Private Archaeologist Guided Tour Stonehenge, Salisbury & Avebury

I have been on scores of tours on seven continents over the past 30 years. This was the best. I spent a long time working over my itinerary to see England. Once I had all the days worked out, I went back and changed my bus tour of Stonehenge to the Archaeologist Guided Tour. It was more expensive, but it was the best choice I made on my tour of England and worth every penny. Our guide was like an uncle who came for a weekend visit to tell us of what he's been up to for his entire career. He didn't talk to us like a lecturing professor. He talked to us like family. He was patient, thorough, kind, and exceptionally capable. He knew everything. I know a lot about Stonehenge. I learned a lot. My family knew very little about Stonehenge. They were enthralled. They know I never write reviews. They demanded that I let everyone know how wonderful this trip was. Thank you to Archaeologist Guided Tours for making our trip so memorable. Here's a plus. They come and pick you up in a comfortable Mercedes van. They bring you back. We didn't just go to Stonehenge. We went to all the nearby places that make Stonehenge understandable and meaningful. A great day. Highly recommended.

This was without a doubt THE best thing we did in the UK. Initially we contacted Dr Ed (our archaeologist) and we then organised a bespoke (no extra cost) neolithic tour of Woodhenge, Stonehenge, Avebury, Silbury hill and the West Kennet Barrow. We were picked up in London in style and then we spent the entire day immersing ourselves in Britain's long distant past. Dr Ed was extremely knowledgeable and spent the day answering all our questions. We highly recommend the Avebury pub for lunch. The entire group had a great time and were returned to our accomodation exactly on time. I know it sounds like a lot of money on the surface, but seeing Stonehenge for the first time after walking past Bronze Age barrows (and not with a million other tourists) was supberb. Highly recommended tour and we would do it again to see Bath, Salisbury and other sights.

In 2017, my sister and I took a small group tour with Archaeologist Guided Tours. The day was so incredible that I booked a private tour over the 2025 holidays for me, my husband, and our teenaged daughter. It's quite hard to put into words how special this experience is. You get to spend the day with a person whose life's work is understanding the prehistory of Britain. Dr. Edward Shepherd is a gifted storyteller, laying out the context for sites like Stonehenge and Avebury in such a way that you feel you are standing in the ancient past. Even our teenager, who is not so much a history buff as we are, reflected on the day with awe and appreciation. The logistics for the day were all carefully planned by Dr. Shepherd, taking into account my particular interests to include a visit to the West Kennett Long Barrow. We were privileged to be driven for the day by a private chauffeur in a comfortable sprinter van. We were picked up and dropped off at our London accommodations. If a private tour of these sites is within your budget, please book this tour. It's a day you will never forget.

Dr. Shepherd was not our guide so we do not have the same experience described in another reviews. Benjamin was a very nice, educated guide but the information about the places were not so detailed like I read here, it was seems more like a regular guide in a private tour. Tour overpriced.

Just WOW, nothing compares to being guided by a published archeologist who has personally worked the sites; is steeped in the research literature with personal knowledge of the authors' perspectives; and yet retains an awe of the connected beauty among the many sites. My wife and I booked a 2-day private exploration of the neolithic sites from stone circles to wood circles; Uffington chalk horse to barrows. Edward added in an iron age hill fort to Roman remains along the way for some perspective on what came next. All across multiple stunning landscapes. Squeezed in Salisbury Cathedral for another millennium of history as well - definitely worth the on-the-go lunch to make the schedule work. Edward custom designed the experience for us to accommodate our neolithic emphasis and desire for sufficient time at the sites to do some photography. He then dedicated his energy, knowledge, and patience to giving us both the feeling and understanding (given the limits of archeology) for the many peoples and cultures that revered this area over millennia. Having Naz as a dedicated driver allowed Edward to spend focused time with us as we transited between sites. And of course provided speed and security. I'm still amazed at his skill in smoothly driving the narrow country roads with all their hazards and squeezes. Stonehenge inner circle access at sunset (with a lucky clear sky in an otherwise rainy week) was of course a highlight. Not just for experiencing the classic beauty in person you see on the web, but also because Edward was there to highlight the subtle points the pictures miss. No spoilers here! And while absolutely amazing, Edward widened our appreciation of how it is just one monument among dozens and hundreds of barrows (burial mounds) in the immediate region constructed by evolving, connected communities. Astounding access. Many sites are a nestled on a hill or in a meadow after a short walk through fields or pastures with sheep or cows. A handful of others, not crowds. Sometimes no one other than us. Experiencing a 4,500 year old barrow covering you with stone laid by hands before the pyramids, to honor those they lost. Transcendent? Perhaps. And then back to the van with a walk through the landscape punctuated with Edward's good humor, stories and willingness to help us process what we're experiencing through discussing our questions. Don't know how he made it feel like we were the first to share this with him, but he did. Even after two days, we felt we had only begun to see all that was available and learn what Edward could share. We've been on dozens of small, private tours. This was the best.

We just had a fantastic experience with Edward who spent the day guiding us back in time through Salisbury Cathedral, Silbury Hill, West Kennet Long Barrow, Avebury Stones & a private sunset tour at Stonehenge. Edward arranged for our group of 9 to be picked up at our retreat center in Glastonbury. He met us in Salisbury to begin our daylong experience. With his extensive knowledge in prehistoric archaeology he led us in understanding the what, where, why, when & how of all these fascinating sites. Highlights were walking inside an ancient burial tomb, feeling the energy and tranquility of the Avebury Stones and getting up close with the inner circle at Stonhenge. Edward was incredibly personable and everyone in my group remarked on what a fun & wonderful guide he was. He gives every ounce of his time & knowledge to guiding you through a very special day.

Do yourself a favor and book this fantastic experience. Edward is an amazing guide with wonderful information that makes history tangible. My entire family learned so much from our day.

It was my 70 year old mother’s first time going to England and she requested seeing Stonehenge. I groaned inside because we had done the tour bus to Stonehenge and other stops back in 2010, and I had no desire to participate in that experience again. Avebury, which was my favorite part, was one of the stops the tour bus made, so I wanted her to compare the Stonehenge to Avebury. And the search for a tour that included Avebury is how I found this private tour with an archaeologist. No tour bus full of strangers who seem to have zero etiquette, no herding, an expert explaining in far more depth than a tour operator, and able to answer any number of questions. It was a splurge, but it ended up not being too much more than the 4 bus tour tickets + fees I would have had to pay for otherwise, and we got so much more for that money. Avebury and West Kennet Long Barrow were my favorite parts of the trip. Going to Stonehenge with an archaeologist made it a much better experience with far more depth and detail. This tour is worth every penny. Highly recommend

I toured Stonehenge, Avebury, and other neolithic sites in a solo, all-day tour with Thomas Lyons of Archaeologist Guided Tours. Tom was extraordinarily knowledgeable and arranged visits to every site I wanted to see. He was also very personable and the trip was comfortable. I am an avocational archaeologist, and the last thing I wanted was a large bus tour that was crowded, low on content, and short on time at each site. I wanted to immerse myself in a once in a life-time learning experience. Tom made my tour everything I had hoped it would be. In addition, Dr. Edward Shepard recommended books for me to read in advance that helped me see the Neolithic in England in an entirely different light. I told UK friends about the terrific tour Archaeologist Guided Tours provided, and will be sharing it with my archaeology club back home in the hope that they too will have the opportunity to visit Stonehenge and the Neolithic landscape with Dr. Shepard and Thomas Lyons.

Visiting Neolithic sites with Edward, who not only has deep knowledge but also remains curious about the field and passionate about sharing it with others, made for a fantastic day! All of us, including our 15 year old, loved tramping across the countryside with him as he brought the landscape to life, teaching us how to read each stone and mound of earth for their archaeological significance. Dr. Edward Shepherd of Archaeologist Guided Tours is a warm and interesting guide and is the only person to book with if you are looking for a splendid experience.