Which Buckingham Palace tour do you need?
The standard visit in summer is not a guided tour. You walk the State Rooms at your own pace with a multimedia guide, which is also available in German. External guides are not allowed to lead groups through the palace rooms, so a walking tour with a guide stays outside unless it includes a separate ticket.
That is why the word palace tour alone proves nothing. Look at the list of inclusions: if it names State Rooms entry, you go inside, and if it names only a walk, you do not. The base ticket for the State Rooms cost £33 for adults in advance in summer 2026, so compare any bundle with that price.
Tour options compared
Prices as listed for 2026. Check the inclusions of each offer.
| Option | Inside the palace? | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Self-guided State Rooms visit | Yes, in summer | Time slot, multimedia guide, about 2 to 2.5 hours |
| State Rooms and Garden Highlights Tour | Yes, plus the garden | 11 July to 27 September 2026, no photos on the garden tour |
| East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour | East Wing, not the State Rooms | 6 November 2026 to 31 January 2027, 90 minutes, up to 20 people |
| Guard change walk | Only if State Rooms entry is listed | Outside walk, depends on the guard schedule |
| Royal London or Westminster walk | Only if State Rooms entry is listed | Often covers the palace from outside |
| Royal Mews visit | No, separate venue | Own ticket and season |
Our picks: tours compared
Tours with State Rooms entry and walks that stay outside the palace.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in British pounds (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Royal walking tour with State Rooms entry
A guide for the royal walking tour, then State Rooms entry with the official audio guide and free time inside. The rooms are open in the summer season only.
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Palace, Westminster Abbey and Big Ben walk
A five-hour walk with a local guide and pre-booked Westminster Abbey entry. Entry to Buckingham Palace and Big Ben is not included.
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Guided walk to Buckingham Palace and the guard change
A two-hour guided walk that includes the Changing of the Guard on selected days. Palace entry is not included, so this is an outside tour.
Check availability →Buckingham Palace tours and tickets
Guided walks, State Rooms tickets and royal London tours, with live prices and availability. Check which options include State Rooms entry.
How to choose
Match the tour to what you want to see.
You want the inside
Book a State Rooms ticket in the summer window, or the East Wing tour in winter. A walking tour counts only if it names State Rooms entry.
Tickets →You want the guard change
It is free to watch. A walk adds a guide and background. It does not change the timetable.
Guard change →You want the garden
The garden tour is an add-on to the State Rooms in summer. The normal path out through the garden is not the same thing.
Garden →You want a full London day
Combined walks link the palace with Westminster. For the Westminster side, see the guides for Big Ben and Westminster tours.
Best time to visit →The winter East Wing tour
For when the summer opening is over.
The East Wing Exclusive Guided Tour is announced for 6 November 2026 to 31 January 2027, Friday to Monday, with extra dates on 22, 23, 29, 30 and 31 December. It does not run on 20 November, 25 December or 26 December. Start times are chosen between 10:00 and 15:30. It costs £100 per person, lasts 90 minutes and takes up to 20 adults in English. Booking ahead is required.
The State Rooms are not included. The Centre Room looks onto the balcony, but standing on it is not promised. Tour companies and travel agents cannot buy this tour for resale, so book it where the operator sells it.
Rules that apply on any tour
Allow time for the entrance.
Guided tours ask you to arrive 15 minutes before the start. Everyone passes a security check, and bags larger than 45 × 20 × 30 cm are not accepted. Photos are not allowed inside the palace or on the Garden Highlights Tour. Smoking, vaping and drones are banned. The normal State Rooms route is not step-free, so ask about the accessible route when you book. See the opening times for the daily timetable.
Questions to ask before you book
Four checks that avoid a wrong purchase.
Is State Rooms entry listed?
If the offer does not name it, you will not see the inside of the palace.
Which dates does it cover?
The State Rooms are a summer visit, so a tour for the winter cannot include them on the regular route.
Does the 12-month pass apply?
Tickets from tour operators and resellers are excluded from the pass.
Tickets →Where does it start?
Allow time to get to the meeting point, then to the entrance and the security check.
Getting there →Buckingham Palace tours: frequently asked questions
Is there a guided tour of the State Rooms?
The standard summer visit is self-guided with a multimedia guide, also in German. Special guided tours exist for the East Wing in winter and for the garden in summer.
Does a walking tour go inside Buckingham Palace?
Only if the offer lists State Rooms entry. Otherwise it stays outside, and external guides cannot lead groups through the palace rooms.
How much is the East Wing tour?
£100 per adult for the 2026/27 winter programme. It lasts 90 minutes, takes up to 20 people and needs advance booking.
Can I take photos on a tour?
Not inside the palace, and not on the Garden Highlights Tour.
Are tours available in German?
The multimedia guide for the self-guided visit comes in German. The East Wing tour is in English.