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Recommendations for chaffeured day trips near Loch Lomond

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My husband and I are planning either a one day or two day tour that would pick us up from our hotel near Loch Lomond. This is actually our second trip to Scotland after falling in love with it last year. Last year, we toured much of Skye last year and are eager to see more of the Highlands.

I was hoping to devote a day or two to sightseeing areas of the Highlands closer to Loch Lomond in March 2026. Possible stops on a day or tour of touring would possibly include Glencoe, especially the natural sights, be doable as a day trip, Stirling Castle, Inverary, Doune Castle and Trossachs National Park and a whiskey distillery tour.

We are looking for recommendations for reliable companies at a reasonable price. Any suggestions?

Posted by
1529 posts

Earlier this summer we had a driver from Your Scotland Tour stay with us in our B&B. His clients were staying somewhere more swanky! Anyway we had a good chat with him about what this company offers, which is essentially bespoke tours designed around the client requirements (rather than the Rabbies type tours). We were very impressed with the driver, his knowledge of Scotland and its history and the care he was taking to arrange things for his clients. No idea on price, but might be worth a look.

Posted by
2146 posts

You don't say where your hotel is. If you're staying in Balloch, it's about 6 hours driving time just to hit Inverary, Glencoe, Doune Castle, and Stirling Castle, and get back to Balloch. Clearly this isn't possible on a day tour, and when you add Trossachs and a whiskey distillery tour, and considering the time you'll spend visiting the castles and exploring the places you want to see, I think it's more than you can reasonably fit into two days.

In 2023 I stayed in Balloch and did a tour that went all the way around Loch Lomond. It was with Scotland's Wild (https://www.scotlandswild.com/loch-lomond-tours), and it was a great tour in spite of the very foggy weather that shrouded the best views. However, looking at their website now, it doesn't appear they offer that itinerary, or any tours starting from Balloch, any longer.

Skyegirl gave you a good suggestion. Even if that turns out to be beyond your budget, they can at least give you a realistic picture of what you can see in one day or two days.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks! Coincidentally, we contacted Your Scotland Tour just before posting here and am awaiting quotes and itineraries from them.

We are staying right by Loch Lomond in Alexandria. I realize these suggested spots might actually be two separate days of touring, which is why I am hoping to get quotes for what is reasonable.

Posted by
132 posts

As said, that really is a two day tour.

Glencoe and Inveraray work well together with possibly Oban distillery added. Then Stirling, Doune and the Trossachs (Loch Katrine is my favourite loch/area). Glengoyne Distillery might work with that day too.

Alexandria isn’t somewhere I’d consider as an attractive base but perhaps you have already stayed there before?

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