen Tanar estate for a short walk and a toast to Aberdeenshire and Scotland. Visit the charming village of Ballater, known for its strong royal connections. Enjoy some leisure time for lunch or refreshments while soaking in the ambiance of the community, or a browse in some of the shops. Finally, visit Balmoral Castle, nestled in the stunning landscapes of Royal Deeside, the beloved Scottish retreat of the British Royal Family. Explore the castle, with its distinctive Scottish Baronial architecture, and the gardens, featuring beautifully manicured lawns, and vibrant flower beds.