Edinburgh Locals Tour in 2025

It was FANTASTIC! Wear comfortable shoes (I bought sneakers with memory foam and it was a BLESSING) and dress warm (bring a sweater and a jacket; Isle of Skye is pretty chilly and you will see some FANTASTIC scenery throughout the trip, but a lot of it is at the top of hills and the wind isn't very forgiving) and you will enjoy yourself immensely! And if you can, request Brian Smith as your guide; you will NOT regret it. He will keep you so entertained that you will be sad when the trip is over. Genuinely friendly and hilarious; a perfect example of what I was hoping for in a Scottish man/guide =) As a proud lover of warm weather (and the U.S....most days), only Brian could have me strongly considering moving to Scotland. (I hope you are reading this Brian! It's Princess, and I wrote that last part just for you. =) )

At first I thought 12 hours would be a long trip to take, and going in winter with less sunlight would make it less enjoyable. But the time was well worth it and the winter experience added to the excitement as there was changes from place to place along the way, from rain to snow, overcast to clear blue skys. Our tour guild was very good and with a wonderful way of sharing history and local knowledge. Highly recommended and will treasure my trip.

This was the best trip of our 4 day stay in Edinburgh. Big shout out to Bryan Smith from The Hairy Coo. He was really funny and gave a really good commentary about Scottish history, which I liked. He made the trip very enjoyable, even getting the whole coach to sing. Big thank you from your London family including Moose, your wingman!!

The tour guide, Michael, was excellent. Great driver, entertaining and knowledgeable. Felt 4.5 hours on a bus one way to look at a lake and a fair bit of commerce was a bit much. The info along the way and the highlands saved the day. I think the tour company should have warned about boat ride tickets before we left Edinburgh as we couldn't buy them later as they were sold out by the time we got to Fort Augustus.

Excellent tour - a long day, but you see loads and there are regular stops along the way to stretch your legs and take a closer look at particular points of interest. Colin, our driver, was very knowledgeable and made the day come alive. The boat trip was excellent. Definitely recommend; well worth the money.

One of the best experiences we've had on our first trip to Scotland, recommended! We will be back! This tour exceeded all our expectations, being able to take in so many wonderful sights in a packed day was an unforgettable experience, the stops and also the sights on the coach were breathtaking, Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle, and Glencoe are places everyone should visit and soak in if they can. The tour was wonderfully paced and the tour guide David, a genuine kilted Scotsman was friendly, welcoming, and assuring throughout the whole day and he made the whole tour that much more special. He wanted to make sure everyone had the best experience on the day and was very informative with the historical knowledge he shared with us all on the coach on the way to the various stops. Priceless guide and I hope we visit again and tour with him again. One thing to note for those who can suffer vehicle sickness, the coach is very big, and due to how it can bounce around on some of the roads.

Great way to see the countryside, castle and cruise. Paul our tour guide was great, fun and knowledgeable. Paul went the extra mile to ensure that we had a good time. Remember to take cash for the extras, no cards accepted. It would be good to have a drop off in New Town at the end of the trip.

Had the best day. Our driver and tour guide Rob was fantastic. Rob was very informative and had many stories to tell. The beauty of the Scottish Highlands is so spectacular I will definitely be back again. Make sure you chose the boat cruise and visit the castle. Both are awesome. Cruising on Loch Ness was gorgeous and serene. The weather was perfect and stops along the way were also fabulous. Loved every minute.

A brilliant day with driver William and guide Graham. The Scottish Highlands were far more beautiful and mesmerising than on photos. Went through all four seasons of weather in one day but it made it more magical. Would thoroughly recommend this tour.

It was an amazing tour, the only thing that for me would improve it, would be few more minutes to eat in the last stop. Besides that, this day is one of the highlights of my trip, was an incredible experience to know this region of breathtaking landscapes, I wish I could go back soon.

Such a fun trip! We got to see lots of different spots and got a lot of historical information via our guide, Scot(t?). He was full of dad jokes and Braveheart tidbits, and it was very fun. There's so much to see that you end up a bit rushed, but it's worth it for having such good guides.

If you are have limited time in Edinburgh, don't want to trouble yourself with driving and love to hear stories about the highlands, then this is it! With no doubt, Steve is a wonderful person who have tons of knowledge and histories to share with you. Also, he's very funny, very Scottish, he said, I quote "know how to speak Gaelic". He also can point to you which shops sell the best chippy and bread! The only reason I wouldn't recommend this trip is if you have motion sickness because highlands can be a little snake pass. But hey! That's a thrill for some others ;)

Great trip, great guide, amazing scenery. So much to see and do in the Highlands and on the Isle of Skye that 3 days only allows brief stops at many places, but amazing places they were! Wouldn't hesitate to return and I'd be happy to use the same tour company again!

Such a fun and entertaining day exploring the Scottish Highlands. Ryan was our guide and he was a blast. Playing great local music and telling stories of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. The scenery is spectacular and the trip on Loch Ness a highlight. Would definitely recommend!

John was the best tour guide! He is an incredible story teller, has an awesome playlist, excellent sense of humor, and extremely knowledgeable about Scotland. We were laughing within seconds of getting on the bus. It was the best three day trip. John is very helpful and a skilled bus driver too. I wish all my subsequent tours had been with John as well. #hairycoojohn The real king of the north. I loved the kilts. You set the bar high Sir. I’m so glad my first visit to Scotland and the highlands was with the best Scott.

This was a wonderful experience and people who come to visit Scotland should definitely take the hairyCoo three day tour with Brian Smith. You will be totally entertained and feel comfortable by his stories and knowledge about Scotland. He did a wonderful job showing us great spots in the Highlands.

My tour was given by Rose and it was incredible. Rose has a magical way of telling stories the passion she has for her country and heritage is infectious. She weaves you through a historical narrative that evokes pride, sorrow, humor and a belief in magic. In times when she is not talking you will still feel the love she has for Scotland in the musical buffet she has prepared for you to listen to as you are mesmerized by the Landscape. Rose also knows everyone/thing at all the stops (dogs, people, the best coffee, treats etc). Seeing the highlands through her eyes made the experience. Sincerest thanks for such an incredible three days.

Really great tour! Euan our tour guide was very well spoken and educated on Scottish history. The bus ride was a little long, but was well worth it because of the frequent outstanding stops for pictures and snacks. We spent the extra 20 quid for the Loch Ness boat tour and that was also well worth the cost.

Even though I normally don't like tours, this one was superb! Rose is a fantastic storyteller--very well read, knowledgeable and articulate. She will make you want to read up on Scottish history and Celtic myths. She catered to everyone's needs and made the whole experience extremely interesting. She took us to very nice stops with good food on the way. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone interested in an unforgettable travel experience! Bravo, Rose!!!

The tour was really good as we didn’t need to drive. The least you want to do on holidays drive the roads you don’t know. The highlands were really impressive. The driver Rich was very knowledgable and friendly. The only thing we would change extra 45 min would be nice after we leave ship