Private Day Tours from Glasgow

Your own guide, your own route, and the whole of western Scotland on your doorstep.

Glasgow is one of the best bases in Scotland for a day tour. Within a couple of hours, you can be standing beside Loch Lomond, walking the ramparts of Stirling Castle, gazing up at the peaks of Glencoe or looking out from the clifftops of Culzean. With a private day tour from Glasgow, you see it all with your own guide and vehicle, at your own pace, with a maximum of 8 guests and no strangers sharing your day.

We collect you from your hotel, Airbnb, Glasgow Airport, the train station or any convenient address, and every private day tour from Glasgow is a fixed £695 for your whole group. Tours are guided personally by Lesley or James Kennedy, the husband-and-wife team behind Tour Guide Scotland.

Plenty of coach tours leave Glasgow every morning, but they follow a fixed route, a fixed timetable and a fixed set of stops, with up to 50 other passengers. A private day tour from Glasgow works the other way round. The day is planned around what you want to see, the pace suits you, and if something catches your eye, we stop.

For families and small groups, it can also be better value than it looks. Our price is fixed for up to 8 guests, so a group of six or eight shares one simple cost, with door-to-door pick-up included.

Lesley brings 17 years of police service and a passion for Scottish history and wildlife, and James is a Scottish Whisky Ambassador with a background in hospitality. Our ethos is simple: come as a guest, leave as a friend.

Every tour below can be adapted to suit you. Drive times from Glasgow are approximate.

The Highlands and Lochs

Glencoe and the Highlands: around two hours and 15 minutes north, Glencoe is one of the most dramatic glens in Scotland. The route follows the shores of Loch Lomond and crosses the wild expanse of Rannoch Moor before the mountains close in around you. It’s the classic Highland day from Glasgow.

Inveraray Castle and Loch Lomond: around an hour and 30 minutes away, Inveraray Castle stands beside Loch Fyne, reached by following Loch Lomond and climbing over the Rest and Be Thankful pass.

Stirling Castle and the Trossachs: just 45 minutes to Stirling, then into the lochs and glens of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, with a good chance of meeting Highland cows along the way.

Castles and Scottish History

Stirling Castle, the Wallace Monument and Bannockburn: around 45 minutes from Glasgow, follow Scotland’s fight for independence from Stirling Castle to the National Wallace Monument and the battlefield where Robert the Bruce won in 1314.

Culzean Castle and Burns Country: around an hour south, Culzean Castle stands on a clifftop above the Firth of Clyde, a short drive from Alloway and the Robert Burns Birthplace Museum.

New Lanark and Bothwell Castle: the red sandstone ruins of Bothwell Castle are just 20 minutes from Glasgow, while the UNESCO World Heritage village of New Lanark is around 45 minutes away, telling the story of Scotland’s industrial revolution.

The Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies: around 35 minutes east, The Falkirk Wheel, the world’s only rotating boat lift, sits close to The Kelpies, two 30-metre steel horse heads.

Whisky

Glasgow Whisky Distillery Tour: led by James, a Scottish Whisky Ambassador, this tour explores Glasgow’s distilling revival, including The Clydeside Distillery on the banks of the River Clyde. For longer whisky journeys, see our private whisky tours.

Outlander Filming Locations

Outlander Day Tour: around 45 minutes east of Glasgow, our Outlander Day Tour visits Hopetoun House; Midhope Castle, the real Lallybroch, where from the 2026 season you can step inside the ground floor; Blackness Castle, the series’ Fort William; and Linlithgow Palace, which served as Wentworth Prison.

Tracing Your Scottish Roots

Genealogy tours: if your family came from Scotland, we can build a private day around their story, visiting the towns, villages, churches and landscapes connected to your ancestors. Share what you know about your family history, and we’ll plan a day that brings it to life, standing in the places your family once called home.

Not sure which tour to choose? Tell us what you’d love to see and we’ll suggest the best route, or design a completely bespoke day. Get in touch to start planning.

Every private day tour from Glasgow is a fixed £695 for your group of up to 8 guests. There’s no per-person pricing, so a family or group of friends shares one simple price. See our price guide for full details.

What's Included

Every private day tour from Glasgow includes:

• Your own private vehicle and driver-guide for the day
• Pick-up and drop-off from your hotel, Airbnb, Glasgow Airport, train station or chosen address
• All fuel
• Bottled water and light snacks
• A dram or two of whisky along the way (for guests aged 18 and over)

Attraction entry fees and lunch aren’t included. If it’s easier, we can arrange attraction tickets in advance and add them to your final price.

Once you’ve chosen your tour, we’ll confirm your pick-up time and address. On the day, your guide collects you and the tour runs for approximately 7.5 to 8 hours, with stops for photos, coffee and lunch built in. You set the pace throughout, and we’ll drop you back wherever suits you.

If one day isn’t enough, our private multi-day tours take you further, to Mull, Iona and Staffa, the Isle of Skye, Islay and beyond, with the same private guide throughout. We can also combine two day tours from Glasgow into a longer stay, or design a bespoke multi-day itinerary around you.

From Loch Lomond to Stirling Castle, here’s what guests have said about their days out with Lesley and James.

Where do you pick us up in Glasgow?

We collect you from your hotel, Airbnb, Glasgow Airport, the train station or any convenient address in or around Glasgow, and drop you back at the end of the day.

How long is a day tour from Glasgow?

Most private day tours from Glasgow run for approximately 7.5 to 8 hours.

How far is Glencoe from Glasgow?

Glencoe is around two hours and 15 minutes from Glasgow by road, travelling via Loch Lomond and Rannoch Moor.

Can we see Loch Lomond on a day tour from Glasgow?

Yes. Loch Lomond is around 40 minutes from Glasgow, and both our Glencoe and our Inveraray Castle tours follow its shores.

Do you offer genealogy tours?

Yes. We can plan a private day around your family history, visiting the places connected to your Scottish ancestors. Get in touch with what you know and we’ll build the day around it.

What’s included in the price?

Your private vehicle and driver-guide, pick-up and drop-off, fuel, bottled water, light snacks and a dram or two of whisky for guests aged 18 and over. Entry fees and lunch aren’t included, but we can arrange attraction tickets and add them to your final price.

How many guests can join?

Up to 8 guests. The price is a fixed £695 whether you’re a couple or a group of eight.

Can we create our own itinerary?

Yes. Every tour can be adapted, and we’re happy to design a completely bespoke day from Glasgow around the places you’d most like to see.

How do we book?

Get in touch with your preferred date, number of guests and where you’re staying, and we’ll help you plan your day. Our terms and conditions and cancellation policy explain the rest.

From the peaks of Glencoe to the clifftops of Culzean, a private day tour from Glasgow shows you the best of western Scotland, at your pace and on your terms. Get in touch and we’ll plan your perfect day.

Staying in Edinburgh instead? See our private day tours from Edinburgh, or browse all our private day tours.