London Private Tours &amp; Local Tour Guides

Hello, fancy a day out from busy Central London and enjoy cycling? Why not join me and see real parts of outer London on our bikes. I was lucky enough to grow up in a glorious area of South West London and apart from travelling to see the world I've always returned. I love meeting new people and showing them my favourite local places by what I feel is the best mode of travel. . . a bike. This historic area is set on a beautiful part of the River Thames, it has old Royal hunting grounds containing deer, world famous places like the 16th Century home of royalty Hampton Court Palace + UNESCO Kew Botanic Gardens. It is only 30-45 minutes from Central London by train or tube and a peaceful place to visit or base yourself whilst visiting London. I hope to see you in my area of London for a bike trip soon Ginette

Marc B.

I am a fully qualified London Blue badge guide. I have exclusive access to the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, St Pauls and Windsor castle. I also guide in Windsor, Oxford, Stonehenge and Bath and Stratford-on-Avon, as well as Hampton Court, the British Museum, National Gallery and the Tate galleries. I am a native Londoner and I have wealth of stories from this great city.

Sean K.

A little about me – I am a Londoner (‘born and bred’ as the saying goes) and, following the rigorous training, in March 2005 I qualified as a registered Tourist Guide (with the Blue Badge tourist guiding qualification, the highest guiding qualification in the UK). Since then I have worked exclusively as a professional tourist guide. The Blue Badge qualification allows me to guide in key visitor sites such as Westminster Abbey, The Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. I have guided groups of all sizes (from single individual via couples, families and all through to double-decker bus parties of around 60 individuals). Since 2007 I have been personally recommended by American travel writer Rick Steves in his London and European guide books which has led to the opportunity to work with clients in developing the itineraries that best suited their needs and interests (taking into account factors such as venues opening days, dates, times and peak periods). For me guiding is both a privilege and a great pleasure. The last year has of course been tough for everyone involved in the Travel and Tourism industry and I have truly missed the day to day experience of guiding visitors in and around London and other locations (ie Windsor, Stonehenge). I am able to offer themed tours Iconic London, Shakespeare’s London, Beatles London and Hidden London (to name a few). My ethos is that visitors enjoy and are entertained by what they see and hear (and learn along the way!)

Vivien S.

5.00 / 5

(2 reviews)

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I LOVE London! But I really KNOW London too... I'm proud to be a Blue Badge Tourist Guide, one of a select few who have passed the highest criteria to become a fully qualified London guide. I hold other London guiding qualifications - I am a City of London Guide and Lecturer, A Westminster Guide and a St Paul's Cathedral Guide. I specialise in private, customised (to YOUR requirements) London tours, giving in-depth insight into the best locations such as Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court, St Paul's Cathedral, the Churchill War Rooms, Kew Gardens, Buckingham Palace (summer opening), the British Museum, National Gallery and many more. .... and we can discover hidden alleyways, explore ancient churches, stand where Dickens or Shakespeare or the Romans would have stood...London's many secrets from so many centuries. Guiding is my passion, but I am also a dog-loving, countryside-walking, museum junkie, knit-aholic, who loves to curl up with a good book (I collect old London books) with a lovely cup of tea and a slice of something nice on the side. Come with me to discover London. Whether this is your first visit or you've been here before, I will make sure that you have a wonderful time and take home memories to cherish - and lots of fabulous photos!

New London Tour Guides

Sam J.

Greetings I'm a third generation Londoner and have been born and bred in the City. I have been leading many groups through the city. I love exploring together and each tour is different and everybody brings something new to the day. I've appeared on the US TV network NBC "Today" programme and spoken about what's available for visitors in London. I love to walk round the sights of the city from the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Place, St Pauls, Bank of England and from Westminster to Whitechapel. We can run historic pubs, eating tours, historic tours (fire of London, Romans, Christopher Wren), literary tours, Jewish tours, country walks near London and much more. I can run the tours described here or we can customise tours to meet your exact requirements. I've written a series of books "City of London guide books" available on Amazon which give a great background to the walks. I'm a specialist in the art, architecture, sights, eating and drinking places, churches, synagogues, mosques , gardens and history of the City of London and Whitechapel and lead regular walks in the area. I've written books about London's sights, literature and hotels, pubs and restaurants. I'm a graduate of Literature from Cambridge University and our walks are shot through with the history and characters of the city. I've worked in high tech for 40 years and been involved in the business side of the city. In short there's never a dull moment, come rain, wind or shine. I look forward to meeting you. I love to share the highways, byways and alleys of the city. On the walks we explore the key sights of the city, literary, historical background and of course some ancient pubs. Our walks are usually immersive with plenty of chances for everyone to get involved I am a City of London certified guide and a ITG Green Guide. Other organisations I work with are Circle Squared and Society of Authors. I am a graduate of Cambridge University with a literature degree.

Laura A.

I'm a qualified London guide now offering History Walks with Gender, Sex and Class. Walks focus on the lives of poorer working people rarely described in historical accounts except as criminals or objects of charity. When there’s an opportunity to talk about women I’ll take it, and social class is always on the table. I've been a writer, researcher and critical historian all my life, and I've been a Londoner since the 1960s, although I've left to live in other towns and countries. Author of Sex at the Margins: Migration, Labour Markets and the Rescue Industry, for many years I've focused on getting the stories out of women and others marginalised because of being poor, foreign, ‘different’ or doing jobs some folks think are Wrong, in the present and in the past. I'm known as The Naked Anthropologist.

Kevin N.

Hi, my name is Kemal (English name : Kevin). I'm a, professional photographer, tour guide and whisky enthusiast. I'll be happy to help you for specialist tours in London and the UK. In college I studied law but decided to pursue my childhood dream of becoming a photographer and started my professional career in 1993. I was granted a professional tour guide badge in Istanbul, Turkey in 1996 after a vigorous training by the Ministry of Tourism. I spent my last 30 years working for top magazines and taking people around the World with private and group photography tours. My work has been published globally by well-known magazines including National Geographic, Geo, Cosmopolitan, Reader's Digest, Atlas etc. and my photographs were exhibited internationally. Anthropology Museum of Wichita State University in Kansas holds a permanent exhibition of my work on the last remaining Kurdish Nomads of Eastern Turkey. My prints are sold regularly through art galleries, Gallery The Route in Amsterdam is the main gallery that I'm working with. I was the Deputy Editor of the Turkish Edition of National Geographic Magazine from 2000 to 2011. I did my first photo tour in 2007 and I loved it so much I went on doing it on weekends and holidays while working at the magazine. At one point I left my full-time position at NatGeo in order of doing more photography tours & workshops. Since then I've done hundreds of photography tours all around the World including in the Middle East, Latin America, Asia, Europe and Africa. I also did birdwatching, food and whisky tours as they were all, things that I personally enjoy and wanted to share my experience with my clients. In my photo tours / workshops my focus is teaching the practice and instinctual behaviour of a pro photographer and trying to catch the things as they happen, I never do any set-ups or stage the photos. Looking forward to see you in London and spend some great time together.

David C.

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I am professionally working in travel business since 1998 , studied high school and university in tourism fiel management. Worked in operations , guided tours and now managing own tours and operations.

Popular London Private Tours

London Royal Park Bike Tour

Use our bikes to cycle around Richmond Park which is the largest Royal Park of London and enjoy the beautiful riverside area of Richmond. Once an old royal hunting ground this 10km2 park still has 2 types of deer roaming freely. You will see a stunning protected view of the River Thames (uphill bike push involved!), pass the old royal hunting lodge, see a protected view of St Paul's Cathedral + see deer and other nature as you enjoy this leisurely cycle ride.

Royal London: Best of Westminster

The best of Royal London - Westminster Abbey the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Downing Street, Buckingham palace, Changing of the Guard (if available) and Trafalgar Square - all in one morning.

FROM$380/ per group

Marc B.

The Tower of London - home to the fabulous Crown Jewels

The Tower of London, is home to the Crown Jewels (the coronation regalia used for state ceremonial occasions, including the 530 carat '1st Star of Africa'). The Tower is the site of imprisonment and executions - including three queens of England and houses a remarkable collection of medieval armour. Together with its many dark tales, The Tower is guarded over by a military detachment and the mysterious ravens, all under the watchful eyes of the Yeoman Warders (the famous Beefeaters).

FROM$575/ per group

Sean K.

Essential London

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7 hours 30 min

This London tour has it all - world famous sights, photo opportunities galore, history (the interesting bits), stories, English culture, architecture, pageantry, royalty, palaces, a fortress, royal gossip .... your tour takes in so much of what London is about with full explanations on what you are seeing along the way. If you only have time for one London highlights tour - this is the one!

New London Private Tours

Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, 10 Downing Street - wonderful Westminster

We visit the Royal Palaces of Westminster, the King's home at Buckingham Palace, some amazing 300 year old shops, art galleries, royal Parks, Trafalgar Square, the Prime Minister's house - 10 Downing Street, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. The heart of Britain's political system and central to it's history.

FROM$375/ per group

Sam J.

Secrets and Symbols of the City of London

We investigate the secrets in plain sight of the city of London. The pineapples, the pelicans, the cuneiform tablet in a city garden...all have meanings and stories. As we walk round the heart of the city from St Pauls through alleys we see the Roman wall, Norman Churches, the Guildhall, Dickensian pubs, markets and the centre of the Financial district. We always discover something new and have plenty of time for stops and refreshments and customising our walk to meet everyone's taste.

FROM$375/ per group

Sam J.

Photo Workshop in London by a Master Photographer

Join Me to Explore London Through the Lens! Discover London’s vibrant contrasts, from Camden Town’s lively markets, street art, and music scene to the peaceful Regent’s Canal and the serene London Mosque, reflecting the city’s diversity. We’ll end in Little Venice with its tranquil riverboats and scenic canals. With 30+ years of photography experience, I’ll share practical tips to help you improve your skills and capture memorable shots, transforming the way you approach photography.

FROM$550/ per group

Kevin N.

Highlights of the City of London

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3 hours 30 min

We will visit the City of London and it's historic centre. We'll cover 2000 years of history and some amazing buildings and explore the history, food and drink of the city.

FROM$446/ per group

Sam J.

Popular London Private Cars

Private Tour to Windsor Castle and Stonehenge

10 hours

Take this amazing historical private tour to the most famous castle in the United Kingdom, Windsor Castle. The home of his Majesty, King Charles the third. Explore the gardens, the stunning state rooms and the famous St George’s Chapel. We will then take you and guide you around the 5000 year old world, famous ancient temple of Stonehenge, deep in the stunning Wiltshire, English countryside. Walk with us and learn about what ancient man did to build this magnificent structure.

FROM$1,300/ per group

Jai B.

London Tour Reviews

David L.

5 / 5

Dec 22, 2024

London Royal Park Bike Tour

Dec 22, 2024

“Perfect activity”

Ginette could not have been more accommodating! She exuded enthusiasm and a fantastic positive energy. We were extremely tired after an over night flight and were thrilled we chose this bicycle tour with ginette! We recommend her highly.

Ginette A.

Hi David, thank you so much for the great review, I loved showing you my beautiful area, you were such fun, hope to see you again for a beer! All the best Gibette

Jacqueline G.

5 / 5

May 29, 2024

The Tower of London and the British Museum

May 29, 2024

7 hours

Customized

“Pleasant and knowledgeable. ”

Vivien was lovely! We toured the Tower of London and British Museum with her. On both tours she easily guided us through the maze of rooms and objects; informing us of the history and stories connecting them. She easily handled our questions and kept us focused. We had the opportunity to overhear other guides, some (loudly) reading information from a tablet which made us appreciate Vivien that much more. We highly recommend your tour with Vivien.

Vivien S.

What a pleasure it was to meet you both today and I am delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour. Thank you for your tour rating and very kind comments which are greatly appreciated. Enjoy the rest of your stay and happy onward travels. Vivien x

Tim K.

5 / 5

May 13, 2024

The Best of Royal London - Highlights Morning Tour

May 13, 2024

Customized

“Vivian was the BEST!”

We enjoyed our tour with Vivian and would highly recommend her. Great knowledge of all the sites of London… very interactive and friendly. We had spoken to several guides prior to hiring her and they just didn’t hit and understand like she did. She provided a great service to us and hope you discover what we did! A real GEM

Vivien S.

Hi Tim & Lisa - Very many thanks for your wonderful review and tour rating. I'm delighted to hear that you enjoyed your tour so much and for my part it was a great pleasure to spend the morning with you both. Wishing you happy onward travels. Vivien x

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