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Rabbie's Tours

Headquarters in Edinburgh, Scotland

Rabbie's Tours Reviews (779)

5-day orkney & scotland's northern coast small-group tour from edinburgh, 5-day devon & cornwall small group from london.

Discover Wales 5-Day Small-Group Tour from London

4-day magical mull, isle of iona & west highlands small-group tour from edinburgh, 4-day isle of skye & west highlands small-group tour from edinburgh, 3-day lake district explorer small-group tour from edinburgh.

3-Day The North Coast 500 Small-Group Tour from Inverness

2-Day Windsor, Stonehenge, Bath & Oxford Small-Group Tour from London

5-Day Devon & Cornwall Small Group from London

• Visit the historic Winchester, a former Anglo-Saxon capital View Stonehenge, the most famous prehistoric monument Explore Launceston & wander the ruins of Tintagel Castle Admire dramatic coastlines and indulge in local cuisine

3-Day Lake District Explorer Small-Group Tour from Manchester

• Learn about ancient Celtic culture Explore three national parks Visit an incredible array of castles Search for gold at Dolaucothi mine

• Discover the diversity of Scotland Gain in-depth knowledge of the North Coast 500 Explore the wild side of Scotland Try some fresh seafood

3-Day Stonehenge, Glastonbury, Bath & the South West Coast Small-Group Tour from London

• See the Jurassic Coast and Durdle Door Marvel at Neolithic Stonehenge Explore the ancient kingdom of Wessex Enjoy lunch in Georgian city, Bath

5-Day Highland Explorer: Skye & Far North Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

• Let the Highlands take your breath away Go monster spotting on the Loch Ness Behold the iconic Eilean Donan Castle Explore the natural wonders of the Skye Glimpse Britain's highest mountain

3-Day Speyside Whisky Trail Small-Group Tour from Edinburgh

• Visit Scotland’s famous whisky region Explore Royal Deeside Discover the Highlands Cairngorms National Park Wander through woodlands at Dunkeld

Rabbie's Tours Destinations

• Scotland (20)
• England (12)

Rabbie's Tours Videos

About Rabbie's Tours

Robin Worsnop started our tour company in 1993. All he had was an old sherpa van and a few people telling him it would never work. These days, Robin likes to think he started the company because he ‘saw a gap in the market’, ‘wanted to create an ethical way to travel’, and ‘knew what independent travellers wanted’. But we know the truth. He simply wanted to spend his time travelling around gorgeous places, discovering his homeland, and enjoying a dram with friendly faces from around the globe. And he could have carried on doing this forever. But there was a gap in the market; he had created an ethical way to travel, and he showed people a really, really good time. So, people started to talk about Robin’s quirky tours. Robin had to hire more people, buy more mini-coaches, start working with spreadsheets, and concentrate on building the company, so more people could live his dream. And now we have award-winning small-group tours departing from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, London, and Dublin. Sadly, Robin is too busy to see all these beautiful places as much as our guides. But he’s happy others are now seeing the places he loved in the way he loved seeing them. Throughout his journey, Robin has been guided by his vision to the make the world a better place through travel.

COVID - 19 Safety Procedures

We want you to enjoy a safe and worry-free adventure.

So, our expert team have put together new procedures that go further than government guidelines and don't get in the way of discovering our incredible history and heritage.

• You’re required to wear a face covering onboard our mini-coaches. Please get in touch with us before your trip if you're unable to wear a covering
• You’ll receive a quick temperature check at your departure point.
• There’s a short COVID-19 questionnaire to answer when you arrive.
• Our mini-coaches have allocated seating to comply with one-metre indoor social distancing rules
• Hand sanitiser is provided onboard our mini-coaches
• When outside of our mini-coach, please comply with all government and 3rd party guidance regarding the control of COVID-19.
• Our team take daily temperature checks and health questionnaires.
• PPE equipment and perspex protection is provided to our team.

Tour routes can change and attractions may be closed due to the coronavirus. But don't worry, your expert guide will ensure you enjoy the best experience possible.

Rabbie's Tours Guides

James Cruickshank

Peter Falconer

Questions & answers, do you take children on your tours.

Rabbies Tours unfortunately, do not carry children under the age of five on their scheduled tours.

How much time do I get off the bus?

Rabbies Tours want you to enjoy Britain and Ireland and to do that they believe the best way to do this is to get you off the mini-coach and out exploring. You will have plenty of time to take photos, go walking, and explore ancient ruins.

Are there toilets on the bus?

Unfortunately, there are no onboard toilet facilities, but your driver-guide will make regular comfort breaks.

How much luggage can I bring?

For our 5 and 6 days tours, up to 20kg (44lbs) of luggage per person. This may consist of a small bag and a larger suitcase or rucksack. For other tours, up to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person on our tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (appr. 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag. Unfortunately, Rabbies are unable to store excess luggage, but nearby train and bus stations may have storage facilities for you to use

When should I get to the departure point?

Please arrive 15 minutes before your departure time. Due to waiting restrictions on the tours, they are unable to wait for you if you’re late.

Do you offer hotel pickups?

The UK and Ireland’s historic city centres are full of narrow streets and winding roads. So, to speed up your departure, Rabbies only pick up from their central meeting points.

Contact our Travel Experts

+1 844 311 8331

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Reviews 4.9.

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Must Do Tour!!

We had a great experience with IAN our guide. He was professional, punctual, knowledgeable, friendly, funny, great personality/ easy going, patient. He answered all our questions and other guests questions. We had the chance to capture epic pictures- he even volunteered to take pics of our family- He knew all the right spots to stop for great views/pics. This tour is a MUST for any visitors and even Scots- Kudos to IAN. We appreciate you.

Date of experience : 05 August 2024

Amazing small group tour!

My friend and I loved our Rabbie's Tour of Orkney! I especially appreciated seeing how our tour guide, James, got to know everyone in the group so he could tailor & provide recommendations based on our interests. The smaller group size allowed for enough flexibility to make the tour feel really special. The neolithic sites were incredible, and we learned a lot at every stop (and even more along the drive!) And of course I appreciated not having to be in charge of logistics and timetables If I visit Scotland again, I would definitely look into adding another Rabbie's tour to my itinerary

Date of experience : 06 August 2024

Interesting, informative, fun

An excellent day out made truly memorable by our driver and guide, Stuart. Despite the 'authentic' Scottish weather (we got drenched!), we had a great time as Stuart was truly knowledgable about the locations we visited, and added interesting tangents to his talk. This was my first time to Doune Castle and it is a fascinating ruin.

Date of experience : 09 August 2024

Wonderful Loch Ness, Glencoe & Highlands Tour!

I always do day trips with Rabbie’s whenever I’m in Edinburgh as I love the size of the vans and the guides/drivers are always so entertaining! Craig was fantastic and even added a stop to let us see some Heilan Coos. I also highly recommend adding on the Loch Ness cruise. What an incredible place!

Date of experience : 04 August 2024

This was the perfect way to see Loch…

This was the perfect way to see Loch Ness and the small towns around it! Ryan was funny and thoughtful and informative! Great mix of activities with time to explore. We took the optional boat ride, which was also nice. Would definitely choose this company for tours in the future!

Date of experience : 30 July 2024

Fantastic tour!

Our family had a great time on this tour. The tour guide (Grant) was knowledgeable about each spot and a host of locations along the way, and provided background on significant historical events relevant to the area. It was a fantastic way to see the highlands without getting exhausted or spending too much time on the bus, although there's so much scenery to look at on the way to each destination you don't mind the ride. We're very glad we booked this tour.

Definitely the best tours

Definitely the best tours in small groups you can find around!! friendly atmosphere, highlinghts you wouldn't find on your own, small comfy buses and excellent guides/storytellers. Rabbie's is THE choice.

What an awesome tour

What an awesome tour! Our guide, Ally, was phenomenal! So informative and just a lovely person. We saw so much in one day but we never felt like we were rushed or spent too much time driving. Highly recommend Rabbies. If you are lucky, Ally will be your guide!

Date of experience : 01 August 2024

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable…

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the Lake District and passionate about making sure the entire small group had a wonderful time. Hands down the best tour experience I've ever had.

Rabbies tour to St Andrews

Rabbies tour to St. Andrews and Fishing Villages of Fife with our guide Stevie was epic. He has both a wealth of historical knowledge and a keen sense of humor! Much appreciated Stevie..from the Cheesemonger sisters!

Day trip to St Andrews and Fife

Really fun Trip to St Andrews.... Great if your into Golf and St Andrews itself is an interesting and beautiful city.... The stops at the other towns were fun too... Our guide Ewan was fun and informative... Great Day Trip...Thanks Rabbies for a fun day...

Date of experience : 08 August 2024

Thoroughly Enjoyable!

This was all we hoped for in the Outlander tour. The driver/guide was kind, informative, professional, and engaged with the passengers. Everything from booking to boarding to return worked very well.

Date of experience : 23 June 2024

Excellent tour.

Appropriate amount of tjme at each stop. I appreciate the number of comfort stop, as well. Knowledgeable, friendly and professional driver/guide. I only wished we had been able to get a bit clod’ser to the Old Man of Storr. For the photo stop.

Tour gave great taste of peak district…

Tour gave great taste of peak district and tour guide was fantastic only downside was bit confusing where to pick bus uo on store street not sure you can do an awful lit about thst

Speyside 3 day whisky tour

Did the speyside 3 day whisky tour with our wonderful guide David who went above and beyond to ensure we had a memorable trip! Would definitely recommend this tour to everyone!!!!

Lovely tour to St Andrews

Lovely tour to St Andrews. Our driver "Honest Nick"was amazing and very polite 😀 and told us very interesting stories about Scotland. Highly recommended 👌 😁

Fantastic Two-Day Trip!!!

We had an amazing time on our two-day trip to Inverness and Loch Ness. Our driver and guide, Trevor, was full of wonderful information, very fun, knowledgeable, personable, and friendly. We never felt rushed and seemed to have more than enough time at each stop. Such a great trip. Thank you Trevor and Rabbies!!!

Decent day out to explore wales quickly from England

Guide(/driver) was okayish in terms of sharing details, seemed like not really interested and doing as he had to. Rest was good, comfortable vehicle and good driving.

Date of experience : 07 August 2024

Great experience

The tour was well planned and organized, you see a lot in a short time. Perfect if you have only a few days in Scotland. Our tour guide and driver Nick did a fantastic job! He was punctual, friendly, made multiple stops so we could take pictures, and had a great sense of humor. I loved that we were in a small bus. It made it more cozy and it was easier to socialize with the group.

I am a self-declared Rabbie's groupie…

I am a self-declared Rabbie's groupie as I have booked 8 trips while spending a month in Scotland. Rabbie's was a big part of my trip and I truly enjoyed every tour. I especially appreciate all the talented and professional tour guides - Robbie (Northumberland and Scottish Borders), Shauna (Lochness), James (Orkney), Duncan (Outer Hebrides), Dave (Hadrian's Wall), that lovely Rabbie's duo so ashame can't recall their names (Stirling Castle). Thank you so much for being an outstanding tour company.

Date of experience : 02 July 2024

The Ultimate Rabbie’s Tour Review: 3 Day North Wales Tour

This post contains affiliate links for which I may make a small commission to help keep the site running. You will not be charged extra for these items had you not clicked the links. Thank you for your help to keep the site running!

Despite living in the UK for seven years, there was still one country I hadn’t made it to.

I’ve seen the beauty of England , explored the landscapes in Scotland, and discovered the history of Northern Ireland.

Still on my to-do list.

Oh, and something else I hadn’t done?

Taking a guided Rabbies Wales tour.

We’ve explored the UK all self-guided, so having someone drive us around and tell us all the insider secrets was a foreign concept.

Luckily, thanks to Rabbie’s Tours , I was able to check both exploring Wales and having a stress free tour off my bucketlist.

In this Rabbie’s Tours review, I’m going to dig deep into our thoughts on Wales tours with Rabbie’s and our specific experiences on the 3 Day Snowdonia, North Wales , and Chester tour that departs from Manchester.

Did we enjoy ourselves?

Did we see lots of sheep?

Do I have some tips on making the most of your Rabbie’s tour?

Are we absolutely exhausted, but in the best way possible?

Yes to all of the above.

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Want more Welsh content? Check out these guides!

• 41 Fantastic Wales Captions for the Perfect Instagram Post
• 11 Charming Destinations Along the Wales Coastal Path
• 17+ Charming Things to Do in Beddgelert, Wales
• 23 Picturesque Things to Do in North Wales
• 9 Scenic Things to Do in Conwy, Wales

Who are Rabbie’s Tours?

Rabbie’s Tours were started in 1993 by Robin Worsnop and are a small group guided tours company that operated in the UK and Europe.

Their ethos is based on small groups (no more than 16), supporting local communities, and ensuring that you see the “off the beaten path” or the scenic routes rather than just the touristy attractions and highways.

Oh, and the name is a nod to a nickname for Scottish poet Robert Burns, and rhymes with “abbeys” – a point they are quick to point out on their website lest you get confused with the other pronunciation you might be thinking of…

Where do Rabbie’s Tours operate?

One of the reasons I really wanted to share Rabbie’s Tours with you is where they operate – not only do they have fantastic UK tours departing from London, Edinburgh, and Manchester, but they also operate in Ireland and have some amazing European tour options.

What’s Included?

When you pay for a Rabbie’s tour, you are paying for the expertise of your fantastic storytelling guide (and trust us, they’ve got alllll the stories), as well as transportation throughout the duration of your tour through all of your stops.

The basic fee doesn’t include accommodation, as Rabbie’s wants to give you the option to book your own and do the tour on more of a budget (or more of a splurge) if you want to.

However, you can have them book your accommodation for you after telling them what fanciness level of accommodation you would like, and that costs nothing extra besides the money you pay to the hotel, hostel, or B and B.

The attraction fees also aren’t included to give you the ultimate flexibility.

At first, this sounds a bit stingy, but it’s not.

Firstly, depending on the tour, many of the places you go to will have a variety of attractions or, as is the case with North Wales, many places we enjoyed just walking around and there weren’t things we needed to pay to enter.

If Rabbies included in the tour price entrances for various things that they essentially made mandatory for you to do, you would have way less freedom and likely be spending more than you would if you just decided on your own what you wanted to do.

Food costs also aren’t included, and you will have plenty of stops to get something to eat, as they factor in lunch stops and making sure you’re not driving straight through the day with nothing to eat.

Who can take a Rabbie’s tour?

Anyone over the age of 5 can take a Rabbie’s tour, though those under the age of 18 do need to be accompanied by an adult.

Who Should Take a Guided Tour?

One of the questions we asked ourselves throughout the tour was what kind of traveler would appreciate a guided tour with Rabbie’s.

Not everyone has the same needs, and it would be dishonest to suggest that a Rabbie’s tour is suitable for everyone in the whole world.

After all, if you wanted to spend as much time as you wanted in each stop and have full control of your schedule, of course a guided tour by its very nature wouldn’t be for you.

However, we’ve come up with a list of who we think would enjoy a Rabbie’s tour and get the most out of it.

You’re probably a good fit for a Rabbie tour if…

• You like the idea of not having to worry about transportation while traveling and spend your time enjoying the sites
• You want to decide what you do in each town/city, but appreciate traveling with others
• You want to pack in as much as possible of the area you choose
• You aren’t from the area and prefer local guides and recommendations
• You like the idea of taking the scenic route and not just sticking to the main tourist towns

Rabbie’s 3-Day Snowdonia, North Wales and Chester Tour Review

Rabbie’s operate 1, 3, and even longer day tours from various cities across the UK, Ireland, and Europe, but for those interested in the 3-Day Snowdonia, North Wales and Chester tour, I want to really dig into our experience and our top tips for enjoying this tour.

The pacing and types of things we saw will also give you an insight into how many of the other tours work logistically.

The departure area for this tour is outside Manchester Piccadilly Station.

We actually ended up taking the train from London up to Manchester that morning, which takes about 2 hours.

If you book it ahead, the cost of that particular train is manageable so don’t let it stop you from taking this tour even if you’re London-based.

We showed up to the meeting point about 15 minutes before departure and met our tour guide, Charlie, who was super friendly and chatty.

This was a relief to me, as we were going to be spending lots of hours in the Rabbie’s van together and the fact that he seemed excited and ready to be there and show us Wales helped set the tone in a positive way.

We had 9 on our tour, and Rabbie’s takes a maximum of 16.

The Rabbie’s bus was incredibly comfortable, with air conditioning and USB charging sockets behind every seat (for which we were all really grateful – you are on the road all day with nowhere else to charge it!).

The first stop for us was a seaside town in Wales called Conwy, which we got to after fighting the bank holiday traffic.

We did have a harder time on the first and final days with more traffic than would usually be on a tour due to the holiday weekend, but Charlie handled it with good nature and of course Rabbie’s can’t control the traffic or accidents or other things that might go wrong on the roads, but will make every effort to keep the tour on track.

Charlie even stayed out later with us on the final day after checking we were all happy with it so that we could fully appreciate the towns we were going to.

When we got to Conwy, we were impressed with a medieval walled town on the Welsh coast that was the perfect spot to grab lunch (we got fish and chips from The Archway, would recommend!) and go for a bit of a wander around town.

Read more about my thoughts on the best things to do in Conwy here.

You can see Conwy castle, but we chose to walk the walls for some amazing views, stroll along the coastline, and then sit on a bench enjoying our lunch near the town center.

As with many of the places we explored on this tour, Conwy was very walkable and able to be explored on foot.

It also has some seriously stunning views, and the sun was out for us which just makes everything in the UK look ten times better.

When we had had time to grab lunch and explore a bit, it was back to the bus and onto our next stop.

Every time Charlie would drop us off somewhere, he would tell us exactly where he would be and at what time to pick us back up – he went above and beyond to make sure that he got as close as possible to dropping us off near the sights.

As we journeyed further into Wales, Charlie would tell us about the history of Wales and the stories behind some of its most famous legends.

He would also play music, where appropriate, that reflected the locals and were either by Welsh singers or had some important part in Welsh history (sometimes that history was very medieval, and sometimes it had to do with rugby!)

We were able to get out and stretch our legs for a minute at this beautiful lake, though it wasn’t an official stop on the tour and just an example of how each tour and tour guide is different and unique.

Then, it was on to Llanberis to see the Llanberis Slate Museum , which is completely free.

You don’t have to go in the Slate Museum – there is also a nice area to walk around outside, but we chose to go in the museum to learn more about Welsh history.

Slate mining was a huge industry for Wales for years, and the Llanberis Slate Museum is on the site of the mine that has been preserved.

As you wander around the rooms, you are taken back to a time when many families in the area would have had fathers, brothers, cousins, grandfathers, etc who worked at the slate mine.

There is also a room dedicated to remembering the day the slate mine closed for good – hundreds of people suddenly without work and needing to figure out what to do, and the local area shocked by a closure of what had become such a part of the fabric of their community.

Top Tip for Rabbie’s Tours : When you’re exploring museums like the Slate Museum, keep track of the time you have. Due to the jam packed schedules, you’re never going to have enough time to read every plaque in every room or explore every single inch of a town, but you can get an overview and dig deeper into a few chosen areas. We were still getting used to being on a guided tour during this bit and I know my husband could have spent more hours in the Slate Museum – we should have paced ourselves a bit better so we could see more of it.

From Llanberis it was back on the bus to the third stop of the day, Beddgelert.

This part of Snowdonia is quite frankly just one of the most beautiful, and we got ice creams while walking along the river and enjoying the beautiful views from the bridge.

In the late afternoon, we continued our drive through Snowdonia and enjoyed gorgeous views from the bus windows.

That’s another fantastic thing about the Rabbie’s buses – you aren’t stuck looking out of tiny windows – they are massive, so you can really appreciate what you’re driving by and the entire bus was spotlessly clean and the windows were too, so you didn’t have any grit or grime in between you and the awesome views.

Our day ended in Aberystwyth, a seaside town that we instantly became enchanted with.

We had the B&B option and we stayed at a lovely B & B just a minute or two’s walk away from the sea.

As we had a long day of exploring, we decided to grab some dinner at a local pub and enjoyed a beautiful sunset.

Then, it was back to fall asleep instantly from a busy day of sightseeing and in preparation for a full Day 2!

If Rabbie’s books your accommodation, your driver will drop you off and pick you up everyday, and they will if you book your own as long as it’s somewhat central.

If it’s not, they may give you a meeting spot that they are going to use to pick you up.

Charlie started the day by picking us up around 9am after we had enjoyed breakfast at the B & B, and then we continued our tour further south into a quaint town called New Quay.

The weather was overcast here, but one of the most magical moments happened for us in New Quay – we saw dolphins off in the distance!

As we had already eaten breakfast and it wasn’t quite lunch time, we used our time in New Quay to sit down by the water and people watch.

There were also some shops on the high street to explore, but overall it was very manageable and we only needed about an hour here which is what we got.

From New Quay, we drove to my favorite stop on the tour, Laugharne.

This beautiful town on an estuary has lots of links to poet Dylan Thomas, but you don’t have to be familiar with the poet to appreciate how gorgeous it is.

We chose to go up in the castle, where you got stunning views of the estuary, but you can also appreciate the views from a walking path in front of the castle.

After exploring the castle, it was time to grab a quick bite to eat from a local cafe right across from the parking lot, and then back on the bus!

The third stop of the day was Newton House , a National Trust property in Wales that has a rich history for its use in World War II and also its private ownership days.

You could walk around the outside grounds for free so you didn’t need to pay entrance if you didn’t want to, but most people on our tour did as much of the attraction here was the house itself.

We didn’t know this before we went, but Charlie was sure to tell us after that Newton House has been voted as one of the most haunted in Wales!

That night, we watched the “Most Haunted” television program that had featured it!

After exploring the house and the beautiful gardens and deer park, we made the walk up to the castle nearby that had far reaching views of the national park.

We timed this just right as we had to book it there and then book it back in order to make it back to the bus on time, but it was worth it.

Top Tip for Rabbie’s Tours: Don’t spend too long deciding what to do when you get to a new stop – get out and start exploring and decide as you go. If you spend too long discussing with your traveling companions what, exactly, to do, you’ll miss out on time. We would make sure to go out and make our way to something interesting ASAP and then, as we did that first activity, talked about what we might do next.

Once we had finished with Newton House, it was on the bus again back to Aberwystwyth for the night.

We had a bit more energy today, so we finished up with another stroll along the seaside, an exploration through a park made from castle ruins, and finished off with some pizza and milkshakes at a restaurant near the boardwalk.

Day 3 was the highlight for Guy, who loves any and all castles, as we started off after breakfast and a drive at Harlech Castle, one of the most famous castles in Wales.

Again, you didn’t have to pay for entrance and could have walked around the high street, but we wanted to see the castle and the views Charlie told us about.

And we weren’t disappointed.

Harlech was picturesque – gorgeous views from the castle out to the sea and the mountains in the distance.

It was everything you would have wanted out of an authentic Welsh castle, and we took some time to explore the ruins and read more information about its history.

The great thing about Harlech Castle was actually that it was a manageable size and there wasn’t too much to read.

Enough so that you got a feel for the place, but not so much that you left feeling like you didn’t get to see it.

From Harlech, we had a journey ahead of us as we needed to get to Chester for our final stop of the tour, but we needed somewhere to eat along the way, and it was also a very busy day of traffic due to everyone returning back from their holiday weekend.

Charlie made sure to choose somewhere that was going to have places open to eat on the Bank Holiday Monday and would help us get in the best position for making it back to Manchester on time, so we ended up in a town called Bala which is famous for Bala Lake.

We had about an hour to eat lunch here, and didn’t venture out to see the lake, but instead enjoyed some sandwiches and cake at one of the cafes.

We appreciated Charlie doing research on the route to account for changes and things that might be closed.

There were plenty of places open, but not too many people that we couldn’t get in somewhere quickly.

Then, it was back on the bus to make our way from Wales to England!

Top Tip for Taking a Rabbie’s Tour: Your largest suitcase will go in the back of the van, but you can keep a backpack or purse in the van with you. Make sure to pack anything you’ll need to access during the day, like water bottles, charges, cameras and any medication in the front with you. If you do need access to something in the back, make sure to leave extra time when you get back to a stop to speak to your guide, as otherwise you’ll hold the tour up with them rooting around in the back for your stuff.

The final, final stop of the 3-Day tour was in Chester.

This picturesque city in England is much bigger than any of the other places we stopped, and of course, as it the nature of Rabbie’s tours, we weren’t meant to explore every nook and cranny but to see the highlights and get a feel for it.

For us, this meant having a walk around the city walls and through the high street.

You can also head to Chester Cathedral, grab a bite to eat along the river, or do some shopping.

After the beautiful Welsh views, coming back to England was surprisingly disappointing.

Chester was nice, but nowhere near as nice as sitting in New Quay watching the dolphins play!

Chester is a great “in between” stop to give you a break, however, in between leaving Wales and getting back to Manchester.

After some time wandering around Chester, we ended the tour by having our final drive back to Manchester, where Charlie dropped us off in the same place that we got on.

The 3 days flew by fast, and we saw so much that at the end of it our heads were spinning and we were trying to recount all of the places we had been.

We had some quick goodbyes to our tour mates and then headed into the station to catch our train, which I had booked about two hours after the scheduled ending time of the tour to give us time in case we hit traffic (which we did) and to give us time to catch our breath and not run to the train.

Overall Rabbie’s Tour Review: 3 Day North Wales, Snowdonia and Chester Tour

Would I recommend a tour with Rabbie’s?

Now that I’ve traveled with them, absolutely.

Their guides are top notch, their vans are incredibly clean and comfy, and if you want to see as much as possible of a wide area in a short period of time, taking a guided tour with them is your best bet.

If, say, you were only interested in going to Chester and exploring it in depth or you wanted to spend the weekend in Aberwystwyth, a Rabbie’s tour isn’t for you as you are hopping from place to place so much that the purpose isn’t to settle yourself in one particular town and find out everything about it.

Specifically, if you want to see North and coastal Wales, I think this is an absolutely fantastic way to do it.

If you are a visitor and don’t have your own car in the UK (or live far away in the UK and don’t want to take it), it’s a great way to not have to worry about public transportation (which, while existent in North Wales, is certainly not going to give you the freedom of using public transportation somewhere like London).

Furthermore, many of the towns we saw didn’t need a whole day in them – we could see the main sights and get a feel for the place and then feel confident we had seen enough to move on.

Rabbie’s dedication to supporting local communities and taking you off the beaten path was truly a great way to feel like you were getting an authentic tour with real insight, and due to their connections with the accommodation, restaurants and attractions in local areas, we were always greeted with a warm welcome.

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1 thought on “The Ultimate Rabbie’s Tour Review: 3 Day North Wales Tour”

When did you go on this 3 day tour.. it seems in 2021 they have changed the stops for their 3 day tour now.

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Rabbie's Tours

Review Highlights

“ You really felt like you were getting to see a lot of different parts of Scotland , while not being overwhelmed. ” in 54 reviews

“ Our driver Peter made our trip to Kelties, Loch Ness , and Sterling Castle one of the best experiences I've had. ” in 36 reviews

“ The fairies on the Isle of Skye , and the awful battles that happened over hundreds of years brought to life. ” in 18 reviews

Location & Hours

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6 Waterloo Place

Edinburgh EH1 3EG

United Kingdom

Amenities and More

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Business Owner

In luxury mini-coaches, Rabbie's expert guides lead you through the must-see sights of Scotland and England. You explore the epic natural wonders, cute traditional villages, and ancient castles. And on all tours, you learn from the best storytellers, explore in small groups of 16 passengers or less, support local communities, enjoy guaranteed departures, and get a guaranteed experience. Small groups mean you can discover the real country, get off the beaten track and onto the back roads where other tours cannot go. Touring with no more than 16 passengers gives you more. More personal attention, more time with the locals, more time off the bus, more time on the back-roads and just more of an all-round memorable experience. …

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Overall rating

157 reviews

Booked a daylong bus tour from Edinburgh into the Highlands. The bus was comfortable (and I'm inclined to motion sickness and didn't suffer any), the trip itself was glorious, but the reason I'm writing here was our tour guide Mina. She was warm, funny, open, always helpful in any way she could find, and just listening to her talk was a beautiful part of Scotland I'll keep forever.

My family of 4 did a 3-day tour from Edinburgh to the Isle of Skye. Everyone on our bus felt like good friends by the time the tour was over. There were plenty of stops along the way, and so many opportunities to get some lovely pictures and learn about the history of Scotland. By the last day of the tour, I was ready to be done. I had taken hundreds of pictures, and there wasn't much else I felt like I needed to see or learn. By the time we made it to Loch Ness, I was just ready to be back home. My gripes are few: our initial tour guide had a family emergency a few hours into our trip and had to be replaced with another guide, which was unfortunate but can't blame anyone for that. Rabbie's did a great job of getting us a replacement guide relatively quickly, and our new guide was great (he got us to Portree around 9pm). Also, there are so many stops along the way to get out and take photos, but there weren't any special excursions or Rabbies-specific perks at any of the stops, which I think was fine for most of our bus, but would've been a nice touch. Only once or twice did we stop somewhere that didn't have other tour buses stopped as well. My kids had a remarkably good time during the 3 days, which was a nice surprise. We would definitely go through Rabbies again in the future, if only to get a feel for where we would want to visit longer on a later trip to Scotland.

See all photos from Eddie H. for Rabbie's Tours

Iain  saves the day! We booked the 9 day trip Highlands (Syke Iona and Orkney). The review is twofold. 3- Stars Five Day, including Skye, was led by Peter. The trip was not a Rabbies trip for us. Where we found our driver and guide distracted by the rider in the shotgun seat of the bus. Their conversations were a distraction, and after five days, I felt we were not getting the treatment I've come to love about Rabbies. Peter did not lead from the front, and as the five days wore on, I considered earphones and my audio book even. If our trip ended here. I would not return to Rabbies. 5-stars Four Day, including Okrney and 900 square miles of the upper part of Scotland lead by Iain (Pictured). Restoration and faith from the moment we were added to the group who left Edinburgh the day before. Ian shared so many facts, history, and landscape thoughts that was never ending. He hiked down to caves, over title pools where the tide was out, over cliffs, and so much more. He took time to care for everyone on the trip. He knew us so deeply and incorporated folks by name through the trip. He was the embodiment of the Rabbies way as we first experienced in Dublin as we traveled with them in 2019 on two trips. Peter needs to be retrained and reoriented to the experience. Iain the Magnificent ... thank you, thank you, thank you!

See all photos from Jim W. for Rabbie's Tours

I recently went on a tour through the Scottish countryside and I have to say, it was an absolutely amazing experience. We did the day trip, west highland lochs and castles, starting from the bus station in Edinburgh. From the stunning landscapes to the friendly locals, every aspect of the tour was wonderful. Our tour guide, Stuart, was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about Scotland's history and culture. He regaled us with stories of Scottish heroes and battles, and pointed out significant landmarks along the way. It was clear that he was deeply proud of his country. We even made a couple of bonus stops throughout the day to see things like the Kelpies or a bonus castle. The countryside itself was breathtaking. We drove past rolling green hills, sparkling lochs, and rugged cliffs. Every turn in the road offered a new and stunning view. We even got to see some Scottish sheep up close, which was a real treat. We stopped at the Kelpies, lookout for Stirling Castle, Doune Castle (for Monty Python or Outlander fans), Lock Lubnaig, and more, with a lunch stop in Inveraray for some food and views. Overall, I would highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Scotland. It was a fantastic way to see the countryside and learn about the country's rich history and culture. I would definitely go on this tour again and again.

See all photos from Anna R. for Rabbie's Tours

If it weren't for our tour guide Keith, this trip would have received a 5-star rating. Unfortunately, Keith's negativity, poor attitude, rudeness, and obvious disdain for tourists made the experience thoroughly unpleasant. While I understand that dealing with tourists can be challenging, especially for someone whose job is to provide enjoyable experiences, Keith openly expressed his dislike for us. He shamed people for asking questions and was consistently rude to the majority of the group. Instead of enjoying the majestic Isle of Skye, the trip became a test of endurance, exacerbated by the fact that Keith was nearly 45 minutes late starting the tour. To be fair, Keith was knowledgeable and provided interesting insights during the distillery tour and when discussing Scotland's linguistic history. However, his commentary extended unnecessarily into personal matters, including details about his marriage and family dynamics, which left us uncomfortable. After spending three days with him, it became clear why his family might prefer him away on tours.

Our Rabbie's Loch Ness & Highlands Day Tour (with the cruise) from Edinburgh was INCREDIBLE!! Our tour guide, Peter, couldn't have been better. He was engaging, very funny, and knowledgeable. The coach was very comfortable and the small group of 15 was just the right size. There was sufficient time at each stop, including at Loch Ness where we had 20 minutes before and after the cruise to shop and pick up lunch. Do not miss this day tour if you're visiting Scotland!

See all photos from Emily H. for Rabbie's Tours

Experienced three guides on our isle of Skye tour. All were excellent. The small group tours provide enough diversity to make it interesting, but also easy to corral the group vs. the large coach buses. Michael L. was a great story teller and had a great Scot sense of humor.

This is my third tour with Rabbie's. It was a three day tour of Skye. Our driver/tour guide was William. The tour itself was absolutely perfect: we saw so many great places: Callender, Glencoe, Portree, Neist Point, Tallisker distillery, Fairy Glen and so much more. William was patient and knowledgeable . He was the perfect combination of funny, kind, interesting and professional. Everyone on the tour enjoyed his stories and his grasp of the history of Scotland. If you told me he was a professor at the University of Edinburgh, I wouldn't doubt it at all. If I had one piece of advice for Rabbies it would be : clone William. If you can do it with Dolly, you can do it with William.

See all photos from Tracie M. for Rabbie's Tours

My best day in Scotland so far. Our driver Peter made our trip to Kelties, Loch Ness, and Sterling Castle one of the best experiences I've had. He was kind, engaging, knowledgeable, funny and set the mood for our trip through history. We came back and watched Braveheart and will watch Outlaw King tonight. Thank you for a experience I will never forget . Grateful traveler from California

We took the tour through the Highlands to Loch Ness. Our guide, Brian, was fantastic! He said he'd only started a few days ago but it seemed like he'd been doing it for years. He was super knowledgeable and told great anecdotal stories about landmarks we'd past. He also told historical stories about battles. On the way back he swung by some castle ruins for us (not on the itinerary) and made sure we got to see the Highland coos. I would definitely book with Rabbie's again, well worth the money!

Highland coos

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Reviews 4.9.

19,911 total

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The guide Amir was fantastic

The guide Amir was helpful, gentle and gave us all the information we needed. He went the extra mile in any aspect. The itinerary, organization of all the aspects.

Date of experience : August 06, 2024

Great tour to Alnwick castle!

What a wonderful opportunity to see the countryside and to take in a castle experience. Our driver, Penny, kept us abreast of details and historical facts through the entire day. Highly recommend.

Date of experience : August 04, 2024

Scott is the Best Tour Guide

Scott, our guide is what made this tour! It was a wonderful experience. In general I avoid tours but I have to say this one was fantastic. The small group was enjoyable, the bus/van super comfortable with USB chargers at every seat and Scott was amazing. Kept us entertained all day with stories, history, local lore and more. Thank you so much for an amazing day!

Date of experience : August 01, 2024

Magical tour of Ireland

Just finished a 5 day tour of Ireland from Dublin with Dan (the man)! It was one of my favourite tours of all time. Dan led us through the history of Ireland and showed us so many important places, including his own "mystery tours". I left feeling so well informed and felt that I had truly experienced Ireland, albeit only a taste.

Date of experience : July 23, 2024

Excellent 3 day tour of Orkney

Excellent 3 day tour, which was well paced seeing the highlights and hidden gems on Orkney Mainland. Our driver/tour guide, Helen, was excellent and very knowledgeable about the area, imparting information on the history and landscapes as she toured us around at a safe and comfortable pace. This was our first tour with Rabbie’s and we look forward to going on further adventures with Rabbie’s.

Date of experience : August 02, 2024

Fantastic your & great value for the money.

We booked a tour with Rabbie’s based on reviews and really liking the idea of smaller, more personalized tours. Value for the money is also important to us. Our day trip to Hadrian’s Wall far exceeded our expectations! From a kind, engaging & knowledgeable driver/ guide in Jan C., to an absolutely beautiful day and scenic drive, to chances yo explore everything on the itinerary (and more), the day was perfect. Jan was extremely knowledgeable and shared great stories & music. We loved that he provided personal tidbits with the history too. The Wall was interesting to get to walk along and Vindalova was fascinating to explore & learn more about. If you are looking for a great day-trip, we highly recommend this. Even my husband who is the history-nerd I am ended up fully engaged in the exploring & opportunities to walk further along the wall.

Date of experience : August 03, 2024

We were especially pleased with Simon

We were especially pleased with Simon. Very knowledgeable, helpful and pleasant. Enjoyed that he pointed sites of interest. The mini-bus was clean and comfortable. There were adequate stops for necessity breaks, pastry and coffee at Mohr Breads, and lunch at Loch Ness. Would very highly recommend.

Date of experience : July 31, 2024

Ewan, our guide for the day was delightful. He gave bits of the history of the area and enough time to walk around the designated stops. More importantly he was very accommodating to a couple of older folks with mobility issues without taking away from the rest of your clients. The van was prompt and clean with a bit of Scottish music for flair and fun. The sights were enough to whet the appetite for any return visits when time might allow. Well done!

Date of experience : July 28, 2024

Great tour!

We had an excellent experience on the Outlander tour. Our guide was very knowledgeable on the how the sites were used in the show as well as the real history.

Date of experience : July 22, 2024

Skye & Driver Kev...

Kev...what can I say. An amazing driver, character & such knowledge! I had been to the beautiful Isle of Skye before & was drawn to take my local friend for another visit. Even she learned new information, history etc from Rabbie's wonderful Kev! Skye of course was amazing! Thanks Kev... PS. Lots of toilet stops😃

Date of experience : July 26, 2024

Great customer service and a quality 3-day tour of Isle of Skye

Great customer service and a quality 3-day tour of Isle of Skye! Never felt rushed and had time to spend at prime locations. A tour is definitely the way to go. The roads are narrow and it's nice to have someone else handle the driving plus provide more context on what you're seeing. One bit of advice -- line up early if you want to sit with your family. We were last so we ended up sitting in single seats on one side. Turned out to be fine but would've been nice to sit together.

Stunning, Outstanding and Fun!

We are from Nova Scotia Canada and did the Lock Ness, Glencoe and the Highland tours with Rhys. Being from “New Scotland” we knew we were in for spectacular views but the beauty of the Highlands were unmatched and exceeded our expectations! Rhys was an amazing tour guide who made the experience perfect. He is friendly, funny and knowledgeable, sharing stories and interacting with us all throughout the drive. He told me he doesn’t consider his job work because he loves it so much and that was truly evident in his demeanour and interactions with us all. I would not hesitate to book this tour and if you are fortunate enough to get Rhys as your guide you’re in for a treat, guaranteed you will get off the bus smiling!

Date of experience : July 30, 2024

3 Day Isle of Skye with JP

We did the 3 Day Isle of Skye with JP. Definitely the highlight of our time in Scotland. The views were stunning, the company, good and the commentary, outstanding. We were blessed with good weather as well. We stayed at the Kilted Fox BnB which was also lovely.

Company canceled seat 5 minutes before tour

They refused boarding for the tour as they'd made an error in the number of seats available. They said because I was the only solo traveler, they needed my seat. They did not ask if others were willing to switch days (and multiple buses were doing the same tour), and I could not. They did offer a different tour on that day for free, which I took, but it was just not on the same level and was a disappointment.

Reply from Rabbie's Tours

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your experience with us. I completely understand your frustration and I'm disappointed your travel plans were disrupted, especially due to an error on our part. We strive to provide a seamless experience for all our guests, and I apologise that we fell short in this instance. Our team did their best to find a suitable alternative but I can appreciate that it would have still been very disappointing to not take part in your intended tour. I hope that you did still enjoy the tour you were on and were able to take home wonderful memory of exploring the borders and Rosslyn Chapel. We will endeavor to prevent similar errors from happening again and I hope we can welcome you back on tour again soon to take you on the trip you were hoping for. Thanks, Jo

Small group made it more enjoyable

Small group made it more enjoyable, more personalized. Jamie was a great driver, imparted a lot of great relevant information. We enjoyed his passion for Scotland and his heritage. Glenco was amazing!@

Date of experience : August 05, 2024

With David on a 5 days trip to Cornwall and Devon

With our host David from Rabbie's tours we have made a wonderful 5 days trip to Cornwall and Devon. We have had a wonderful experience and very good memories of all the beautiful things we have seen. With great knowledge of the region David guided us very friendly and with great enthousiasm. Our minibus was comfortable and clean so travelling was a pleasure. Rabbie's Tours and David, thank you very much for this wonderful vacation!

Fantastic 3-day Isle of Skye tour

I just stepped off a 3-day tour to the Isle of Skye (July 18-20) and I couldn't have had a better trip and got to see so much. Our guide, Kylie, was phenomenal - it was clear throughout the 3 days that we all were her priority and that she wanted everyone of us to have the trip we hoped for. We visited tons of sites and Kylie filled us in on the history and culture on the way to each place, and played songs related to what we were going to see. The stories were fantastic and the sights were beyond beautiful. Among our stops: Loch Lubnaig, Glencoe, Eilean Donan Castle, Sligachan, the Fairy Pools, the Talisker Distillery, Quiraing, Loch Ness, and many others. I'm not a group tour person, but this one was worth every penny - following this experience, I will definitely book a Rabbie's tour again... I'd even do this one all over again!

Weather going on the trip to the West…

Weather going on the trip to the West Highlands was pretty awful but the driver Stephen was excellent with his knowledge and jokes.

The best tour I have ever join

Mark was amazing 👏 He was really patience for answering everyone's questions. Doing his best to give us wonderful experience. Definitely the best tour I have ever joined. Next time will bring my parents together.

Date of experience : July 27, 2024

Trip of a lifetime

I cannot say enough good things about our Rabbie’s tour to the Isle of Islay! Our guide, Andy, was not only extremely knowledgeable but one of the friendliest people I have ever met. He really made the trip perfect. Highly recommend! We will definitely be booking with Rabbie’s again.

Date of experience : July 19, 2024