Changing of the Guard Small-Group Walking Tour in London

Recommended by 99% of travelers

London, England

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

2 hours (approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Seeing the Changing of the Guard on your own often means standing in a crowded spot or not really knowing what’s happening—but this small-group walking tour helps you get more out of the experience. Your guide leads you through London’s royal district to well-placed vantage points for viewing the ceremony, shares the stories and traditions behind it, and weaves in nearby landmarks.

Benefit from insider insight and plenty of context
Check off royal landmarks, including Buckingham Palace and Clarence House
Learn behind-the-scenes stories about royal life and history
Cover more ground than you would alone thanks to an efficient walking route

What's Included

Small-Group guided walking tour of the Changing of the Guard ceremony
Buckingham Palace
St James’s Palace
Clarence House
The Mall
St James’s Park
Photo with the Royal Horseguards
Professional Tour Guide

Entrance tickets to sights, landmarks or attractions
Front gates of Buckingham Palace
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

The Old Star
66 Broadway, London SW1H 0DB, UK
The tour starts in front of The Old Star pub in St James's. The Old Star pub is opposite St James's Park Station (Broadway Exit). The address of The Old Star pub is 66 Broadway, London, SW1H 0DB. Please meet your tour guide who will be holding a yellow umbrella.

End point

Horse Guards Parade
Whitehall, London SW1A 2ET, UK
The tour will end at Horseguards Parade.

Operating hours
.10:00 am

Itinerary

Changing of the Guard

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Buckingham Palace

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

St. James's Palace

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Clarence House

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

The Mall

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. James's Park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Service animals allowed
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
The tour starts in front of The Old Star pub in St James's. The Old Star pub is opposite St James's Park Station (Broadway Exit). The address of The Old Star pub is 66 Broadway, London, SW1H 0DB. Please meet your tour guide who will be holding a yellow umbrella.
The tour is not suitable for guests with walking or mobility difficulties.

The tour is not suitable for wheelchairs.
The tour is not suitable for prams, buggys or strollers.
The tour covers approximately 3 miles of walking.
The tour will not go to the front gates of Buckingham Palace. Most of the ceremony is away from the front gates. If you do wish to go to the front gates of Buckingham Palace then do not book this tour.
If it is raining or bad weather then the Changing of the Guard ceremony may be a ‘Wet Change’. This is a shortened version of the ceremony without music. This is decided by the British Army at approximately 10.30am on the day of the ceremony.
Photos with the Royal Horseguards are subject to Guard availability.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers

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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.9

based on 194 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

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Loved it!

Allison_K, Mar 2026

This was such a fun experience! It was easy to find the meeting point and then walk to the ceremony together. The guide Rachel was very kind snd knowledgeable about the changing of the guard, where to see the most of the ceremony and of Buckingham Palace! I would highly recommend for anyone, especially solo travelers! Great time for the cost!

Amazing

Kenneth_G, Jul 2025

the guide was absolutely amazing, very knowledgeable about the history of London , she got us up close to everything

Amazing tour. Carolina was a great guide.

Jennifer_M, Jul 2025

Carolina was an amazing tour guide! She made all of the information on the trip fun and engaging. My family of four, including two teenagers, loved the entirety and were sad when it ended. Once again, Carolina was amazing and stayed after to answer all of our questions and to guide us to the nearest pubs, markets, and other sites to see. 10/10 experience!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thanks for exploring with See The Sights Tours London. We hope you had as much fun as us and we look forward to showing you more on your next trip to London.

Ian was fun and worked us...

Julie_L, May 2025

Ian was fun and worked us around the crowd to get us to the spots to be able to see what we needed to see for the tour.

Thank you Rachel!

Natasha_F, Feb 2025

To see the guards changing with a tour guide Rachel was definitely a great idea - she knew the best spots to be in order to see the most of the ceremony and could answer all the questions that popped up along the way!

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