Balmoral & Royal Deeside Tour
Description
Starting from Aberdeen we trace the river Dee to Balmoral where you can walk in the footsteps of generations of Royals who have called this estate home. *Balmoral Estate is closed from 9th of August 26 until early October 2026. We visit the village of Braemar and optional Braemar Castle. Take a stroll in the charming Victorian village of Ballater, explore the local heritage, the Victorian train station and the views of the area. Next, we visit the iconic Cambus O'May suspension bridge, before we continue our journey to the Tomnavarie Stone Circle. Finally, on our way back to Aberdeen, we stop at Queen Victoria's favourite views of Aberdeenshire.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Balmoral is a treasured family home for the Royal family since 1850, when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert chose this beautiful region to create their great escape. A landscape with stunning views of the hills and mountains, fields of heather and the majestic river Dee that flows through it. The Ballroom is only room open to visitors within the Castle. *Balmoral Castle & Estate is closed from mid August until the early October 26. This tour stop will be changed to Braemar Castle and Braemar village.
The Victorian village of Ballater sits in the heart of Royal Deeside, at the eastern gateway to the Cairngorms National Park, making it one of Scotland’s most scenic visitor spots. A stroll around the village reveals an interesting range of specialty shops and good selection of restaurants and cafes to enjoy some of the local food & drink. Notice the shops which display Royal Warrants on their store fronts, a sure sign of quality and support from the Royal family. Sitting alongside the river Dee and surrounded by hills and mountains, Ballater is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise. Be sure to visit the beautiful Victorian Railway Station and the tourist information centre which has more information about the village. Walk past the Victorian Barracks, still in use, when the Royal family are staying in Balmoral.
The Cambus O' May suspension bridge spans the river Dee and is a legacy from the estate of Alexander Gordon. Built in 1905, the footbridge is 50 m long and carries visitors to the other side. The Deeside Way, a trail following the former Deeside Railway, passes the north-eastern end of the bridge. Footpaths from the bridge lead to Torphantrick wood and the Muir of Dinnet nature reserve, popular spots for visitors who enjoy woodland walks and wild swimming in the river.
Tomnaverie is a recumbent stone circle, a kind of monument found only in north-eastern Scotland. Their characteristic feature is a large stone on its side, flanked by two upright stones, usually on the south or south-west arc of the circle. The stone circle surrounds a burial cairn dating to about 4,500 years ago. Relatively little is known about why we have these structures, there are several theories which you’ll discover on your visit.
Just outside Tarland is the Queen's View, reportedly one of Queen Victoria's favourite views over the Howe of Cromar towards Lochnagar. We will stop to admire the view and on a good day, where you can see 12 different hills and Munros!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(104)
We booked strictly to tour Balmoral Castle. We never got to see because the King was in residence. We did not know until we arrived at the meeting place for our tour. The others had received prior notice that the castle would be closed. We DID NOT receive notice. We COULD HAVE cancelled up to 24 hrs prior and we WOULD HAVE. We were put on the spot as to whether or not we were still going. I asked about the tour already being paid in full. It was a tense situation. Our guide did not commit to giving us a refund. We were put on the spot. “So are you coming???” We were holding up the group. We didn’t even have time to try to call Viator. Our Tour Guide should have called Viator. Very reluctantly, we went on the tour. We were very disappointed in the tour without seeing Balmoral Castle. THAT’S the MAIN PART OF THIS TOUR!! I would like a refund or partial refund. I did ask right away. And also, the tour is advertised with onboard WiFi. There was no WiFi.
We are sorry to see you were disappointed with the tour. In the tour description we include information regarding the Balmoral closure dates and that we substitute Braemar castle. We also sent a reminder email which was sent to you on the 11th of August at 08:59am that states Balmoral was closed. Copies of these can be found in the Viator message centre. We can appreciate you felt on the spot in the morning. We have spoken with the guide and she did offer you a partial refund prior to the tour departure. This was rejected by you and you chose to take the tour.
Alex Duncan was an excellent tour guide. We thoroughly enjoyed all the information given to us. The scenery was outstanding. Gave a great overall taste of the areas. Five star all the way!
Thank you very much for joining us and for your wonderful review.
A great day out. Jamie was our guide and he made the whole day very informative and entertaining. We travelled as a small group of seven people in a large people carrier vehicle. The small group number made it quick and easy to get everyone on and off the vehicle. It also made it a small friendly group for the day out. We visited Balmoral and had a couple of hour to walk round. Stopped at a couple of villages in the area - very nice places. Jamie was very informative and able to answer the questions asked.
Thank you for your wonderful review and enthusiastic feedback of your time with Jamie. We are glad he made you day a good one.
Jamie was an outstanding guide, as good as any we have ever had in all our years of travel. He was extremely knowledgeable, witty, and engaging. We never felt rushed on our seven and a half hour trip, and yet he brought us back to our starting point exactly on time, to the minute -- amazing!
Thank you very much for sharing your experience on tour with Jamie. We appreciate your booking and great review.
Alex Duncan was a knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly guide. I would highly recommend him by name.
Thank you very much for your wonderful review of Alex and your trip with him. We appreciate the feedback.
Excellent tour!! Alex was amazing, full of history knowledge and full of hidden and local facts that you wouldn’t get on most tours. He even gave us a ride back to our hotel since it was on his way so that we didn’t miss our dinner reservations!! 10 out of 10 recommend booking this tour!
Thank you very much for your great review of your trip with Alex. Glad to see he was able to help you out with your dinner reservations too.
Great tour of the Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire area and the Highlands. Balmoral was worth the trip even though we didn’t do the inside tour. Jacqueline was very friendly and enthusiastic - a great tour guide!
Thank you for joining us on tour and for your kind review. We are glad you enjoyed your visit to the Balmoral Estate.
Based upon the description of the tour and my own review ahead of time, this was what I expected. The time allowed was just right.
Thank you for booking a tour with us and for your kind review.
Great tour. Excellent guide - thank-you Jaqueline! Beautiful countryside and the grounds of Balmoral are outstanding.
Thank you very much for your kind words and we are delighted you enjoyed your visit to Balmoral.
Wow what a wonderful day of castles and sightseeing. Our guide was knowledgeable and very personable. She tailored the experience to our needs and made the day thoroughly enjoyable.
Thank you for your great review. We are happy to see Jacqueline was able to make your day interesting and enjoyable. Thanks for booking a tour with us.
