From qualified Blue Badge guides and private local experts to walking tours, boat trips and sea kayaking - Cornwall's tour guides bring the county's history, coastline and hidden corners to life.
Cornwall's tour guiding scene ranges from formally qualified Blue Badge guides - the UK's highest tourist guiding qualification - to independent local experts, themed walking tours and boat and kayak trips along the coast. Alan Frost Cornwall Tour Guide and Viv Robinson of Absolutours are both qualified Blue Badge guides offering private coach and walking tours across the county.
For town-based walking tours, Lucy Daniel Guide runs heritage walks of Fowey and Falmouth Uncovered runs history and ghost tours of Falmouth. Private guided day tours are available from Cornwall Discovery Tours in Port Isaac, Kernow Tours in Penzance, Cornwall Tours in Truro and Classic Cornwall Tours in Padstow, while Explore in Cornwall specialises in guided nature and coastal walks in the far west.
On the water, Coast Boat Trips, Koru Kayaking and Cornish Coast Adventures all offer guided boat, kayak and coasteering trips along the Cornish coast. We've also added guided tour options in Plymouth and Tavistock, just over the Devon border.
Two practical notes: Cornwall Discovery Tours’ Port Isaac address is a pickup/meeting point rather than a fixed office. For Falmouth Uncovered, meeting points differ by tour - the History Tour meets at Grove Place Car Park while the Ghost Tour meets at the Fal River Visitor Centre - so check which tour you’ve booked before setting off.
10 Abbots Close, Bodmin PL31 2AH
A qualified Blue Badge tourist guide offering private tours across Cornwall, drawing on nationally recognised training and in-depth local knowledge to bring the county's history and landscape to life for individuals, couples and groups.
Farm View, Lower Ninnis, St Day, Redruth TR16 5HB
Blue Badge tourist guide Viv Robinson offers coach tours, guided walks, talks and tour management across Cornwall, Devon and the wider South West. Popular themes include Rosamunde Pilcher & Poldark filming locations, art and gardens, stately homes, cathedral cities and industrial archaeology.
Roscarrock Hill, Port Isaac PL29 3RG
Private Land Rover Discovery tours led personally by lifelong Cornwall resident Barry Pengelly, covering dramatic coastline, narrow lanes, hidden villages and Bodmin Moor, plus film and TV locations, local wine, beer and farm-to-table food. Tailormade single and multi-day tours available.
Caffa Mill Car Park, Station Rd, Fowey PL23 1DF
Highly rated heritage walking tours of Fowey, sharing the town's maritime history, literary connections and hidden corners. See our full listing for more detail on tour times and booking.
Grove Place Car Park, Falmouth TR11 3XA (History Tour meeting point)
Storytelling-led walking tours of Falmouth including the Falmouth History Tour, exploring the town's Age of Sail maritime past, and the Falmouth Ghost Tour, a spookier evening walk. A self-guided Scavenger Hunt puzzle trail is also available, plus private tours and workshops.
Pendrea Road, Penzance TR18 3ND
Bespoke private guided tours combining Cornwall's coastline - harbours, coves and beaches - with inland historical sites including standing stones, medieval churches and tin mines. Named tours include the 'Best of the West', 'North Cornwall', 'South Cornwall', 'Stones & Bones' and 'Wild West' routes, or a fully custom itinerary.
Ludgvan TR20 8XQ
Nature-focused guided walking experiences led by qualified naturalists and Mountain Leaders, with six themed routes including Cliffs & Coves, Discovering the Lizard, Moorland Exploration and Penwith Peaks. Private guiding and map & compass navigation training also available, with transport, binoculars and waterproofs provided.
2 Gwarnick Road, Truro TR1 2LF
Private sightseeing, heritage, ancestry, hiking and film & TV location tours in a luxury VW Transporter for 1-8 passengers, covering mining and maritime heritage, World Heritage sites, ancient monuments and Cornwall's Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Copper Beech Grove, Padstow PL27 7FA
A family-run private tour company based near Padstow, offering exclusive, personalised tours without large tour buses - combining historic landmarks, scenic landscapes and passionate local knowledge in comfortable, well-maintained vehicles.
A different way to see the Cornish coast - by boat, sea kayak or on a coasteering adventure, rather than on foot.
The Old Custom House, North Quay, Hayle TR27 4BL
Sightseeing boat trips departing from Hayle, exploring the North Cornwall coastline by sea - part of a wider network of Coast Boat Trips departure points around Cornwall.
Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes TR5 0RY
Guided sea kayaking adventures along Cornwall's north coast from St Agnes, plus trips on the Helford River. See our full listing for tour details and booking.
Port Quin, Port Isaac PL29 3ST
Sea kayaking, paddleboarding and coasteering based at Port Quin harbour near Polzeath and Port Isaac, with sessions for families through to advanced groups, plus a wood-fired sauna experience and on-site accommodation.
Not in Cornwall, but worth knowing about if you're staying in or travelling via South East Cornwall.
The Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2LS
Friendly guided walking tours of Plymouth run by local guide Hannah since 2023. The 100-minute "Harbour to Hoe" tour covers the historic Barbican, city centre and Plymouth Hoe, and a new 70-minute Royal William Yard tour launches in 2026. Accessible for wheelchairs, mobility scooters and BSL on request.
2-5 Commercial Wharf, Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2NX
The South West's premier cruising, ferry and fishing company, running scenic harbour cruises around Plymouth Sound and the Historic Dockyard, plus ferry services - departing from the Barbican waterfront.
The Guildhall, Guildhall Square, Abbey Place, Tavistock PL19 0FW
A programme of local heritage walks scheduled every weekend from April to October, departing 2pm from the Tavistock Visitor Information Centre. Themes include the Abbey, Tavistock Canal, churches, railway and industrial heritage, 18th-century architecture and evening "Tavistock by Twilight" walks.
Alan Frost Cornwall Tour Guide and Absolutours' Viv Robinson are both Blue Badge qualified - the nationally recognised gold standard for tourist guiding.
Lucy Daniel Guide in Fowey and Falmouth Uncovered both offer accessible, reasonably priced walking tours ideal for a single afternoon.
Cornwall Discovery Tours, Kernow Tours, Cornwall Tours and Classic Cornwall Tours all offer private vehicle-based tours tailored to your interests.
Explore in Cornwall's guided walks, led by qualified naturalists and Mountain Leaders, are ideal for wildlife and landscape-focused visitors.
Coast Boat Trips, Koru Kayaking and Cornish Coast Adventures all offer a different perspective on Cornwall's coastline, from a gentle boat trip to active sea kayaking and coasteering.
Plymouth Walking Tours, Plymouth Boat Trips and the Tavistock Heritage Trust all offer guided introductions to Devon destinations close to the Cornwall border.
| Provider | Area | Format | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Frost Cornwall Tour Guide | Bodmin | Blue Badge, private | Formally qualified guiding |
| Absolutours (Viv Robinson) | St Day / Redruth | Blue Badge, coach & walks | Themed tours, Poldark/Pilcher fans |
| Cornwall Discovery Tours | Port Isaac | Private vehicle tours | Land Rover coastal & moor tours |
| Lucy Daniel Guide | Fowey | Walking tour | Fowey heritage & history |
| Falmouth Uncovered | Falmouth | Walking tour | History & ghost tours |
| Kernow Tours | Penzance | Private vehicle tours | Coast & inland combined routes |
| Explore in Cornwall | Ludgvan | Guided walks | Nature & wildlife walks |
| Cornwall Tours | Truro | Private vehicle tours | Heritage, ancestry & hiking tours |
| Classic Cornwall Tours | Padstow | Private vehicle tours | Small, exclusive group tours |
| Coast Boat Trips | Hayle | Boat tour | Sightseeing from the water |
| Koru Kayaking | St Agnes | Kayak tour | Guided sea kayaking |
| Cornish Coast Adventures | Port Isaac / Polzeath | Kayak & coasteering | Active water adventures |
| Plymouth Walking Tours | Plymouth (Devon) | Walking tour | Barbican & Hoe introduction |
| Plymouth Boat Trips | Plymouth (Devon) | Boat tour | Harbour & Dockyard cruises |
| Tavistock Heritage Trust | Tavistock (Devon) | Walking tour | Tavistock & Dartmoor gateway heritage |
Tour times, prices and availability change throughout the year. The details shown above are those published by providers at the time of research - always check the provider's official website or call ahead before travelling. Meeting points for several providers are car parks, quays or visitor centres rather than a fixed office address - please confirm your exact meeting point when booking. Cornwall Online is not responsible for the content of external websites linked from this page.
Page last updated: August 2026