Private Tour
Historic walk of East Londons Wapping Docks and its famous Pubs
Overview
Available languages
3 hours
Mobile ticket
Wapping has a long history that goes all the way back to Anglo Saxon times, before it was even part of London and it takes its name from the old word Wapol, meaning ‘Marsh’.
This whole area has been shaped by the river whether it is the great voyages of exploration, Victorian heavy industry and the docks, terrible Dickensian slums that hugged the river, the dreadful destruction of the Blitz or its modern day resurgence with big business and leisure.
We will visit famous old pubs, places of execution and great philanthropy as well as visiting locations relating to some of the most famous names in history such as Captain Cook, Thomas Jefferson, Martin Frobisher, Sir Walter Raleigh, Charles Dickens, Hanging Judge Jeffers and Captain Bligh.
See a part of real London that tourists could never find, well away from the bright lights of the West End, theatres, museums and palaces.
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
We have earmarked this tour as especially safe during the Coronavirus outbreak due to generally quiet places that we visit where social distancing is generally not a problem. All of our tours are private so it is just you/your family and your guide. To make it easier and safer for all concerned we would suggest starting this tour a little later than the usual time, perhaps around 10.30-11am which allows us all to miss rush-hour. We are happy to still come to your hotel to meet you but for the moment we would suggest meeting us at the tour starting point. This allows you to arrive by a taxi or uber rather than public transport. Please feel free to wear masks throughout or at times during the tour. Your guide will also have a mask with them.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Private Guided Tour
Tube tickets to and from your hotel.
What To Expect
Docklands
We start off in the futuristic Docklands
Canary Wharf
Once the docks where ships from the Canary Islands plied their trade.
Options
Historic walk of East Londons Wapping Docks and its famous Pubs
Reviews
10 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great tour and guide
Daniela K,
Jun 7, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00excellent tour, very informative, a part of London one usually does not know much about. Our guide Kevin was wonderful, vast knowledge, nice stories, great insights
Fascinating historical tour
Sunshine03850536803,
Nov 28, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very entertaining and educational experience. There is so much to learn about the wharf areas of london. Kevin, our guide, is exceptionally knowledgable. He added a rich layer of insight to the known history of the area and pointed out the non obvious. I highly recommend this tour.
Great historical walking tour
BondBR,
Feb 21, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Kevin was great! We had trouble meeting up but he was so accommodating. Every question I asked, he had an answer and could give even more details.
Kevin the Cockney Guide
Go399829,
Oct 10, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was excellent and brought to life the East End of London and Wapping area. Made even more special by our authentic, passionate, and very knowledgable Cockney guide - Kevin - what an absolute gem. Now understand the historical meaning of robbing Peter to pay Paul - and it appears to be still happening in the modern day …. Nods as good as wink to a blind beggar…!!
Memorable tour of East London!
PranayChowdhry,
Feb 5, 2022
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a tour organised by my partner as a birthday present. Have to say, was such a wonderful delight. Living in East London, we had no idea about all the treasures which this area had to offer. Kevin, our guide during the tour, has such a remarkable command over history, which he narrates in an impeccable and engaging manner. To top it all off, he is really friendly and warm, which made the experience really pleasurable. Time literally flew by, whilst learning so much about East London and its famous pubs!!! Definitely recommended and waiting to go on a guided tour with Kevin again soon!
Lovely and interesting tour
P4026SOjuliet,
Aug 9, 2020
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Very instructive and guides have been lovely and happy to answer all our questions. This is the perfect activity during lockdown for people living in the area. I am already ready to book another tour
Fabulous Tour!
JULIE F,
Dec 3, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Kevin, was fabulous. He overwhelmed us with his historical knowledge of the area. He was able to answer all our questions. We spent 5 hours together but it didn't feel like it. It's obvious that Kevin really enjoys what he does. Definitely would recommend.
Great tour of East End
GEllyn2013,
Aug 7, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Our guide, Kevin, met us at our local tube station and we set off for Canary Wharf, a new financial district of London. Kevin was able to give us some real insight into the transformation of this area since he was born and raised in the East End. We stopped at four historic pubs and even had the opportunity to go mudlarking, i.e., scavenging, on the shores of the Thames at low tide. This is an area that even many Londoners are not familiar with and Kevin provides the local knowledge along with an absolute wealth of historical background. Don't miss this one!
Dock tour with Kevin
22marieh,
Aug 6, 2019
- Review from Viator
5.00We were met on time in our hotel and after introductions headed out to Wapping. Our guide Kevin was extremely familiar with the area since his family had worked there and as a child he spent a lot of time there. The tour wandered in and out of the old warehouses and Kevin explained how the old docks worked. Because my husband and I are interested in architecture and military history Kevin included a lot of information on those subjects also. The tour included quite a few hours, it was so informative that we did not even feel the time passing. His knowledge was impressive, his candor and honesty on many subjects and his warm personality made us feel at the end of the tour that we made a friend....and we will keep in touch....thank you Kevin
encyclopedic knowledge
icecat77,
Apr 22, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I was interested in the Wapping/East East area due to a few recent reads. While in some ways it was disappointing in that so little of the old docks area is still intact, Kevin filled in incredible amounts of information so that you could wrap your mind around how the area might have looked 100 or 500 years ago. We wove in and out of the neighborhoods, along the river and former sites of the river, and by particular pubs and churches of note, and the historical detail Kevin provided along the way was just excellent. He even spent time taking me mud-larking (new to me). I really feel like this was a unique experience. I wanted to see the "non-tourist" side of London, and Kevin delivered.
Related Experiences
Operated by Ye Olde England Tours