Group visits - enhance your visit with a tour

A guide with her group in the Palm House

Guided tours of Kew Gardens

Bring out the magic of Kew Gardens for your group by booking a tour with our experienced guides. Learn more about the amazing 250 year history of this World Heritage Site, uncover its royal past and discover more about the important work Kew does today.

Our guides can tailor-make tours to suit your group, show you their own favourite parts of the Gardens and give you an overview of what is in season. A guided tour is also a great way to get the most out of Kew's festivals, or you can choose to take your group 'behind the scenes' (subject to guide availability).

Prices and booking details

All aboard the Kew Explorer - the easy way to see Kew's 328 acres!

Take a trip on the Kew Explorer

A tour on the Kew Explorer land train is a great way to gain an introduction to Kew Gardens. Your driver-guide provides a 40 minute tour with commentary. Tickets are valid throughout the day of purchase, subject to availability, and you can hop-on/hop-off at the 7 stops around the route.

Prices

• 1 November 2011 - 28 February 2012: Child (under 17) £1, Adult £2
• 1 March 2012 - 31 October 2012: Child (under 17) £1, Adult £4 if bought on the day of your visit from the driver or at the Victoria Plaza shop
• 1 November 2012 - 28 February 2013: Child (under 17) £1, Adult £2 

Tickets are available from the driver, entrance gates and Victoria Plaza shop.

Buy wristbands in advance

If you buy wristbands for the Kew Explorer in advance, the group adult price is £3.00, and child (under 17) price is £1.00. Please call +44 (0)20 8332 5648 for more details.

Private hire

The Kew Explorer is also available for private hire. Please call +44 (0)20 8332 5617 for more details.

Afternoon tea in the Orangery restaurant

Catering at Kew

At Kew we recognise that morning coffee, a delicious lunch or afternoon tea is an essential part of a great day out. All Kew's food is freshly produced on site from quality ingredients, and we can provide anything from a quick snack to a sit down meal. We can offer two options to suit your requirements.

To find out more about group catering options, please contact either the Travel Trade office on +44 (0) 208 332 5648. 

Book ahead for lunch

Call Kew’s catering contractors Peyton and Byrne on +44 (0) 208 332 5186 at least 48 hours before your visit to book lunch in either the Pavilion* or Orangery restaurants. Example menus follow:

Hot option - £22.00

• Meat / Vegetarian hot meal
• Hot apple pie with clotted cream
• Tea or coffee
• Glass of wine or Elderflower pressé

Summer option - £15.00

• Freshly made quiche & salad (choice of either chicken, salmon or vegetarian)
• Lemon tart with strawberry coulis
• Tea or coffee
• Glass of Elderflower presse

*The Pavilion Restaurant is open from mid February to late October.

Buy catering vouchers for greater flexibility

Simplify your visit with great value meal vouchers available for groups of 10 or more visitors. Please contact us for voucher information +44 (0) 208 332 5648

Morning/Afternoon snack voucher - £3.95

• Filter coffee or tea with either a scone with jam and cream or a muffin.

Light lunch voucher* - £7.50

• A freshly made sandwich, bowl of hot soup and a freshly brewed tea or a filter coffee.

Hot meal voucher** - £10

• Chef's daily hot meal, a freshly baked cake of the day and a freshly brewed tea or a filter coffee.

*Not available at Victoria Gate Cafe     **Only available at the Orangery Restaurant

How to book

To book a group visit at Kew Gardens, do one of the following:

• Download and return a group visit booking form - up to March 2012 (pdf)
• Download and return a group visit booking form - April 2012- March 2013 (pdf)
  
• Call our group bookings co-ordinator on +44 (0) 20 8332 5648
• Email us at groups@kew.org