Tower of London: VIP After Hours Access & Ceremony of the Keys
Description
The Tower of London has locked its gates every single night for 700 years in the Ceremony of the Keys. Public tickets for this ritual sell out within minutes, making after-hours access one of London's most sought-after experiences, and this tour is your only way in. After the last daytime visitors leave, your small group enters the fortress with a resident Beefeater, one of the few people who actually live within its walls. By lantern light, you walk past Traitors' Gate, the White Tower, and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula, hearing stories drawn from nine centuries of royal power, imprisonment, and intrigue. The evening builds to the Ceremony of the Keys itself. You stand steps from the Chief Yeoman Warder as he challenges the sentry and the bugler plays the Last Post across empty grounds. No crowds, no cameras during the ceremony, just the ritual exactly as it has been observed since the 14th century.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your tour begins outside the Tower of London, where a friendly tour host meets your group for check-in. Once the last daytime visitors have filed out, you are guided to the gates to meet your Beefeater guide.
With special after-hours access, your group steps through the gates after they have closed to the public. These rare tickets hand 900 years of fortress history over to your group in near-total quiet.
Stand before the famous watergate that once delivered prisoners directly from the Thames into the Tower. Your Beefeater shares the stories of those who passed through here and never returned.
The oldest and most iconic structure within the complex rises above you as your guide brings its history to life by lantern light. The Tower has served as a royal palace, prison, and fortress across nine centuries of English history.
Walk past one of the oldest chapels within the Tower walls, the burial site of Anne Boleyn, Thomas More, and other figures of English history. Your Beefeater provides the context that transforms the facade into a story.
Take your place at the Ceremony of the Keys, the nightly locking ritual that has run without interruption for 700 years. The Chief Yeoman Warder challenges the sentry, the bugler plays the Last Post, and the fortress is locked for the night — exactly as it always has been.
Your tour concludes inside the Tower of London grounds after the ceremony ends. You leave with the Last Post still echoing and a side of London most travelers will never see.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour focuses on the Tower of London's historic grounds and the Ceremony of the Keys. It does not include access to the Crown Jewels or entry inside the buildings.
- The tour of the Tower of London grounds is exclusively for your group. However, the Ceremony of the Keys is open to other visitors and groups who have purchased tickets for the event.
- Please note photography is not allowed during the Ceremony of the Keys.
- This tour involves walking on uneven terrain and historic cobblestone surfaces. It is not wheelchair accessible. Please contact us in advance if you have any questions about your mobility.
- Photos courtesy of © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2024 | Royal Collection Trust
- We regret that we are unable to accommodate guests with wheelchairs or any walking impairments that require special assistance on our group tours. We are also unable to accommodate strollers or baby carriages.
Reviews(34)
Incredible! We had so much fun with the very enthusiastic and knowledgeable tour guide.
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're so glad to hear you had such a memorable evening at the Tower of London. Experiencing the Ceremony of the Keys is truly special, and we're delighted your guide's enthusiasm and knowledge made the experience even better. We hope to welcome you back for another incredible adventure!
Excellent experience, and very enjoyable. I was very much looking forward to this, and it turned out to be a highlight. Our Yeoman Warder was Alex McDonald. He gave a great history of the tower, and explained everything with knowledge and humor. We went back 2 days later for a daytime visit and tour, and were very disappointed with that, after our Ceremony of the keys tour. You have to plan ahead to get tickets, but it was well worth it. Follow the online directions to get tickets, it’s not necessary to book through a private tour operator.
Hi Tilly, Thanks so much for the feedback! I’m glad the evening tour and the Ceremony of the Keys turned out to be such a highlight for you. Alex is brilliant, and his humor definitely makes the history stick. It really is a completely different atmosphere once the daytime crowds clear out! You also made a great point about booking early—tickets for this are incredibly tough to get, so planning ahead is essential whether people book independently or through a provider like us. Thanks again for joining us, and safe travels on your next adventure!
What a beautiful and solemn once in a lifetime opportunity to see the Key Ceremony. This has been happening every night in exactly the same way for 700 years. It begins with a background of the Tower and what roles it played in history told by a Warden of the Tower. You are then able to observe the approximately 15-20 long ceremony of locking the gates with the monarch’s keys, of course currently King Charles. Afterwards you are permitted to take pictures inside the courtyard of the Tower of London at night.
This was a magical experience being taken through the Tower of London complex after dark. Our guide was infectiously enthusiastic and a bundle of energy and information. It got a little cold so dress warm. A very memorable experience..
Hi Stefanie, Glad you enjoyed the after-dark experience! It’s definitely a different atmosphere once the sun goes down, and we're happy to hear your guide's energy kept things lively throughout the tour. Good call on the reminder to dress warm too. The Tower can get quite chilly at night! Thanks for sharing your experience and for joining us for the Ceremony of the Keys.
Great experience. Interesting and entertaining. Something you typically don’t get the opportunity to see.
Great after hours glimpse into the 700 year closing history of the Tower of London. We didn’t tour any of the buildings BUT were given who-what-where-when. A great compliment to the Opening Ceremony. Really appreciated the tour was done by retired military personnel. Our Yeoman, Foxy, was fun and made history come a-live.
It was a great tour. Very informative and interesting. Our Beefeater guide was the best. Since it was nighttime and near the water, the wind was very cold but still enjoyed the tour.
Foxy gave an intriguing and entertaining introduction to the tower’s history and the 750-year old ceremony. Highly recommend.
What an amazing experience! Barry was a fantastic guide. His love and enthusiasm for both his job and the Tower was impressive and contagious. He presented the history with wit and humor while not glossing over the more sordid parts. It was a tour good for the family.
Thank you for this outstanding review! We are thrilled that your VIP After Hours Access & Ceremony of the Keys tour was such an amazing experience. Barry is truly fantastic—his enthusiasm, wit, and humor make the history engaging for the whole family, even when discussing the more serious parts. We are delighted that you found the tour Fit For A King! We would love to welcome you back for another unique after-hours experience soon.
Amazing experience, well worth the visit Very informative and Simon was entertaining and knowledgeable
Amazing experience—that's what we love to hear! We're thrilled you found the tour well worth the visit and that Simon was both entertaining and knowledgeable.
