Testimonials

  • "I had organised a 35 year reunion of doctors from my University of Karachi who work in different parts of the UK and wanted them to come to Aberdeen for a weekend. There were 33 of us and we went on a tour of Royal Deeside right up to Glenshee on a gorgeous September day. Nicola was our tour guide and my what a brilliant tour guide she is. Everyone was won over by her professionalism, knowledge of the area and good humour. We were so lucky to have her with us. I can say without exaggeration that it was the best tour of Royal Deeside I have ever had even though I have lived here for 30 years. Thanks Nicola and long may your lum reek!"

    Dr. Izhar Khan, Scotland

  • 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 spiralling 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 Minter , Westlake, Louisiana 9/16/2022

  • "I spent a day touring Aberdeenshire with Nicola in January 2020 and it was one of the loveliest times I have ever had on vacation. Nicola is very knowledgeable about the area and a delight to be with. We stopped at Ballater for a lovely lunch & saw the Old Royal Station, which was a treat. Then on to Braemar & the Cairngorms! Several castles to see, and I fell in love with Aberdeenshire countryside and the beautiful River Dee. What a wonderful place! I highly recommend Highland Journeys & a tour with Nicola. She is an excellent guide who provides a true 5 star adventure!"

    Ninette Ashley, Oklahoma, USA.

  • "So, we truly loved spending the day with you! You are a sweetheart and we felt a connection instantly. We loved the historical information about Aberdeen & its surroundings. Crathes Castle was v. interesting and darn it, too bad the Queen was there, because we would have loved to see Balmoral Castle as well. I think our favorite part of the day was the whisky distillery!! I highly recommend Nicola to travellers in the Aberdeen area to take you on a fun day's journey!!".

    Nancy Bogenrieder, Texas, USA.

  • "We had a perfect day with Nicola. She is such a nice & welcoming person, we felt at ease the minute we met her! It was v. easy to communicate by email with quick & complete answers. She drove safely and we felt safe all day. She had nice stories to tell about nature, history, culture & so much more. She was also v. patient with us (we take alot of photos, & some members of my family don't speak english v. well & she patiently waited as we translated what she had said.) The visits she suggested were perfect (interesting, beautiful, & also not touristy, we were often alone). And we had enough time at each stop to enjoy where we were. She knows where & when to visit. If you are in luck & can book a day with Nicola, don't hesitate! It will be a perfect day! If I have the chance to come back to Aberdeen, I will contact Nicola again to spend another beautiful day with her."

    Maude Allard, Quebec City, Canada.

  • "To have a Tour Guide who was so knowledgeable and easy to be with was really so special and you really gave us a sense of what it is like to be a Scot with so much history behind you. You explained it very well and we really felt that we understand much about the country, its people, their history and of course the rugged splendor of the Highlands and the magnificent views that can be seen in every turn in the road."

    Ottawa, Canada.

  • "I wanted to write you a note and tell you how much we both enjoyed our journey with you. You are such a delightful guide! We really got a sense of how special the smaller communities are, and the rich beauty of the area. I am so glad we chose to travel with you!"

    Oklahoma, USA.

  • "Without a doubt, we made the right decision in having you as our personal Professional Guide. We can tell you, you made our 2 trips to your wonderful country so enjoyable, educational, relaxing and words that cannot express to you what you did for us. Just outstanding! Your style made us feel so much a part of your country. It was as if we have known you for life. You took us to places that we would have never seen if we tried to do it ourselves. As we indicated to you on our 1st trip...we must have had telephone conversations, email contacts etc. with at least 20 firms that do what you do. For me not being a world traveller this was very time consuming. It was an awesome task to pick the right one. Your down to earth answers to our questions, your frankness, your being so unassuming made our decision very easy. I have told friends, that if they are thinking about touring Scotland save yourself a lot of time and trouble, just call Nicole at Highland Journey. We are so thankful we picked Highland Journeys. Equally important, we have gained a true friend for which we are most grateful!"

    North Carolina, USA.

  • "We just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed our trip with you. You were knowledgeable, so friendly & so much fun! You made a trip to some beautiful places even better. Thank you for your patience with us; some things are so different from what we're used to. We will remember this trip for a long time. Thank you for being great in every way!"

    Nebraska, USA.

  • "Thank you for the wonderful tour you planned for us - it truly was the highlight of our Trip. You left all of us many fond memories of Scotland. We all feel like we have a new friend. It was a pleasure to travel with you and to become acquainted with you. John will look again at his family tree - who knows, we could be relatives!!"

    California, USA.

  • "What a wonderful time we had with you on our personalized guided tour. Your selection of the castle, distillery and site-seeing was absolutely perfect. Thanks again for all the time & effort you put into our tour. You really expanded our limited horizons due to the fact that we have never rented a car while in the UK. Using your services was a much better way to go and enjoy the trip without any worries about rental cars, driving on the left or keeping the car in petrol!"

    New York, USA.