London Changing of the Guard Walking Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Witness the iconic Changing of the Guard ceremony
- Explore the historic Buckingham Palace grounds
- Stroll through the serene St. James's Park
- Learn about British royal history from your guide
- Capture memorable photos of London's landmarks
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Expert local guide
- Visit to Buckingham Palace
- St. James's Park exploration
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting point
Start Location
Unknown location
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately
- Photography is allowed; be mindful of other visitors
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for the tour
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly
- Arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes early
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Service Animals Allowed
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- 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
Traveler reviews
worth every penny
It was such a pleasure to have the tour with Paul. He also brought us afterwards to the horse guards inspection. He had so many facts on the way and all the spots were great
Robin was excellent 👌
Robin our tour guide was very knowledgeable and got us some great viewing locations. Where's he had us enabled some great viewing opportunities. We went on Monday the 10th of August.
Well worth the money!!
Paul is a fantastic guide for a wonderful experience seeing the changing of the guard before, during and after. His knowledge, humor, and helpfulness were outstanding and we were so happy to have had this walking tour for the beat experience. Well worth the money!!
Worth every penny!
Chris was an awesome tour guide! He walked with us and told us the history and facts in a very fun way! We saw the changing of guards front row! And strategically walked throught the sideways to see the ending and horses as well. Worth every penny!
Highly recommend, especially team Paul!!
Amazing! We were on team Paul & he was better than great! So knowledgeable & he knew exactly where all the good spots were. This is honestly the best way to see the changing of the guard & you learn so much as well. Very worth paying for this tour. Beats standing in the crowd out front of the palace, you see so much more on this tour & come away from it with a bunch of knowledge!