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Edinburgh Primary School Trips & Tours

Our Edinburgh primary school trips offer the perfect balance of rich history, engaging attractions and easy access - making Scotland’s capital an ideal destination for KS2 pupils. Compact and walkable, Edinburgh allows pupils to explore iconic sites such as Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, alongside interactive museums that bring learning to life. 

Pupils can develop their understanding of history, heritage and culture, while they discover the stories of the Old Town or engage with immersive exhibits. 

Prices start from £199pp

Is Edinburgh suitable for a primary school trip?

Yes. Edinburgh is perfect for primary school groups. The city is compact, walkable, and full of educational attractions, making it easy to plan a memorable visit for younger pupils. 

What are the best things to do in Edinburgh for primary schools?

Edinburgh has a wide range of age-appropriate visits and attractions. Top things to do with primary school groups include:  

  • Edinburgh Castle 
  • Royal Mile 
  • Dynamic Earth 
  • Palace of Holyroodhouse 
  • National Museum of Scotland

Is an Edinburgh school trip safe for younger pupils?

Yes. As a compact city Edinburgh is a great choice for travelling with primary school pupils. And with NST, we provide a 24/7 on-tour support number, so teachers can feel supported throughout the trip. 

Price includes

  • 1 night's full board accommodation
  • Executive coach transport from and to school and throughout your tour
  • Group travel insurance
  • 1 in 8 free place ratio

Price shown is based on 40 paying passengers departing from selected departure points and is subject to availability.

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Top visits

Dynamic Earth

Witness the Big Bang, feel an earthquake and even get caught in a tropical rainstorm. Dynamic Earth tells the unique story of our planet’s past, present and future, and allows your pupils to explore the ever-changing nature of the physical and biological processes that continue to shape the planet. This interactive tour includes interactive voting pads and smartboard technology, and your pupils will handle specimens in the workshop.

Royal Yacht Britannia

Discover what life was like on board The Queen's floating Royal residence. Your group will first explore the Britannia’s Visitor Centre, before stepping aboard. Here your group can learn about the history of Royal Yachts, view displays and historical photographs of Britannia's captivating past.

Camera Obscura & World of Illusions

The Camera Obscura and World of Illusions is an excellent place for a panoramic view of the city and beyond. Students can explore the wonders of light and illusion, experiment with various hands on optical illusions and tricks.

The Real Mary King’s Close

Just off the historic Royal Mile, at the Real Mary King’s Close, your students will see an historically accurate interpretation of life in Edinburgh from the 16th to the 19th centuries. You’ll get to witness the highs and lows of 16th century living, visit the home of a grave digger’s family to discover the truth about the plague epidemic of 1644-46, and enjoy ghost stories as your guide reveals dramatic episodes and extraordinary apparitions from the past.

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle is a powerful national symbol, and part of Edinburgh’s World Heritage site. Here, you can see the Honours (Crown Jewels) of Scotland, the Stone of Destiny, Mons Meg, and the One O’Clock Gun. You can even visit the National War Museum of Scotland and experience life as a POW in 1781.

Edinburgh Zoo

Edinburgh Zoo is the largest and most exciting wildlife attraction in Scotland. In just one day, pupils can meet over 1,000 wonderful animals in a beautiful parkland setting. A visit to Edinburgh Zoo isn’t complete without a trip to see the giant pandas!

National Museum of Scotland

Explore the diversity of the natural world, world cultures, science and technology, art and Scottish history, all under one roof at the National Museum of Scotland.

Palace of Holyroodhouse

Learn about the palace’s history, from its medieval foundations to its present day use by the Royal Family. Following an introductory talk, find out about the lives of famous residents including Mary Queen of Scots, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Queen Victoria. Workshops are available for KS2 / P4-7 too.

Science Centre (Glasgow)

The Glasgow Science Centre’s education programme o¬ffers activities that have been shaped by teachers to support science, technology, maths, ICT and geography. Pupils can participate in an innovative and entertaining workshop, and enjoy the live 30-minute shows.

 

 

Try our itinerary planning tool

Whether you already know what you’re looking for or need a spark of inspiration, our smart itinerary planning tool makes planning a school trip effortless. Just share your details, choose the visits that matter most, and our experts will shape the perfect trip for you.

Let’s make your trip planning experience even swifter.

Need something bespoke?

Our dedicated team are on hand and ready to plan your tailor-made tour.

On-tour support

On-tour support includes...

  • Pre-booked meals at great group prices

 

Accommodation

Popular options in Edinburgh

This is only a sample of our entire range, so for expert advice on accommodation to suit your group’s specific needs, speak to one of our Educational Travel Advisors.

Claremont Hotel

A centrally located, one-group hotel offering comfortable accommodation and good facilities. Alex, the owner, is very experienced in accommodating youth groups whom are assured of a warm welcome.

 

More Information

Claremont Hotel

A centrally located, one-group hotel offering comfortable accommodation and good facilities. Alex, the owner, is very experienced in accommodating youth groups whom are assured of a warm welcome.

 

More Information

Giving you full support throughout

Before your tour

  • Dedicated NST expert from day one
  • Responsive, flexible communication - Teams, phone, or email
  • Same-day quotes
  • Trips tailored to your budget, with transparent pricing
  • Straightforward planning - we handle the details
  • Step-by-step risk assessment guidance
  • Free accommodation for group leader preview visits
  • Curriculum-driven, enriching experiences across 100s of locations
  • Unrivalled local knowledge & expertise

Whilst you're away

  • Our travel app keeps all your info in one place
  • On-tour support from our reps on the ground
  • Support & assistance from our specialists
  • 24/7 helpline and support
  • Extensive group travel insurance
  • Group-friendly accommodation
  • Free educational resources

On your return

  • Priority rebooking services
  • Loyalty reward scheme for valued customers
  • You say, we act - we're committed to continuously improving our tours

Speak to one of our school travel experts

Our team of school travel experts have unrivalled destination knowledge and experience so they can help to bring your tour ideas to life and might even suggest options you hadn’t already thought of too!

So get in touch today and we'll help to create a bespoke, budget-friendly tour itinerary to meet your specific learning requirements.

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