Top Aberdeen landmarks
Top Aberdeen landmark tours
Top Aberdeen activities
Top Aberdeen landmarks
Beyond Aberdeen
Aberdeen trip ideas
  • Top Aberdeen landmark tours

Balmoral Craigievar Dunnottar Crathes Castles Private Tour

7 Reviews 5.00 out of 5 stars Based on 7 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor | Recommended by 100% of reviewers | Aberdeen, Scotland

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 32 (0) days in advance.

9 to 10 hours (approx.)
Hotel pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Instant confirmation
Offered in: English

Overview

Door to door pick up/drop off & Private Tour with driver/guide.

Aberdeenshire has many treasures to offer, and we take you on a private tour to some amazing castles and areas that are stunning as they are interesting. Our suggested itinerary covers four castles, all very different to each other and 1000’s of years of history.

-Crathes Castle–A 16thC marvel with amazing gardens
-Balmoral Castle–The Scottish home to the Royal Family (not open all year)
-Lunch at lovely restaurant
-Craigievar Castle–The iconic Pink Disney Castle
-Dunnottar Castle-one of the world's most iconic and a must see

Whisky distillery Tasting Tour option - contact us.

We are happy to change the itinerary to suit you and route may depend on hotel location.

Most castles are free to see from the outside, except Balmoral. Interior tours are chargeable and subject to seasonal opening times. Contact us for details.

Please note Balmoral is not open all year. Alternative castles & attractions can be visited.

What's Included

  • Most castles are free to see from the outside but charge to go inside except Balmoral.
  • Pick up/Drop off in Aberdeen. See distance surcharges below.
  • Route and timings will depend on starting point, your choice of attractions and time of year.
  • Pick up surcharges - Hotels more than 20mls outside Aberdeen city-£20. 30-60mls-£40.
  • No drinks or snacks are included in the cost.
  • Balmoral Castle -Pay at gate if you wish to go into grounds and inside. Recommend Pre booking.
See 3 moreSee 5 more

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup point
Pickup details

We pick you up from your hotel or accommodation, train station or cruise liner in the Aberdeen area . Hotels far outside Aberdeen City, a pick up surcharge applies as per below in exclusions.

What To Expect

Book Online

Our secure website provides real-time availability, instant confirmation.
Read more

Safe & secure • Easy breezy • Hassle-free

Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate

Fascinating 16th Century Castle with turrets, gargoyles, and ancient, great yew hedges and walled gardens set in magnificent surroundings.
Read more

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Balmoral Castle

This iconic castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852. A must on all visitors to see list. (£18.50 pp). Please note Balmoral is usually open April to Mid August.
Read more

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Boat Inn

We can stop at lovely restaurant like this or similar for a traditional Scottish lunch.
Read more

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Craigievar Castle

This iconic pink Scottish castle, which is packed with history, armour and art and said to be the inspiration for Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle.Dating back to the 16th Century, this iconic tower house is among the best preserved and the most loved in Scotland.
Read more

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Dunnottar Castle

One of Scotland's and the world's most spectacular ruined castles, Dunnottar is a ancient medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland near Stonehaven. The surviving buildings date from the 13th to the 16th centuries, but was originally fortified in the Early Middle Ages. You can enjoy this castle for free, but to go inside costs £10.00pp.
Read more

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Show 4 more stops

Additional Info

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Frequently Asked Questions

(7)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Balmoral Craigievar Dunnottar Crathes Castles Private Tour?

A: This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-91620P26

Traveler Photos

Reviews

5.00
7 reviews

Average 5.00 out of 5 stars based on 7 traveler reviews collected by Cool Destinations and partner sites such as Trustpilot, Viator, and TripAdvisor

5 stars
7
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0

Loading Options
Don't miss out!
On average, this is booked 32 (0) days in advance.

Similar Tours & Activities

Aberdeen - Private Coastal Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
8 hours 30 minutes Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation
8 hours 30 minutes • Hotel pickup offered • Free Cancellation
5.0 (3)
from
$835.09

Coastal Villages of Aberdeenshire
8 hours Free Cancellation
8 hours • Free Cancellation
5.0 (71)
from
$147.63

Balmoral & Royal Deeside Tour
7 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
7 hours 30 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.8 (92)
from
$147.78

3 Day Aberdeen Balmoral LochNess Pitlochry Edinburgh Private Tour
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
3 days Hotel pickup offered
3 days • Hotel pickup offered
5.0 (1)
from
$2,566.28

Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Aberdeen City Centre Walking Tour (2pm)
Likely to Sell Out
Likely to Sell Out
1 hour 30 minutes Free Cancellation
1 hour 30 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.8 (241)
from
$20.88

Dunnottar Castle and Royal Deeside Small-Group Tour from Aberdeen
9 hours Free Cancellation
9 hours • Free Cancellation
4.9 (195)
from
$81.15

Loch Ness and the Highlands Small-Group Day Tour from Aberdeen
12 hours Free Cancellation
12 hours • Free Cancellation
4.9 (150)
from
$134.86

Balmoral & Royal Deeside Tour
7 hours 30 minutes Free Cancellation
7 hours 30 minutes • Free Cancellation
4.8 (92)
from
$147.78

What's Included

Activity name

  • Most castles are free to see from the outside but charge to go inside except Balmoral.
  • Pick up/Drop off in Aberdeen. See distance surcharges below.
  • Route and timings will depend on starting point, your choice of attractions and time of year.
  • All tours tailored to suit your exact requirements or locations
  • Pick up surcharges - Hotels more than 20mls outside Aberdeen city-£20. 30-60mls-£40.
  • No drinks or snacks are included in the cost.
  • Balmoral Castle -Pay at gate if you wish to go into grounds and inside. Recommend Pre booking.
  • Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate - Free to see from outside. Pay at gate if you wish to go inside. No Pre booking.
  • Dunnottar Castle - Free to see from outside. Pay at gate if you wish to go inside. No Pre booking.

Additional Info

Activity name

  • Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
  • Service animals allowed
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Operated by a business

Protecting you

Activity name

For your protection and stress-free bookings, use our secure platform to pay for bookings. Time Exposure Travel

Report Product Issue

Activity name

Language
Currency

Site Settings

Activity name

Currency

Activity name

Non-refundable

Activity name

Non-refundable

This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

  • This tour requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Sorting, ranking, and search results

Activity name

Cool Destinations wants to make your searches as relevant as possible. That's why we offer many ways to help you find the right experiences for you.

On some pages, you can select how to sort the results we display and also use filter options to see only those search results that meet your chosen preferences. You'll see explanations of what those sort options mean when you select them.

If you see a Badge of Excellence label, the award is based on average review ratings, share of bookings with a review, and number of bookings through Cool Destinations over a 12-month period.

The importance of any one factor over any other in a sort order varies, and the balance is constantly being reviewed and adjusted. We're always updating our systems and testing new ways to refine and improve your results to make them as relevant as possible to meet your needs.

Choose an option

Activity name

or

Cool Rewards Terms & Conditions

Activity name

Cool Rewards

  • Cool Rewards is a loyalty program operated by Cool Destinations. Rewards may be earned by any eligible person holding a Cool Destinations account, subject to the Cool Destinations customer Terms of Use.

Earning rewards

  • Rewards can be earned by making bookings on the Cool Destinations website. You will be able to see the value of the rewards you can earn during the booking process.
  • Earned rewards will be issued in a pending state and will move to a confirmed state 24 hours after the start time of the experience.
  • Earned rewards will be available to redeem once they are no longer in a pending state.
  • For bookings that are moved to a different travel date, the rewards will be redeemable after the amended travel date.
  • If a booking where rewards were issued is canceled, the earned rewards will not be redeemable and will be moved to a canceled state.

Redeeming rewards

  • To redeem rewards, you must be logged into your Cool Destinations account.
  • Any available rewards will be automatically applied the next time you make a booking, and their value will be deducted from your order at checkout, unless you choose not to apply them, which requires you to indicate this via the toggle switch. Bookings made using rewards are subject to the standard Cool Destinations Customer Terms of Use.
  • You will not be able to redeem only a portion of your available rewards at checkout. It is only possible to redeem all or none of your available rewards.
  • There is no minimum order value required to redeem your rewards. This means that you can pay for 100% of your order with rewards.
  • Rewards are non-transferable and cannot be redeemed for cash.
  • If rewards are redeemed against a booking that is canceled or refunded, the rewards will be reissued to your account.

Miscellaneous

  • You can check your Cool Destinations account to see the rewards you have collected at any time. You are responsible for ensuring that your rewards balance is correct.
  • We reserve the right to modify these Cool Rewards Terms and Conditions at any time, with or without notice, including the rules for earning and redeeming rewards. Any changes will be reflected in the updated Terms and Conditions.
  • We reserve the right to terminate the Cool Rewards program and cease issuing any further rewards on future bookings. All pending and available rewards balances will be honored.
  • By earning and redeeming rewards, you agree to these Terms and Conditions, as well as any subsequent changes made to them.