Tours & experiences

Hand-picked tours across the New Forest & the UK

Our team has been pulling together the best small-group tours, day trips and multi-day adventures around the New Forest & the UK for years. Mick reads the traveller reviews before any tour earns a spot on this page — if a tour's a dud, it doesn't get listed.

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London Rock 'n' Roll Private Walking Tour

★ 5.0 (7)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

London Rock 'n' Roll Private Walking Tour

Explore three hours of British rock history on foot across London's most storied neighbourhoods. Your knowledgeable local guide leads you through the streets where The Beatles, Rolling Stones, and David Bowie made their mark—from rehearsal spaces and legendary venues to sites of pivotal performances. Discover the venues where seminal moments happened, the pubs where musicians plotted their next moves, and the districts that shaped the sound of generations. Ideal for anyone serious about rock music seeking authentic stories behind the icons.

Sherlock Holmes Private Guided Tour - BBC Series & Traditional Locations

Explore London's Sherlock Holmes landmarks across three-and-a-half hours with a devoted guide who tailors the route to your preference. Visit locations that inspired Conan Doyle's original stories, sets from the BBC series with Cumberbatch and Freeman, and sites connected to Arthur Conan Doyle himself. Your guide collects you from your accommodation and walks you through the city at your own pace, weaving together literary history, television production, and London's detective heritage.

3 hours – 3h 30mfrom GBP $95

Conwy Town & Castle exterior open group tour with official guide

★ 5.0 (7)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

Conwy Town & Castle exterior open group tour with official guide

Walk around Conwy's walled medieval town with a local official guide in just an hour. You'll trace centuries of Welsh and British history across castle ramparts, Georgian squares, and cobbled streets—spotting architectural gems like the tiniest house in Britain, Wales's oldest residence, and two engineering marvels by Victorian masters. The guide threads together stories of Llywelyn the Great, Tudor prosperity, and the forces that shaped this Conwy Valley stronghold.

1 hourfrom GBP $15

Private Half-Day Liverpool Tour with a Local, Personalized

★ 5.0 (7)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Private Half-Day Liverpool Tour with a Local, Personalized

Explore Liverpool at your own pace with a knowledgeable local guide who shapes the itinerary around your interests. Choose between two, three, or four-hour walking routes that reveal both celebrated landmarks and neighbourhood secrets tucked away from standard tourist paths. Your guide collects you from your hotel (upon request) and leads a bespoke tour tailored to what genuinely interests you, whether that's music history, waterfront architecture, or local haunts.

2 hours – 4 hoursfrom GBP $46

★ 5.0 (7)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

Looe Ghost Tour

Uncover Looe's darker chapters on this 90-minute walking tour through twin villages steeped in eight centuries of maritime history. Your guide leads you across both East and West Looe, piecing together accounts of spectral residents said to linger in historic pubs, shops and museums. Expect tales of misfortune, unexplained phenomena and the colourful characters whose stories have become local legend.

The wonders of Christ Church Oxford: Private Tour

Step inside Christ Church with an accredited guide on this exclusive 90-minute private tour, limited to just five visitors. You'll explore one of Oxford's most celebrated colleges, home to a chapel-cathedral hybrid that has anchored worship for thirteen centuries. Walk through spaces connected to literary figures and historical figures alike, seeing the Tudor dining hall, medieval stained glass, and artefacts spanning from Saxon foundations to the English Civil War. This is history told through the buildings themselves.

2 Day HighlandTour To Glencoe, Loch Ness and Culloden Battlefield

A two-day private Highland tour led by a local guide who navigates you through Scotland's most dramatic landscapes. Travel through the mountain passes of Glencoe, scan the waters of Loch Ness for its legendary resident, and explore Stirling Castle's centuries of political intrigue. Your guide shares the region's layered history—clan conflicts, Jacobite uprisings, and the 1746 Culloden defeat—whilst the landscape itself tells the story of Scotland's wild character.

National Gallery of London Private Tour

Navigate the National Gallery's 2,300-strong collection with a knowledgeable guide steering you through nearly seven centuries of European painting. This 2.5-hour private tour cuts through the overwhelming scale of the 1824 institution to reveal the masterworks that shaped art history: Renaissance giants like da Vinci and Botticelli, Spanish and Dutch luminaries including Velázquez and Rembrandt, and the colour-soaked canvases of the Impressionists. You'll finish in the gallery's café and shop, free to linger as long as you wish.

Stirling Castle and the Secrets of the Old Town Private Tour

A three-hour exploration of Stirling's medieval Old Town paired with a guided introduction to Stirling Castle, one of Scotland's most formidable fortresses. Your local guide navigates cobbled streets and reveals the town's layered history before handing you the keys to wander the castle's Renaissance rooms at your own pace. You'll trace the footsteps of Scottish royalty across courtyards and chambers that shaped the nation's story.

3 hoursfrom GBP $375

Edinburgh City 4-Hour Private Guided Taxi Tour Experience

★ 5.0 (7)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Edinburgh City 4-Hour Private Guided Taxi Tour Experience

Explore Edinburgh's layered history and hidden corners in a private black cab with a knowledgeable local guide steering you through four hours of discovery. You'll move between the city's grand civic landmarks and tucked-away alleyways at your own pace, stopping where your curiosity takes you. Scottish shortbread comes included, and the guide's running commentary reveals the stories woven into the streets. The itinerary bends to what interests you most.

London: Private Tour to Stonehenge and Highclere Castle

Combine two of southern England's most significant sites in a single nine-hour private journey. Your dedicated guide drives you to Stonehenge, where you'll learn what drew people to this mysterious megalithic circle across millennia, then continues to Highclere Castle—the stately home famous as Downton Abbey's filming location. Whether you're drawn to Neolithic enigmas, aristocratic architecture, or television history, this route covers both without the coach-tour crowds.

London Gay Tour with a Local, Soho’s LGBTQ+ Nightlife, Private & Custom

Explore Soho's pivotal role in London's queer history with a matched local guide over three hours. This private walking tour takes you through the neighbourhood's legendary streets—Old Compton, Frith, Dean and Wardour—where you'll discover the venues and stories that shaped the capital's LGBTQ+ community. Your host, paired based on shared interests, tailors the itinerary to your preferences and adjusts on the fly. Two drinks are included as you navigate the vibrant nightlife and cultural landmarks that define this West End hub.

Hidden Tudors Tours: Mysterious Black Tudor London Walks

Walk the Thames riverside from Southwark to the north bank on this 75-minute guided tour exploring the lives of four Black Tudors whose stories shaped Renaissance London. You'll examine period silks, encounter spice aromas, and access historical records whilst learning how Tudor politics, military campaigns and trade networks affected these remarkable figures. The route crosses London Bridge, weaving through Tudor architecture and landmarks that reveal forgotten chapters of English history.

1h 15mfrom GBP $20

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Private Edinburgh driving tour

A seven-hour private tour of Edinburgh's landmarks and hidden corners, steered by someone who knows the city's rhythms. You'll travel in your own vehicle with a local guide who trades the typical tourist circuit for genuine Edinburgh—its layered history, architectural quirks, and neighbourhoods locals actually frequent. The pace is yours: linger where you want, skip what doesn't interest you, ask questions without watching your watch.

7 hoursfrom GBP $799

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Edinburgh Old Town and Rosslyn Chapel

This nine-hour private tour covers Edinburgh's layered history, starting with the medieval Old Town's fortress, cathedral and famous street before showcasing the elegant Georgian architecture of the New Town. After lunch, you'll venture into the Midlothian countryside to explore the intricately carved Rosslyn Chapel, a 15th-century structure with historical intrigue and literary fame. Travel in a luxury Mercedes with a knowledgeable guide providing commentary throughout.

Private Walking Tour of Windsor with Award Winning Guide

Explore Windsor on foot with a knowledgeable local guide over 1 hour 45 minutes. You'll discover the town's millennium-spanning history whilst learning candid insights into modern life adjacent to royal residency. Navigate past period buildings and surprising architectural details that reveal Windsor's character beyond its famous castle. This private tour suits curious travellers keen to understand how a historic market town functions today.

Salisbury Private Walking Tour with a Professional Guide

A two-hour private walking tour of Salisbury, Wiltshire, led by a dedicated local guide who tailors the route to your interests. You'll navigate medieval streets, Georgian townhouses, and Victorian architecture whilst learning about eight centuries of history. The tour takes in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and explores how the city's layout blends old Sarum with newer quarters, all at your own pace with a guide focused solely on your group.

2 hoursfrom GBP $225

Private Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Private Full-Day Tour to the Scottish Highlands and Loch Ness

A 12-hour private tour through the Scottish Highlands and around Loch Ness, departing from your accommodation in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle with a knowledgeable local driver-guide. You'll explore dramatic glens, ancient landscapes, and the legendary shores of Scotland's most famous loch, hearing the stories and history woven into each location. This is an unhurried way to see Highland scenery without the constraints of group schedules.

12 hoursfrom GBP $439

Warwickshire & Stratford-Upon-Avon Self-Guided Audio Tours

★ 5.0 (6)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

Warwickshire & Stratford-Upon-Avon Self-Guided Audio Tours

Explore Warwickshire's two market towns at your own pace with downloadable audio guides narrated by local historians. Walk Warwick's medieval streets from Castle Bridge to St Mary's Church, then venture to Stratford-Upon-Avon to uncover Shakespeare's world—his birthplace, schoolroom, and the church where he's buried. Each tour runs 45 minutes to an hour and a half, with GPS mapping and photography tips included. You'll navigate independently with your phone and headphones, discovering layers of history from Celtic settlements through Tudor drama.

45 min – 1h 40mfrom GBP $15

★ 5.0 (6)

🌿 Nature & Wildlife

United Kingdom

Cairngorms: Lochnagar Guided Walk

This eight-hour guided walk through Cairngorms National Park combines mountain exploration with wildlife spotting and royal history. You'll trek towards Lochnagar whilst traversing terrain that borders the Balmoral Estate, the Scottish residence of the monarchy. Along the way, expect encounters with red deer roaming their natural habitat across the Highlands. A professional guide leads throughout, sharing knowledge of the landscape and local ecology. Hotel collection can be arranged from certain accommodation; public transport links serve the starting point.

Quirky Pubs and Crooked Streets of York

A 3.5-hour walking tour through York's medieval lanes with a knowledgeable local guide who steers you towards characterful pubs tucked away from the main tourist drag. You'll visit three to four atmospheric bars, each with its own story, whilst discovering the city's architectural quirks and lesser-known corners. The guide's focus is on revealing York as locals know it—through the bars they favour and the history woven into every crooked street.

3h 30m – 3h 50mfrom GBP $28

★ 5.0 (6)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

Notting Hill Walking Tour

Walk through Notting Hill's multicoloured terraces and bustling Portobello Road with a knowledgeable local guide. Over roughly two hours, you'll trace how Caribbean immigration, bohemian creativity, and antique dealing transformed this former rural lane into one of London's most distinctive neighbourhoods. The tour covers market history, 1960s artistic movements, film locations, and the origins of Europe's largest street festival—the Notting Hill Carnival.

1h 40m – 2h 30mfrom GBP $49

Private West Coast, Waterfalls, and Walking Tour (£600 per group)

★ 5.0 (6)

🌿 Nature & Wildlife

United Kingdom

Private West Coast, Waterfalls, and Walking Tour (£600 per group)

This eight-hour private tour explores Scotland's remote West Coast, combining walking, waterfalls, and geological landmarks across the Highlands. Your certified guide shares local history and Scottish heritage whilst you travel between sites, with adequate time at each location to explore on foot. The itinerary spans castles, cascading water features, and a nature reserve, revealing the landscape that locals themselves prize. Bottled water provided; lunch in Ullapool is self-catered.

8 hoursfrom GBP $300

Private Tour to St Andrews and Scottish Coastal Villages

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Private Tour to St Andrews and Scottish Coastal Villages

Escape Edinburgh's crowds on this eight-hour private drive through Fife, exploring coastal villages steeped in Scottish heritage. Your guide shares regional history whilst you sample local food and visit seaside settlements that feel worlds apart from the capital. The itinerary flexes to your interests—whether you're after architectural detail, culinary discoveries, or simply watching the North Sea unfold from charming harbours. Includes refreshments and a café stop.

York 'Hidden Gems' Food Tour

Walk York's medieval streets with a knowledgeable guide, stopping at six independent food businesses to taste cheese, fresh noodles, handmade fudge (watch it being made in a Victorian kitchen), gelato, and more. You'll learn the history woven into each dish and hear local anecdotes about the city's landmarks, including the architectural trivia behind its famous cathedral. Three and a half hours, groups capped at twelve people.

The Play That Goes Wrong in London Theatre

Catch Mischief Theatre's record-breaking West End comedy, now the longest-running farcical production in London's theatre history. This 2.5-hour show follows an amateur dramatic society attempting to stage a murder mystery—only everything goes spectacularly awry. Actors forget lines, scenery collapses, props vanish, and the set threatens to ignite. It's controlled chaos that has audiences roaring for years running.

Hever Castle - England's Hidden Gem

Travel to Hever Castle in Kent, a Tudor stronghold wrapped in six centuries of English history. This six-hour excursion explores the residence where Anne Boleyn grew up before becoming queen, and later the ambitious restoration project of American magnate William Waldorf Astor. Beyond royal intrigue, you'll discover one of England's most architecturally compelling castles set within the rolling Kentish countryside, where domestic life and historical consequence intersect.

Oxford Walking Tour for Private Groups

A 60-minute guided walk through Oxford's scholarly heart, led by an accredited guide who draws out a thousand years of layered history without the sprawl. You'll navigate the city's most striking architecture—the Radcliffe Camera, Sheldonian Theatre, and historic quads—while learning the genuine stories that shaped this place, from Anglo-Saxon settlement to contemporary student culture. Designed to fit between meetings or before an evening out, the tour moves with purpose but never feels pressured.

Glencoe: Hidden Valley Guided Hike

This three-hour guided walk through Glencoe's Hidden Valley takes you into Scotland's dramatic mountain landscape, where steep peaks frame a remote glen accessible to most walkers. Your qualified mountain leader navigates you through forest and open moorland, sharing local knowledge of the area's geography and history. The route suits varying fitness levels, offering a genuine taste of Scottish wilderness without requiring technical climbing skills or extreme endurance.

Private Full-Day Wye Valley Tour

A private eight-and-a-half-hour circuit through the Wye Valley capturing Welsh heritage across multiple centuries. Your driver navigates you past Chepstow Castle (1067, Britain's earliest stone fortification), the Gothic splendour of Tintern Abbey, Raglan Castle's distinctive architecture, and Roman Caerleon—one of Europe's most complete legionary settlements. Travel through rolling countryside with expert commentary on local history and culture. Stop where and when you choose for lunch; explore each site independently at your own rhythm.

Immersive Woolwich Treasure Hunt Panda Treasure Quest

This two-hour self-guided adventure turns Woolwich's streets into a puzzle to crack. Working as a team, you'll decode clues sent to your phone in real time, tracing threads of local history as you navigate the Royal Arsenal and surrounding areas. It's part detective work, part city exploration—you move at your own pace, solving riddles that unlock the next waypoint. Launch when you're ready and race against the clock to piece together Woolwich's hidden stories.

Bath - (4 hours) Extended Walking Tour - Blue Badge guide

A four-hour guided walk through Bath led by a Blue Badge guide—Britain's most rigorous tourist qualification. You'll explore the Georgian terraces, hidden gardens like Victoria Park, and the Pulteney Estate beyond the usual circuit. Your guide contextualises Bath within British history and geography, breaking up the walk with a coffee stop. The pace is deliberately unhurried, designed for genuine understanding rather than box-ticking. Roman Baths and Bath Abbey entries can be arranged in advance for an extra fee, with your guide providing interpretation inside.

Private Outlander & Cawdor Castle Tour

Explore the Highlands' film and historical landmarks on a fully private eight-hour tour departing from Inverness. Travel in a Mercedes-Benz V-Class with your own driver-photographer, visiting castles and locations tied to Outlander and Scottish history. The journey includes hotel collection, refreshments on board, and professional photographs taken throughout the day for your personal gallery.

Kelpies, Loch Lomond and Stirling Castle, Private Day Tour

Travel through central Scotland's most compelling landmarks on this eight-and-a-half-hour private tour. Visit the engineering marvel of the Forth Bridge, explore the striking Kelpies Monument, wander Luss Village's waterfront, and tour the medieval fortress of Stirling Castle. Your dedicated driver-guide contextualises Scotland's military history, landscape formation, and local stories as you move between sites. Tailored routing means you set the pace and focus.

8h 30mfrom GBP $700

Scottish Highlands, Lochs & Castles from Edinburgh and Glasgow

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Scottish Highlands, Lochs & Castles from Edinburgh and Glasgow

A nine-to-ten-hour drive through the Scottish Highlands departing from Edinburgh or Glasgow, exploring Glencoe's dramatic terrain and castle sites whilst hearing tales of Highland history. You'll travel in a private vehicle with an experienced guide, stopping at key landmarks and sampling local whisky. Designed for travellers with limited time who want to pack significant ground into a single day.

9 hours – 10 hoursfrom GBP $850

★ 5.0 (6)

🛕 Culture & History

United Kingdom

The London Old City Iconic Walking Tour

Walk through a single square mile of London's oldest quarter on this 2.5-hour guided tour, tracing threads from the medieval Templar order through the Second World War's destruction and rebuilding. Your guide unpicks the neighbourhood's layered history—its secret passageways, timber-framed survivors, and stones scarred by bombs—stopping at landmarks most visitors miss. Designed for those curious about how cities actually change over centuries, not just their headline attractions.

London: Spys, Spying, and Espionage Private Walking Tour

Explore London's shadowy espionage history on this three-hour guided walk through sites connected to real spying operations and intelligence work. Starting in Swiss Cottage, you'll trace routes taken by actual agents, uncover lesser-known locations tied to covert activity, and learn how intelligence services operate beyond public view. This tour separates spy fiction from documented fact, drawing on declassified records and insider accounts to reveal how espionage actually functions in the capital.

3 hoursfrom GBP $180

Edinburgh City 4 Hour Private Guided Taxi Tour

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

Edinburgh City 4 Hour Private Guided Taxi Tour

A private four-hour taxi tour through Edinburgh's most arresting landmarks and vantage points. You travel in a comfortable Mercedes with a knowledgeable driver who adapts the itinerary to your interests, stopping where you choose. The tour showcases Scotland's capital in its World Heritage entirety, revealing layers of history and architecture that typically warrant multiple visits.

4 hoursfrom GBP $275

3-Day Lake District Explorer Small-Group Tour from Manchester

★ 5.0 (6)

🚌 Day Trips & Sightseeing

United Kingdom

3-Day Lake District Explorer Small-Group Tour from Manchester

Discover England's highest peaks, deepest waters and richest literary heritage on this three-day Lake District exploration from Manchester. Stay two nights in the heart of the region, cruise Lake Windermere's celebrated waters, and walk through market towns steeped in Romantic-era history. Your small group travels by comfortable minibus with a knowledgeable guide, visiting Wordsworth's former home and absorbing the landscape that inspired generations of writers. Suitable for all fitness levels.

London’s Most Entertaining Tour: Magic, History and Laughter

A two-hour London tour placing you at the centre of royal pageantry, military drills and political intrigue along one of Britain's most storied thoroughfares. Rather than viewing from afar, you're positioned where the action unfolds—catching the atmosphere of live ceremonial moments on selected days. Your guide unpicks the layers of history with sharp storytelling and precise timing, then steers the group toward a proper pub to decompress and digest what you've witnessed.

2 hoursfrom GBP $25

Some tours listed with Viator, a Tripadvisor company. Prices and availability confirmed at checkout.