Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
Description
England is known for fish and chips, four seasons in a day, warm ale, history in spades and of course, a deeply ingrained age-old love for pomp and ceremony. Join us as we serve a slice of world-famous ceremonial action with this small-group Changing of the Guards experience. There is so much more to this extravagant shift change than meets the eye though- with your expert guide to lead the way, you’ll soon know your Welsh from your Grenadier guard, understand what the deal is with those fuzzy bearskin hats, hear the astounding origins of this dazzling spectacle and truly get a handle on the significance of every colour, button, mascot, symbol and movement in this most British of traditions. From the best possible viewing point, your small group will join the guards on their journey towards Buckingham Palace as you march to the beat of their drums... but what will the music be today?
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your experience begins at the Equestrian statue of Edward VII on Waterloo Place, where you’ll meet your expert guide before heading to enjoy the world-famous Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Visit the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Memorials and hear the story of the royal couple who inspired the nation during World War II.
Built on the site of an old leper hospital, did you know that St James’s is the oldest royal palace in the whole of the UK? Take in this beauty, still the official royal residence today. Visiting outside
Stop by Clarence House, the official London residence of King Charles III, and hear stories of royal life behind its historic walls
Join us as we serve a slice of world-famous ceremonial action with this small-group Changing of the Guards experience.
The most famous of King Charles III's palaces and housing a whopping 775 rooms, the stories attached to this icon have to be heard to be believed. Visiting outside
End your tour at Wellington Barracks, where the guards conclude the Changing of the Guard and return to their quarters.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- We tend to move pretty fast to keep up with the guards, so please wear comfortable shoes and always carry water.
- We will not stand at the forecourt of Buckingham Palace as, due to crowds, you see very little and the experience would be ten times less fun. We want to get you as close as possible with the opportunity to take some amazing snapshots.
- It is at the discretion of the British Army to change or cancel the Ceremony. The announcement will not be made until after 10.30am so come rain or shine, the Urban Saunters Changing of the Guard experience will go ahead. If the full ceremony is cancelled, there will still be the chance to see the guards marching, just without the music.
- No videoing of the guide unless they have given permission
- Ceremony can be altered at the discretion of the British Army, or occasionally due to rain
- There are no toilet or refreshment breaks on this tour
- Tour operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Sundays – From April 2025, the Army is trying out a slightly different version of the usual ceremony on Sundays. It still involves the same number of guard movements and the same locations, but it’s now being called a “Parade” instead of a “Change.” There’s no word yet on how long this trial will last
Reviews(855)
Nathan was an entertaining, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide! We highly recommend him and this tour!
Nathan was a terrific tour guide! Knowledgeable, witty and friendly.
Angie was an extraordinary guide. She explained the entire ceremony, gave us lots of history and took us to excellent viewpoints. Superb You can't go wrong with this tour which gives you an excellent understanding of the entire area and great stories!
Richard was very knowledgeable, witty and kept us on time and informed throughout the tour. We wish Richard could guide all of our planned tours.
Angie was fabulous. We had a great experience and lots of close up opportunities to see the guards, even saw the horse guards! Good overview, recommended spots for best viewing and planned movement. Angie kept us entertained with stories when the ceremony was a bit behind schedule. Great experience!! Highly recommend for good walkers... don't try this if you are not mobile.
We greatly appreciated our guided Tour. Nathalie, our French guide provided a lot of interesting information and made this tour an unforgettable one. We recommend it without hesitation. Nous le recommandons à tous les visiteurs francophones.
Paul was great. He really knows the area and we got to see the King because he knew where to go and when to be there! Really great guide.
Jeremy was fantastic was informative and funny. Even with a bad weather situation, he made the tour enjoyable. My family and I would do it again the next time we are in London.
This tour was the highlight of our trip to London! I wasn't sure what to expect and was pleasantly surprised. Our guide, Nathan, was extremely knowledgeable. He knew all the best places to stand to see the ceremony at several different spots. He told us interesting background stories about the royal family and he taught us what the different elements of the ceremony meant. Without Nathan's guidance we would not have known what we were watching. My 11 year old son and 12 year old daughter both said it was their favorite thing that we did in London. We didn't see the official change of guards at the palace, but we saw the guards in several other spots with better views. I lived in London years ago and have seen the changing of the guards before on my own and I found this tour with Nathan to be much more interesting and effective. Definitely 5 stars.
𝒫𝒶𝓊𝓁 was awsome he took us to the best sites
