Explore ‘Scotland in Miniature’ on the Isle of Arran on this fabulous tour from Edinburgh.
Culzean Castle - An 18th-century castle with beautiful grounds and gorgeously elegant rooms.
Robert Burns Country - Discover the locations that inspired Scotland’s most famous poet.
Brodick and Brodick Castle - A quintessential Victorian castle that’s said to be haunted by a ‘Grey Lady’.
Lagg Distillery - Savour the rich and earthy whisky in the state-of-the-art distillery that echoes the contours of the island.
Machrie Moor stone circles - These prehistoric stone circles are the most famous archaeological sites on the Isle of Arran.
Kintyre Peninsula - Admire gorgeous coastal views in this hidden away part of Scotland.
Loch Lomond - One of Scotland’s largest lochs. Admire the views and take postcard-perfect photos to share with your friends and family.
The Isle of Arran is nicknamed ‘Scotland in miniature’.
It’s called this because it contains everything everyone loves about Scotland in 452 square kilometres.
You find stags frolicking through forests, a castle dramatically perched on the side of a river, and all the delicious seafood and whisky you could want.
So join this tour and begin with an adventure through the land of Robert Burns, before discovering all the delights of this small but bountiful island.
Students, seniors over 60, and children between 5 and 15 (unfortunately, we don't carry children under 5 years old)
You travel west past Glasgow and the Whitelee Wind Farm, Europe’s largest wind farm.
You then leave the modern landscapes behind and travel into Ayrshire to visit the 18th-century Culzean Castle. Here you have time to enjoy its dramatic clifftop setting, beautiful architecture, and elegant living spaces. You can also have lunch in the cafe or a picnic in the beautiful castle grounds.
Travelling towards Robert Burns’ birthplace you discover the places from his poems and songs. You stop at the visitor centre in Alloway, where you have the opportunity to find out more about this remarkable man.
You continue to Ardrossan where you catch the ferry to the Isle of Arran. You’re dropped off at your accommodation in Brodick.
Arran is alive with wildlife, mountains, beaches, pubs, and restaurants. There are many options of how you can spend your time on the island, depending on the weather and your group's interest; your driver-guide will arrange the best day out for you.
You may explore the mountainous north of the island, some of Arran’s best beaches, Lochranza Castle, and Lagg Distillery.
Arran is also home to many stone circles dating from the Neolithic period and the early Bronze Age. You visit Machrie Moor and its six stone circles; and after exploring this area you travel south through the harbour villages of Blackwaterfoot.
Travelling back to Brodick you see The Holy Isle across the water, owned by the Samye Ling Buddhist Community.
You may make a stop at the Arran Cheese Shop, a family-owned business that’s now famous all over the world.
At Brodick, we find Brodick Castle, and situated in the shadow of this imposing red sandstone castle is Arran Brewery. This microbrewery blends naturally with its stunning surroundings, combining the island’s unique water with the finest local ingredients. You can sample this ale in many of the local pubs and restaurants; a perfect way to round off your day!
Today you return to the mainland on the ferry running between Lochranza and Claonaig. This short 30-minute crossing takes you onto the Kintyre Peninsula.
You travel along the coastal road to the charming fishing village of Tarbert. The village sits on the narrowest strip of land between the two bodies of water, forming a natural harbour.
From Tarbert, you follow Loch Fyne toward the whitewashed village of Inveraray, where you have free time to explore and have lunch. After lunch, you continue over the ‘The Rest and be Thankful’ mountain pass. From here it’s a short drive to Luss and the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond before returning to Edinburgh.
*Itinerary and distillery visits are subject to change.
Tour Attractions
You are able to pre-purchase entrance tickets to the following attractions at the time of booking:
Other attractions may be booked and paid locally during the tour.
You stay two nights in Brodick* on the Island of Arran.
*Please be aware that Brodick is busy. You may need to be flexible with rooms we're able to reserve for you here. If you'd prefer to find your own accommodation for this location, please choose the 'book your own accommodation' option when you book your tour.
Accommodation is not included in the price of your tour. To book accommodation, there are two options: either Rabbie’s Tours can book it for you, or you can book your own. For information on how to do this, please see the ‘Accommodation’ tab on FAQ page HERE.
Alternatively, please email us your questions at tours@rabbies.com or call us on +44(0)131 226 3133.
Information you can find on the FAQ page, under the ‘Accommodation’ tab: types of accommodation, room types, the booking process, getting to and from your accommodation, and cancellation terms.
We book accommodation with third-party providers on your behalf and each property sets their own rates. Rates vary considerably depending on the accommodation standard, facilities, location, and local demand. We therefore can’t tell you exactly how much your accommodation will cost until your request has been allocated to a specific property.
As a guide, you can expect to pay the following prices, per person per night:
Approximate prices, per person per night |
Overnight Location |
||
Sole Occupancy |
Multiple Occupancy |
||
(1 person per room) |
(2+ people per room) |
||
B&B Standard |
£60 - £90 |
£40 - £60 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€65 - €95 |
€45 - €70 |
Ireland |
|
B&B En-suite |
£80 - £120 |
£45 - £85 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€80 - €130 |
€50 - €95 |
Ireland |
|
Hotel |
£90 - £170 |
£75 - £140 |
UK & Northern Ireland |
€100 - €215 |
€75 - €130 |
Ireland |
NOTE: Prices quoted are for guidance only and may be higher on some occasions, especially for last-minute bookings and when demand is high (E.g. peak season, weekends, holidays, special events etc)
Breakfast will be included unless otherwise noted. The type of breakfast provided will vary from place to place so you may receive either a full cooked breakfast, a continental style breakfast (E.g., toast, fruit, cereal), or a packed breakfast bag or tray (E.g., porridge pot, fruit, granola bar).
The UK and Ireland's historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, we only pick up from our central meeting points. What's more is leaving the city using the most direct route also reduces the carbon footprint of our tours.
We don't recommend bringing your car into the centre of our departure cities. It can be hard to find parking, and there are excellent public transportation services.
Arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions, we can't wait for you if you're late.
If you're late for your tour, our cancellation policy applies. 100% charges are applicable, and you will not be entitled to a refund or alternative.
Your cancellation terms depend on which tour you've booked.
For one-day tours: You'll receive a full refund if you cancel 24 hours or more before the tour departure
For tours of between two and nine days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 15 or more days before the tour departure
For tours of 10 or more days: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 21 or more days before the tour departure
For all European packaged tours: You'll receive a 90% refund if you cancel 42 days before the tour departure.
If you cancel inside these notice periods, full charges will apply and no refunds will be issued.
To cancel your booking, email tours@rabbies.com as soon as possible. The effective date of cancellation will be the date we receive written confirmation from you.
Click here to view terms and conditions
Your tour will always follow the itinerary as closely as possible. Your driver-guide will keep you up to date on the road, and we'll try to get in touch about any large changes prior to your departure.
Due to logistical reasons, we're unable to let you pre-book a seat on the bus. But our comfortable 16-seat mini-coaches have huge windows. So, you'll always get a good view.
Unfortunately, we have no on-board toilet facilities, but you'll have regular comfort breaks.
We aim to accommodate everyone. To read more information on how we do this, click here to go to our accessibility guide.
We regret we don't carry children under the age of five on our scheduled tours.
You can ask us about the tours we recommend for younger children. And if your child is less than 1.35m tall, you should let us know, so we can provide them with a suitable booster seat.
We want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland. And we believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. So, we give you plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.
We exclude visitor attractions in your tour price because it lets you travel your way. It means you can pamper yourself with a luxury lunch or skip an attraction whenever you feel like it.
You don't need to. We stop in small towns, villages, and rural eateries where you can choose whatever meal pleases both your taste buds and your budget.
Let's be honest, our driver-guides would never refuse a cheeky bonus. But it's up to you, and the amount is entirely at your discretion.
We advise you take out travel insurance.
You're protected by ABTOT when you chose to let us reserve your accommodation on a multi-day tour. This means you can claim back anything you've paid us if we become bankrupt. Read our terms and conditions for more information.
If you have any more questions, call us on +44(0)131 226 3133, email tours@rabbies.com , or check out our full FAQs .