London

Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour

London, England

Buckingham Palace Tour Including Changing of the Guard Ceremony or Afternoon Tea

From $91.74

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

2 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Delve into London’s rich royal heritage during a visit to Buckingham Palace to see the Changing of the Guard Ceremony. Marvel at the traditional Changing of the Guard performance, which involves meticulously dressed soldiers marching to the rhythm of military drums. Then, enjoy an exclusive experience as you enter the opulent State Rooms of Buckingham Palace for an independent audio tour. See lavish chambers during a tour only available for two months of the year, and gain fascinating insight into the history of the British monarchy.

Buckingham Palace tour including the Changing of the Guard ceremony, led by a tour host
Wander through St James’s Park and watch the famous Changing of the Guard
Explore the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, an experience only open to the public for two months of the year
Plug into an audio guide and learn about Queen Elizabeth II and the British Royal Family

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

On this efficient tour, see the Changing of the Guard and nab hard-to-get tickets to Buckingham Palace.

What's Included

English Speaking Expert Guide for Changing of the Guard
Audio guided Buckingham Palace Tour
Changing of the Guard ceremony
Entrance ticket for Buckingham Palace
Headsets when appropriate

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Gratuities

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Duke of York Monument
St. James's, London SW1Y 5AJ, UK
By the Duke of York Column, Waterloo Place, 9 Carlton Terrace, London SW1Y 5AJ. This is the tall column with a statue on top.

Start time

10:15 AM

End point

Spur Road
Spur Rd, London SW1A 1AA, UK
Inside Buckingham Palace

What To Expect

Greet your courteous guide at a central London location and stroll through the verdant splendor of St. James’ Park to Buckingham Palace, the majestic official residence of Her Majesty the Queen. Stop at a prime position before the gates to behold the impressive Changing of the Guards Ceremony, a colorful and traditional performance that combines vibrantly dressed soldiers with rhythmic drum beats.

See immaculately groomed horses and the beautifully dressed Household Cavalry canter across Horse Guards Parade, and then prepare to enter one of Britain’s most iconic cultural institutions. Listen to illuminating commentary from your guide as you stroll to the entrance of the regal residence, only open for two months of the year.

Pop in your audio guide and embark on independent exploration of Queen Elizabeth II’s luxurious State Apartments. Delight in opulent ornaments like sparkling chandeliers, classic artworks and elegantly upholstered furniture as you discover the historical rooms.

Return to the outside of Buckingham Palace and bid your guide farewell at this central location.

Please note: If there is heavy rain — or if the Changing of the Guard is rescheduled to early morning (as on some Sundays) — the ceremony will be replaced with a walking tour.

St. James's Park

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Changing of the Guard

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Buckingham Palace

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Depending on the day you will see either the Changing of the Guards at Buckingham Palace or Horse Guards Parade.

Changing of the Foot Guards run Mondays, Fridays, Sundays
Changing of the Horse Guards run Thursdays, Saturdays
On occasional Sundays may be rescheduled to early morning, this will then be replaced with an extended walking tour.
The Changing of the Guards is subject to changes in date, time and cancellation at the discretion of British authorities. Cancellation due to bad weather or other circumstances is not announced before the morning of the ceremony. When this occurs, you will be provided with a walking tour of Westminster city instead
Please note that the changing of the guard schedule may change and on different dates we will see either Foot Guards or Horse Guards.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews

4.0

831 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 831 reviews

Best tur guide on London

dailin_s, Oct 2023

Best experience thanks to our amazing guide , Kevin make our tur perfect because he found the best spots for us to see the changing of the guards , plus he is very knowledgeable and explained us everything in a vary entertainment way

Enjoyed the Bands Marching!

kevin_g, Sep 2023

Overall this tour isn’t bad! You can really do the Changing of the Guard Tour on your own🤷🏽‍♂️! There were three sights to catch the bands playing. I do think if you know where to catch each entrance and start of the band, you don’t need a guide. I didn’t go inside Buckingham Palace due to time constraints on my end. Overall, the tour isn’t bad. Lots and lots of people depending on the timeframe you go!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hi kevin_g, Thank you for your feedback on the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour! We're glad to hear that you found the experience not bad and that you had the opportunity to witness the Changing of the Guard on your own. It's true, there are several great vantage points to catch the bands playing. We appreciate your insights, and our goal is to turn "not bad" experiences into amazing ones for all our travelers! Your comments are valuable, and we look forward to serving you again in the future. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Just buy a normal palace ticket

Jennifer_P, Sep 2023

There wasn’t really a point to the experience. It was a normal time entry ticket and that was it. You got an audio guide like everyone else and went through the palace. Your “guide” sets a meeting point and then you walk 500 ft to the palace and your it yourself.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello Jennifer_P, We apologize that your experience with the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour did not meet your expectations. This particular experience is designed to combine a self-guided visit to Buckingham Palace's state rooms with a walking tour that includes witnessing the Changing of the Guard ceremony. While the self-guided aspect allows guests to explore the palace at their own pace with the provided audio guide, the guide's role is to facilitate the meeting point and provide valuable information about the palace and the Changing of the Guard event. We regret that you did not enjoy the presence of our guide or the benefits of the experience as expected. We take your feedback seriously and will review our tour descriptions to ensure clarity for future guests. Thank you for sharing your perspective, and we hope you had an enjoyable visit to Buckingham Palace despite the tour experience. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Buckingham Palace

Beth_D, Sep 2023

Great tour with Bess. Timing was perfect for seeing the changing of the guard and the barracks. Bess made is very fun and memorable. Great tour!

Informative

Brad_O, Sep 2023

Mary was a wonderful guide and we really enjoyed the tour. She was very accommodating for all of the group members and knew the best spots to observe the changing of the guard

Very poor guide.

Timothy_F, Sep 2023

Tour guide was not that great. She seemed to be late for all of the events that occur. We never saw anything at Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard. Could have just did this on our own. Not worth the cost paid.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello Timothy_F, Thank you for your feedback regarding the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. We appreciate your comments and apologize for any inconvenience you experienced with the guide's timing. We're sorry to hear that the tour did not meet your expectations, and we understand your perspective. We take your feedback seriously and will continue to strive for excellence in providing expert and entertaining guides. We hope you had an enjoyable visit to Buckingham Palace despite the tour experience. Thank you for choosing us for your visit, and we appreciate your input. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Do this on your own. No guide needed.

Walter_R, Sep 2023

I booked this tour without doing research and for the FOMO! The changing of the guard can be accessed by anyone for Free. Just walk up yo the street and watch it go by. The tour guide simply gathers a group and walks then over for an underwhelming experience that lasts a minute at most. Then the guide will walk you to the entrance to the palace and from there you use an audio guide for the remainder of the experience. What a total rip off!

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello Walter_R, We sincerely apologize for any disappointment you experienced with the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. We understand your frustration, and we regret that our experience did not meet your expectations. We want to clarify that our tour aims to provide guests with exclusive benefits and a seamless experience, including insightful commentary to the Changing of the Guard ceremony, bypassing the crowds and offering valuable insights before entering Buckingham Palace. However, we acknowledge that individual preferences and expectations can vary. Your feedback is important, and we take it seriously. We will use it to review our tour offerings and descriptions to ensure clarity for future guests. We appreciate your input and hope you had an enjoyable time during the other aspects of your visit to Buckingham Palace. Thank you for choosing us for your tour experience and leaving us your feedback. Sincerely, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Change of guard was not included but we paid for it

Vipul_S, Sep 2023

Walking thru bucking ham palace listening to the guard band meeting people from different part of world

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello Vipul_S, We apologize for any confusion regarding the Changing of the Guard during your Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. The inclusion of the Changing of the Guard ceremony can vary depending on the schedule set by the authorities and we make sure to accurately reflect that schedule in our tour pages. We want to ensure that our guests have accurate information about what to expect, and we do pay close attention to how we advertise the availability of the Changing of the Guard. We encourage guests with specific questions or concerns to reach out to us at info@citywonders.com, and we would be happy to provide more information and look into the details of their particular tour. We appreciate your feedback and hope you enjoyed the other aspects of your visit to Buckingham Palace. Thank you for choosing us for your tour experience and leaving us your feedback! Kindly, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Not happy

Gayle_P, Sep 2023

Never saw the changing of the guard. We were several blocks back and only saw horses and their drivers about 5 blocks from the palace. We walked about 5 miles around parks, etc. This experience would have been impossible for someone not able to walk this distance.

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello Gayle_P, We apologize for any disappointment you experienced with the Changing of the Guard during the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. The experience of viewing the ceremony can vary from day to day due to the security measures and crowd control enforced by the authorities. On certain days, guests may be positioned farther back from the palace, as was the case for your tour. While our aim is to provide the best possible viewing experience, factors beyond our control can affect the proximity to the ceremony. We understand that this may not have met your expectations, and we appreciate your feedback. We'll work to provide clearer expectations to future guests regarding the potential distance from the ceremony. Thank you for sharing your experience, and we hope to provide you with a more perfect experience in the future. We are not happy until you are, too. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Amazing tour

DONALD_P, Sep 2023

Fantastic tour and many thanks to our guide Maria who had us in place to get the best pictures of the guard

The defective wireless headset made this tour frustrating

David_S, Sep 2023

The self guided tour of the state rooms Buckingham Palace was great but the live guide was disorganized

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello David_S, Thank you for sharing your feedback about the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. We appreciate your comments. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the self-guided tour of the state rooms at Buckingham Palace. However, we apologize for the disorganization you experienced with the live guide. We take this matter seriously and will communicate with our providers to ensure a more organized and enjoyable experience for our guests. Your feedback is valuable, and we appreciate your understanding of the importance of clear and organized guidance during the tour. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with an improved experience in the future. Thank you for choosing us for your visit to Buckingham Palace. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Excellent Tour

mark_r, Sep 2023

Great guide, personable and informative. The tour was educational and fun I would recommend, this was a good value

London Buckingham palace and changing of the guard.

Ann_B, Sep 2023

The tour guide was very knowledgeable. He brought us to the right places for viewing the beginning and end of changing of the guard.

Changing of the Guard and Buckingham Palace

Gretchen_R, Sep 2023

Tour guide was great! She gave us a great explanation of the changing of the guard. She was very knowledgeable and prepared you for your tour of the palace with a lot of background information. You then tour the palace on your own.

if you're late, don't give up!

Karina_A, Sep 2023

TL;DR we were 15min late to our meeting time and place, but still managed to catch the tour. We didn't read the email carefully and it said to get there 15min before the meeting time. Well, we were 15min late to the meeting time. We sent a chat message and called the local number while on our way there. No response to chat (just an automated message saying they won't respond due to high volume) and the agent we got on the local number said our group had left already and there was no option to take a different tour at a later date or time. Very unhelpful and unsympathetic to our situation. We were already on our way and when we got there, the group had left, but the road was full of tour groups. We took our chances and tried to find a tour guide from our tour company. We found a guide, explained we were late, but we had our tickets and she turned us away because her group was full. She did encourage us to find another guide and we found one - Katya! She was very sympathetic to our situation and immediately helped us get our audio kits, at the end of the tour she guided us to her colleagues at the Palace to make sure we got in for that tour as well. She was very nice, answered all our questions, and had a great sense of humor! I highly recommend her tour and can't thank her enough for the kindness she showed us that morning after a very stressful ordeal to get to our tour. She saved the day! Both the changing of the guards tour and the palace tour were amazing! The Changing of the Guards wouldn't have been as impressive and informative without her. Thank you, Katya!

Tour stunk

JOHN_G, Sep 2023

This was a terrible experience the tour guide ran us up one way and back the other to the point we just could not keep up. She Never bothered to see if we were still with the group. We were not expecting to waste two hours running around a park. When we did get to the palace we were on our own. Never do that again

Response from Host, Sep 2023

Hello JOHN_G, We sincerely apologize for your negative experience on the Buckingham Palace Entrance Ticket & Changing of the Guard Tour. It's disappointing to hear that the tour guide's pacing and lack of attention affected your enjoyment of the tour. We appreciate your feedback, and we will take this into consideration as we strive to improve our tour experiences in the future. Thank you for sharing your feedback. Kind regards, Edgar J. Communications Manager City Wonders

Loved it

JosephKirk_D, Sep 2023

Great your guide and got to see alot. Took us to a great place to see the guards as they marched past with no obstacles

Great but hard to hear audio

Jamie_M, Sep 2023

Raf was great! Very informative, entertaining and friendly. Only giving less than 5 stars because the headsets they use to give the tour weren’t working properly and we missed out on a good bit of the information because all we could hear was static/interference. It affected the whole group so it had to be some issue with their equipment

Wonderful and extensive tour

Doug_M, Sep 2023

Great tour of grounds, guards and history with Paul before touring the amazing palace. Worth the price!

Great experience

Kelly_W, Sep 2023

Fun day of seeing the changing of the guard and Buckingham palace. Guide was vey good and knowledgeable! Katia?

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