Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
London, England
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Surround yourself in fanfare and history, from the best vantage point in town, on a Changing of the King's Guard tour in London. This short excursion is ideal for curious travelers seeking a genuinely immersive sightseeing experience. As you enjoy the parade of bagpipes, drummers, and brass instruments, learn about the ceremony's uniforms, traditions, and significance. The tour also includes brief stops outside St. James' Palace and Buckingham Palace.
- Enjoy a small group size for a more personal experience
- Learn trivia about the ceremony not found in any guidebook
- Watch the Changing of the Guards ceremony in London
- Listen to entertaining stories about British royal history
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Start away from the crowds and follow the Guards as they march—ideal for photos and videos.
What's Included
- Guided Changing of the Guard experience
- English Speaking local expert guide
- Gratuities
- Food & drink
- Hotel pick-up & drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Equestrian statue of Edward VIISt. James's, London SW1Y 5ER, UK
Meet our guide by the Equestrian statue of Edward VII, Waterloo Place, London SW1Y 5ER. Arriving by tube: Take the tube to Piccadilly Circus and take exit No. 3 onto Regent Street/St. James's. Walk south down Regent Street towards St. James's Park. Waterloo Place is at the end of Regent Street.
End point
- Buckingham PalaceLondon SW1A 1AA, UK
The experience will end around Buckingham Palace
Itinerary
1
Equestrian statue of Edward VII
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Memorial
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
St. James's Palace
25 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
4
Clarence House
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
5
Changing of the Guard
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
6
Buckingham Palace
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
7
Wellington Barracks
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- 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
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
robert_l
The experience was fantastic. Our tour guide Nathan was the best you could hope for. You could understand every word he was saying he knew everything there was about where to go what to do what to avoid where to be exactly when and where things were going to happen etc. It was fast pace at times and no nonsense because his timing was like a well oiled machine. His knowledge was amazing. I would highly recommend this tour and try and get Nathan if at all possible.
Reviews
5.0
based on 813 reviews
Charlene_F, Apr 2026
Jo was the best tour guide yet. She was very informative and made the history very relatable and fun. This was truly the best.
Carson_W, Apr 2026
Richard was an excellent guide on our Changing of the Guard Tour. He was very personable, easy to understand, and made the tour very enjoyable!
Matthew_P, Mar 2026
Jeremy was extremely knowledgeable and funny, he made the tour very enjoyable! Would recommend the walking tour.
Candace_T, Mar 2026
Loved our tour with Richard! We travel and like to hear about the history and surroundings to go with seeing an event. Very knowledgeable and got great pics away from the crowds. Speaks clearly with great detail. Willing to answer all questions
Brant_W, Mar 2026
Richard was a wonderful guide. So glad we did this. Our 11-yr old enjoyed It very much. Thank you Richard.
Jeff_Z, Mar 2026
Babs was fun, with a few good stories the kids liked hearing about. We would've have been lost on our own, but this tour got us good positions to be in. It would've been disappointing without the tour.
Melissa_D, Mar 2026
Chris delivered an informative experience. He knew exactly where to be to see it all, shared relevant and interesting facts/opinions, and was inclusive of the group.
Cherry_B, Mar 2026
Paul was a very knowledgeable tour guide. Absolutely loved every minute of it!! Would recommend it instead of trying to maneuver around by yourself. Got to see more than expected.
Jocelyn_I, Mar 2026
Our tour guide Paul is excellent. He is knowledgeable and answered our questions. He also has a good sense of humor and knows a lot about history of Buckingham Palace and Saint James Park..
Isla_P, Mar 2026
Nathan was amazing- well informed, personable, funny and knows all the tips and tricks to getting the best viewing spots! 10/10 recommend!
Kristie_M, Mar 2026
Chris was our guide and he was incredible!! He was very knowledgeable and took us to the best locations for photos. Definitely a highlight of our trip. Highly recommend.
Nicky_M, Feb 2026
Chris was an amazing guide, very knowledgeable and made sure to get us to the best spots for each part of the parade. I highly recommend this tour.
Kristie_M, Jan 2026
Our experience was incredible! My second year in a row taking this tour, that's how awesome it is! Francis is an exceptional guide. Very well informed and gets you to the best spots. Rock N Roll, iykyk ☺️ Thank you for having us again, Francis. You will always be such a special part of our trip!
James_H, Jan 2026
You will see far more on this tour than fighting the crowd at the palace. Much more enjoyable!! Plus you will learn a lot on interesting history!
Lisa_P, Jan 2026
Absolute must do, an excellent walking tour and all the best vantage points for views of the horse guards and marches. Chris was great and a fun tour guide he was engaging and sprinkled all the history in the tour.
Really enjoyed myself
Denise_R, Dec 2025
Babbs was wonderful, very knowledgable and a great storyteller. Unbeknownst to us, our tour was on the busiest day of the year and she was still able to get us front row viewing for everything that was important to see. Wonderful experience for me and my young adult children.
Jennifer_H, Dec 2025
Babs is an incredible tour guide. She is extremely knowledgeable and kept us entertained with her wit. She made sure that we saw the changing of the guard in all 3 locations and did a great job navigating the crowds.
Holly_H, Dec 2025
This was an informative and entertaining walking tour. Jeremy our tour guide was witty and knowledgeable and made this a very enjoyable tour.
James_H, Nov 2025
Very entertaining and knowledgeable brought us to the best vantage spot everytime. Lots of fun!!!!!!
Sarai_B, Oct 2025
It was cool to learn about the history and watch the changing of the guards from beginning to end. Be prepared to walk.
JamesEP_M, Oct 2025
It is a very excellent tour. We got to watch the guards marching and the band playing at all different venues. The guide Erik was an excellent tour guide. He was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Erik had fantastic stories and very passionate about his job. We were blessed by his tour. It was a great way to begin our British Isles vacation.
Alisa_S, Oct 2025
The weather can definitely impact your tour. Did not see much because of the rain, but we had an amazing tour guide that gave the full history.
Isabel_N, Sep 2025
We've missed most of the change of the guard which was the point of the tour. Poor guidance. Not the best spot initially and made us wait to go the palace for the new ones, in the end watched very little and from a big distance.
Christine_L, Sep 2025
We missed our tour guide Daryl but was able to go with Alex who was great . We were on the right spots.
Sandra_H, Sep 2025
It is definitely worth having a good guide. Alex was amazing, interesting and amusing stories but also he knew the best places to stand to get the best views.
FRANK_O, Sep 2025
Joe, our travel guide was so knowledgable and funny. She knew all the right places to stand to get the best view of the crossing of the guard.
Anne_F, Sep 2025
Amazing tour , great views to see the guards and horses and Buckingham palace . Our guide , Darcy was terrific
Andrew_L, Sep 2025
Very good tour. Excellent tour guide Jeremy! Very knowledgeable and entertaining! Saw the guard change in a few different locations. Would recommend.
Ryan_B, Sep 2025
Alex was an incredible tour guide for The Changing of the Guard tour. He had super clear communication and expectation setting with the group regarding where any why we were going to different viewing spots for the procession. Friendly, knowledgeable, and answered questions throughout the tour - he even took pictures of each party on the tour with Buckingham Palace.
Lane_D, Aug 2025
Great tour! Great guide! I’d recommend it to anyone as a nice way to experience the changing of the guard.
From $20.62
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
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