London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 1
London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 2
London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 3
London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 4
London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 5
London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys - Image 6

Photo 1 / 6

London Tower of London After-Hours Tour and Ceremony of the Keys

TourTruth score 7.7 out of 10

GoodTop 20% in London

40 reviews · Rated on 1 provider · How we score

  • London, United Kingdom
  • 1 hr 45 min
  • Updated November 2, 2026

Explore the Tower of London by lantern light with a Beefeater, then witness the historic Ceremony of the Keys after hours.

About this tour

After the daytime crowds leave, step inside the Tower of London for an evening shaped by centuries of ritual and history. This 105-minute London Tower of London tour pairs a lantern-lit walk with the Ceremony of the Keys, the nightly locking of the fortress gates.

Meet your host outside the Tower of London Shop, then follow an English-speaking Beefeater across the historic grounds. Along the way, take in exterior views of Traitors' Gate, the White Tower, and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula as your guide shares stories of the Tower’s past. The walk leads to the Ceremony of the Keys, where you can witness this long-running tradition in person. Photography is not permitted during the ceremony, and the Crown Jewels and building interiors are not included.

The grounds walk is exclusive to your group, while other ticket holders also attend the ceremony. Uneven paths and cobblestones make this experience unsuitable for wheelchair users and guests who need walking assistance. Choose this London Tower of London experience for a rare after-hours perspective on one of the city’s most storied landmarks.

Highlights

  • Enter the Tower of London after daytime visitors leave
  • Walk lantern-lit grounds with an expert Beefeater guide
  • See Traitors' Gate, the White Tower, and the Chapel Royal
  • Witness the historic Ceremony of the Keys

What's included

Included

  • Friendly tour host on arrival
  • Expert English-speaking Beefeater guide
  • Ceremony of the Keys experience
  • Exclusive after-hours access to the Tower of London grounds
  • Lantern-lit walking tour of the historic grounds
  • Exterior views of Traitors' Gate, the White Tower, and the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula

Not included

  • Crown Jewels access
  • Interior building access
  • Gratuities, which are optional

Ratings on each provider

The ratings and review counts each booking site shows for this tour.

Important information

  • Arrive 10 minutes early at the Tower of London Shop; look for a representative in red holding a sign for The Tour Guy
  • The tour covers the historic grounds and does not include Crown Jewels access or entry inside buildings
  • The grounds tour is exclusive to your group, but other ticket holders attend the Ceremony of the Keys
  • Photography is not allowed during the ceremony
  • Expect uneven terrain and historic cobblestones; moderate physical fitness is recommended
  • Not wheelchair accessible; guests with walking impairments requiring special assistance, strollers, and baby carriages cannot be accommodated

How this score is calculated

This score is based on one provider. Viator rates it 4.90 from 40 reviews. We place that rating among all Viator ratings and weight it by its review count. If the tour is found on another provider later, both ratings are combined.

How the score works and rating distribution in London
  • Each provider rating is turned into a percentile: the share of that provider's ratings it beats, weighted by review counts.
  • Listings on different providers are combined in proportion to their review counts.
  • Tours with few reviews are pulled toward the average until more reviews come in, so a handful of perfect reviews can't top the list.
  • The result is shown from 0 to 10: this tour scores 7.7. Top 20% in London means it ranks in the top 20% of tours in London by this score.

Provider rating distribution in London

How many tours in London have a provider rating at or below each value. The dashed line is this tour.

  • Viator

More Historical Tours in London

from US$180.45

on Viator

Check availability