Scottish Guided Tours

Scottish Guided Tours

Tours of Scotland

Guided Tours of Scotland - Private Day Tours & Multi-Day Tours

Scottish Guided Tours specialise in unique private tours of Scotland. Exclusive fun and relaxed small group tours for your family, friends or travelling companions. Experience a magical Isle of Skye Tour & the wonders of the ‘Misty Isle’ 

Enjoy the ultimate Loch Ness & Scottish Highland Tours or Outlander Scotland Tours inspired by the hit TV show. Explore the very best of Scotlands Highlands & Islands with your own local tour guide. Browse our tours of Scotland below and plan a bespoke tour that matches your time frame and interests. Explore Scotland with a private tour guide and itinerary planning. Experience the best of Scotland – Enquire about Private Guided Tours of Scotland

 

Niall and his team of experienced Scottish Tour Guides always aim to give the best possible experience, whether heritage related, historical, cultural or perhaps, a mixture of all three. Fun and authentic private guided tours of Scotland – The best Scotland has to offer.

‘Niall is an experienced Scottish tour guide. Raised in the mountains and glens of Scotland and inspired by his father, renowned Scottish author and historian Dr Rennie McOwan, Niall and his team feel passionately about their role as bespoke private tour guides.

Directly descended from legendary Highland stalker Donald Ross, Chief Stalker to the Duke of Portland..  Read more….

Scottish Guided Tours - Tours of Scotland

Private Day Tours of Scotland

Explore a variety of luxury private tours with Scottish Guided Tours. Private guided tours offering you complete door to door convenience.

Private multi-day Tours of Scotland

Multi-Day Tours of Scotland

Book an overnight private tour of with Scottish Guided Tours. Embark on a 2 day Private Tour, or even a 14 day small group tour of Scotland.

Day Tours of Scotland

Bespoke Private Tours of Scotland

Plan your very own, private bespoke day tours or multi-day tour. Private guided tours of Scotland focused on your time frame and interests.

Chesapeak Tourist
Chesapeak Tourist
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You Won't Regret a Tour with Niall! In the spring of 2018, our party of 3 adults visited Scotland for the first time. We arranged a day-long private tour outside of Edinburgh with Niall McOwen. Before arrival, we exchanged emails about our expectations. Some attractions the three of us asked to see were probably the usual tourist fair for first time visitors, but Niall also took us to places we didn't even know to ask about! Mr. McOwen was considerate, interesting, knowledgeable and truly concerned about the desires of our group. Around mid-day, the restaurant he chose provided us with good food, a bit of shopping and some time for us to get to know each other better. Getting to see this beautiful country through his eyes helped me to understand more of Scotland, its history and its citizens. If we are ever blessed to visit Scotland again, Niall will absolutely be included as part of our trip.
Lori Q
Lori Q
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An Epic Day to Remember! Scottish Guided Tours offers some preplanned itineraries, but their specialty is in working with you to customize a single or multi-day tour to fit your specific needs. We’d been to Scotland in the fall of 2017 and started planning our second trip as soon as we got back. We wanted to go to places a bit off the beaten track this time, so contacted Niall McOwan of Scottish Guided Tours. Niall built on our “must see” request, and suggested some other sites that worked well with our schedule. He picked us up from our hotel, and gave us an absolutely epic day to remember! One highlight was visiting an Old Kirk that is the final resting place of the famous Highlander Rob Roy MacGregor. Just behind the Kirk, we hiked up a trail that took us to a rallying point overlooking Loch Voil. A stone cairn at marked the place where Clan MacLaren would have lit a fiery cross to summon their men to battle. The view from this spot was just breathtaking! Throughout the day, Niall filled us in on the significance, history, and lore related to our stops. In addition to taking us to absolutely stunning viewpoints and ruins, he knew the best places to stop for lunch, coffee, and restrooms. 🙂 Our entire experience with Scottish Guided Tours from planning to the drop off back at our hotel was smooth, professional, friendly, knowledgeable and fun! I can without any hesitation recommend this service to anyone looking for a custom tour in and around Scotland.
Laura M
Laura M
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First guided tour, Don’t often write reviews but felt the need to for our trip. We live in Spain and decided on a little trip back to the motherland,we were not disappointed and our trip was made even better by Niall,his knowledge and passion for his country and what he does is evident,not your bog standard repitive tour guide,there was not one day of our trip that he didn’t have us laughing. Can highly recommend Scottish guided tours,we will return and when we do,we will definitely be booking with Niall.
Kirstie B
Kirstie B
Edradour Distillery & Best of Scotland Day Tour
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Best of Scotland & Edradour Distillery Day Tour We spent a really entertaining and informative day with our guide, Niall ( Neal in Gaelic). He took us north to see the three bridges from different eras that span the Firth of Forth. It was fun to see a train go over the old one. Then we were off to Dunkeld, the river Tay, a wee hike in the woods to find a salmon ladder (alas,, no salmon running at that moment), coffee at a charming shop in Dunkeld, a tour at Edradour Distillery, the only remaining hand made single malt whiskey in Scotland, and the smallest to boot. We had a quick look at the village of Pitlocry, and ended the day at Loch Tummel to see The Queen's View. One more coffee stop, and it was back to Edinburg. But the best part of this fine day was the time we spent with Niall, who was a font of information, jovial and witty. As one does, we compared cultures, talked about everything under the sun, and laughed together much of the time. If you are looking for a tour guide with a warm demeanor and a kind and helpful personality, Niall is the best.
Ickles Family
Ickles Family
Private Tour of Scotland
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Best Day Ever!!!! My family and I had the good fortune to have Niall as our personal tour guide for a day during our vacation to Scotland. We found that one day wasn't enough! Niall taught us more about his country in 10 hours than a professor in History could have done in 10 weeks. He was an absolute pleasure to be around. He made sure our day was spectacular from beginning to end. We can't wait to go back and let Niall show us more!
DMarieC
DMarieC
Extraordinary & Outstanding
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Extraordinary and outstanding! With all the great tour guides I have hired, Niall stood out. He was with our family from Nov. 21-25. He picked us up at the Edinburgh airport and we started touring immediately. seeing the Kelpies, South Queensferry and the Forth Bridges all in the first afternoon. After that, we spent four more days together while he regaled us with history, legends and fairy stories. He listened and did not interrupt. Niall seemed to know how much to talk and how much to listen. He played the most beautiful Scottish music as we drove. We felt immersed in Scottish history and culture. He even wore his kilt for two of the five days. He went out of his way to accommodate our dietary needs. (It really helped that he is vegan himself.) We traveled through ancient woodlands, burial sites, battlefields, castles, fairy pools and fairy glens, mountain ranges, Outlander, Harry Potter and other film sites. We ended up enjoying him so much that we considered him part of the family and wanted him for the rest of our stay. Finally, we all noticed how kind Niall was with not only us, but with everyone including other drivers, restaurant staff and hotel staff. I only hope that he will be available when we return. We thought that Scotland was magical and that magic was mainly because of him. We would never tour with anyone else. Niall is the very best.
Wendy M
Wendy M
Private Tours are the best!
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Private tours are the best! Spending a day doing what you want to do is the best tour option! We had been on many small group tours and found them enjoyable, but for the ultimate tour experience, choosing your day exactly how you want is definitely the way to go! Niall, at Scottish Guided Tours, is the man for the job! He picked us up at our hotel, and we spent the day exploring the Trossachs National Park. We visited four lochs (lakes), several historical locations, explored at our own pace and hiked to breathtaking locations that we wouldn't have known about if it weren't for Niall's expertise of the area. You don't need a headset to explain every step of the way when Niall is happy to provide you with history and insight into each location. He is also kind, funny and a great companion for touring around (he knows all the great food stops, too). During our last visit to Scotland, I felt the tour stop locations were a bit crowded, and I wanted to do a little more hiking into the depths of the beautiful forests of Scotland. We hiked to incredible mountain viewpoints, beside streams and along lochs. It was the best! Of course, if hiking isn't your thing, the beauty of Niall's tours is that you can do anything you want - well, with time and distance considered. 🙂 Don't hesitate, contact Niall to discuss 'your' trip. You won't regret it!
Jamie A
Jamie A
Mind Blowing Experience
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My expectations were quite low, given the current Covid19 pandemic and the time of year for our trip. I couldn't have been more wrong. Our trip was customized to our group, including Rosslyn Chapel (phenomenal at morning light!), Wallace Monument (so many steps but SO worth it for those views and historical information) and Stirling Castle (great but loved the graveyard views most of all). The tours, with individual guides, were impressive and fun but Niall made each experience far richer, giving us even more colorful and fun-filled facts to soak in. His enthusiasm was infectious, leaving me hungry for more Scottish history and folklore details. The research now begins. I hope to be more prepared for the next tour with Niall, because there will be more in my future! (Cheers, Niall!! You made my trip even more magical, even though you couldn't wear the kilt - another travesty due to the timing for the visit! 🙂)
Victoria Longtin
Victoria Longtin
Excellent Historical Tour with the Best Guide
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My father and I visited Scotland mid-September 2021 and did a one day tour with Niall from Edinburgh. He picked us up from our hotel fully decked out in a kilt and sweater, a true Scotsmen to the core. Niall was the definition of gracious and had such vast knowledge to impart. My father and I are both history buffs and were particularly interested in Stirling Castle and Bridge (which we visited and received detailed accounts about William Wallace and many other historical characters of note), upon learning that we were also interested in Robert the Bruce, he detoured slightly to take us by his monument at Bannockburn, where he regaled us with a favorite story from the beginning of that famous battle. Niall makes history come alive and is the definition of a born storyteller. Along the drive he asked about the rest of our trip and proceeded to expand upon other locations we were visiting such as the history of the Massacre at Glencoe and his favorite fairytale from the Isle of Skye. He also took us to see the Kelpies at Falkirk, it would be easy for a guide to simply take tourists there and let them wander about, but Niall explained how the Kelpies were a public works project that revitalized the area, my father was interested in one of the bridges we passed and commented; again Niall went into detail about how and why they were built. This is a man who truly knows his country and is so proud to show it off! For the sake of a proper review I will also add that his vehicle was comfortable, clean and we were in good hands. But it was his knowledge, charm and true friendliness that made him stand apart! My father was interested in having a custom kilt made, and the place we had originally planned to go happened to be closed. We asked Niall for a recommendation and in short order he had us going to an excellent place and even dropped us there at the end of the tour to save us some time. I found Niall through the site Tours by Locals but I would encourage anyone to book with his company Scottish Guided Tours directly, and for much longer than a few hours! I learned so much in the short time I spent with him and no doubt that quality carries through with his other tour options. Perhaps the best guided tour I have ever been on and I am so grateful for the opportunity and all that I learned along the way! Thank you Niall!!!
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Why Scottish Guided Tours?

Door to Door Service

Your private tour guide shall greet you at your chosen location. Hotel, B&B or even Cruise Ship Terminal. The most convenient start possible to your private tour of Scotland. Complete Door to Door service from Scottish Guided Tours. 

Tour guide Edinburgh

Your Guides

Niall and his team of experienced Scottish Tour Guides aim to give the best possible experience, whether heritage related, historical, cultural or perhaps, a mixture of all three. Fun and authentic private guided tours of Scotland – The best Scotland has to offer.

Transport

Our brand new vehicles ensure great views, comfort and plenty of room for all travellers and luggage. Private Small Group Tours of Scotland exclusively for your travelling companions.

Scottish Guided Tours

Private Tours of Scotland

Scottish Guided Tours deliver fantastic private tours of Scotland exclusively for your group of travellers. No travellers shall be mixed with any other private groups. Bespoke tours of Scotland designed around your time frame & interests.

Covid-19 Precautions

All guides are vaccinated and vehicles are meticulously cleaned. Face masks and sanitiser are provided. Private guided tours are exclusively for family or fellow travelling companions. Private small group tours of Scotland are the safest way to travel.

Small Group Tours of Scotland

Small Group Tours of Scotland

The flexibility of small group tours of Scotland is one of the great bonuses of travelling exclusively with your family and friends. Bespoke itineraries, designed around your time frame and interests. Why not enquire about experiencing our world-famous Highland Games for example or our Scottish Island Tours. A great addition to any Scotland Tour. We love to help plan and deliver the best private tours of Scotland –  Enquire about small group tours of Scotland 

Scottish Island Tours

Scotland has over 900 islands, so allow us to plan and deliver the best Scottish Island tours. Our heritage, including our Viking past, is still very much evident on our islands. From the incredible Inner and Outer Hebrides to the outer reaches of Shetland and the neolithic wonders of the Orkney Islands. Scotland is an island paradise with history and folklore as abundant as our beautiful beaches and crystal clear ocean – Enquire about Scottish Island Tours

Luxury Private Tour of Scotland

At Scottish Guided Tours, there is no luxury private tour of Scotland that we can’t accommodate. Small group tours, exclusively for your family and friends, may include a mixture of historic, whisky, golf, fishing, fine dining, and walking. We pride ourselves on creating bespoke itineraries that meet your exact requirements. Your time frame and interests, coupled with our experience for an unforgettable luxury private tour of Scotland. Our small group tours progress at a pace that allows you to enjoy Scotland. Together we decide how long you wish to stay at each location – Enquire about Luxury Private Tours of Scotland

Airport Shuttle Service

Before a private tour of Scotland can begin or your small group tour of Scotland can get underway, you may have to get from the airport or arrival point to your hotel. Our shuttle service can sometimes be the most convenient way to travel to your accommodation on your arrival day in Scotland. 

We are always on hand to help with any aspect of your Scotland travels. You may want to know what to pack, or what airport is best. You may just require a dinner recommendation – Say Hello!! Allow us to take care of everything

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