--- title: Changing of the Guard Small-Group Walking Tour in London lang: en type: tour city: London country: United Kingdom price: 23 currency: EUR price_unit: per_person availability: bookable rating: 4.95 reviews: 275 duration_minutes: 120 languages: [en] free_cancellation: true rank_in_category: 14 of 92 (Walking Tours) schedule_checked: 2026-10-01 data_updated: 2026-10-01 canonical: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/changing-of-the-guard-small-group-walking-tour-in-london/ --- # Changing of the Guard Small-Group Walking Tour in London **Guidekin's take:** Follow the Changing of the Guard around The Mall, Clarence House and St James’s Palace. Guided walking and a photo with the Royal Horseguards are included; the route skips Buckingham Palace's front gates, and bad weather can shorten the ceremony. 4.95 from 275 reviews at €23 per person for 2h. ## Overview Enjoy the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace with this small group walking tour! This walking tour gets you up close for the best views of the Guard change in a historic Royal event filled with classic British pomp and pageantry. The tour will position you in the best front row spots for the key parts of the Changing of the Guard ceremony as you enjoy memorable views of the Old Guard, New Guard, Household Cavalry and the ceremonial military band. You’ll even finish your tour by getting your photo with the Royal Horseguards! As well as enjoying unbeatable views of the Guard change, your walking tour is teeming with Royal history as you discover Buckingham Palace, St James’s Palace, Clarence House, The Mall and Horseguards Parade. This small group tour is the best way to see the Changing of the Guard in London, filled with memorable views and fascinating history of London’s most historic Royal event that encapsulates British history and heritage in one Royal morning. ## Before you book - Meeting point: The tour starts in front of The Old Star… - Entry ticket not included: buy it separately - Starts 10:00: one departure a day - Strollers OK: infants accepted - Children from €23: ages 5 to 17 ## Key facts - Price: from €23 per person - Duration: 2h - Rating: 4.95/5 from 275 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor) - Free cancellation (see policy below) - Recommended by 99% of travellers (share of four- and five-star reviews) - Operator: See The Sights Tours ## What's included - The Mall - Clarence House - Small-Group guided walking tour of the Changing of the Guard ceremony - St James’s Park - St James’s Palace - Professional Tour Guide - Photo with the Royal Horseguards - Buckingham Palace ## Not included - Entrance tickets to sights, landmarks or attractions - Front gates of Buckingham Palace - Gratuities ## Itinerary 1. **Changing of the Guard** (1h) - The Changing of the Guard is a traditional ceremony showcasing the handover of duties between the King’s Guard. The ceremony features a precision display of marching, music, and military pageantry. Guards in iconic tunics and bearskin hats parade to live music. The event... 2. **Buckingham Palace** (10m) - , the official London residence of the British monarch, is a symbol of the United Kingdom's heritage and royal tradition. Surrounded by lush gardens and Royal parks, the palace remains a working institution, hosting state events and providing a regal backdrop to national... 3. **St. James's Palace** (15m) - St James's Palace is one of Britain's oldest royal residences. Built by Henry VIII, it served as the official residence of the monarch until the 18th century. Its historic rooms host key royal events and house several royal offices with its iconic red brick façade being a... 4. **Clarence House** (10m) - , located in St James’s, London, is the official residence of King Charles III and his family. It has served as a royal home for various members of the British monarchy and hosts official events and ceremonies, playing a significant role in the British royal family’s public life. 5. **The Mall is a grand ceremonial avenue in central London, stretching from Buck...** (10m) - The Mall is a grand ceremonial avenue in central London, stretching from Buckingham Palace to Admiralty Arch. Lined with trees and flanked by royal landmarks, it serves as the site for major state events and royal processions. Known for its vibrant red surface, The Mall hosts... 6. **St. James's Park** (5m) - St James's Park is one of London's most beautiful royal parks. Spanning 57 acres, it features lush gardens, a serene lake, and picturesque views of Buckingham Palace. The park is home to diverse wildlife, including pelicans and swans. 7. **Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall** (10m) - Horse Guards Parade is a historic ceremonial ground in London, renowned for hosting royal events like Trooping the Colour. It’s home to the Royal Horseguards, an elite cavalry regiment serving as the monarch’s personal guards. Enjoy a photo standing next to the Royal Horseguards. ## Schedule - Runs: Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun - Departures: 10:00 - Schedule last checked: 2026-10-01 - These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout. ## Cancellation For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time. ## Meeting point 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. Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJW6nd7dsEdkgRWds6E0lO3N8 ## Good to know - Service animals allowed - Public transportation options are available nearby - Suitable for all physical fitness levels - 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. ## Compared with other Walking Tours | Tour | Price | Duration | Rating | Group | |---|---|---|---|---| | **This tour · #14 of 92** | €23 | 2h | 4.95 (275) | shared | | [The Great British Rock and Roll Walking Tour](/uk/london/tours/the-great-british-rock-and-roll-walking-tour/?format=md) | €38 | 2h | 4.99 (2069) | shared | | [London Sightseeing Walking Tour with 30+ sights](/uk/london/tours/london-sightseeing-walking-tour-with-30-sights/?format=md) | €23 | 5h | 4.97 (865) | shared | | [Drag Queen Disco Diva Tour - Silent Disco Walking Tour](/uk/london/tours/drag-queen-disco-diva-tour-silent-disco-walking-tour/?format=md) | €45 | 1h 30m | 4.98 (428) | shared | Ranked #14 of 92 in Walking Tours by Guidekin score (rating weighted by review volume). Prices here run from €17 to €714, median €31; typical length 2h. 11 of 92 are private. Figures are live from the tour cards; the rubric is our handpicked set, not the whole market. Full list: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/walking-tours-london/?format=md ## More in London - All London tours: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/?format=md - This page as HTML: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/changing-of-the-guard-small-group-walking-tour-in-london/ ## Query this catalogue with URLs Every listing accepts filter parameters directly in the URL, so you can hand a user a link that already matches their constraints. Combine freely on https://guidekin.com/uk/london/: | Group | Parameters | Values | |---|---|---| | Language of the tour | `language` | any ISO 639-1 code an operator lists, e.g. en, es, fr, de, it, pt, ru, uk, tr, hi. 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