Have you ever fallen in love with the moody atmosphere in the pictures of the ancient Edinburgh castle and the breathtaking Scottish nature? Now you can fall in love with all of it in real life. In this week’s #ExperienceOfTheWeek, we talked to Kevin, the founder of Wee Scottish Tours, and we just want to pack our suitcases and join him on a whiskey tour right now. Do you want to know more? Let’s hear him out.
Q1: Hi Kevin, how are you doing?
I’m doing really well. I’ve been exploring Edinburgh Castle today with my assistant in training aka my two-year-old daughter.
Q2: Sounds like a family business! Tell us more about Wee Scottish Tours. Where did the idea come from?
Wee Scottish Tours has been growing over the years. Originally I did bespoke tours all over Scotland in the silver bullet which was very unique and what you would class as a traditional taxi. As the business was becoming more popular, I felt that I had to expand so I invested in bigger, more luxurious, modern vehicles and, at the same time, I changed the name to Wee Scottish Tours.
Q3: You’re based in Scotland, which is a beautiful destination. I bet there are dozens of things to show to fellow travelers. How big is your team? Are you all locals?
I am the one full-time team member and I also use a select few freelance guides who I have known for many years and I can be sure to give tours to the same standard I would. I assist in the running of a tour guide course so I was involved in their training. Everyone is a native Scot and has lived in or around Edinburgh for a long time.
Q4: Your selection of experiences is literally endless – you offer everything from city tours in Edinburgh to whisky tours in the Highlands. What are the most popular activities among travelers who come to you?
We like to make sure that there is enough variety for everyone and all tastes are covered. My whisky tours are really popular, even people who aren’t big whisky fans to begin with learn how to appreciate whisky and end up falling in love with the water of life.
Q5: Today many people travel and plan their itineraries on their own. Why would you recommend booking one of your experiences to our travelers?
I always like to suggest an itinerary as a guide to a traveler but the bottoms line is that it’s your vacation. The itineraries are a great guide and can be used as a baseline but they can also be changed to include places of interest to the traveler. It’s the traveler’s vacation and my job is to make sure that they have a five-star experience with Wee Scottish Tours.
The advantage of sticking to a set itinerary is that I know how long we can spend at each location and have many exclusives for the travelers that no one else does at the locations. It’s one of the advantages of building good working relationships with so many of the attractions over the years.
Q7: The travel industry is in uncharted waters right now but we all hope travel will rebound soon. What does the situation in Scotland look like right now? How was your summer season?
Scotland has been around for a long time. It has managed to survive wars, invasions and many other things. S, although these are troubling times, we will survive this challenge. Once everything has calmed down and normality has returned, Scotland will still be here welcoming visitors back with open arms.
The 2020 summer season was almost non-existent for me compared to what I am used to but it was full of adventures for me and my mini-apprentice. I was keeping my Instagram and Facebook pages alive with all of our days spent exploring.
Q8: Last but not least, what is your favorite spot around Edinburgh that you’d take your friends to see or experience? Tips from a true local are always worth it 🙂
I’m asked this a lot by visitors who are short on time and either has one day in Edinburgh or have never been to Scotland before. They want that special thing that everyone should see. I don’t hesitate. Top of the list for me is visiting Rosslyn Chapel. The air of mystery surrounding this 15th Century chapel is something to behold and then there’s the actual architecture which is breathtaking. Every time I visit the chapel I notice something new even though I’ve visited so many times!
Book some of the most popular experiences by Wee Scottland Tours here:
Whisky Highlands Ultimate Whisky overs Tour: Oldest and Highest Distilleries
Robert The Bruce with Outlaw King Filming Locations
Edinburgh City Centre Private Driving Tour including Edinburgh Castle & Rosslyn Chapel
Castles Highlands Lochs Stirling Whisky Personal & Private Driving Shore
Outlander Filming Locations Private Tour – A day Trip from Edinburgh