Scotland · ABERDEEN TOURS
The granite city is the way in to Royal Deeside and the Aberdeenshire castles. These 15 compare the city walks with the day trips to Balmoral, Dunnottar and the whisky country inland, with prices and timings.
Meet at the Robert the Bruce Statue for a 90-minute group walk through central Aberdeen. You’ll see Marischal College, hidden lanes, street art, the tunnels, Shiprow, and the Maritime Museum exterior while guides such as Kirsty, Bronwyn, and John bring local stories to life.
“Not lots of walking. Through the city. History of buildings and city. Maybe as interesting as possible for the city.”
Travel from Aberdeen in a 16-seat mini-coach with a guide such as Alan, Neil, or Darryl. Explore cliff-top Dunnottar Castle, pause at Falls of Feugh, and follow Royal Deeside toward Braemar and Muir of Dinnet. Castle admission, meals, and drinks cost extra.
“Trip was beautiful. Dunnottar castle was great. If you love nature then the cairngroms park is worth to see it. We had beautiful weather. I will come back soon. Thanks to our driver Alan, he gave us all the informations.💪👍”
Travel from Aberdeen to Loch Ness and the Highlands in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach with a driver-guide such as Neil, Jim, Doug, or Alan. Cruise past Urquhart Castle, visit Clava Cairns and Culloden Battlefield, and enjoy scenic stops, Highland cattle, and regular comfort breaks.
“Neil was a fantastic guide with a great balance of history and stories. We had him on 2 different trips and he is wonderful”
Set out from Aberdeen with an English-speaking Rabbie’s guide such as Neil, Jim, Chris, or Alan. In about nine hours, you’ll visit Spey Bay, Bow Fiddle Rock, Cullen, Portsoy, the Bullers of Buchan, and Slains Castle in a group capped at 16.
“Lunch at Rockpool recommended by our driver/guide Chris. You have to have the cullen skink. The breath taking sights were made all the more special by the narrations given by Alan our guide and Chris our driver. Loved seeing the puffins and seals. Slains castle is a must. Everything went smoothly and on time. Would do it all over again.”
Travel from Aberdeen in a small group of up to seven with guides such as Alex, Jamie, Jacqueline, or Calum. Spend two hours at Balmoral, then visit Ballater, Cambus O’ May Bridge, Tomnaverie Stone Circle, and Queen’s View. Balmoral admission costs extra.
“This was an excellent way to see the beautiful Deeside with a very knowledgeable guide! Alex, our guide was great with his story telling.”
Spend about eight hours touring Aberdeenshire’s coast from Aberdeen with a guide such as Alex or Jamie. Visit Gardenstown, Crovie, Pennan, Fraserburgh, Bullers of Buchan, Collieston, and Newburgh Seal Beach, with time for walks, wildlife, history, and photographs.
“The Aberdeen Coastal Villages Tour Was Amazing You Ger To Visit Little Fishing Towns[And Undiscovered Gems Like Bullers Of Buchan] Jamie Was A Very Good And Engaging Guide”
Meet Alan and Dan at City of Aberdeen Distillery for a one-hour tour with a double gin and tonic, samples of London Dry and fruit gins, a look behind the scenes, and time in the botanical garden. The small group stays local, informal, and focused on how Aberdeen Gin is made.
“The best! Had so much fun on this tour. We learned about gin and got to taste lots of it! Our hosts Allan and Dan were very engaging, funny, and informative. Loved it!”
Spend 10 hours tracing Scotland’s whisky country from Aberdeen. You’ll walk to Corgarff Castle, stop at Whisky Castle, watch casks being made at Speyside Cooperage, and enjoy Cardhu’s Flavour Journey tasting. Guides such as Neil, Chris, Jim, and Doug bring local stories to the road.
“Very good whisky tour around the Speyside. Good storytellers Jim and Chris made sure we had the most amazing day”
Use the VoiceMap app to walk Aberdeen at your own pace, from the Tolbooth Museum to the Town House. Hear stories of hangings, treason, church punishments, bodysnatchers, child-snatching gangs, and harbor crimes. Allow 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes, and download the tour before setting out.
“My husband and I were able to take the tour at our speed, stopping where we wanted to stop and adjust as we saw fit. This was perfect for getting to know a new area with the stories and history. It is my absolute favorite way to see a city. I will definitely be checking out more as we travel in our future. Thank you.”
Follow a self-guided VoiceMap audio walk from Mercat Cross to Marischal Square. GPS-triggered narration leads you past Aberdeen Harbour, Provost Ross’s House, the Green, the Maritime Museum, and Provost Skene’s House while examining piracy, slavery, and insurrection.
“It was so refreshing to hear an unsanitised view of Aberdeen history. The commentary was excellent, but I still managed to get lost!”
At Aberdeen Distillery, the Head Distiller guides you through gin’s origins, botanicals, and small-batch distilling. Choose from more than 100 ingredients, make a bottle with a copper alembic mini-still, taste the house range, enjoy several G&Ts and a cocktail, then take home your labeled 70cl gin.
“Generous tasting. A true education about gin. A chance to develop your nose and make some deliciousness.”
Malcolm from Time Exposure Travel drives your private party from Aberdeen to Dunnottar, Crathes, Drum, and Old Aberdeen. Expect flexible timing, local stories, castle views, and help adjusting plans for weather, interests, or access. Admission inside Dunnottar and Crathes costs extra.
“Wonderful time - the guidance, information, and the coverage. We really loved the castles and the tour in general.”
Malcolm leads a private 7 to 8 hour tour from Aberdeen through Dunnottar, Crathes, Royal Deeside, and a whisky distillery. Your group can adjust the plan, choose Balmoral instead of whisky, and arrange pickup from a hotel, station, airport, or cruise ship.
“Excellente expérience, Malcolm connait très bien l'histoire de la région et plus largement de l'Ecosse. Il s'est adapté à nos contraintes horaires. Je recommande vivement.”
At City of Aberdeen Distillery, Dan and Alan guide you through single botanicals, Aberdeen Gin samples, and a hands-on blending challenge. Start with a double G&T, test your palate with a mystery botanical, then choose a final G&T. The English-language class runs about two hours for up to 20 people.
“One of the best things I have had the pleasure of booking. Dan & Alan are the perfect team and their passion shows. I had an absolute ball. The group was small and we all chatted and laughed. There was a good selection of things to purchase, especially for long haul travel. Thoroughly recommend”
Spend about two hours walking Old Aberdeen with guides such as Malcolm or Michael Fraser. See St Machar’s Cathedral, Powis Gates, the Mercat Cross, King’s Museum, secret burial grounds, and King’s College Chapel while your guide explains the city’s past and present.
“Malcolm was great. Wonderful historical background combined with a complex overview of present day Aberdeen. Would strongly recommend!”
Pick a loch, a castle or a still house.
