Private Small Group Tour of the Cotswolds & Blenheim Palace

Fully refundable and amendable up until 14 days before travel

Booking a private small group tour with International Friends gives you flexibility to visit your destinations at your own pace, with the added support of expert advice and guidance.

Highlights

Book a private day trip and take advantage of the following inclusions:

Exclusive use of an executive touring vehicle for 11 hours
Expert staff on hand to help plan your itinerary & ensure you make the most of your day
Door to door service. We collect from all central London (zone 1 & 2) & Heathrow addresses, other pick ups available on request.
Optional service of an expert guide to accompany you for the day
All vehicles deep cleaned daily.
Flexible booking guarantee

Services

We have three services, tailored to cater to a range of budgets.

Driver only
An experienced driver who is familiar with our touring routes, but does not guide.

Driver/guide
An experienced driver who can guide from the vehicle. Please note guiding is not permitted inside Blenheim Palace, but audio guides can be purchased on site, subject to availability.

Driver with guide
Our most popular option. An experienced driver and a separate professional guide who can guide from the vehicle and lead walking tours in destination. Please note guiding is not permitted inside Blenheim Palace, but audio guides can be purchased on site, subject to availability.

Please bear in mind that when booking this service, you will need to allow a seat for the guide. For example, booking this service for 8-16 people will allow seats for a party of 15 passengers plus the guide.

Please be aware that Blenheim Palace do not allow guiding inside the premises. If you have booked a guide to accompany you for the day they will assist you with your entry, but will have to adhere to the attractions guiding policy once inside. Audio guides can be purchased on site, subject to availability.

The services above do not include entries or meals, but we are of course very happy to help with this - should you wish to include entry tickets or meal bookings please see our FAQs tab.

Booking Procedure

Once we have received your booking, our expert staff will create a tailored itinerary based on your locations and pick up address. We may make suggestions and amendments to ensure you maximise your time spent touring. Occasionally additional fees may be applicable in order to accommodate all of your requests e.g where itineraries will require unusually early or late starts or finishes, or if additional pick ups and drop offs are required. If you do have any special requests we recommend you contact us before booking.

Your Day

After collection from your London or Heathrow hotel, air bnb, airport terminal guest house or private address, your private day tour begins with a drive to the gentle rolling limestone hills of the Cotswolds, driving down single track narrow country lanes, exploring the back roads and little winding valleys. See the stunning landscapes untouched by the modern world, featuring small honey coloured stone villages, hidden green valleys and babbling streams.

Visit popular Bourton on the Water with its collection of stone bridges, bustling Stow on the Wold with its vibrant market square, and Bibury with its photogenic collection of houses known as Arlington Row. Our smaller vehicles are able to travel up the narrow Coln Valley on single track roads, passing fields of sheep and sleepy hamlets. Next stop on your tour is delightful Burford with stone houses cascading down to the River Windrush, where you can explore the historic churchyard before stopping for lunch in one of the many traditional pubs in the area. Sit back and experience centuries-old tavern life in a world where a gentle, slower pace is the norm.

You will continue driving through more Cotswold scenery to stately and opulent Blenheim Palace, the largest privately owned house in the country and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. Tour the grand interior and walk amongst the lavish formal gardens and the breathtaking landscaped grounds by Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, featuring its impressive lake and the famous Column of Victory. There will be time to visit the Churchill Museum and see the room where he was born in 1874. Marvel at this awe-inspiring building, created to rival Versailles, and soak in the wonderful views before your return to London.

Recommended Timings

	Time	Destination
Departs	07:45am	Your Central London Address
Arrives	10:00am	Tour of Cotswolds Villages begins
Arrives	12:30pm	Lunch Venue for Country Pub Lunch
Departs	2:00pm	Lunch Venue
Arrives	2:30pm	Blenheim Palace
Departs	4:30pm	Blenheim Palace
Arrives	6:30pm	London

Attraction Entries

We strongly recommend you pre-book your entries to any attractions that you know you wish to enter. Please refer to the timings above to book the correct times for your entries.

Blenheim Palace - can be booked here.
Please be aware that Blenheim Palace do not allow guiding inside the premises. If you have booked a guide to accompany you for the day they will assist you with your entry, but will have to adhere to the attractions guiding policy once inside. Audio guides can be purchased on site, subject to availability.

Are entry to the attractions and meals included?

Attraction entries and meals are not included in the prices for private tours, however we are very happy to take care of your entry tickets should you require assistance with this.

Alternatively, you can book your entry tickets directly with the attraction using the links below. Please refere to the 'Your Day' tab for details on timings & when to book your attraction.

Blenheim Palace - please be aware that Blenheim Palace do not allow guiding inside the premises. If you have booked a guide to accompany you for the day they will assist you with your entry, but will have to adhere to the attractions guiding policy once inside. Audio guides can be purchased on site, subject to availability.

Is this service only available from London or Heathrow?

The advertised prices are based on pick up and drop off from central London (zone 1 & 2) or Heathrow. But we can also offer this service from selected locations outside central London on request. Please email your enquiry to [email protected] for further details.

How much luggage can I bring?

When booking private tours where you will have luggage (e.g. starting or ending at a cruise terminal or airport), please ensure you check the below for information regarding vehicle luggage capacity.

Booking 1-3 people, the vehicle will accommodate up to 3 large cases and 3 small (carry on) cases
Booking 1-6 people, the vehicle will accommodate up to 7 large cases and 7 small (carry on) cases
Booking 7-16 people, the vehicle will accommodate up to 12 large cases and 12 small (carry on) cases

Large cases must have a maximum weight of 23kg per case, small cases a maximum 10kg per case.

Should you wish to bring any mobility aids (wheelchairs or walkers) you MUST contact us in advance to let us know. We will require full dimensions and weight. These items must be able to be folded and stored in the luggage hold. Wheelchairs must be counted as 1 item of your hold luggage.

Are there any time limitations?

All private tour prices are based on 11 hours. Our office staff are experts in being able to help you plan your route in advance, to help you get the most out of your day. On the day of your booking our experienced team of drivers and guides will also be able to help and advise you if they need to make time or route alterations depending on prevailing traffic conditions.

All British professional driver working hours are regulated by law in the interests of your safety. Our standard scheduled itineraries are compliant with the current regulations. If you feel you would like to arrange a more bespoke itinerary this will require detailed planning and preparation. In this situation we recommend you email us at [email protected] or call us on on 01843 609699 so we can discuss and help plan your perfect day out.