England and Great Britain are much bigger than you give them credit for. Even if you’ve lived here your whole life, there’s a big chance you’ve barely seen more than 10% of the country. Which is a shame considering how many excellent travel opportunities await! Whether you’re visiting from a different country or want to explore more of the country you’re from, there’s usually the same reasoning behind being unable to check out a lot of Great Britain: you don’t know where to start.
That’s why driver-guided tours are the best starting point for any keen UK traveller. Below, we’ve listed all of the best driver-guided tour providers in the country right now so you can comb through them all and figure out which one is right for you.
Full List Of Best UK Driver-Guided Tour Providers
- Private Tours England
- Evan Evans Tours
- British Tours
- Cotswolds Adventures
- Boutique Tours of North Wales
Driver-Guided Tours Explained – What Are They?
Before we get started, what are driver-guided tours? Essentially, these tours equip you with a private vehicle and driver who will take you around all the best tourist destinations. What you’ll do and see depends on where your tour takes place – and what company you booked it through. It’s become a popular modern staycation idea for British residents, as well as one of the easiest ways for travellers to explore cities or different parts of the British Isles.
There’s more privacy with driver-guided tours as you either do it alone, as a couple or with a group of friends/family. No other tourists are involved and you have the freedom to customise the package to suit your needs. The driver acts as your tour guide during the trip, pointing things out and giving you loads of information about the surrounding area. They can also answer questions, meaning you get the most out of your tour!
After clearing that up, let’s take a closer look at the top-rated tour providers on our list:
1. Private Tours England – Best Overall
The best all-around provider on our list has to be Private Tours England. It does everything that all the other tour providers do, just a little bit better. You can customise every tour and book amazing extras like luxury hotels or boutique accommodations. The company does a splendid job of helping you tailor your itinerary to suit your needs, meaning you never waste time seeing things you’re not interested in.
And of course, the big USP has to be the premium service you receive. It blows everything else out of the water: you can experience England and the UK in luxury vehicles with a proper VIP experience. This isn’t a “budget” tour provider in the slightest, but if you want to cruise around in premium vehicles, enjoying private tours of London and other great UK cities, then it’s really hard to beat.
2. Evan Evans Tours
Evan Evans Tours is another luxury driver-guided tour provider, though it doesn’t quite reach the heights of the one before. It gives you all you need from a tour of this kind: private chauffeurs, luxury vehicles and VIP treatment. It’s honestly a fantastic experience for anyone looking to get around London and indulge in an immersive yet private tour.
That’s the only drawback: it seems only to offer tours in and around London. You can get some to places like Stonehenge or Windsor Castle, though they all start in London. If you’re looking to explore other cities or places in the UK, then this provider won’t be for you.
3. British Tours
Are you looking to tour some iconic British destinations? British Tours will give you the usual drive around London, allowing you to take in all the tourist hotspots while a private driver tells you everything about the city, its history, etc. However, it also lets you book tours to places like Downton Abbey, Stratford-Upon-Avon or even Snowdonia in Wales!
It’s the oldest private tour operator in Britain (apparently), which helps it offer so much flexibility. The only thing getting in its way of being higher up the list is that you don’t get the same high-end feel as other tour providers. Not to sound offensive, but some of the drivers on some of the tours didn’t make it feel like you were getting a VIP experience.
4. Cotswolds Adventures
As the name suggests, Cotswolds Adventures focuses on private tours of the Cotswolds area of England. For those who don’t know, this is one of the most beautiful parts of the country, giving you incredible scenery and some of the nicest villages you’ll ever pass through. It’s also stacked full of historic sights, making it an ideal choice for a driver-guided tour.
The amazing thing here is that you get a local driver-guide, so they know the area like the back of their hand. It helps you see and experience things you’d never witness with a more traditional tour. Of course, it can’t appear too high on the list because it only offers tours of this area.
5. Boutique Tours of North Wales
Speaking of which, the same can be said for Boutique Tours of North Wales. It’s an amazing provider of some truly excellent private driver-guided tours – the only catch is that it only takes you around North Wales.
Still, if you’re interested in seeing places like Snowdonia or Anglesey, then this is a brilliant tour provider to go with. You get to customise the tour to suit your needs and enjoy executive touring vehicles. A really great choice if you live in the UK and fancy seeing somewhere outside of England for once!
All things considered, you’ve got a nice list of five fantastic driver-guided tour providers that’ll help you see more of the UK. Pick whatever option you think resonates with your travel needs the most. A lot of outside tourists will probably prefer the London-focused options, while UK travellers may want a tour that offers something a little bit different. Regardless, your travel itinerary is in very safe hands with any of these five tour companies.