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Book a Private Tour of Edinburgh

Hi, I’m David, an Edinburgh Tour Guide & Photographer, specialising in private walking tours of the New Town, Calton Hill, The Dean Village and Leith.

My exclusive, private tours are a great first introduction to Edinburgh, with a local who’s passionate about showing you all his favourite things, on and off the beaten track.

I’ve lived in Edinburgh for over 50 years and it’d be a pleasure to welcome you to Scotland and show you around my beautiful home city. You can see and book all my Edinburgh tours below. I’m also a portrait photographer and if you’d like some beautiful portraits of you taken in Edinburgh, please get in touch.

I’ve written a 100-page Edinburgh Guidebook which you can purchase & download here. It tells you everything you need to know about visiting Scotland’s beautiful capital.

  • Historical stone building with turrets and archways, wet courtyard with benches and lamps. Photo of New College on The Mound in Edinburgh, Scotland taken by David Wheater.

    Edinburgh Old Town Tour

    PRIVATE 3 HOUR TOUR / FIXED PRICE £199

    If you love taking photos, Edinburgh's historic Old Town is an absolute dream. This is a city of constantly changing light, moody skies, vibrant streets and stunning architecture. On this exciting photography tour of Edinburgh's Old Town, David will take you on a photography tour of some of the Old Town's highlights while passing on lots of invaluable photography tips to help improve your photography skills. David will also share a little of the Old Town's amazing history & stories along the way.

  • Scenic view of colourful historic buildings by a river with lush greenery and people sitting near the water; vibrant blue sky overhead. Photo of Wells Court on The Water of Leith in The Dean Village in Edinburgh, Scotland by David Wheater.

    The Dean Village Tour

    PRIVATE 3 HOUR TOUR / FIXED PRICE £199

    One of Edinburgh's most delightful & picturesque hidden villages that's been enthralling photographers for decades. Nestled along the green & leafy banks of the Water of Leith, there's the opportunity to not only photograph the village's beautiful architecture, but also the river and its wildlife inhabitants, including kingfishers, herons and otters. As we walk through this beautiful village, David will tell you all about the fascinating history of the village, while sharing all his top photography tips.

  • Person sitting on grassy hill overlooking Edinburgh with Dugald Stewart Monument and Edinburgh cityscape in view. Cloudy sky overhead. Photo taken at Calton Hill in Edinburgh, Scotland by David Wheater.

    Calton Hill Tour

    PRIVATE 3 HOUR TOUR / FIXED PRICE £199

    An unmissable part of the city for all keen photographers, offering unrivalled 360 degree views of the whole city, all the way to Fife, East Lothian and beyond. Full of exciting photographic opportunities, David will guide you around Calton Hill's many beautiful, historic monuments & observatories, helping you to capture them in the best possible way. David will show you all his favourite spots for capturing iconic and beautiful shots of Scotland's enchanting capital city.

  • Cobblestone street with vibrant greenery, people walking, and a historic clock tower. Photo taken at Circus Lane, Stockbridge in Edinburgh, Scotland by David Wheater.

    Edinburgh New Town Tour

    PRIVATE 3 HOUR TOUR / FIXED PRICE £199

    The finest Georgian New Town in the world is an absolute treasure trove for all keen photographers. From its elegant, beautiful architecture to its green parks and lively streets, it's full of amazing photographic opportunities at every corner. David will help you explore this photogenic part of the city, sharing all his top photography tips and locations along the way. David will also tell you about the New Town's fascinating history as we photograph one of the most beautiful areas of the city.

  • Waterfront view of The Shore in Leith, Edinburgh with historic buildings and boats under a clear blue sky. Photo taken in Leith in Edinburgh, Scotland by David Wheater.

    Leith Tour

    PRIVATE 3 HOUR TOUR / FIXED PRICE £199

    One of Edinburgh's least visited districts and a true hidden gem, Leith offers some truly wonderful photographic opportunities. From wildlife on The Shore & The Water of Leith, to beautiful, historic buildings and graveyards, there's an abundance of stunning photographs just waiting to be taken. David will guide you around this picturesque part of the city, sharing Leith's fascinating history and helping you discover wonderful places to photograph in this off-the-beaten-path area of the city.

  • Colorful Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland with vibrant buildings, cobblestones, parked cars, and pedestrians. Photo taken at Victoria Street in Edinburgh, Scotland by David Wheater.

    Edinburgh i-Phone Photography Class

    PRIVATE CLASS (TWO PEOPLE)

    This 3 hour iPhone course for complete beginners will teach you everything you need to know to get started in iPhone photography. You'll learn how to take full creative control of your iPhone's powerful camera to take high quality photos and how to edit them using your iPhones inbuilt editing suite.

Reviews

  • “Nothing Short of Awesome"

    We are still blown away by the wealth of expertise and knowledge you shared with us. You have been nothing short of awesome.

    Your enthusiasm will be forever in our minds, as well as all the “extra miles“ you went with us. We truly appreciated every single minute of the tour, there was so much in it. We absolutely believe, you were accurate when you mentioned you could go on for 14 days 😉.

    It is people like you, open, honest and humble that make the difference! We are so glad we had the opportunity to meet you and big thank you for everything!

    We‘ll do our best to walk through your recommendations today. Be assured, Scotland, Edinburgh and David will always have a special part in our heart.

    Warmest and best wishes & big thanks,

    Michael, Gunther & Stefan, Germany (private tour)

  • “Truly Went Above & Beyond"

    My husband and I have traveled extensively and have taken several tours in the past. We can definitely say that David’s private walking and photography tour was exceptional.

    It was definitely the best tour by far. David is not only very passionate about the tour but is also very patient and kind ensuring that the tour is done at our own pace.

    David showed us so many hidden gems that we could have not discovered on our own. He taught us so many tips of taking great photos. David was not only kind, good humored and accommodating, but has an incredible wealth of knowledge. His thoroughness, knowledge and history helped bring Scotland’s beauty, people and history to life.

    He is a great professional, very pleasant and kind. He ensured that his customers were well taken care and comfortable. He explained every site with great depth of knowledge and patience.

    My husband and I consider ourselves lucky to have taken this tour with David. He is superb. David is also very generous with his time and is always excited to share it. He truly went above and beyond for us.

    As a seasoned traveler, I can honestly say that I have never had a lovelier tour. We will definitely recommend him to friends and family. My husband and I look forward to doing many more tours with David.

    Thank you, David for a pleasant experience.

    Esther & Jay, USA (private tour)

  • “Wonderful Tour!"

    This was a wonderful tour with David! He is extremely knowledgeable and very friendly.

    He takes the time to make sure that you're having a great tour and honestly you could spend days with him and learn more and more!

    He has very good manners and takes very good care of his clients. He will even take you to a fantastic tea and coffee shop for a little break.

    I wish we could have stayed and taken multiple days worth of tours with him, he was that good! I highly recommend this tour.

    Take it at the beginning of your trip because he'll point out many places you can return to so you know where the good things are!

    Kara & Kevin, USA (private tour)

David’s 25 Tips for Visiting Edinburgh.

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