Changing of the Guard: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in London
- 1.3–1.5 hours
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
- Private tour
Highlights
View London's iconic Changing of the Guard from three less common vantage points. Explore at your own pace with this affordable self-guided walking tour. • Learn to spot and decipher differences between the uniforms and find out the best times to view the emblematic ceremony • Hear from producer, Sean Moran, one of Context Travel's local expert tour guides • Do it all in 75 minutes or linger at stops along the way with complete control over when you start and finish • Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it • Use the virtual tour option at home Once you’ve booked, you’ll receive a ticket with instructions and a unique code listed under “Before You Go”. Then simply install the VoiceMap app and enter your code. The app displays directions to the starting point, and when you’re in the right place, just pop in your headphones and tap start. VoiceMap has automatic GPS playback, with turn-by-turn directions. It also works offline.
Inclusions
What's included
- Lifetime access to this tour in English
- VoiceMap app for Android and iOS
- Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
What's not
- Smartphone and headphones
- Food and Drinks
- Transportation
Itinerary
Starting outside St. James‘ Park, you‘ll see the iconic guards in their bright red jackets and black bearskin helmets, supported by their regimental bands which provide a tuneful backdrop to your walk.
Stand on the Mall, where the world comes to get a grandstand view of royal events like weddings, coronations, and funerals.
As you witness the ceremony, you’ll learn to identify the different guards, by looking at the feathers in their caps and the buttons on their jackets.
You‘ll also walk in the footsteps of Charles I on his way to being executed, and see a statue of the famous French General, Charles De Gaulle, in the very square where he set up his government while in exile during World War II.
By the end of this hour-long tour, you‘ll have witnessed the Changing of the Guard from a different perspective, and gained a new appreciation for the ceremony.
On this tour, you'll hear the stories behind the Duke of York Memorial.
Take in the National Police Memorial while learning about it on this self-guided audio tour.
The changing of the guard ceremony in London is known around the world for its precision and spectacle. Most visitors view the event from Buckingham Palace, but on this walking tour with Context Travel and London-based scholar and royal expert, Sean Moran, you‘ll experience it from three less common vantage points.
The tour ends with a visit to the Household Cavalry where you‘ll be able to get up close to the guards and their stunning black horses. You’ll also find out what the requirements are for a horse to join the cavalry!
Cancellation
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Before arrival, please install the VoiceMap mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. This is a self-guided audio tour that you can start, pause, or restart at any time and complete at your own pace. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- VoiceMap Audio Tours
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please Note: Tickets or entrance fees are not included in the price of this tour.
How it compares in London
- Its from-price is 93% below the median of the 4793 experiences we list in London.
- It is shorter than most of them.
About London
London mixes royal ceremony, world-class museums and riverside landmarks with distinct neighbourhoods, markets and parks to explore on foot.
The Thames threads the city together. On its banks stand the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben, the Tower of London with the Crown Jewels, Tower Bridge and the long South Bank walk past the London Eye, Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern. St Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey anchor the older skyline, while glass towers crowd the financial district.
Top-ranked sights in London: St. Paul's Cathedral, Stonehenge, Tower of London.
Special offers in London
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
