Kent small group tours
Welcome to the Garden of England, where history blooms in every corner.
Discover Kent, England’s Garden Country
There's a reason they call it the Garden of England. Apple orchards stretch towards the horizon. Hop gardens climb wooden frames in ordered rows. And roses – more roses than you thought possible – spill over stone walls, perfuming country lanes with scents that linger long after you've passed through. Kent wears its nickname with pride, but the county offers far more than pretty blooms.
Medieval castles emerge from morning mist, their moats reflecting centuries of royal intrigue. Canterbury Cathedral's Gothic spires pierce the sky, marking where pilgrims have journeyed since 1170. Along the coast, chalk cliffs rise above seaside towns where fishing boats gently rock in harbours. This is England at its most picturesque – but scratch beneath the surface and you'll find layers of history that shaped the nation.
Vita Sackville-West understood Kent's magic when she transformed Sissinghurst into one of England's most celebrated gardens. Churchill found solace at Chartwell, his beloved red-brick manor nestled in the Kentish countryside. And Anne Boleyn spent her childhood at Hever Castle, wandering the grounds decades before she'd become a queen and change England forever. These aren't just landmarks – they're windows into lives that altered the course of history.
Our Kent tours connect you with local experts who know which winding lanes lead to the best vineyards, where to find the oldest brewery in Britain and how to spot the difference between a hop garden and a regular farm.
With a maximum of 18 guests, our small group tours let you experience Kent as part of a larger journey through England – combining the Garden County with London's landmarks, the Cotswolds' villages or Chelsea Flower Show's horticultural splendour.
Small group tours in Kent, England
Kent: the Garden of England
Was £2,239
From £2,139
Chelsea Flower Show
Was £3,089
From £2,989
What to do in Kent
Sleep inside a medieval castle
Few experiences match the magic of staying overnight at Leeds Castle. Your room in the Stable Courtyard offers views across the moat to the castle's honey-stone walls – the same stones that have sheltered kings and queens for 900 years. As daylight fades, other visitors depart and the estate becomes yours to explore in quiet solitude. Then settle into the 17th-century Castle View Restaurant where chefs prepare dinner using produce from surrounding Kent farms. Morning brings a hearty breakfast before you explore the grand bedrooms where Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson once stayed, the kitchens still fitted with Victorian copper pots and the famous maze that's confounded visitors since 1988.
Wander through Sissinghurst's celebrated gardens
Vita Sackville-West and Harold Nicolson turned a ruined Tudor manor into one of England's most famous gardens. Walk through outdoor rooms where every space tells a different story. The White Garden glows with a monochromatic masterpiece of silver foliage and cream blooms. Old garden roses adorn walls, their petals ranging from palest blush to deepest crimson. Herbs release their perfume as you brush past them. Clematis drapes over archways in purple cascades. The cottage garden bursts with colour – a carefully orchestrated chaos that looks wild yet reveals meticulous planning.
Sample Britain’s oldest brewery
Shepherd Neame has been brewing beer in Faversham since 1698. Step into the Victorian tower brewery where copper vessels gleam beneath high ceilings and the sweet scent of malted barley fills the air. Watch brewers tend to fermentation tanks using methods perfected across three centuries. Learn how Kentish hops – grown in the surrounding fields – give Shepherd Neame beers their distinctive character. After the tour, settle into the tasting room where rows of hand pumps offer samples of award-winning brews. From Spitfire amber ale to Bishop's Finger strong ale, each pint tells a story of English brewing tradition.
Kent's three most evocative sights
From Canterbury Cathedral's soaring Gothic architecture and Thomas Becket's martyrdom site to Sissinghurst's romantic garden rooms and Hever Castle's Tudor history, Kent's landmarks tell stories that shaped England. Discover the castles, gardens and cathedrals that make this corner of England unforgettable.
