Reasons to choose a Private Tour of Scotland

Private tours give you the ultimate freedom over your vacation - read how below!

We get it - private tours are expensive and you may be wondering if it is worth paying the extra money, whether you would be better off going on a larger group tour or, even hiring a car and touring yourself.  To help you understand the benefits of travelling with a private tour, we have put together a number of reasons why this option might be the best for you.

Stress Free Travel

Coming off a long-haul flight, waiting in line in the car hire office then getting to grips with a new vehicle, unfamiliar roads and different traffic laws can be stressful.  Vacations are for relaxation. Private tours usually offer airport transfers as part of their services so from the get go you can have all your transport needs arranged with ease, wherever you’re going. It is also safer – here in the Scottish Highlands, there are accidents involving hire cars on our roads every summer which are often caused by a combination of travel fatigue and unfamiliar roads.  Taking a private tour significantly reduces this risk and gives you peace of mind.

Additionally, the stress of planning your travel is removed with a private tour. You have more communication with your guide prior to your trip where you can tell them how long you are staying for and what activities you would like to do so they can help plan your experience accordingly.  Private guides can even help to recommend and book accommodation and restaurants for you and tell you where the best eateries are.

Personalised Tours at your own Pace

As private tours are exclusive to yourself and your party, your trip can be tailored to your specific interests and preferences without the guide having to balance different groups’ desires and expectations. Whether you're into history, nature, food, or art, a private tour can adjust the itinerary to match your passions. There is no-one else to think about, so if you want to spend longer at a specific location than originally planned, all you need to do is let your guide know.  Perhaps you had planned to see a waterfall but got caught up in the magic of Loch Lomond or the Glencoe mountains, your tour guide has the added freedom to be flexible and can adapt the itinerary to suit your personal desires.

Travel in Comfort

There is no need to squeeze onto a bus with a lot of strangers. Private tours are often carried out in vehicles specially designed with comfort and luxury in mind and often come with a range of complimentary snacks and refreshments (here at Bespoke Caledonia, we opt for 8-seater minivans).  Especially in Scotland where there is usually a lot of driving on a tour, it’s crucial to travel in comfort and know you are being well looked after by a qualified driver who will always put your safety first.

Local Knowledge

Unlike on larger and non-private tours which follow established itineraries, private tour guides are required to be adaptable and cover a much wider range of locations, and therefore also spend a great amount of time extensively researching for each trip. They have a good depth of knowledge and can provide insights and stories about places that you might not learn from a guidebook or a general tour, and they often know all the best photo spots, coffee shops and hidden gems.

Private guides also understand the customs and the locals in different regions and can sometimes get you access to places which you may not have heard of or are off the beaten track. They know which places are busiest and when so will arrange to take you to the travel hotspots in quieter times before the big groups arrive. If you’re seeking a more authentic or unique experience, they can show you places that other tourists might miss and tend to be skipped by all the main itineraries. Your private guide will also always be happy to teach you a bit about the local customs, etiquette and language along the way – and this is a great way to immerse yourself into the local culture more!

Friendly Faces

As private groups tend to be smaller and more personal, a good private guide will quickly pick up on your personality and interests and even deliver information based on that – rather than you having to listen to a talk about something you have no interest whatsoever in! Furthermore, it is not unusual for guests to establish a real friendship with their private tour guide by the end of their trip (in fact – it’s more unusual if the guests and the guide aren’t friends by the end of a trip), so the guide becomes an important part of the experience itself. One of the best souvenirs you can take away from a country is a friend!

Ultimately, private tours offer a range of benefits over standard-group tours, and although the price tag tends to be higher, it is well worth the cost for the experience and ease you will receive for it. Here at Bespoke Caledonia, we offer exclusively private tours and stay true to everything mentioned above. We pride ourselves in our attention to care and bespoke, friendly service that we offer – so if you are planning a trip to Scotland, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us! We can make your Scottish dream a reality!