Highland Journeys

My niece and I had the pleasure of touring Royal Deeside this past September thanks to Nicola. She was very receptive to creating a tour that combined personal ancestral interests in the area with beautiful spots that she was familiar with and which I doubt we would have seen on any other tour. We both have very high praise for Nicola's friendliness, good humor and knowledge of the area and we agreed that of the guides we encountered during our three week tour of Scotland, she was the best. She responded very quickly and patiently to my inquiries, her pricing was very fair and her warmth and enthusiasm for our tour was gratifying. We really appreciated her picking us up at our hotel location and her flexibility in a making few unexpected stops . She has continued to stay in touch and has offered her help with my family research as well as providing information for a future stay. We hope we can return soon and travel with Nicola again! Deeside is so beautiful and less crowded and there is so much yet to see. We are fortunate to know such an extraordinary guide and we feel as though we have gained a friend!

Went on a very cool private day tour of Aberdeenshire sights with Nicola (who runs the Highland Journeys) and HIGHLY recommend it if you’re around there! She has great tour options on her page, but was very flexible and accommodated our wants and needs, which was important to us due to health reasons. We saw everything we knew to want to see and then some and at a pace suitable to us. She does a bit bigger groups as well, but we were lucky to drive around privately in her 4x4 - had a nice chat on the way and good information about the country too (Abe was our first stop).

What an amazing experience! Nicola was absolutely outstanding from explaining the highlights as we drove to giving me a deeper understanding of the history and clan relationships across the highlands! I was in Aberdeen for work and didn't know when I'd have a day off to take a tour so I decided to reach out to Nicola after finding her website. Not only did she cater a tour specific to what I was looking for, she did it with only a day or so advance notice! This was also the same week as the Queen's death so lots of things were closed or running different hours but she made it work!I wanted to see castles and she brought me to Crathes, Drum and Dunnottar which were all fantastic! We even got to see some highland cows up close and personal! The day was a dream for me, from ascending the tiny spiraling staircases of Crathes castle (and then wandering the gardens at my own pace) to descending the cliffs next to Dunnottar castle to watch the waves crash into the shore as the wind cooled us down. We also had a lovely lunch in Banchory which was just the right pause to the excitement so we could unwind before setting off again.To have someone go to such depth and detail to tailor a tour for someone, giving engaging and truly fascinating bits of knowledge and lore is a level of professionalism and skill that is sorely missed these days but absolutely appreciated. Nicola is well worth it! Check her out!!Pierre MinterWestlake, Louisiana9/16/2022

I HIGHLY recommend that you take an excursion with Nicola. We had the most wonderful day with her and have such great memories and adventures. She is so sweet and fun--you will have a great day and learn alot. Book with her!!!

Going through Aberdeenshire with Nicola is more than a tour, it’s a voyage through time with memorable stops in between tales heard that you will never forget. Besides her genuine knowledge of historical landmarks which was a definite add on to our stay in Scotland, Nicola’s gentle voice carried us through centuries of untold stories as we drove through the land. One cannot go to Aberdeen without meeting that Fraser Girl !

Glorious day touring Balmoral and Royal DeesideNicola's tour was the highlight of our trip to Scotland in April 2023. The locations along the beautiful River Dee were superb and every detail of the tour was meticulously planned. My travelling companion has limited mobility and Nicola tailored the trip so that she could take part in as many activities as possible, including access to Balmoral Castle and grounds and a wonderful visit to the stunning Fife Arms in Braemar, which was an unexpected treat. Nicola was a charming host with expert knowledge of the area's rich history and remarkable environment. She has recently been awarded a prized gold award by Green Tourism UK and is passionate about sustainable eco-tourism. I highly recommend her tour of this exquisite part of Scotland. Anne Plummer

We had an amazing private tour of Aberdeenshire with Nicola from Highland Journeys.This was our first time in Aberdeenshire.Nicola was flexible and accommodating. She took us to all the sights we wanted to see and more, and at a pace that suited us. Although she also does larger groups, we were lucky enough to have a private tour for just two of us in her 4x4.Nicola is a great conversationalist and provided us with interesting information about the country along the way.We had a lovely weather and had a delicious lunch at Stonehaven.Check out her tour options on her page!We were so pleased that Nicola’s was recommended to us by another tour operatorWe highly recommend her tours if you're in the area!Prakash and Patricia Shah April 2023

Found Highland Journeys while looking for a private day tour option in Aberdeenshire. Pre-trip communications with Nicola were outstanding - quick, helpful, and personable; price was the most reasonable I found (traveling solo, that was a significant consideration), so I knew I was in for a good daytrip. Nicola exceeded my expectations! Was willing to pick me up in Stonehaven, further customized already bespoke tour to the weather and my spur of the moment whishes, and was generally a sheer joy to be around. A day to remember - thanks Nicola!

Amazing experience from start to finish. Nichola was great at providing a custom trip to specific sites we wanted to see. She was very knowledgeable about the local area. Excellent communication and absolutely made the highlight of our trip.Would recommend her especially if you have some limited mobility and a tour bus is too much for you.

Found Highland Journeys while preparing for our trip to Aberdeen - glad we did! Nicola (the owner) was very responsive to my initial queries. She proposed a comprehensive program for our day trip to the Highlands and I was already impressed!The tour itself was great, Nicola picked us up in her SUV and ensured that all our needs were met and questions about the Highlands answered.Would highly recommend Highland Journeys for anyone that wants to visit the Highlands!