Small-Group Cotswolds Tour (From London)
Recommended by 97% of travelers
London, England
- 9 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Why travelers loved this
·
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
Experience the English countryside on a small-group tour to the Cotswolds and take a break from the hustle and bustle of London. Travel by minibus with a driver-guide who shares details about the region's history. Explore remote outposts, charming villages, and winding country lanes, as you take in the best of the Cotswolds on this relaxing day trip from London.
- See more in one day with your guide, ideal for people with limited time
- Escape the London crowds and head to rural England
- Includes hassle-free round-trip transportation from London
- Enjoy a small-group tour for a more personalized experience
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This tour visits Stow-on-the-Wold, which is skipped by many other Cotswolds day trips.
What's Included
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- Driver-Guide
- Lunch
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Urban Baristas - South Kensington44 Harrington Rd, South Kensington, London SW7 3ND, UK
The meeting point is Urban Baristas coffee shop, near South Kensington station. Guests are welcome to use the coffee shop facilities. The tour departs by 8.25am, but please arrive to check-in by 8.15am.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Start time.8:25 am
Itinerary
After boarding your transport and heading out of London and into the British countryside, you’ll arrive at your first stop, Burford, known as the gateway to the Cotswolds. You’ll have time to stroll the quaint high street and admire houses more than 600 years old.
Next up is the village of Bibury, often described as the prettiest in England. Enjoy a snapshot of traditional English country life as wander along the river and snap photographs of Arlington Row; a set of weavers cottages now emblematic of the area.
You’ll stop for a hearty lunch in Bourton-on-the-Water, another gorgeous village, before reaching your final stop, Stow-on-the-Wold. Find out how this town inspired *Lord of the Rings* and enjoy free time browsing antique stores before you start the journey back to London.
Next up is the village of Bibury, often described as the prettiest in England. Enjoy a snapshot of traditional English country life as wander along the river and snap photographs of Arlington Row; a set of weavers cottages now emblematic of the area.
You’ll stop for a hearty lunch in Bourton-on-the-Water, another gorgeous village, before reaching your final stop, Stow-on-the-Wold. Find out how this town inspired *Lord of the Rings* and enjoy free time browsing antique stores before you start the journey back to London.
1
Burford
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Bibury
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Bourton-on-the-Water
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Stow-on-the-Wold
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- Children under the age of seven are not permitted to travel
- Operating Hours: 9:00 - 18:00
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 3,085 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
merrisarchet, Aug 2026
Excellent guide with well planned itinerary. Very courteous of travelers who experienced difficult tube circumstances.
ThiThuVan_N, Aug 2026
One day tour to 4 villages of Costwolds, in these villages Bibury is the best one.
Brian is nice driver and his information is good.
Evelyn_L, Aug 2026
First time in Cotswolds & had an amazing time in this small group day trip. It was a hot day so beautiful blue skies. There was a lot of walking involved in each of the 4 towns & was so surprised by the crowds. Our tour bus driver Ollie gave us so much information & history & made the drive very interesting. He was quite a character & very good
Megan_R, Aug 2026
Asked to switch seats (move from the very back to closer to the front) due to severe motion sickness and vertigo and was not allowed to. Disappointing to not have a medical request/need taken seriously.
Shawn_H, Aug 2026
The tour was great! Really enjoyed it. Only wish we could have stopped to see the kingsmen stones. :)
Anna_V, Aug 2026
My family greatly enjoyed our experience in the Cotswolds. Our guide Len had a great sense of humor and was very informative. He made the experience! The van was comfortable even on a blistering hot day and the itinerary was well-planned. Would definitely recommend!
Polly_G, Aug 2026
Nigel was a fabulous guide. He was so knowledgeable and personal, we enjoyed it so much. I would do it again and recommend it to others.
Robert_A, Aug 2026
We were blessed with Len our tour guide! Absolutely fabulous guide with detailed knowledge and useful information about the trip
Nancy_G, Aug 2026
Our driver/tour guide Ollie was awesome. Gave great history on all the places we went in the Cotswalds.
mjtattam, Aug 2026
Was a fabulous day with such a knowledgeable guide. Loved the pre-village stop history and then independence to explore.
KelliAnnMelandLewis, Aug 2026
This was a fantastic tour, our driver and guide was extremely knowledgeable and absolutely passionate about the Cotswolds. I highly recommend this tour- both my husband and I really enjoyed it.
Monte_S, Aug 2026
The experience was good. The trip was long but we were able to see a lot. I would suggest that in some of the more scenic areas the driver could have slowed down on even pull off so that pictures could be taken. Overall met the stated objectives nicely.
Lisa_W, Aug 2026
Ollie was great! A nice leisurely day. A good mix of information/history and then plenty of time to explore on our own.
Jennifer_B, Aug 2026
Wonderful day spent traveling through the English countryside. Very knowledgeable & helpful guide. Say all the highlights of the Cotswolds.
rodniha, Aug 2026
Driver / Guide was very good.
Location was far and the towns were crowded. No longer the quaint little towns they may have been in the past.
Bus was not as comfortable as we would have wanted. The seats were not very wide at all.
Britt_H, Aug 2026
Nigel was a great guide! He was so knowledgeable about the area and history. Great music for the drive. He made an extra stop at a site of standing stones! It was my favorite spot of the tour!
Angela_C, Aug 2026
Excellent way to see and learn about the Cotswolds. James was a fantastic driver/tour guide. He provided a history of the area and made recommendations for things to do at each stop. Very entertaining and great music selection for our journey there and back.
Michael_H, Aug 2026
Wonderful day. Our driver/guide James was knowledgeable, fun and helpful in making the day a relaxing but efficient tour
Betsy_L, Aug 2026
Lovely time on this tour. Nice to get out of the city for a day. Glen was a terrific guide and driver.
Penny_B, Jul 2026
Amazing tour!! Nigel was incredible - he had extensive knowledge and a map to explain the history of London and the Cotswolds area. He even played us his play list to get us into the English countryside mindset!! He also had several recommendations in each town (food and activities) so that if we were tight on time we could hit most of the highlights!!! Fantastic job Nigel!!
Torri_M, Jul 2026
This tour was, unfortunately, the biggest disappointment of our trip to England.
Our driver, Nigel, was friendly and pleasant, but he wasn't particularly knowledgeable about the area. Aside from a few comments here and there, most of the drive consisted of music playing rather than learning about the history, villages, or landmarks we were passing. I was hoping for a much more informative experience.
The Cotswolds themselves were also not nearly as picturesque as I had expected. I understand that the drought is beyond anyone's control, but many of the villages looked dry, and some areas appeared to need better landscaping and upkeep. They simply didn't have the lush, postcard-perfect appearance that had been advertised.
We also followed our driver's recommendation to get fish and chips in Bourton-on-the-Water at the Chip Shed, only to have the restaurant manager yell at us because we unknowingly sat inside with takeaway food. We honestly hadn't seen the sign, and it put a damper on our visit.
The cream tea stop in Stow-on-the-Wold was another letdown at Huffkins. The "scones" were more like Hawaiian rolls than traditional English scones, which was disappointing since I had been looking forward to an authentic cream tea.
Overall, while the villages themselves have charm and Nigel was kind, the experience didn't live up to my expectations. I left wishing there had been more historical commentary, better recommendations, and more authentic taste and views of the Cotswolds.
Roger_V, Jul 2026
This was an enjoyable day. A couple of hours travelling from London, but the drive was quite pretty with the hedge row fields and undulating country side. Nigel the guide was excellent. Very nice towns were visited.
Arnold_G, Jul 2026
Tony, our driver, was excellent. He was knowledgeable and informative, with humor to keep it light. We felt safe throughout the tour. I would have preferred just two of the Cotswold villages, as we felt very rushed most of the time.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
It’s great to hear Tony made the day informative and entertaining, and that you felt in safe hands throughout. Our tours are designed to give you a taste of the area rather than a deep dive, but we appreciate that the pace won’t suit everyone. Best, Maya
Patrice_W, Jul 2026
The trip was amazing! The trip was well-organized, very comfortable, and efficient.
David, our driver, was the most helpful, informative, enjoyable person to have driving us. He made a small detour to show us buildings, each with thatched roof.
David_K, Jul 2026
Len was an amazing driver and guide. He provided historical background, celebrity houses (which ones have a home in each village) and maps with key spots to see in each village. We are wanting to come back and do one of their 5 days tours.
Peter_D, Jul 2026
A great trip and Claire was an excellent driver and commentator. The minivan was very comfortable and there were plenty of stops along the way.
Abby_P, Jul 2026
This was a visit to four different villages. The stops were long enough to hop out and walk around to see the highlights of all. It was a great experience. Chris was our driver/guide and had great pointers to help us get the most out of our visit. Would definitely recommend the cotswolds if visiting the UK
Amal_M, Jul 2026
We had an amazing excursion from start to finish. The tour was very well organized, and everything was perfect !Our guide was knowledgeable, friendly, and professional. He gave us many interesting informations and made our trip enjoyable and memorable. Thanks to the excellent organization and our wonderful guide, we had an unforgettable trip. We highly recommend this tour operator!
Thank you for all
Mark_R, Jul 2026
Well worth your of the Cotswolds
It covered 4 places and enough time as well
Tony our guide was well versed and gave a lot of history
Christy_J, Jul 2026
Sean did a great job explaining the history of the villages, the history of the Cotswolds and gave great suggestions for things not to miss on the tour. Check-in was smooth and easy and not rushed. Highly recommend - the only issues was that we couldn't stay longer, but that's expected due to the travel time out to the countryside.
From $130.51
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Small-Group Cotswolds Tour (From London)
3,084
9 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$130.51
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Attractions in London, England
- Chelsea Physic Garden Tours & Tickets
- St. Dunstan-in-the-East Tours & Tickets
- National Portrait Gallery Tours & Tickets
- Bond Street Tours & Tickets
- Westminster Abbey Tours & Tickets
- Monument to the Great Fire of London Tours & Tickets
- Spitalfields Tours & Tickets
- Banqueting House Tours & Tickets
- Westfield Stratford City Tours & Tickets
- Kensington Palace Tours & Tickets
- Cutty Sark Tours & Tickets
- Cenotaph Tours & Tickets
- Highclere Castle Tours & Tickets
- Little Venice Tours & Tickets
- Lacock Tours & Tickets
- Fleet Street Tours & Tickets
- Broadway Market Tours & Tickets
- Wallace Collection Tours & Tickets