Royal Perthshire, The Cairngorms & Inverness
2-Day Private Tour from Edinburgh or Stirling
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
Prices from £650 per day for a group of six persons. T&Cs apply.
Travelling with a larger group? Get in touch2-Day Private Tour from Edinburgh or Stirling
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
Prices from £650 per day for a group of six persons. T&Cs apply.
Travelling with a larger group? Get in touchThis magnificent two-day private tour takes you from the ancient coronation grounds of Scottish kings, through the grand estates and dramatic Highland landscapes of Perthshire, deep into the wilderness of the Cairngorm National Park, and north to the battlefield that brought the Jacobite dream to its devastating end — before finishing in Inverness, the vibrant capital of the Scottish Highlands.
Day One is a journey through Perthshire’s royal and aristocratic heart — visiting the sacred site where Scotland’s kings were crowned for a thousand years, exploring one of the country’s finest privately occupied castles, and ending the evening in the charming Victorian spa town of Pitlochry, perfectly positioned between the Lowlands and the Highlands. Day Two ventures into the vast, ancient landscape of the Cairngorms — passing through Aviemore, stepping inside a living Highland community frozen in time, and arriving at Culloden, where the last battle ever fought on British soil ended the Jacobite cause in just under an hour on a cold April morning in 1746.
This is a tour that moves through Scotland’s deepest history — from the Stone of Destiny and the coronation of Macbeth, to the echo of musket fire across a windswept Highland moor. It is two days that will change the way you see and understand Scotland forever.
Approximately 8 hours | Departing Edinburgh or Stirling | Overnight: Pitlochry
Depart from your accommodation in Edinburgh or Stirling and travel north into the ancient Kingdom of Perthshire — a landscape of grand estates, sacred rivers, and mountains that have shaped Scotland’s story for over a thousand years. Today you will stand where kings were crowned, explore a castle that still belongs to one of Scotland’s great aristocratic families, and end the day at one of the most beloved viewpoints in the country.
Your first stop is Scone Palace — one of the most historically significant sites in all of Scotland. It was at Scone that the Kings of Scotland were crowned for nearly a thousand years, seated upon the legendary Stone of Destiny — a sandstone block of ancient and disputed origin that was used in coronation ceremonies from Kenneth MacAlpin, first King of a united Scotland, through to John Balliol in 1292. The Stone was seized by Edward I of England in 1296 and held at Westminster Abbey for seven centuries, before being returned to Scotland in 1996.
Among the monarchs crowned at Scone were Macbeth — yes, the real Macbeth, King of Scotland from 1040 to 1057, a far more complex and capable ruler than Shakespeare’s portrait suggests — and Robert the Bruce, whose coronation here in 1306 began Scotland’s greatest struggle for independence. The current Scone Palace, a magnificent Gothic Revival mansion built in the early 19th century on the site of the ancient coronation mound, is the family home of the Earls of Mansfield and houses a remarkable collection of porcelain, furniture, and artworks. Explore the lavish State Rooms and wander the grounds where history was made.
Continue north to Blair Castle — one of the most impressive and best-loved castles in Scotland, the ancestral seat of Clan Murray and the family home of the Dukes of Atholl for over 700 years. This gleaming white turreted fortress, rising from the wooded floor of the Tay valley with the Grampian Mountains towering behind it, is one of Scotland’s most photographed and recognisable landmarks — and one of its most fascinating historic houses.
Explore 30 remarkable rooms spanning seven centuries of Scottish history — from the medieval great hall to the Victorian state rooms, crammed with Jacobite relics, weapons, porcelain, and portraits. The Duke of Atholl holds the unique distinction of being the only British subject permitted to maintain a private army — the Atholl Highlanders — a privilege granted by Queen Victoria in 1844 and still honoured to this day. This is one of those details that makes a place completely unforgettable.
Stop at the House of Bruar — Scotland’s finest country store and a genuinely irresistible destination in its own right. Set beneath the dramatic Falls of Bruar in the heart of Atholl, this remarkable emporium sells the finest Scottish tweed, cashmere, country clothing, locally produced food and drink, and gifts of genuine quality. A perfect lunch stop and an opportunity to browse — and perhaps carry a little piece of Scotland home.
The day reaches a spectacular high point — in every sense — at The Queen’s View, overlooking Loch Tummel. This breathtaking panorama across the shimmering loch to the perfectly conical peak of Schiehallion — the ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’, rising to 1,083 metres — is one of Scotland’s most beloved and photographed views. The viewpoint takes its name from Queen Victoria, who was captivated by the prospect during her visit in 1866.
Schiehallion has an extraordinary place in the history of science: in 1774, the astronomer Nevil Maskelyne used the mountain’s near-perfect conical shape in a pioneering experiment to estimate the mass of the Earth — the first time humanity had calculated our planet’s weight. Stand here, take in the view, and consider that this serene Scottish mountainscape helped unlock one of science’s greatest secrets.
Settle into your overnight accommodation in Pitlochry — a town of undeniable Victorian charm set amid the wooded gorges and fast rivers of Highland Perthshire. Dine at one of the town’s excellent restaurants, perhaps visit the famous Edradour Distillery — Scotland’s smallest traditional distillery, just a short drive away — or simply unwind with a dram and the day’s extraordinary memories. Tomorrow, the Highlands await.
Approximately 10 hours | Departing Pitlochry | Returning to Edinburgh or Stirling
Depart Pitlochry and head north into the magnificent Cairngorm National Park — the largest national park in the United Kingdom, covering 4,528 square kilometres of ancient mountain plateau, Caledonian pine forest, and sweeping Highland glens. Today’s journey takes you through the heart of the Highlands to two of Scotland’s most emotionally powerful destinations — a living museum of Highland life, and the battlefield where the dream of a Stuart restoration ended forever.
Travel through the dramatic Pass of Drumochter — the highest point on any trunk road in the United Kingdom — and descend into the great valley of Strathspey, with the ancient Caledonian pine forests of the Cairngorms stretching away on every side. Pass through Aviemore — the Highlands’ most famous outdoor and adventure destination, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Cairngorm plateau — before continuing to one of Scotland’s most remarkable heritage attractions.
Step back in time at the Highland Folk Museum in Newtonmore — one of the most immersive and extraordinary heritage experiences in Scotland. This open-air museum recreates a complete Highland township across 80 acres, bringing together reconstructed buildings spanning four centuries of Highland life — from a 1700s turf-walled township and a Victorian schoolhouse to a 1950s working farm and a traditional Highland cottage furnished exactly as it would have been. Costumed interpreters bring each era to life with demonstrations of traditional crafts, cooking, and daily routines that paint a vivid and deeply moving picture of how ordinary Highland people lived, worked, and endured.
No visit to the Scottish Highlands carries more emotional weight than Culloden — the windswept moorland east of Inverness where, on the morning of 16 April 1746, the last pitched battle ever fought on British soil was decided in under an hour. Here, the exhausted, hungry, and outnumbered Jacobite forces of Prince Charles Edward Stuart — Bonnie Prince Charlie — were overwhelmed by the Duke of Cumberland’s government army in a crushing defeat that ended not just the ’45 rising, but the entire Jacobite cause and, ultimately, the traditional Highland clan way of life.
Walk the battlefield among the clan grave markers, visit the outstanding National Trust for Scotland visitor centre, and hear Johnny tell the full story — from the Prince’s audacious landing in the Hebrides to the terrible reprisals that followed the battle and the Highland Clearances that changed Scotland forever. Few places in Britain carry such a profound sense of history, loss, and the fragility of dreams.
An optional addition to the Culloden visit, Fort George sits dramatically on a headland jutting into the Moray Firth — built in the aftermath of Culloden as an overwhelming statement of British military power and the most impressive 18th-century fortress in the United Kingdom. Still an active military barracks after 270 years, Fort George offers a remarkable insight into the military response to the Jacobite threat and the determination of the British state to ensure the Highlands would never again rise in rebellion.
Your two-day journey concludes in Inverness — the vibrant, welcoming capital of the Scottish Highlands, set at the mouth of the River Ness where it meets the Beauly Firth. Explore the riverside city centre, visit Inverness Castle with its sweeping views over the city and the Great Glen, browse the independent shops and acclaimed restaurants along the Victorian market streets, and soak in the atmosphere of a city that has been the gateway to the Highlands for centuries. Johnny will share the stories behind the city’s medieval origins, its role in the Jacobite story, and its remarkable transformation into one of Scotland’s fastest-growing and most dynamic cities.
Return journey to Edinburgh or Stirling, arriving in the early evening — with a camera full of extraordinary photographs and memories of two of the most richly rewarding days Scotland has to offer.
Ready to experience the very best of Scotland on your own terms? Tell us when you’d like to travel, how many are in your party, and where you’d like your journey to begin. We’ll check availability for your preferred dates and craft a bespoke multi-day itinerary shaped around your interests, pace, and must‑see places. Share a few details below and our expert driver‑guide will be in touch with a personalised proposal, pricing, and suggestions to make your time in Scotland unforgettable.
Max 6 persons
Max 5 suitcases
We look forward to welcoming you to Scotland — personally.