Scottish Castles Experience 2025/2026

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From$1,340 pp
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1-888-597-3519

905-639-9954

dhtour@dhtour.ca

4 Days / 3 Nights (B 'n B or hotel)
Availability : April - October
Start: Edinburgh, Scotland
End: Edinburgh, Scotland

Scottish Castles Experience: 2 nts Aberdeen, 1 nt Nairn

Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or dhtour@dhtour.ca to book. 

Calling all Lords and Ladies, or anyone who’s ever dreamed of owning their own castle. Join the ranks of history lovers while you travel through magnificent mountain passes. You visit Scotland’s most impressive castles, tower forts, and palaces, as your guide recounts epic tales of conceit and treachery. You even visit a distillery that was started by one of the pioneering women in the whisky industry. This tour is your ticket into Scotland’s medieval past and royal history

4 DAYS / 3 NIGHTS / MAX 16 GUESTS / SMALL COACH

DetailItineraryDates & PricesMapPhotos
Tour Details
Places you explore

Royal Deeside – Long frequented by the royal family, this protected area boasts some of the finest views of nature in northeast Scotland.

Crathes Castle – Crathes Castle, with its pink façade, turrets, and vibrant garden, feels like a fairytale—yet it’s also haunted by the Green Lady.

St Andrews – Golf was so popular in Scotland, it was banned in the 15th century. And nowhere was it more popular than in St Andrews, ‘the Home of Golf’.

Cardhu Distillery – This once-illicit Speyside single malt scotch whisky distillery was founded in 1811 by a groundbreaking woman and a smuggler.

Culloden – In less than an hour, around 1,500 men died in this battle. Explore the battlefield and learn how this tragedy came to pass.

Blair Castle – As you explore this historic site, discover a ballroom adorned with 175 antlers and roam the 9-acre Georgian garden.

Dunnottar Castle – This cliff top fortress has seen the greats of Scotland’s history pass through its gates. Perched overlooking the North Sea, it’s an unmissable sight.

Pick Up Location & TIme

Edinburgh  (Google Map)
Check-in closes at 08:30 (tour departs at 08:45) – Gate J and Gate K, Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ

Drop off Location & Time

Edinburgh
approx. 6:30pm

Price Includes

  • 3 night Bed 'n Breakfast accommodation
  • Transport in a 16 seat Mercedes mini-coach
  • Air conditioning as standard
  • Daily full Scottish breakfasts
  • The stories and services of an English-speaking driver-guide
  • Admission to Falkland Palace
  • Admission to Castle Fraser
  • Admission to Crathes Castle
  • Admission to Fyvie Castle
  • Admission to Culloden Visitor Centre, Museum & Battlefield
  • Admission to Blair Castle and Garden
  • Flavour Journey tour and Tasting at Cardhu Distillery

Meals

  • 3 breakfast
  • 0 lunches
  • 0 dinners
  • 0 teas

Price Excludes

  • Entry fees to visitor attraction
  • Airfare
  • Transfers
  • Pre / Post hotel nights
  • Driver / Tour Leader gratuity is at your discretion
  • Travel Insurance
What to Expect

Explore in 16 seat mini-coaches, always taking the scenic route, you have great views through large windows, and you’re free to sample the local tipple without worrying about driving. Our driver-guides are world famous for their knowledge, facts, quirky stories, history, and fairy-tales. They truly take you beyond the guidebooks and into your adventure. You make your trip your own. We provide the timetable; and you can choose where you want to eat and which attractions you pay to see. So, if you want to skip a castle and read your book by a mountain view, you can.

Itinerary

Day 1Falkland Palace & St Andrews

Say goodbye to Edinburgh as we embark on a journey through Scotland’s rich history. We cross the Queensferry Crossing, taking in views of the iconic Forth Rail Bridge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as we travel through the Kingdom of Fife. This verdant region, characterized by rolling hills and fertile farmlands, was once an ancient Pictish kingdom and later played a significant role during the Middle Ages.

Your first stop of the day is Falkland Palace, originally built as a hunting lodge for Scottish kings before being transformed into a more lavish residence. During her time here, Mary Queen of Scots would play tennis on the world’s oldest tennis court, which you can still see in the palace gardens. Follow in the footsteps of this tragic heroine as you explore the palace or wander through the medieval village of Falkland, which is also featured in the television show Outlander.

Next, we head to the medieval town of St Andrews, home to Scotland’s oldest university, an iconic golf course, and the ruins of a cathedral and castle. We stop for lunch, giving you time to explore. You can try local ice cream at Jannetta’s Gelateria, visit the famous Old Course, wander through the ancient ruins, or stroll along the beach. Afterward, we continue north through the lush countryside to Dunnottar Castle. Perched on a dramatic cliff overlooking the North Sea, this ancient fortress offers a stunning mix of history and natural beauty, with stories of defiance and endurance woven into its rugged stone walls.

We head north along coastal roads, with sweeping views of the North Sea and lush, rolling farmland. As we approach Aberdeen, the “Granite City,” the scenery transforms from rural landscapes to a skyline of historic gray-stone buildings and vibrant urban life. We’ll settle in here for the night, with the evening free for you to explore as you wish.

Your overnight accommodation will be in Aberdeen.

Day 2 Castle Fraser & Crathes Castle

Enjoy a leisurely morning with a late breakfast, as we begin today’s adventure a bit later. We’ll head to Royal Deeside, a scenic region in Aberdeenshire closely tied to the British royal family and known for its many stunning castles. This area enchanted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who made Balmoral Castle their private summer retreat.

Our first stop is Castle Fraser, one of Scotland’s grandest baronial tower houses, complete with a beautiful 18th-century walled garden. Here you’ll find all the hallmarks of a historic tower house: a captivating portrait collection, hidden staircases, and stunning scenery. Dating back to the 1450s, Castle Fraser is steeped in history and has even served as a filming location.

We’ll travel to Ballater for lunch, a charming village along the River Dee surrounded by hills and frequented by the British royal family. Then, it’s on to Crathes Castle, with its pinkish façade, turrets, and enchanting gardens. Known as a fairytale castle, it’s also reputedly haunted by the “Green Lady.” Take your time exploring the castle and its famed June Borders, where colorful blooms offer picture-perfect views of the building.

As evening falls, we return through the scenic landscapes of Royal Deeside and Aberdeenshire, arriving back in Aberdeen for another night.

Your overnight accommodation will be in Aberdeen. (B)

Day 3Fyvie Castle & Culloden Battlefield

Today you can step back in time again as you explore more castles and historic sites, starting with Fyvie Castle.

This gem of Scottish baronial architecture dates back to the 13th century and is shrouded in mystery, with tales of curses and the ghostly “Green Lady.” Fyvie Castle features striking Raeburn portraits, opulent interiors, and a serene loch, making it a fascinating visit.

We’ll continue north through beautiful scenery to Elgin, where we’ll stop for lunch. If you are a history lover, make sure to marvel at the intricated carvings of a weathered Pictish stone, standing on the grounds of the ruined Elgin Cathedral. After lunch, we proceed to Culloden Battlefield, the site of the tragic end of the Jacobite Rising. Walking around this eerie, flat landscape, you can reflect on the last battle fought on British soil, a place recognized by Outlander fans as a pivotal setting in the series. A short distance away is Clava Cairns, an ancient complex of ring cairns and standing stones said to inspire the standing stones of Craigh na Dun in Outlander.

After a day full of discovering Scotland’s fascinating past, we journey to Nairn, your overnight location. This charming coastal town is renowned for its beautiful sandy beach, where you can unwind and soak in the serene atmosphere. Be sure to try to catch a stunning sunset over the Moray Firth and try some local specialties.

Your overnight accommodation will be in Nairn. (B)

Day 4Speyside Whisky region & Blair Castle

On your final day, we celebrate the Highlands with a dram of whisky. Heading south to Speyside, Scotland’s premier whisky region, we visit Cardhu Distillery, renowned for its rich Speyside malt whisky. Originally a small farm, Cardhu has flourished over 200 years and today is an essential ingredient in Johnnie Walker blends.

Enjoy a guided Flavour Journey tour and whisky tasting at Cardhu, where you’ll hear about Helen Cumming’s role in the distillery’s history and sample three of their signature drams along with a refreshing highball cocktail. We then continue south through the breathtaking Highland scenery, passing the majestic peaks of Cairngorms National Park on our way to Blair Castle in Perthshire.

Explore Blair Castle, the ancestral seat of the Atholl family, where centuries of history and architectural styles merge. Wander through its opulent rooms, filled with artifacts and stories of guests like Mary, Queen of Scots, and admire its beautiful gardens and parklands. Discover intriguing connections to Mary, Queen of Scots, as you journey through Scotland’s heritage.

Next, among the towering trees of Perthshire, you’ll take a final refreshment break in one of the regions’ charming towns before continuing south through the rolling hills and fertile farmlands of the Kingdom of Fife before returning to Edinburgh. (B)

*Itinerary and distillery visits are subject to change.

Dates and Prices - Authentic Bed 'n Breakfast accommodation
Departure Dates and Days Double/Twin (pp) Single Rate
2025: June to September – Friday $1,410 $1,580
2025: October  – Friday $1,340 $1,510
2026: April to May – Friday $1,450 $1,630
2026: June to September – Friday $1,550 $1,730
2026: October  – Friday $1,450 $1,630

All guaranteed departures.

Dates and Prices - Hotel accommodation
Departure Dates and Days Double/Twin (pp) Single Rate
2025: June to September  – Friday $1,620 $1,960
2025: October  – Friday $1,560 $1,900
2026: April to May – Friday $1,590 $1,820
2026: June to September  – Friday $1,690 $1,920
2026: October  – Friday $1,590 $1,820

All guaranteed departures.

Pricing

Pricing is per person (pp) based on twin/ double occupancy.
Rates are in $ CAD.

 


Contact DHTour at 1-888-597-3519 or 905-639-9954 or dhtour@dhtour.ca  to book.

Ask us for the best available pricing for your dates & choice of airline.

 

Notes
Mobility: All of our tours involve walking and require our guests to board and disembark our vehicles several times a day making this tour unsuitable for those with reduced mobility.

Luggage: You’re restricted to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) and a small bag for onboard personal items.

Luggage allowance – update for 2026:  You’re restricted to  permit one checked bag up to 20kg (44lbs), with maximum dimensions of 22in x 17in x 10in, as well as one small carry-on item. Checked luggage will be stored in the luggage compartment and will not be accessible during the journey. Carry-on bags should be compact and suitable for onboard storage. We kindly ask all passengers to adhere to these guidelines to ensure comfort and space for everyone.

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