As you drive north from Edinburgh on this 9-hour excursion you’ll get chance to marvel at the engineering miracle of the Kelpies sculptures as you pass. Then, as you travel through Stirlingshire, your guide will bring to life the turbulent times of William Wallace, dramatized in the film Braveheart, and explain his link to the area you're passing through. Your first stop is the city of Stirling, where you'll have ample time to visit the stunning castle (admission not included) or enjoy a walk along the atmospheric, ancient streets that surround it. Then, journey to Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park, and make a stop on the shore of Scotland's biggest loch: Loch Lomond. You will have a chance to take in the views and stroll along the shores of the loch. Take the opportunity to visit one of Scotland's best-known distilleries, where you’ll learn how they make their whisky and get a dram of their Single Malt Whisky (optional extra).

Enjoy a full-day tour of the Scottish Heartlands departing Edinburgh and traveling in small groups for a more intimate experience. Take a scenic drive through Perthshire, looking at the lochs and glens of the Highlands. Cross the Forth Road Bridge, passing one of Scotland's great engineering wonders, and continue into the Kingdom of Fife. Pass Loch Leven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. Pass Perth, before crossing the Highland Boundary Fault line. Surrounded by beautiful scenery, on the banks of the River Tay, visit the cathedral town of Dunkeld and the Hermitage, to take a fantastic woodland walk up to the Black Linn Falls. Stop at the Victorian resort town of Pitlochry, and visit the great shops and restaurants, or take a stroll down towards Loch Faskally. See the unmistakable peak of Schiehallion, and beyond to the mountains of Glencoe.  Continue alongside Loch Tummel, and head past the spectacular 16th-century Castle Menzies towards the town of Aberfeldy and Dewar's Aberfeldy Whisky Distillery. After enjoying a dram of the "water of life," return to the lowlands and back to Edinburgh.

Enjoy a fabulous day trip from Edinburgh to experience Scotland’s beautiful countryside just minutes from the capital. Drive to the stunning Highlands, and stop to sample a drop of the national drink to get a complete taste of Scotland. Leaving Edinburgh, the tour makes its way to the ancient capital of Stirling, where the skyline is dominated by its castle on the rock and the iconic Wallace Monument. Stop to hear of Scotland’s most famous patriot and his part in the medieval Wars of Independence.  Say hello to “Hamish the hairy coo”, before driving through the scenic Trossachs National Park. Heading further into the Highlands, pass the shimmering waters of Loch Earn, before stopping for lunch at The Famous Grouse Experience, one of Scotland’s best-known whisky distilleries. Once revived, enjoy a “wee dram” of Scotch whisky and drink the “Water of Life.” Continue to the Hermitage in the heart of Perthshire for a short woodland walk to see the spectacular Black Linn Falls on the River Braan. On the return journey, visit the quaint village of Dunkeld, an area associated with Macbeth, where the stunning cathedral sits on the banks of the River Tay. Pass the iconic Forth Bridge on the way back into Edinburgh, admiring the fantastic 19th-century feat of engineering.

A warm welcome awaits you in Speyside, home to more than half of Scotland's malt whiskey distilleries. Sample local whiskey and enjoy the scenery of Cairngorm, Speyside, and Royal Deeside on a tasting trip from Edinburgh. Day 1: Head north through the Kingdom of Fife to Lindores Abbey Distillery. This modern Scottish distillery is built on the site of the first-ever recorded distillery in the country.  After lunch in Braemar, you can sample the delights of the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. The outstanding flavor of its whisky was appreciated by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert on one of many visits to their summer residence, Balmoral Castle.  If your tour departs between November 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, you'll visit the Whisky Castle instead of the Royal Lochnagar Distillery. At this whisky specialist shop, you can enjoy a tasting of 3 drams. At the end of your first day, continue through the Cairngorms National Park before reaching Grantown on Spey, your base for 2 nights (accommodation included). Day 2: Enjoy a whole day exploring Scotland’s most famous whiskey region. After a scenic drive towards the coast, make your first stop of the day at Glen Moray Distillery, where you can try whisky matured in a wide selection of casks.  Travel back up the Spey River to Craigellachie for a visit to the Speyside Cooperage (Monday and Wednesday tours only). At this location, discover another aspect of the whiskey-making process. After lunch in nearby Aberlour, visit 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. From here, travel back to Grantown on Spey. Day 3: In the morning visit Scotland's highest distillery at Dalwhinnie, set in splendid mountain scenery at the heart of the Cairngorm National Park. Then, enjoy the majesty of Royal Deeside. Pass by Balmoral Castle, and stop in the village of Braemar in the heart of the National Park. From here, the route south passes over Scotland’s highest mountain pass, through Perthshire, and back to Edinburgh.

*Until 1st April 2023 this tour visits NB Gin Distillery (entrance not included in tour price). From 1st April 2023 you visit Buck and Birch Distillery (entrance and tastings included in tour price). Entrance to Glenkinchie Distillery included from April 2023. Before April 2023 visit is optional and tickets can be purchased on tour. Depart from Edinburgh in the morning and travel to NB Distillery*. This gin producer launched in 2013 with a mission to develop the perfect gin. Taste it yourself and find out whether they have accomplished their goal. From April 2023 this visit changes to Buck & Birch Distillery*, a family owned gin and spirit producer focused on creating the best tasting drinks possible using locally sourced botanical ingredients. The tour continues up the east coast to North Berwick, one of the most beautiful seaside villages of East Lothian. Browse the artisan shops in the village and enjoy lunch in one of the local restaurants. Leave the coastline and arrive at Glenkinchie Distillery*, nestled in a peaceful glen. Founded in 1825, the distillery languished in obscurity for over 150 years before becoming an international brand at the end of the 1980s. Find out how the distillery became such a success and sample their Malt Whiskies. From here, it's a short drive back to Edinburgh, through golden wheat and barley fields.

On Day 1 of the journey, we will be departing from Scotland's vibrant capital, Edinburgh, taking a moment to capture a few snapshots of its iconic Forth road and rail bridges, before venturing into the captivating Kingdom of Fife. This marks the beginning of our whisky pilgrimage that will start at Lindores Abbey Distillery, renowned for its historic whisky past. Here, we will embark on a distillery tour, learning about their whisky-making process, followed by a tasting of two different varieties. Lindores also produce their award-winning Aqua Vitae, a handcrafted botanical spirit, ideal on its own or with a splash of ginger ale and orange. Next up is the historical market town of Blairgowrie, where you can explore the town and grab some lunch (own expense) before heading to Royal Lochnagar Distillery, situated at the foot of the Cairngorm mountains and a mile away from Balmoral Castle. Here, we will get the chance to experience a tutored Warehouse Tasting of four different kinds of whisky, which cannot be sampled anywhere else! Finally, we will settle for two nights in Grantown-on-Spey, founded by Sir James Grant in 1766. Day 2 will begin with a scenic drive along the banks of the River Spey, and then we will pay a visit to the iconic Glenlivet Distillery for a Single Cask Tasting. It boasts an intriguing history of illicit distilling. Their whisky has gained worldwide recognition, so the tasting will certainly be a good one! After that, you can gain an understanding of the work of the cooper, who are in charge of the whisky casks, when visiting the Speyside Cooperage (subject to availability). Later on, we will make a stop at Strathisla Distillery, offering you the chance to master the art of blending and create your very own whisky! The final day will involve a tour and tasting at a distillery, followed by a farewell to Speyside and a return south.