The Kensington Palace Gardens Royal High Tea
Badge of Excellence
London, England
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Enjoy a classic British afternoon tea without worrying about reservations on this guided Kensington Palace experience. View the palace from the exterior, and stroll through gardens created by Prince Albert while learning about the history of Britain’s tea time tradition. Then, sit down to a traditional spread of sandwiches, cakes, and scones while hearing stories about the royal family and palace life.
- Upgrade to add on entry to the palace
- Hear stories you might otherwise miss out on
- Get the royal treatment—snacks, tea, and Kensington Gardens stroll included
- Avoid getting lost with a guide to escort you from Queensway Station
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Unlike some tours where tables are shared, this high tea includes a private table.
Sample Menu
Starter
A Selection of Sandwiches
Finger Cut Sandwiches according to season
Main
Scones with Clotted Cream & Strawberry Jam
Dessert
A Selection of Cakes
Indulge in Queen Victoria's passion for delicious Palace Cakes, including her favourite , Victoria Sponge
What's Included
- Tea at the Orangery - next to the Palace on private table
- A walk in the gardens with a knowledgeable guide
- The 1000 year history of Hyde Park and its Royal Owners
- Traditional Afternoon Tea of freshly made sandwiches, scones & cakes. Vegan/Veg no Gluten on request
- Entry to Kensington Palace (unless selected at check out)
- GratuitiesGuide Gratuities are at your discretion
- Private transportation
- Alcoholic BeveragesAvailable at extra cost at the venue
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Queensway stationLondon W2 4RW, UK
IMPORTANT: DO NOT GO TO THE PALACE. WE DO NOT MEET THERE We meet outside of Queensway Underground Station - There is only 1 Entrance (Next to Chinese Restaurant) - Please wait outside the station (next to the red phone box) https://goo.gl/maps/cA82XF8W9V8qNrJ48
End point
- Kensington PalaceKensington Gardens, London W8 4PX, UK
After the experience you can walk back to Queensway Station or Kensington High St in 10 minutes where buses, trains and taxis are available
Itinerary
Meet your guide in central London, and stroll together toward Kensington Gardens, which sits on the west side of Hyde Park.
Explore the footpaths that wind around these manicured lawns, hearing the history of Hyde Park from around 1066 to the present day.
After taking in the Italian Gardens and the Round Pond, listen to tidbits about the British Royal Family, and head to the pavilion for a classic high tea of sandwiches, cakes, and hot tea.
Your experience ends here, meaning you can linger as you like.
Explore the footpaths that wind around these manicured lawns, hearing the history of Hyde Park from around 1066 to the present day.
After taking in the Italian Gardens and the Round Pond, listen to tidbits about the British Royal Family, and head to the pavilion for a classic high tea of sandwiches, cakes, and hot tea.
Your experience ends here, meaning you can linger as you like.
Queensway Station (Stop B) (Pass By)
Kensington Gardens (Pass By)
1
Italian Gardens
15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Peter Pan Statue
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Physical Energy Statue (Pass By)
3
Round Pond
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Kensington Palace
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
5
Kensington Palace
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Not recommended for those that find walking difficult
- Some park surfaces are uneven and there are steps
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 1,017 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Lisa_K, Jul 2026
The tour was a lovely experience and Doug was wonderful. The afternoon tea experience was just perfect.
JEANNETTE_A, Jul 2026
Interesting tour but little did I know that Kensington “gardens” is more like a park. Grasses, trees, ponds but no flowers which is what I think of when using the term “garden”
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Many thanks for your review. As a matter of interest the name "Kensington Gardens" has been in use since the 18th Century. The Park comprises over 300 acres with grass, water features and statues of course. There are formal plants and flowers on our walk but most have suffered from the exceptional summer.
We recommend our Hampton Court Tour if you have a special interest in formal gardens as there are more extensive plantations there. Thank you again for the review.
pati345, Jul 2026
Great tour guide! Loved listening to his history of the area. Would definitely recommend. Loved the High Tea Experience.
Adriana_V, Jul 2026
Wow, what a lovely walk in the park…literally! Portia walked us through hide park, pointing out interesting statues and filling the time with amazing history and trivia. Portia was friendly and informative. It was like walking with an old friend, truly.
Suzanne_t, Jul 2026
Our tour guide went above and beyond. He was kind, thoughtful, patient, knowledgeable and flexible. We enjoyed the walk in the park area and the information he shared was interesting and entertaining for adults and children. He answered all our questions with enthusiasm. This experience was worth every penny and time. Easy to communicate. Meeting area clear and precise. Wonderful time before High Tea and that was all it’s dreamed up to be. Just lovely.
Helena_G, Jul 2026
Lovely walk and informative guide. I liked how they kept the groups small. High tea was a lovely experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We truly appreciate that you enjoyed it
Lori_H, Jul 2026
The gardens and the palace were nice, but the tea was terrible very commercial cafeteria style. Definitely not worth the price we paid.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We are sorry you did not enjoy the tour. Thank you for your feedback. just to clarify, the tea service is in a 300 year old building with personal service on your private table. Your are served personally with hand crafted teas (15 choices), freshly made sandwiches, scone and cakes. There is no "Cafeteria" service in the Royal Tea Room
Suzanne_S, Jul 2026
Lovely tour but be prepared to walk far. More than just a small garden, it’s a wander through the park. And tea was delicious but the service was slow. We watched others get there after us but served before us and no one ever came back to check if we needed anything.
Jennifer_W, Jul 2026
Wonderful tour of Kensington gardens. Our tour guide was very personable and knowledgeable. It was just us so he customized the tour. The tea at the orangery was delightful. Food and tea were delicious. We also added the Kensington palace and that was nice to do a self guided tour.
Krista_K, Jun 2026
This experience was so much fun! Paul, our guide, was super knowledgable and really catered to my family's interests during our tour. Even through blazing heat, he shared the beauty of Kensington Gardens and Kensington Palace with us while making us laugh and stay as cool as possible. I would highly recommend this tour. And ask for Paul!
Leigh_J, Jun 2026
Doug was a great guide! Great personality and very informative. Our family enjoyed the garden tour and the tea party experience. We highly recommend this tour!
Wendy_S, Jun 2026
Our tour through the gardens was enjoyable even with the sweltering sun. Our tour guide, Paul, was very knowledgeable and had the best dry wit about him. The jokes were flowing as rapidly as the sweat rolling off of us! High tea in The Orangery was amazing. The palace tour was as good as it could be, again, because of the unbearable heat. Thank goodness they had portable air conditioners stationed throughout. Despite the heat we would definitely recommend this experience!
Jennifer_A, Jun 2026
Great walking tour. Our guide, Paul, was amazing. Loved all the historical stories/facts. Started on time, easy meeting location.
Cynthia_S, Jun 2026
Garden tour was lovely, highly recommend. Do not recommend the tea for singles unless you want to do it alone - I booked this to be with a group and was isolated at the other end of the dining room by myself, and ignored by wait staff initially until I said something.
Candace_G, Jun 2026
This was a fun and educational experience. Doug was an excellent guide. He was very knowledgeable and accommodating! We enjoyed this tour very much and would recommend it to anyone!!!
Katharine_N, Jun 2026
We loved this tour. Doug took us on a beautiful walk through Kensington Gardens and then on to High Tea. He was knowledgeable and very nice. Highly recommend!
LORI_H, Jun 2026
Loved everything about this tour. Had a wonderful experience. The tea was amazing walk in the gardens was great
Kirby_T, Jun 2026
Fantastic tour, location and experience! The grounds were beautiful, the palace stunning and the tea unique and delicious. A perfect day all around.
Christina_L, Jun 2026
The walk through the park was so fun! Our tour guide Doug was wonderful! The tea we had was our favorite of the trip
Sarah_M, Jun 2026
Our tour guide, Doug, was phenomenal! We had such a great time learning about Kensington Gardens and really enjoyed our High Tea! Thank you for a wonderful visit!
Carol_R, Jun 2026
Nice relaxing stroll through the gardens before tea. Doug was a great ambassador to guide us through. The tea in the Orangery is spectacular. Beautiful setting, large choice of teas and the food was top notch
Natalie_L, Jun 2026
We had a lively stroll/tour through Hyde Park and then a delicious tea at the Orangery at Kensington Palace. We loved our tour guide Portia and she made for a well paced tour guide with just the right mix of facts and details.
Mark_J, Jun 2026
Lovely relaxing tea after a beautiful walk thru the park. Doug showed us the highlights and the pace was perfect.
Paula_A, Jun 2026
This was an overpriced, under interesting viator!! Do not sign up. The event list Kensington Tea. You spend the first hour and 30 minutes walking around Kensington Garden. (We could have done that ourselves!!) The information given by tour guide was pathetic—very little history-waste of time! Then the tour guide takes you to the Kensington Tea Experience-I paid $350 in American Money… other than the Tea (patio) food (which was good and would have cost about $150).. the tour was a waste of time and the description for this viator is dishonest. The other couple we met on the tour also felt very taken advantage of.
Walk to Kensington Gardens by yourself and go to the Tea Garden Restaurant yourself!! Save $200.
I felt very overcharged and taken advantage of!!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. I’m sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations.
I do want to acknowledge your concerns, particularly your comment about the tour description being “dishonest.” The itinerary on Viator accurately outlines the guided walk through Kensington Gardens followed by the Kensington Tea Experience, and this format has been consistently well‑received by guests.
In fact, during the same period we received several genuine reviews such as:
• “Our guide was awesome! Enjoyed his company and then our family time for tea and the tour of Kensington Palace.”
• “A really excellent experience. The guide was extremely knowledgeable… The Tea at the end was first class, just delightful!”
• “Wonderful historic and fun facts along the way. The 90‑minute walk passed quickly with the stories, and the high tea was lovely.”
We appreciate all feedback, including yours, and we’ll keep your comments in mind as we continue refining the experience.
mary_k, May 2026
A really excellent experience. Guide was extremely knowledgeable. Saw tons of gorgeous rooms. The Tea at the end was first class, just delightful!
Tyrone_E, May 2026
Dress comfortably (especially comfortable shoes) and be prepared to spend time to adequately experience the tour.
Penny_F, May 2026
I paid for the palace tour and did not get it! They sub contracted with another tour group who did not give me my tickets and I still have not received a refund from Viator! I had to purchase three more tickets to get into the palace!
Response from Host, May 2026
We are sorry there was a mix up with your tickets and we have approved a full refund for this part of the tour. Although we did send the tickets to your email address ahead of the day you were unable to locate them. Thank you for the kind words about our guide which we appreciate
Barb_D, May 2026
Portia was excellent and was very helpful to my sister-in-law when she left her purse in an Uber. She is very considerate informative!
Response from Host, May 2026
Portia thanks you for your kind review. We hope you have a nice time in London
Samuel_W, May 2026
Tour guide was excellent. He knew we have mobility issues so he amended the tour to facilitate our needs
Melanie_B, May 2026
We had a great time on the Kensington Gardens and afternoon tea excursion with Doug. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, and engaging throughout the entire tour. The pace of the tour was relaxed and perfect. Loved the tea service!
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From $169.43
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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