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Private Royal Deeside Castles And Scottish Highlands

Day Trip, Private Tour
Offer Image
Discover the royal charm of Scotland's Highlands on this private shore excursion from Aberdeen, where castles, countryside, and centuries of heritage await. Whether visiting Balmoral Castle during its seasonal opening or exploring equally stunning historic sites, this customizable tour offers the perfect blend of culture, scenery, and storytelling.

Private Royal Deeside Castles and Scottish Highlands

Step into the grandeur and history of Scotland's Royal Deeside on this private heritage tour from the port of Aberdeen, where stunning landscapes, historic castles, and royal connections come together in one unforgettable day. Whether you're visiting during Balmoral Castle's seasonal opening or opting for equally majestic alternatives, this customizable tour immerses you in the charm and heritage of the Scottish Highlands.

Rolling west through the Cairngorms National Park--Britain's largest--you'll hear the tales of clan feuds, granite barons, and Victorian romance that shaped this postcard-perfect corner of Scotland. When Balmoral Castle opens its gates (April to early August), stroll the fragrant formal gardens, peek inside the ornate ballroom where royal ceilidhs still echo, and snap the ultimate selfie with the granite facade personally tweaked by Prince Albert. Out of season the story continues at equally dramatic strongholds: clifftop Dunnottar Castle clinging to North Sea bluffs, fairy-tale Crathes Castle with its ancient painted ceilings, or the wood-panelled great hall of Drum--your day is completely customizable, so you choose the mix of heritage and scenery that suits your interests.

Between castles, pause in the Victorian village of Banchory for a leisurely pub or tearoom lunch of Aberdeen Angus beef, Cullen Skink soup, or a whisky-laced cranachan (cost of food not included). Throughout the journey your guide shares insider anecdotes--from Balmoral's role as the royal family's Highland sanctuary to local myths about river spirits and stone circles--while you watch red deer graze on heather slopes and, if luck allows, spot golden eagles riding the thermals overhead.

Whether you're ticking Balmoral off your bucket list or simply want to breathe the crisp Highland air, this seamless shore tour delivers grand architecture, wild vistas, and Scotland's enduring royal charm in one perfectly paced day. Book now to experience royal history, Highland scenery, and Scottish hospitality on a premium shore excursion designed just for you.

Starting At

 
Tour Type
Private
 
Group Size
Private
 
Activity Type(s)
Private Sightseeing
 
Tour Duration
8 Hours
 
Activity Level
Moderate
 
Tour Leaves From
Cruise Ship Pier
 
Food/Beverage Provided
Not Included
 
Special Instructions
We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and sensible, flat-soled walking shoes. It's advisable to dress in layers and bring waterproof clothing and shoes in case of rain. Weather-appropriate attire is suggested.
 
Restrictions
This tour is not wheelchair accessible, and collapsible wheelchairs and motorized scooters are not permitted. A walker, stroller, and a small piece of luggage are allowed.

Please note that this tour involves a significant amount of walking over varied surfaces, including gravel paths, smooth walkways, and numerous stairs. Dunottar Castle, in particular, poses a greater physical challenge due to its uneven and steep terrain leading to the entrance.

Participants must be able to walk independently and navigate stairs. We ask all guests to carefully consider their mobility before booking. If you have any disabilities, please provide relevant details at the time of booking.
Location Overview
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About Shore Excursions Group
Shore Excursions Group logo

About Us
Shore Excursions Group is the market leading and world's largest shore excursion company. Since 2008, we've provided cruise passengers with higher-quality, lower-priced, and smaller group shore excursions from a portfolio of nearly 4,000 tours in over 300 ports. Over the last 16 years, we've delivered more than 4.6M excursions with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating from more than 47k reviews.

Exceptional travel experiences are created by exceptional people. Our incredible team of cruise and travel experts has more than 100 years of combined industry experience, and we work in close collaboration with a network of exceptional tour operator partners dedicated to providing personalized and immersive excursions to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world.

Our excursions are higher quality, lower priced, and travel in smaller groups averaging just 12 guests per departure, allowing our guests to truly connect with the local culture and enjoy a more enriching travel experience. Our website provides a personalized shopping experience highlighting the top-rated and most popular excursions in each port of call with authentic photos, videos, and reviews from other guests.

Our proprietary itinerary search technology makes booking easy by displaying the excursions guaranteed to work for your ship's scheduled arrival and departure into each port of call. We also feature hand-curated multi-port packages with the top-rated excursion for each port bundled together at an additional discount.

Our Unique Approach
While the cruise lines and other companies also offer excursions, we are the experts and our experience and approach set us apart. Our exceptional excursions travel in smaller groups and visit more interesting and authentic locations, using more personalized tour guides.

Our team uses a comprehensive approach to select the leading guides and best tour providers around the world. Every excursion is carefully curated and closely monitored through quality control and customer feedback.

In today's fast paced world, vacations are an important way to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and discover new and interesting places - and our portfolio of the highest quality tours was created to provide authentic and rewarding travel experiences on your next trip.

High quality service is very important to travelers and leads to better experiences with higher satisfaction. We encourage you to call us, so our experts can answer your questions and help you select the best excursions for your cruise.

Our Exceptional Tours
Our priority is providing cruise guests with exciting and enriching tours with personalized service and smaller groups.

Our small group tours range from 2-12 people - far less than other tour companies with larger tours up to 50 people. We also offer outstanding private excursions - exclusive experiences for only you and your group with options to fully customize your tour.

Our "Scenic" tours provide up close and personal access to some of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth from majestic glaciers in Alaska to spectacular reefs in the Caribbean.

Our "Cultural" tours allow customers to experience local customs, entertainment and culinary delights ranging from tribal dances in Alaska to an outstanding local meal in Santorini, Greece.

Our "Active" tours offer a multitude of exciting and adventurous ways to experience our destinations. Kayak the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, hike to a spectacular waterfall in Hawaii, or bicycle through quaint villages in France.

Our "City" tours allow travelers to see the highlights of great cities around the world with unique insights provided by our expert tour guides.

Our Guarantee
We stand by our excursions, and we're committed to meeting your expectations. Our team and our guides are dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences, which we've achieved consistently over many years and millions of tours. To the extent you are in any way dissatisfied with the experience we deliver, we will work to resolve your concerns - up to and including a full refund of your tour price. For more information visit the Shore Excursions Group website.

Read More

About Shore Excursions Group

About Us
Shore Excursions Group is the market leading and world's largest shore excursion company. Since 2008, we've provided cruise passengers with higher-quality, lower-priced, and smaller group shore excursions from a portfolio of nearly 4,000 tours in over 300 ports. Over the last 16 years, we've delivered more than 4.6M excursions with a 4.7 out of 5 star rating from more than 47k reviews.

Exceptional travel experiences are created by exceptional people. Our incredible team of cruise and travel experts has more than 100 years of combined industry experience, and we work in close collaboration with a network of exceptional tour operator partners dedicated to providing personalized and immersive excursions to cruise passengers in the ports they visit around the world.

Our excursions are higher quality, lower priced, and travel in smaller groups averaging just 12 guests per departure, allowing our guests to truly connect with the local culture and enjoy a more enriching travel experience. Our website provides a personalized shopping experience highlighting the top-rated and most popular excursions in each port of call with authentic photos, videos, and reviews from other guests.

Our proprietary itinerary search technology makes booking easy by displaying the excursions guaranteed to work for your ship's scheduled arrival and departure into each port of call. We also feature hand-curated multi-port packages with the top-rated excursion for each port bundled together at an additional discount.

Our Unique Approach
While the cruise lines and other companies also offer excursions, we are the experts and our experience and approach set us apart. Our exceptional excursions travel in smaller groups and visit more interesting and authentic locations, using more personalized tour guides.

Our team uses a comprehensive approach to select the leading guides and best tour providers around the world. Every excursion is carefully curated and closely monitored through quality control and customer feedback.

In today's fast paced world, vacations are an important way to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and discover new and interesting places - and our portfolio of the highest quality tours was created to provide authentic and rewarding travel experiences on your next trip.

High quality service is very important to travelers and leads to better experiences with higher satisfaction. We encourage you to call us, so our experts can answer your questions and help you select the best excursions for your cruise.

Our Exceptional Tours
Our priority is providing cruise guests with exciting and enriching tours with personalized service and smaller groups.

Our small group tours range from 2-12 people - far less than other tour companies with larger tours up to 50 people. We also offer outstanding private excursions - exclusive experiences for only you and your group with options to fully customize your tour.

Our "Scenic" tours provide up close and personal access to some of the most spectacular natural environments on Earth from majestic glaciers in Alaska to spectacular reefs in the Caribbean.

Our "Cultural" tours allow customers to experience local customs, entertainment and culinary delights ranging from tribal dances in Alaska to an outstanding local meal in Santorini, Greece.

Our "Active" tours offer a multitude of exciting and adventurous ways to experience our destinations. Kayak the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, hike to a spectacular waterfall in Hawaii, or bicycle through quaint villages in France.

Our "City" tours allow travelers to see the highlights of great cities around the world with unique insights provided by our expert tour guides.

Our Guarantee
We stand by our excursions, and we're committed to meeting your expectations. Our team and our guides are dedicated to delivering exceptional experiences, which we've achieved consistently over many years and millions of tours. To the extent you are in any way dissatisfied with the experience we deliver, we will work to resolve your concerns - up to and including a full refund of your tour price. For more information visit the Shore Excursions Group website.

Read More

Prices are per-person based on double occupancy, unless otherwise noted.