PRIVATE THAMES VALLEY TOURS | couples • families • small groups

THAMES VALLEY
Choose your own regional day tour from our variety of options...

● Day-tour options from London in private vehicle with accredited driver-guide.
● Tailor-made for couples, families or small private groups (up to 7 persons).
● Pick-up/drop-off at any London hotel or residence. Typical timings: 09:00-18:00.
● Subject to openings & availability. Any admission fees payable on entry.
● Price (per car): 1-2 persons=£400.00; 3-4=£440.00; 5-7=£480.00. Admissions extra.

Tour Choice A: select any 2 from the 10 options below to create your full-day tour:

Option 1: Didcot Railway Centre
The Didcot Railway Centre has ben run by the Great Western Railway Society since 1967. It contains a unique collection and comprehensive collection of ex Great Western Railway (GWR) locomotives and rolling stock. There are two short lengths of running track, each with a station at both ends, and a recreation of Brunel's broad gauge railway. The site retains many original GWR features including the engine shed, turntable pit and coaling stage from the 1930s rebuilding. The centre regularly holds events such as steam and diesel railcar days. Great for the family or nostalgic steam-heads.
● Open Sat-Sun; Jun-Sep daily + school holidays. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 2: Hampton Court
Hampton Court is a national treasure. It’s actually two palaces in one, covering both the Tudor and Stuart royal dynasties (Henry VIII actually stole it!). Highlights include the authentic Tudor kitchens, Great Hall, and Chapel Royal. There’s also an important art collection, an ancient working tennis court, and the magnificent gardens featuring the world’s oldest maze for you to get lost in! 500 years of royal history comes alive here.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 3: Kew Gardens
The world famous Royal Botanic Gardens in south-west London opened in 1759. It contains 1/8 of all flowering species known on earth, and many rare trees and plants. There are 40 listed buildings such as the humid Palm House, built in 1888, which maintains a tropical rain-forest climate, and contains the world's oldest pot plant. Other highlights include the Temple of Arathusa, a Japanese bamboo house, and a tree-walk. Your guide will conduct you on a short walking tour, then you can take advantage of the land-train to see the full extent of the gardens.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 4: Oxford
Famous throughout the world as a university town, with over 40 colleges. The poet Matthew Arnold described it as ‘That sweet city with her dreaming spires’. Your guide explain the mysterious traditions of this ancient town, its college system, and the architecture which sets it apart from other centres of academia, and the real world! We get many complaints about the academic haughtiness towards visitors, but a little forewarning from your guide will help you to smile at the bumptious attitudes rather than let it spoil your tour. There are a number of options which your guide will suggest. Fans of Harry Potter will recognize the great hall at the famous Christchurch College, while fans of Alice in Wonderland will recognize a number of references here too. There are also options to visit the renowned Bodleian Library and Ashmolean Museum.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 5: Savill Gardens
A visit to the world renowned 35-acre Savill Gardens. Owned by the Queen, and partially designed by Prince Philip. During the summer it is also possible to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the gardens. Then we investigate Royal Windsor Great Park. Covering almost 5,000 acres and with a circumference of 14 miles, it is owned by the Royal Family. Discover little-known royal places such as Snow Hill, the Royal Lodge and Smithsfield. There's the Long Walk, with a spectacular view of the castle, and Home Park. Pop into the Windsor Farm shop here and indulge in some organic royal produce.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 6: Syon House
Syon House is the Duke of Northumberland’s London residence. Originally a medieval monastery it was closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII. The king’s 5th wife, Catherine Howard, was imprisoned here before her execution at the Tower of London. The future Queen Anne also stayed here in the late 17th century. In the 18th century interior designer Robert Adam and landscape designer ‘Capability’ Brown were commissioned to remodel the house, and it remains well preserved in this style today. With over 200 acres of parkland bordering the Thames, and looking across to Kew Gardens, it is a picturesque part of outer London. The 2001 film Gosford Park was partly filmed here. During recent construction work the remains of a Roman village were uncovered at Syon and archaeologists are still piecing together their findings.
● Open Mar-Oct: Wed, Thu, Sun. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 7: Thames Valley Drive #1
A right carry-on down by the riverside in this adult theme tour. The Thames Valley has long been a place of indulgence and insatiability. This very British carry-on dips its toe into wicked medieval monks, 18th century hellraisers, and the shocking sex and politics scandal that ushered in the Swinging 60s. We start in the privileged world of Eton School, well known for its odd ways and traditions. Next, to the gothic mansion of Oakley Court, where the 18th century Kit-Kat Club drank to excess with rude entertainments. It was also used as a film location for St. Trinian’s School and Dracula’s Castle. Peter Cushing and Christopher Lee both stayed here. Bray Studio is close by - where the famous Hammer films were made, responsible for such horror classics such as Brides of Dracula, Curse of Frankenstein and the Quatermass Experiment. At Bray village we hear the story of the 'swinging vicar' and the unholy statue in his church. Close-by is the celebrity restaurant once dubbed the best in the world, its reputation later sullied by a food-poisoning scandal. At Maidenhead we hear the story of the chapel built without permission for pilgrims who came to visit the skull of one of St. Ursula's 11,000 virgins. Now onto Taplow and Cliveden, where high-society was entertained and high-politics was scandalised by sex, drugs and rock & roll. Then up through the picturesque towns of Cookham, where the artist Stanley Spencer painted his deathly masterpieces, and Marlow, where Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein. For lunch why not indulge in a little sin yourself in the foodie heavens along the route? They include Michel Roux Jr’s Waterside Inn, the only restaurant in England to hold 3 stars for over 25 years, and Raymond Blanc’s famous Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons.

Finally we visit West Wycombe Park with its infamous Hell Fire Caves, with such naughty goings on that decency forbids their publication here. Sir Francis Dashwood was a powerful member of mid-18th century British society. He had founded the Society of the Dillettanti, patronised by the aristocracy and royalty and catering for the hard-drinking and womanising habit of wealthy rakes. Later he founded the 'Hellfire Club' for further aristocratic raffishness. Suspected members included the Prince of Wales, William Hogarth and Benjamin Franklin. Around 1750, Dashwood leased the 12th century Cistercian Abbey at Medmenham near his ancestral home at West Wycombe. He filled it with rude statues and above the entrance placed the motto ‘Do as thou will’. He also arranged to have built a network of caves under West Wycombe Hill and these were used by the Hellfire Club for their meetings. An underground stream, known as the River Styx gave access to a secret room where 'black masses' were said to be performed. The caves were prehistoric in origin and may well have been used as a pagan worship in previous times. Dashwood’s mansion West Wycombe Park, is filled with mementoes from this era, and is visited on the tour, as are the caves themselves.
● Open May-Aug: Sun-Thu. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 8: Thames Valley Drive #2
We take a scenic drive through Oxfordshire in the wake of Jerome K. Jerome's quintessential novel on Thames Valley touring, Three Men in a Boat. Now regarded as a classic, its depth lies in its shallowness. We make the journey to Ewelme, where Jerome is buried in a 15th century church. Aside from this, Ewelme is a particularly attractive village. The village school was originally opened in 1437 has been continually in use since it was first opened, making it one of the oldest schools in the country. Dorchester village has examples of a variety of different styles of architecture, ranging from medieval to Georgian in the High Street. An original toll house is also found here. Built in 1815 the windows give a view along the road in either direction. Tolls were collected until 1873. Around 1140AD an Augustinian Abbey was founded here. Dorchester Abbey is 200ft long and is considered to be one of the most attractive buildings in the Thames Valley area. There are a number of historic pubs in Dorchester, including the White Hart, the Fleur De Lys and the George which dates from 1450. In the 18th century it became a coaching house on the London to Oxford route and a period post-coach is parked outside. Other villages visited include Shillingford and Sandford.
● Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 9: Windsor Castle
About 20 miles west of London is the Queen's home, Windsor Castle. First built in 1080 and described by Samuel Pepys over 300 years ago as the most romantic of castles, it is also the largest and oldest continually inhabited castle in the world. Your guide will conduct you on a tour. Highlights include the magnificent George Chapel (ten monarchs are buried here including Henry VIII), the opulent State Apartments and the incredible Queen Mary's Dolls' House. On certain days you can see the changing of the guard ceremony up-close (much better than outside Buckingham Palace!).
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 10: Wisley Gardens
10 miles from Central London lies Wisley, Britain's best loved garden run by the Royal Horticultural Society. It’s a working garden with a diverse and unique collection. It is said ‘If it can grow at Wisley it can grow anywhere.’ Features include the Alpine Meadow, Arboretum, Bamboo Walk, Fruit Field, Model Gardens, Pinetum, Rock Garden, Rose Garden, Vegetable Garden, Vineyard and Tropical Glasshouse. If you love flowers and plants you cannot miss it.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Tour Choice B: Select any 1 from our 3 full-day tour options below:

Option 1: Hi-Definition Tour: A Day in Windsor
Our special Hi-Definition Tours are perfect for those wanting a more singular tour experience. The tour is focussed on just one town, which means less time spent in the vehicle, and more time to enjoy a fuller day. Discuss your options with your guide. For example, you might prefer more detailed tours of local attractions, or have some time alone for a spot of shopping, or relax with a leisurely lunch. Perhaps a combination of all three! It's your tour and your choice.

This particular tour brings us to Windsor, and the Valley of the Kings. We start at Windsor Castle, the Queen's home, about 20 miles west of London. First built in 1080 and described by Samuel Pepys over 300 years ago as the most romantic of castles, it is also the largest and oldest continually inhabited castle in the world. Your guide will conduct you on a tour. Highlights include the magnificent George Chapel (ten monarchs are buried here including Henry VIII), the opulent State Apartments and the incredible Queen Mary's Dolls' House. On certain days you can see the changing of the guard ceremony up-close (much better than outside Buckingham Palace!). Next we investigate the old-world charm of Eton, with its exclusive school where Princes William & Harry were educated.

Then we investigate Royal Windsor Great Park. Covering almost 5,000 acres and with a circumference of 14 miles, it is owned by the Royal Family. Discover little-known royal places such as Snow Hill, the Royal Lodge and Smithsfield. There's the Long Walk, with a spectacular view of the castle, and Home Park, where you can pop into the Windsor Farm shop and indulge in some organic Royal produce. There’s an optional visit to the world renowned 35-acre Savill Garden, owned by the Queen, and partially designed by Prince Philip. During the summer it is also possible to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the gardens. Alternatively, we drive to Runnymead water-meadow, to take a scheduled short river tour, with a close-up look at Magna Carta Island, where the famous document was originally drawn up to limit the powers of an unpopular king and became the template for modern democracy. Next we visit the Magna Carta Memorial, a domed classical temple built by the American Bar Association to commemorate this symbol of liberty under law. Nearby is the Air Forces Memorial and British memorial to the assassinated President John F. Kennedy which is actually American territory.
● Usually open daily. Your tour starts after an initial fast-track out from London and you will be escorted personally by an officially qualified Blue Badge driver-guide.

Option 2: Morse & Midsomer Murders Tour
Click here for this Thames Valley tour option in our Arts & Culture section.

Option 3: Children's Favourites #1
Click here for this Thames Valley tour option in our Family section.

ALL ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

PRICE OPTIONS:

THAMES VALLEY CHOICE: PERSONALLY-GUIDED FULL DAY TOUR OPTIONS	PRICE (Full day 9 hours).
BY PRIVATE CAR (1-2 passengers)	£400.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (3-4 passengers)	£440.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.
BY PRIVATE CAR (5-7 passengers)	£480.00 (per car) + any entrance fees.

HOW THE TOUR WORKS:

● Important note: 'Private tour' means a privately chartered guided tour. It does not entail exclusive private access. We do not offer tours to individuals wishing to join a larger group (for this you require a scheduled coach tour operator).

● The guide: Your tour will be conducted by a friendly qualified guide (or driver-guide for car tours) providing a knowledgeable commentary, and assisting with practical issues. Where venues offer in-house guides or audio devices, your guide will still escort you.

● Pick-up/drop-off: You can be picked-up for your tour anywhere in the London area, whether at your hotel, place of residence, or venue of your request. The same applies as a dropping-off point after the tour.

● Timings: The guide will meet you at the recommended start time or at a start time of your request. The duration of this tour is timed from pick-up to drop-off and includes built-in stops for photo opportunities, facilities, and a 1-hour lunch break.

● Lunch: An appropriate restaurant, traditional pub, or sandwich stop can be arranged for lunch (note: tour price does not include food or refreshments). Alternatively, you may want to bring a pre-packed lunch. The guide usually takes a rest during this period.

● Clothing: Clients should dress appropriately making allowances for the changeable British weather, outdoor activities or visiting churches, etc. Our main tip is to dress comfortably. For more tips to help make your tour even more enjoyable click here.

● Format: The tour has been specially researched and designed by our staff (copyright applies) and is exclusive to Your London Tours & associates. Selected elements of different tours can be combined to create even more options. See our Pick & Mix page.

● General: Rest assured with Your London Tours: All our tours are tailored to YOUR requirements. The guide will be exclusively dedicated to your family or group during the tour itself, so you will be able to relax and enjoy your day.

HOW TO BOOK YOUR TOUR IN 3 EASY STEPS:

STEP 1: Send e-mail to tours@yourlondontours.com with the following information:
● Name or brief description of tour required.
● Date service required.
● Number of adults/children, age of children.
● Full address of hotel, place of residence or venue to be picked up from or met.
● Special interests or information to help us make your tour more enjoyable.
● Lead contact name and full billing address.
● Home phone number or cell phone number.

STEP 2: On receiving this information we will e-mail a reply confirming availability, price and payment procedure. If the tour is unavailable, eg, attractions are closed or we are fully booked, we will inform you or provide details of another operator.

STEP 3: If you are happy with your tour booking please make payment as directed.
Payments can take up to 48 hrs to process. On receiving payment, we will e-mail a tour confirmation and receipt. Please check details carefully and e-mail us with any queries.

BOOKING POLICY AND NOTES:
• Bookings are dealt with on a one-to-one basis via e-mail only.
• We do not accept bookings with less than 72 hours notice.
• To secure your preferred date we recommend booking well in advance.
• All tours subject to availability. Booking will not go ahead until availability is confirmed.
• Tour is not guaranteed to go ahead until 100% of payment is received.
• Administration fees may be added for extensive itineraries or supplementary guide hire.
• We do not arrange flights, accommodation, travel tickets or tickets for events.
• We do not usually pre-book tickets for attractions. We recommended these are paid
for at the gate on the day. In circumstances where pre-booking is the only option for
attractions, tickets must be paid for in advance and are non-refundable.

FOR ENQUIRIES CLICK HERE. FOR BOOKINGS CLICK HERE.

Vehicle spec:
Silver Mercedes-Benz Viano V6, seven-passenger luxury people carrier, high-spec interior trim with leather seats, armrests, headrests, air-conditioning, climate control, sound system, front and rear electric sunroof, sliding passenger doors, luggage space.

Driver-guide info:
Our driver-guides are smartly presented, knowledgeable and friendly. They are professionally qualified and drive fully insured private hire vehicles. They carry the 'Blue Badge' accreditation allowing them to conduct tours, walks and interior visits of the major London venues and many other attractions in the UK.