Cotswolds Private Tour: Discover Hidden Gems and Experience Personalized Itinerary
5.0
57 Ratings
Oxford
Experience the beauty of the Cotswolds on a private driving tour. Discover hidden gems and create a personalized itinerary. Flexible start time and pick-up location. Ideal for a day trip from London.
Duration: 7 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Crimea office - A fairy-tale village of thatched cottages and beautiful landscapes that is away from the tourists. The home of several famous characters and the future home of royalty.
  • Stow-on-the-Wold Market Square - The centre of the wool trade in the Cotswolds. Here you’ll have time to browse among honey-coloured buildings, cosy pubs, narrow streets, interesting shops and tiny tea rooms.
  • Lower Slaughter Museum - Our next stop is the picturesque village of Lower Slaughter, one of the most romantic villages in the Northern Cotswolds and set in the most amazing countryside. Larger vehicles are not allowed into this village.
  • Bourton on the Water - Our next stop is arguably the most famous Cotswolds town and regularly voted one of the prettiest villages in England; Bourton-on-the-Water. Known as the ‘Venice of the Cotswolds’ there is plenty to see and do with a wealth of attractions, shops, restaurants and tea rooms. Here you have free time to explore and enjoy some lunch.
  • Burford Library - On route we go through some enchanting Cotswold villages to the town of Burford, often called the ‘Gateway to the Cotswolds’. A very iconic town and home to one of the most beautiful and ancient churches in the region. Stories aplenty!
  • St Mary’s Church - Travelling along the stunning Windrush Valley visiting hidden villages including Swinbrook. One of the most secluded villages and home of the notorious Mitford Sisters.
  • Minster Lovell Hall & Dovecote - A real highlight of the tour which boasts plenty of Cotswold stone and thatched roofs, as well as holding the title of being the region’s most haunted village. Minster Lovell is perhaps best known for the ruins of its 15th century hall, owned by generations of the Lovell family. A true hidden gem!
What's Included
  • Full control over the itinerary and route
  • Travel in a modern, comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle
  • Enjoy a seven-hour tour of the North Cotswolds
  • Convenient pick up/drop off within the North Cotswolds, including Oxford & Stratford-upon-Avon
  • Expertise of a knowledgeable local driver-guide
What's Not Included
  • Entrance fees to attractions
  • Food or refreshments
  • Pick up outside the North Cotswolds, Oxford or Stratford
  • Gratuities.
Additional Information

The major advantage of a personalized driving trip is the leisure it provides to explore the locations of your particular interest. Although we suggest a specific route, the schedule can certainly be adjusted in accordance with your preferences. If you feel like spending extra time at a location or adding an attraction you’re interested in, we are open to changes.

Our tailored tours last for seven hours, and we can begin and end at a location that suits you best. The start time of the tour is adaptable, and we can pick you up anywhere in the Northern Cotswolds region, including Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon. The tour is a great choice for a one-day excursion from London, with the most sensible option being a train ride from London Paddington to Oxford station.

Should you have any inquiries about pick-ups outside the Northern Cotswolds, please feel free to reach out to us.

  • Minimum age is 5 years
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Collapsible wheelchairs with removable wheels can be accommodated providing the passenger is accompanied by someone who can assist them board and disembark
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
Location
Oxford
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(57 Ratings)
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Jacquitwins13
Jun 14, 2024
Fantastic, highly recommended, tour and guide! - Amazing trip. Ian picked us up from Southampton port and took us on a wonderful trip to Stonehenge and then to Bath. He was super knowledgeable and was a ton of fun! He suggested his favorite local lunch place in Bath and we ate our first truly British meal. Needless to say it was delicious! It was truly a wonderful day! Would highly recommend Ian for your trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
April_a
Jun 12, 2024
Amazing guide! - Our guide Andrew was amazing! Not only was he knowledgeable in every aspect of our visit, he went over and beyond with teaching us and awnsering our questions This was a highlight of our two week trip and would recommend to anyone looking to go see outside of the city
Review provided by Viator
Claudette_j
Jun 10, 2024
Excellent Visit of Northern Cotswolds with Ian - My husband & I visited on May 20, 2024 with Ian & we had an excellent experience! Ian was very knowledgeable & professional! Since we were staying at a hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon, we visited the Northern Cotswolds with its picturesque villages, market towns & buildings made from the local Cotswold stone. Ian made the tour very interesting blending a mix of driving & walking per our preference, answering any questions we might have, allowing time to take photos & taking photos of us. We highly recommend the tour & Ian. Thank you, Ian!!
Review provided by Viator
Rea658
Jun 1, 2024
We Discovered the Cotswolds - We had a wonderful day in the Cotswolds with Jo. Such a pleasure to travel with her through the area and modify our itinerary as the conditions dictated. Jo provided great insight into the villages we visited and made sure we experienced the very best of the region. On our next visit to England we will certainly give some other areas a try with her.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jenanmc
May 29, 2024
A lovely day in the Cotswolds - I have always wanted to visit the Cotswolds and our tour guide JO ( JOANNA) didn't disappoint. It was a small group and we went to some out of the way places. Jo was very pleasant and entertaining. We learned a lot about what we were seeing. I felt we have sufficient time out of the van but yet covered a fair amount of territory. We saw a lot!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heidi_m
Apr 27, 2024
Beautiful Cotswold personalized tour! - Ian was very easy and helpful to work with from the time we booked our reservation and making recommendations on the schedule based on our groups preferences. He met us at the Oxford train station since we were traveling from London for the day. He helped us have a smooth day from start to finish without the worries of renting a car. He had great historic information about each village and had great suggestions on places to get tea/ coffee and lunch. We saw four towns, side stops to see a rock circle, and Oxford. We travelled with two families with teens who all really enjoyed the tour. We would do again and recommend to anyone desiring a smaller guided tour.
Review provided by Viator
Susankn7297yy
Mar 15, 2024
Wonderful Cotswolds day trip - Our tour guide was knowledgeable and organized. We enjoyed the trip and loved the small villages she showed us. It was nice to avoid the hassle of big tour buses and travel by minivan.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Danielcs3382uv
Feb 13, 2024
A perfect day out - Absolutely wonderful tour along beautiful backroads and through gorgeous villages. Our guides were fun and knowledgeable and great story tellers. Being able to travel the backroads where huge bus tours cannot go was great. Time for photos, for food and tea stops, LOTS of pictures, it was just about as perfect a day as I could have hoped for!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kathrynwi2603dq
Dec 15, 2023
Wonderful tour with Ian - This was such a great day trip from Oxford! Ian had some wonderful stories and history to share and the places we visited were charming. Great chances to take in the area without feeling rushed. A wonderful time and absolutely recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A8492zmnicolec
Feb 11, 2024
Unforgettable Tour - We hadn’t realized that when we booked this tour that it was going to be such a small group (which was a lovely surprise). Driving through the countryside in a smaller van allowed us to go to places buses cannot go. Our guide JO was amazing and very informative. She even stopped for us to take photos at places not normally on the tour. The villages we went to were so beautiful. Would definitely recommend this tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor