Two Kent castles in one day, from your London hotel door.
Moat, maze and Anne Boleyn’s Hever.
- From £500 (≈ $675) · whole car · 8–9 hours
Licence PHOP950Tripyana’s private Leeds Castle and Hever Castle tour from London is a chauffeur-driven Mercedes: your driver collects you at your London hotel between 8am and 9am, waits at both castles, and brings you back eight to nine hours later. The fare is £500 for the car, up to three passengers, not per person; tickets are extra.
Short notice? Same-day and next-day trips are often possible — book online or message us to confirm a driver.
How does a Leeds Castle and Hever Castle day trip from London run?
Your chauffeur collects you at the time you choose, usually between 8:00am and 9:00am. Leeds Castle opens its grounds at 10:00 and Hever its castle rooms at 12:00; the castles fix the order.
Leeds Castle first, Hever after lunch
- 08:30Pickup at your London hotel; the A2, M25 and M20 south-east, 45 miles.
- 10:00Leeds Castle grounds open; the castle rooms follow at 10:30.
- 10:30The castle: Lady Baillie’s 1930s rooms and the story of six medieval queens, 75 minutes.
- 11:45The maze of 2,400 yew trees and the grotto beneath it, then the gardens, 45 minutes.
- 12:30Lunch at the Castle View Restaurant or a picnic by the lake; the car waits in the main car park.
- 13:30Across the Weald of Kent to Hever, 33 miles, about an hour.
- 14:30Hever Castle: the Boleyn family home and its panelled rooms, 75 minutes.
- 15:45The Edwardian yew maze and the lake walk, 30 minutes.
- 16:15Depart; the M25 north-west, 37 miles.
- 17:30Back at your London hotel, nine hours door to door.
The whole day at one castle
Castle, maze, gardens and the 2pm falconry display, home by 16:30: eight hours door to door at the same price.
Churchill’s home, 5 miles from Hever
Chartwell is 17 minutes from Hever. A 90-minute visit makes a ten-hour day, priced in the same quote.
Leeds Castle sits 45 miles south-east of Mayfair at junction 8 of the M20, 7 miles east of Maidstone. The estate asks drivers to follow the brown signs from the A20; our chauffeurs use the main entrance, not the private one.
From Heathrow Terminal 5 the castle is 67 miles, so an arrival day can start there.
What is there to see at Leeds Castle and at Hever Castle?
A moated Norman castle restyled as a 1930s country house, then a Tudor manor with a hundred-year-old maze.
- Leeds Castle — the first stone castle rose in 1119 on two islands in the River Len; six medieval queens lived here, Eleanor of Castile among them.
- Lady Baillie’s rooms — the Anglo-American heiress restyled the interiors in the 1930s; the route runs library, dining rooms, games room and bedrooms.
- The maze and grotto — 2,400 yew trees, circular from the mound and square from the ground; the centre drops into an underground grotto.
- Falconry and parkland — a free-flying display at 2pm daily from April to September, 500 acres of grounds, and the Black Swan ferry across the lake.
- Hever Castle — twelve families have owned it since 1383; the Boleyns made it the family home in which Anne Boleyn grew up.
- Hever gardens and mazes — laid out between 1904 and 1908 for William Waldorf Astor; the yew maze is 80 feet square with 8-foot hedges, and the water maze soaks the unwary.
What is the Tudor story behind Hever and Leeds Castle?
Hever is the house where Anne Boleyn grew up. Leeds Castle is where Henry VIII refitted rooms for his first queen.
- Anne at Hever — Thomas Boleyn’s younger daughter spent her childhood here, before years at the French court and the eye of Henry VIII.
- Her prayer books — two Books of Hours that belonged to Anne, each inscribed in her own hand, are among the castle’s treasures.
- After 1536 — Anne was executed at the Tower of London in 1536. Henry later handed Hever to Anne of Cleves, his fourth wife.
- Henry at Leeds Castle — the king spent lavishly on the castle for Catherine of Aragon, his first queen, and lodged here on the road to France in 1520.
- A changing calendar — both castles add seasonal programmes, such as Easter trails, summer events and Christmas displays. Dates change every year, so check each castle’s own site.
Planning around an event? Name it when you send your date. The chauffeur sets the pickup time around that day’s programme, not a fixed tour script.
Watch the day before you book
A short film that follows the day in order: your hotel pickup, the drive down the M20, Leeds Castle on its two islands, the grounds and the lake, then across the Weald of Kent to Hever.
What is included in the price of the day?
The car, the chauffeur and every road cost, in one figure agreed by email before the day.
Door-to-door pickup
Any London hotel, apartment or airport terminal; on arrival days the driver waits inside arrivals with a name board.
Fuel, parking and tolls
All mileage, the Dartford crossing if we use it, and both castle car parks are ours; nothing to pay on the day.
The driver waits at both castles
Three hours at Leeds Castle and two at Hever while the car sits by the entrance, ready when you are.
Stops on the way at no charge
Chartwell, Sevenoaks or a vineyard in the Kent Downs add nothing if they fit the day’s hours.
Child seats and pushchairs
Child seats fitted on request at no charge. Pushchairs cannot enter the Leeds Castle rooms; a buggy park waits at the door.
Not included
Admission and meals. Leeds Castle adult tickets are £34.50 online and Hever adult tickets £25.50 online; you book, we advise.
Which vehicle suits the two-castle day?
The Mercedes V-Class for a family or friends, the E-Class for two. The car is yours for the whole day.
Mercedes E-Class
3 passengers · 2 suitcases
£500(≈ $675)
Mercedes V-Class
7 passengers · 7 suitcases · the family choice
£570(≈ $770)
Mercedes S-Class
3 passengers · rear-seat comfort
£850(≈ $1,150)
Range Rover
4 passengers · the high seat on Kent lanes
£990(≈ $1,350)
One fixed price per car for the day, return — fuel, parking and tolls included.
Dollar figures are approximate; you are charged in GBP.
Six adults with day bags travel comfortably in a V-Class; seating and boot details are on the Mercedes V-Class page. Two travellers are best served by the E-Class in the photo at the top.
When are Leeds Castle and Hever Castle open, and what should we know?
Leeds Castle opens 364 days a year. Hever opens daily from mid-February to late October, then Wednesday to Sunday until 19 November, then for Christmas.
- Leeds Castle hours:castle rooms 10:30 to 17:00 from April to September (last entry 16:30); 10:30 to 15:30 from October to March; grounds from 10:00.
- Hever hours:grounds from 10:30 and castle rooms from 12:00; last castle entry 17:00 from 28 March to 25 October, 15:30 in late October and November.
- Tickets:buy online before travelling on each castle’s own site. Both charge less online than at the gate, and Leeds Castle needs no timed slot. We do not sell tickets.
- On site:no dogs at either castle except assistance dogs; picnics are welcome in the grounds; pack a towel for Hever’s water maze.
- Winter:castle rooms close by 15:30 from November, so we leave London at 8:00 and keep Leeds Castle first.
- Hever closed on your dates?the Windsor Castle day trip runs all year, and Leeds Castle alone fills a full day.
Is the day manageable for older travellers or wheelchair users?
Yes, with a gentler plan. At Leeds Castle the castle stands a walk through the parkland from the visitor entrance; a land train runs between the two (it does not take wheelchairs), and the estate offers free transport for less mobile visitors. Wheelchairs are lent free, subject to availability. Inside, a lift links the ground-floor route, but the upper rooms are reached only by stairs.
Hever is harder indoors. There are four steps from the drawbridge into the courtyard, and only the ground floor, six rooms, suits a wheelchair; the upper floors climb spiral stairs. The gardens are mostly level, with ramps over most steps. Hever lends a few wheelchairs, which must be reserved before the day.
On our side, the driver sets you down at each visitor entrance, a folding wheelchair or walking frame travels in the boot, and the V-Class has a wide sliding door. If two castles feel like too much, keep Leeds Castle alone and come home early.
Can we combine this with Canterbury and Dover, or add Chartwell?
Chartwell, yes. Canterbury and Dover, only as a swap: Leeds Castle is 24 miles from Canterbury, but Hever is 60 miles from Dover.
- ChartwellWinston Churchill’s family home, a National Trust house 5 miles from Hever; 90 minutes there adds one hour to the booking.
- Canterbury and the White Cliffsbook the Canterbury and Dover day trip instead; it offers Leeds Castle as a homeward stop and costs the same.
- Two days, one driverthe castles on day one, the cathedral and the cliffs on day two; the same chauffeur at your door both mornings.
How do I book a Leeds Castle and Hever Castle day trip from London?
Send us the date and the group
Use the contact form with your date, London pickup address and number of travellers; tell us if you want Chartwell or Leeds Castle alone.
We confirm the fixed price
We reply by email with the figure for your vehicle class and a written plan for the day.
Confirm and relax
Pay by card, or cash to the driver; instant confirmation from the booking page, and pickup at the agreed time.
Or book online now. Choose the date, a departure between 8:00am and 12:00 noon and your car — the fixed price for the whole car appears before you pay.
Frequently asked questions about the two-castle day
Do you sell Leeds Castle or Hever Castle tickets?
No. Each castle sells its own tickets online, and both charge less online than at the gate. Leeds Castle tickets stay valid for a year and need no timed slot; Hever’s castle rooms open at noon. Our part is the door-to-door drive, the wait at both entrances and the journey home.
How long is the drive from London to Leeds Castle?
About an hour and a half from central London in normal traffic: the A2 or M25, then the M20 to junction 8. Leeds Castle is 45 miles from Mayfair and 67 miles from Heathrow Terminal 5. Hever is 33 miles further west, about an hour across the Weald.
Why Leeds Castle first and Hever second?
Because the castles set the hours. Leeds Castle opens its rooms at 10:30; Hever opens its grounds at 10:30 and the castle rooms at 12:00. Leeds first gives you the rooms before lunch and Hever at 14:30. Prefer the 2pm falconry display? Take Leeds Castle alone for the day.
Which car suits a family of five?
A Mercedes V-Class at £570 for the day. It seats seven with seven suitcases, has three rows and space for a pushchair. Child seats are fitted on request at no charge. Couples usually take the E-Class; the S-Class and Range Rover are the executive options.
Can we add Leeds Castle to the Canterbury and Dover day instead?
Yes. That day trip lists Leeds Castle as a 40-minute stop on the way back from Dover, at the same price. This page covers the two mid-Kent castles together; Hever is 60 miles from Dover and does not fit that day.
Is the day suitable for young children?
Yes. Leeds Castle has playgrounds, the maze and grotto, adventure golf and the lake ferry; Hever has play areas and the water maze, where under-5s go in with an adult. Pushchairs wait outside the Leeds Castle rooms in a buggy park; a spare one fits in any boot.
Is the price per person or per car, and what is it in US dollars?
Per car, return, never per person. The E-Class seats up to three and the V-Class up to seven with seven suitcases; each has one fixed fare for the eight to nine hours, with fuel, tolls and parking included, whether two or seven of you travel. Entry tickets and meals are paid separately. In US dollars that is about $675 for the E-Class and $770 for the V-Class at today’s rate; you are charged in pounds sterling.
Can I cancel, and how do I pay?
Yes. Cancel at least 24 hours before pickup and any card payment is refunded in full; inside 24 hours the fare is charged. Pay by card in the booking form when you book, or choose cash and settle with the driver in pounds sterling on the day.
Is the driver also a tour guide?
No. Your chauffeur is a professional driver, not a licensed tour guide: the job is the drive, the timing and waiting at both castles while you visit. If you would like a Blue Badge guide with you for the day, our tour guide in London service is booked separately.
Can I take a day trip from London to Leeds Castle?
Yes. Your driver collects you between 8:00am and 9:00am and allows about an hour and a half down the M20, arriving around the 10:00 opening of the grounds. After the castle, maze and gardens, you cross the Weald of Kent to Hever. The whole day runs eight to nine hours, hotel to hotel.
Is it worth visiting Leeds Castle?
For most visitors, yes: a moated castle on two islands, the maze and gardens by the lake fill a relaxed morning. Paired with Anne Boleyn’s childhood home at Hever the same afternoon, it becomes one of the fullest castle days you can make from London.
How much time do you need at Leeds Castle?
About three hours covers the castle rooms, the maze with its grotto, and a walk through the gardens. On the two-castle day the plan gives Leeds Castle the morning and Hever the afternoon. Add the afternoon falconry and the Black Swan ferry, and Leeds Castle alone fills an unhurried day.
Why book your Leeds Castle day with Tripyana?
Leeds Castle and Hever sit far apart in the Kent countryside. This is what a private car changes:
- Two castles, one daythe same car carries you from Leeds Castle to Hever and back to London, waiting at each gate.
- One fixed price, in writingyou see the full figure before you pay. The price stays the same on the day, and waiting inside your booked time is free.
- Mercedes and Range Rover onlyan S-Class or Range Rover when the arrival matters; a 7-seat V-Class keeps a family or a group together.
- Several cars, one schedulelarger parties travel to one run sheet, with a single contact on your side.
- Child seats at no chargefitted before pickup when you give the children’s ages.
One price for the whole car, London to two castles and back.
Send the date and we reply with the fixed figure and the plan for the day. More destinations are under day trips from London by private car.
Tripyana Ltd is a UK-licensed company — private hire operator licence PHOP950 · Company No. 16308293.