Excursion The royal edinburgh botanic gardens tour at Edinburgh

Explore the world-famous Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. Founded over 300 years ago as a source for medicinal herbs and plants, the gardens have grown and grown with now over 13 thousand living species.

Pass the medieval Edinburgh Castle, which dominates the city and has been home to Scottish Kings and Queens down through the centuries. After passing Holyrood Palace, the King’s residence in Edinburgh, you will enter the well-known principal shopping area, Princes Street, with the towering Scott Monument and beautiful Princes Street Gardens. Pass some of the museums and art galleries before touring the Georgian New Town, with its elegant townhouses and private parks.

The Gardens are set in over 70 acres of beautiful landscape in the North of the city, with views of the city-centre skyline. Within the grounds are ranges of gardens.

Many of the most exotic plants were brought to Edinburgh by the famous horticulturist George Forrest, who made seven expeditions to south west China between 1904 and 1932. There is also a major Chinese-style garden featuring a pavilion, a waterfall and the world’s largest collection of Chinese wild plants outside of China.