Day Trips to the Kelpies from Edinburgh

Two 30-metre steel horse heads in The Helix park at Falkirk, the Kelpies stand about 40 minutes west of Edinburgh, so we treat them as the opening stop of a longer outing; the length that comes up most here is 10 hours. This page lists 12 tours from Edinburgh. Travellers have posted more than 8,451 reviews of the tours on this page, rating them 4.6 out of 5 on average. Trip lengths on this page run from 5 to 10 hours.

Falkirk first, then Loch Lomond and Stirling

On the classic multi-stop route the Kelpies come first, with Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park next and Stirling Castle to close, across 9 to 10 hours. "Marvel at the Kelpies, the world's largest equine sculptures", one listing notes; that one runs about 9 hours. Another makes room for a whisky distillery in the Highlands.

Five hours for the Kelpies and Stirling

For travellers short on time, the 5-hour option names the Kelpies and Stirling Castle. Rated 4.7, it comes with a local driver-guide who talks through Scottish history and culture on the way. We would pick it when a full day is too long.

Table data is indicative and comes from the GuruWalk catalogue. Each activity's current details, including availability, are the ones shown on its listing when you book.

Length separates the full-day loop from the shorter Highland drive; the loop adds Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle to the sculptures at Falkirk, and the drive names Loch Katrine and Queensferry instead. Of the trips shown here, the one with the most reviews is "From Edinburgh: Loch Lomond, Stirling Castle & Kelpies Tour", with more than 2,746 reviews and a rating of 4.6 out of 5.

How the day is split after the sculptures

At Falkirk the stop is for photographing the sculptures up close; the classic route next allows a lochside walk, or a cruise you can add, at Loch Lomond, then about two hours split between the fortress and the old town at Stirling. We would wear shoes that can handle the lochside walk.

Whether castle entry comes with the booking

One loop names admission to Stirling Castle as an option, so read the listing before you go to see what your Kelpies day covers.