Private Tour
Beyond Edinburgh (Half Day Tour)
Overview
Available languages
5 hours
Mobile ticket
Discover what is beyond the city walls on your very own half day private tour of the surrounding areas of Edinburgh in our superb Land Rover Discovery. Our flexible routes takes you to the imposing Crichton Castle or Craigmillar Castle, the enchanting Rosslyn Chapel. After seeing some of the sites, we head to Dalkeith Country Park and the Restoration yard for lunch and a bit of shopping.
Based on one of our other tours, this has proven to be a superb option for the traveler that wants to venture out of Edinburgh City centre, to see the sites, possibly do a distillery tour and even be dropped of at some of the great shopping locations Edinburgh has to offer. We have toured antique stores, art galleries, and even a few coffee shops. Jokingly nicknamed the Golf Widows Tours by some of the guests, this offers one of the best ways to do something with a later start and earlier finish than other private driving tours with a price that reflects this (10am Start - 3/4pm drop off).
Additional Info
Specialized infant seats are available
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Bottled water
Land Rover Discovery for up to 6 adults
Entry to the sites are not included (Castles, Distilleries etc)
Gratuities
Bottled water is available in the car free of charge (all other food and drink is not included within the tour)
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Rosslyn Chapel
Option - Visit the mythical Rosslyn Chapel made famous for its part in the Dan Brown film the Da Vinci Code, with Orcadian roots, connections to the Knights Templar, Aliens, theories of Jesus Christ's head entombed in a secret chamber under the chapel. There are too many reasons to visit this amazing place.
Crichton Castle
Option - See the diamond-faceted façade of Crichton Castle, a 14th century tower house. (Not open during the winter, but you can go for a wander around the grounds)
Options
Beyond Edinburgh (Half Day Tour)
Pickup included
Reviews
19 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Amazing tour outside Edinburgh!
samlusey,
Sep 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We just had a great experience with Chris from Monarch Tours who brought us around Scotland. He went above and beyond taking us to some fantastic locations outside Edinburgh - two castles, a loch, a preserved Scottish village and much more. He was incredibly kind, informative and made the whole experience pleasant and entertaining. I highly recommend booking this trip!
Amazing half day tour of Scotland
Sam L,
Sep 4, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Chris was absolutely amazing - the best tour guide my wife and I have ever had on an excursion. He kept us entertained the entire time with incredible stories and history of Scotland. He did a custom tour for us and brought us to two castles, a loch, the Kelpies, a preserved Scottish village and more. He went above and beyond for this half day trip and it never felt rushed or short cut. I highly highly recommend this booking and Chris as a guide!
Wonderful historian!
Bobbi W,
May 11, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00The tour can be personalized to your interest. Chris was extremely knowledgeable, friendly and professional. Vehicle was clean and very comfortable.
A perfect day outside the city.
Stefan M,
Oct 9, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a brilliant day. Traveling with my elderly mom who had never been to Scotland, Chris was recommended by a colleague. I was in contact with Chris in advance to describe some physical limitations my mom had, and Chris carefully planned a perfect day for us outside of Edinburgh. His knowledge and humor, paired with his conscientious concern for my mom’s abilities, made for one of the top memories of our entire trip. Castles, villages, a trip to a loch, Highland cattle, and a thorough weaving of history and present-day Scotland. Simply delightful.
Amazing! Must do!
Hope G,
Aug 3, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Cannot recommend this enough! Chris is amazing and taught us everything and more about Scotland! This was the perfect tour for our mother and son trip!
Chris is a PHENOMENAL...
Adriana V,
Aug 3, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00Chris is a PHENOMENAL guide. Kind and his knowledge of Scottish history is incredible. He made the most out of our day and made the trip enjoyable for kids and grandparents alike. I highly recommend this trip, particularly as a start to your vacation to frame the visit !!
Great private driving tour!
Michelle M,
Jun 18, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00What an engaging and informative tour and guide!! He talked with all of us and adapted our tour based on the weather giving options that wouldn’t put us in the soaking rain. He was able to link all parts of history to each other and has a deep understanding of the history and development of Scotland. Everyone felt engaged and driving the accommodations were clean and luxurious.
Fantastic day outside of Edinburgh!
Daydream56503291524,
Jun 9, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was one of the best tours we’ve ever been on! Monarch Tours was extremely professional to work with and Chris our guide was super responsive when planning our day. He is impressively knowledgeable about Scotland and Scottish history and is the perfect guide to ensure you have very enjoyable and memorable experience. His friendliness, warmth and flexibility was especially appreciated as we had our infant with us on the day and weren’t always sure when we would need to stop. We planned this tour as two couples, which was part of a celebration for my sister and her fiancé after they got engaged the day before while holidaying in Edinburgh, and the private experience just made everything feel extra special. The Land Rover Defender you go out in is very comfortable to spend the day in as well. This tour became the highlight of our trip to Edinburgh and I would definitely book another experience again with Monarch Tours and Chris in the future!
Best tour and tour guide! Don’t hesitate - just book :)
Katelin G,
Jun 9, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00This was one of the best tours we’ve ever been on! Monarch Tours was very professional and easy to coordinate with and Chris was an amazing guide - so knowledgeable, warm, friendly, flexible and patient, which was especially helpful as we had an infant with us and couldn’t always predict when we might need to stop. He planned the day based on what I said we were interested in, and found a way to give us the best highlights of the area in the time that we had. The Defender he drives was very roomy and comfortable to spend the day in, and we were using every seat. We also learned so much about Scotland and Scottish history based on all he shared, which made it all so much more memorable. This was the perfect way to get a taste of the star of the Highlands when you don’t have a full day to go to some of the farther sites. It was by far our favourite day in/around Edinburgh that we’ve ever had!
Amazing tour of Edinburgh
Maryanne C,
May 18, 2024
- Review from Viator
5.00This tour was designed to meet our needs. We wanted a driving tour of Edinburgh and to see Rosslyn Chapel. The driver, Scott, was full of information and stories that brought to life the history of Edinburgh. Scott was amazing. He was highly entertaining and engaging in all things Scotland. I would do this trip with different destinations, we just lived it.
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Operated by Monarch Tours