Frequently Asked Questions about our walking tours

Alternative London Walking Tours  > Frequently Asked Questions About Insider London’s Walking Tours

Save time by finding the answers to our most frequently asked questions below. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, please do get in touch by emailing contact [at] insider-london.co.uk or by calling +44 (0) 844 504 8080.

I’m travelling by myself. Can I join one of your walking tours?

You’re very welcome to buy a single place on any of our ‘join in’ walking tours as long as 2 people have already booked in. If 2 people haven’t yet booked, you are very welcome to pay for 2 places to ensure that the tour goes ahead. Alternatively, you could round up a gang of people via services like CouchSurfing and Gumtree – an approach which has worked for some of our customers in the past.

I’d like a special tour to be delivered for my group. How can you help me?

Insider London can cater to almost any enquiry, whether you’re looking for altered version of one of our existing tours, a bespoke tour designed around your interests, or would like us to arrange activities, visits, meals and transport for a week-long visit. We’re very used to catering to weird and wonderful requests! Don’t be shy – email us at contact [at] insider-london.co.uk or call +44 (0) 844 504 8080 to tell us what you’re looking for.

Do you offer gift vouchers? How does it work?

Yes, we do, all of our gift vouchers come with an attractive gift card, mailed to you or the recipient for free. You can request a voucher for a particular tour, or for an amount to be redeemed on any of the tours. All of our gift vouchers are valid for one year from the purchase date. Simply email us or fill out a contact form to request one.

How do I redeem a gift voucher?

Email us at bookings [at] insider-london.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 844 504 8080, stating the code on the back of your voucher and the walking tour, date and time you’d like to book for. We’ll email you confirmation of your booking shortly after that. Unfortunately, you can’t redeem a gift voucher directly through the site booking system.

How will I recognise the guide on the day of my tour?

Your guide will be standing at the appointed meeting spot, holding an Insider London sign. They will be there ten minutes before the tour is due to depart.

Are your tours bus tours?

No – our tours are walking tours, with the exception of our London Underground Tour, which moves between stations on the Tube. We sometimes use taxis or the Tube on our bespoke tours, too.

For large groups, we’re happy to arrange coach transport at additional cost.

I don’t have a Paypal account, can I pay by card?

Yes you can. You can settle your Paypal invoice using any credit or debit card. You can also pay with a credit or debit card over the phone – simply call the office number and have your card ready. We do not store credit card details nor do we share customer details with any 3rd parties.

How does your money back guarantee work?

It’s very simple – if, for whatever reason, you don’t love your tour, just get in touch afterwards and we’ll refund the amount of your choice.

I’d like to become a guide. How do I apply?

Insider London actively recruits new guides every so often. If you’d like to submit your details for us to keep on file for our next recruitment round, please email jobs [at] insider-london[dot] co [dot] uk, with your CV and a covering letter that outlines ALL the following information:

• Your previous guiding/public speaking experience
• The walking tours that you’d be particularly good at leading
• Any other specialist areas that we don’t currently cover that you’d like to lead tours in
• The languages that you’re fluent in
• The length of time that you’ve lived in London
• Three of your favourite things in London

We also recommend that you subscribe to our email updates and follow us on Twitter to be alerted of our next recruitment round.

What’s your cancellation/refund policy?

For standard tours for 1-10 people (standard Quirky London, London Underground, Street Art & Graffiti, Cutting-Edge Green, History of Drinking, West End Retail Store Design, Modern Architecture, Fact or Fiction, King’s Cross Regeneration, Death & Debauchery and Sustainable Architecture routes), our policy is as follows:

• If you cancel more than 5 calendar days in advance of the scheduled departure time, we will issue you with a gift voucher for the cost of your tour, which you can redeem within a year of issue.
• If you cancel within 5 calendar days of the scheduled departure time, you will be charged a 100% cancellation fee.

For bespoke tours, or standard routes for groups of 10+:

• If you cancel more than 21 calendar days in advance of the scheduled departure time, you are entitled to a full refund, minus 50% cancellation fee.
• If you cancel within 21 calendar days of the scheduled departure time, you will be charged a 100% cancellation fee.

What if it’s pouring with rain on the day?

If it’s predicted to rain heavily during your walking tour (or other conditions such as extreme cold), please contact us on +44 (0) 844 504 8080 to reschedule. This is done at your guide’s discretion; your tour can only be rescheduled if weather conditions are severe. Tours in less-than-perfect weather will still go ahead – but do let us know if you’d like us to bring you an umbrella!

Delivery Policy

Gift Vouchers will be delivered for free via first class post not later than 1 working day after payment has been received in full. E-vouchers are available upon request.

Tours are confirmed once payment has been received in full, prior to the tour going out. Upon receipt of payment you will receive a confirmation email with all of the tour details, no later than two days before the tour is due to be delivered.