Private black cab tours & small-group Soho walks

The London that never
made it onto the postcards.

I'm Karen. Four years learning every street of London by heart, then sixteen years driving it. Twenty years of this city, and I'm still not bored of it. Come and hear the stories properly — the murders, the scandals, the pubs that shouldn't still be standing.

See what I run Send Karen my dates
Six people maximum in the cab. No coach parties, no flags, no rushing. Every message comes straight to Karen — she answers them herself. Picked up and dropped back wherever suits you in central London.
89,000 people follow Karen's London Across Instagram, TikTok and Facebook — one story at a time
Three ways to come out with me

Pick your London.

Clear prices, small numbers, and a real person on the other end. Tell me your date and I'll tell you straight away whether I'm free. The Soho walk finishes for the summer on Saturday 22 August.

Karen leading a small walking group through Soho Final dates — ends 22 Aug

Soho: Walking, Talking & Drinking History

£35 per person · 2 hours
Max 10 guestsSaturdays18+

The square mile London tried very hard to clean up and never quite managed. Cholera, jazz, gangsters, and the pubs where all three overlapped.

You'll stand at: the John Snow pump · Bar Italia · Denmark Street · Ronnie Scott's · Soho Square

Last date of the season: Saturday 22 August 2026. After that the Soho walk closes until next summer — if you want it this year, now is the time.
Check my date for Soho
Karen on the Millennium Bridge with St Paul's behind her Private cab tour

Hidden London History Tour

£100 per hour · two-hour minimum
Up to 6 guestsAll year round16+

Your own cab, your own route. Tell me what you're into — crime, plague, royals, rebellion — and I'll build the afternoon around it. Warm, dry, and nobody else's timetable.

Good for: birthdays · anniversaries · family over from abroad · anyone who's already done the big landmarks
Check my date for a private tour
London Christmas lights on Regent Street November – December

Christmas Lights Black Cab Tour

£110 per hour · two-hour minimum
Up to 6 guestsNovember & December only16+

Regent Street, Carnaby, Covent Garden and the corners the crowds don't reach — from a warm seat, with time to stop and photograph properly.

Worth knowing: December is the busiest time of Karen's year. If you want a date that suits you, ask early.
Check Christmas dates
What guests say

The bit that matters.

Not testimonials I went looking for. Words people wrote on their own, once they got home.

★★★★★
Had a Christmas Lights Tour with Karen. She was fantastic and the whole family had such an amazing day. She was knowledgeable, hilarious and a brilliant host. You will not be disappointed.
December 2025
★★★★★
An incredible day with Cabbie Karen. Karen knows all about London's history and some little gems to visit. The best part is that you leave feeling like you have gained a new friend.
December 2025
★★★★★
We had a wonderful London Christmas Lights Tour. Karen is a jolly, friendly lady with lots of local knowledge. There were six of us and we had a great time.
Jose, Michaela, Felicity, Jeanette, Lynn & Sharon
Karen at the wheel of her London taxi
“Every street has a story. I've made a career out of finding the ones people walk straight past.”
Meet Karen

Four years learning it.
Sixteen years driving it.

My dad drove a cab, so London's roads and characters were the background noise of my whole childhood. Then I sat The Knowledge myself — four solid years of it, every street inside six miles of Charing Cross, learned by heart on a moped in the rain. Nobody does that unless they love the place. Sixteen years on the road since, and it still hasn't worn off.

I'm a qualified history guide as well as a licensed cabbie, which means I can take you somewhere and tell you why it matters. My tours are small on purpose. There's time to ask questions, time to stop and photograph, and time for a drink if you fancy one.

Twenty years inFour years passing The Knowledge, sixteen driving it since. No satnav.
The white cabYou'll spot me a mile off. There isn't another one like it out there.
Karen replies herselfNo agency, no booking desk. Your message lands with me.
Before you enquire

The things people always ask.

If it's not here, just ask me in the form below.

How many people can come?

The Soho walk takes up to 10. The private cab tours take up to 6 — that's the limit in a London taxi, and honestly it's the nicest number anyway.

Where do you pick us up?

Anywhere sensible in central London — your hotel, a station, wherever suits. I'll drop you back to the same place afterwards. Central London only, so no airport runs.

Is there an age limit?

Yes. The cab tours are 16 and over, and the Soho walk is 18 and over. Younger children tend not to enjoy them, so I'd rather be straight with you.

How do I pay?

Bank transfer. I'll confirm your date first and send you the details — paying is what secures the booking.

What if I need to cancel?

Cancel more than two weeks before your date and you'll get a full refund. Inside two weeks I can't refund, but I'll happily move you to another date that suits.

How far ahead should I book?

Christmas fills up fast, so autumn is sensible for those. The rest of the year I can often do something at shorter notice — always worth asking.

Can the private tour be built around us?

That's the whole point of it. Tell me what you're interested in — crime, royals, plague, film locations, where your nan grew up — and I'll build the route round it.

How quickly will I hear back?

Within 24 hours, and usually a lot sooner.

Check availability

Tell me your date.

Send me the day you're thinking of, how many of you there are and which tour you fancy. I'll come back to you personally, usually the same day.

You can also email me directly at click to reveal.
Karen reads every message herself. No newsletters, no passing your details on.

Thanks — that's landed with Karen.

She'll come back to you within 24 hours, usually sooner. If you don't hear anything, check your junk folder before assuming the worst.

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