WW1 Battlefield Tour Companies and Guides

A battlefield guide explains the attack on Mametz Wood by the 38th (Welsh) Division on 7th July 1916. The Welsh red dragon memorial faces the wood in honour of the memory of the heavy casualties incurred during the battle.
Guide explains the battle of 38th Welsh Division at Mametz Wood.

There are many individual guides and organizations offering a wide range of tours to the WW1 battlefields. Tours are available to suit most needs. They may vary in length from half day visits to several days. Transport can range from using your own vehicle all the way up to a full sized coach and accommodation may be included or arranged by you.

The tour may offer a general overview of a battlefield area visiting well known sites or you may be “walking the ground” on a more specialized study tour. In many cases a bespoke tour will be available to give a personalized visit to the war grave of a relative or place of action for family historians. Do remember to give your guide plenty of notice if you wish to do this.

Whichever way you choose to visit the battlefields, it is sure to be a fascinating and a thought-provoking experience. Many of the experienced guides now taking people to visit the 1914-1918 battlefields began their own interest in the subject with a visit to see where a relative was in action.

There are a number of battlefield tour organizations which provide tours for school groups and teachers. School battlefield tours are aimed at specific Key Stage learning. A list of these specialist school tour companies is given below the main list.

Battlefield Tours for Schools

Companies and Guides for Battlefield Tours

The following list gives an overview of organizations offering tours to the battlefields. Tour programmes will vary from general introductory tours to specialized tours focusing on specific battle actions or themes. This list is offered to assist travellers in finding a tour company which will suit

Tours and guides based in Belgium or France are noted as such. These tours can provide English, Dutch or French speaking guides. Tours can be booked directly with these operators through their website or telephone contacts.

1916, Une Page D'Histoire

Telephone: +33 (0)6 62.29.01.00

Email: pereira.ve@wanadoo.fr

Véronique Pereira Bon: Guide for tours of the Somme battlefield based in Aveluy on the Somme battlefield. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Advance! Bespoke Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1728 603 645

Website: www.advancebattlefieldtours.co.uk

Back-Roads Touring Co. Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)208 9870 99

Website: www.backroadstouring.co.uk

Bartletts Battlefield Journeys Ltd.

Telephone: +44 (0)1507 - 523 128

Website: www.battlefields.co.uk

Battle Honours

Telephone: +44 (0)1462 - 815 124

Website: www.battle-honours.co.uk

Battlefield Breaks.com

Telephone: +44 (0)845 344 0342

Website: www.battlefield-breaks.com

The Battlefields Experience

Telephone: +33 (0)3 22.76.29.60

Website: www.thebattleofthesomme.co.uk

Tour company based at Mailly-Maillet on the Somme battlefield.

The Battlefield Guide: Frank Toogood

Telephone: +44 (0)1916 45 1812

Website: www.thebattlefieldguide.com

Qualified guide with the International Guild of Battlefield Guides. Specialist in bespoke walking tours for small groups.

Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)121 459 9008

Website: www.battlefieldtours.org

Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)57 - 20 43 42

Website: www.visit-ypres.be

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

Bird Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)20 8752 0956 or +44 (0)1243 789077

Website: www.birdbattlefieldtours.com

Chemins d'Histoire

Telephone: +33 (0)3 23.67.77.64

Website: www.cheminsdhistoire.com

Guide based at St. Quentin, offering tours of the Somme and Artois battlefields. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Cobbers Battlefield Tours Ltd.

Telephone: +33 (0)3.21.73.46.16

Website: www.anzac-tours.com

Tour company based in Ligny-Thilloy on the Somme battlefield. The first legal registered Australian tour guide on the Somme. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Ecosse Tours Ltd.

Telephone:+44 (0)141 416 1915

Website: www.ecossetours.co.uk

Ecosse Tours is a Scottish based company conducting regular Great War tours to the battlefields of France and Flanders, and Second World War tailor made tours to Normandy in France and Arnhem in the Netherlands. All our coach tours start and finish in Scotland.

Eyewitness Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1306 - 880 960

Website: ewt.hq@btopenworld.com

Flanders Battlefield Tour

Telephone: +32 (0)57 - 360 460

Website: www.ypres-fbt.com

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English and Dutch speaking guides. Offering full day and half day tours.

Dr. Thomson's Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1227 - 455 922

Website: www.drttours.co.uk

Entente Cordiale Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1244 - 341 920

Website: www.ententecordialetours.co.uk

Frontline Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)474 36 76 08

Telephone: +32 (0)57 444 680

Website: www.frontline-tours.com

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

Guided Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1633 - 258 207

Website: www.guidedbattlefieldtours.co.uk

Holts Tours Battlefields and History

Telephone: +44 (0)1293 - 865 000

Website: www.holts.co.uk

In the Footsteps

Telephone: +44 (0)1989 - 565 599

Website: www.inthefootsteps.com

Kimber Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)592 - 642 466

Website: www.kimberbattlefieldtours.co.uk

Kingshead Adventures Bespoke Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1689 - 837 736

Website: www.kingsheadadventures.com

Leger Holidays Guided Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)845 - 408 07 53

Website: battlefields.leger.co.uk

Mike Hodgson Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1526 342 249

Website: www.mhboattlefieldtours.co.uk

The Original Over the Top Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)57 332 900

Website: www.overthetoptours-ypres.be

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

Over the Top Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)57 - 42 43 20

Website: www.overthetoptours.be

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

Pillow

Telephone: +44 (0)7970 - 065 852

Website: www.pillow.co.uk

Poppy Travel

Telephone: +44 (0)1622 716 729

Website: www.poppytravel.org.uk

Vic and Diane Puik

Telephone: +33 (0)3 22.85.14.56

Website: www.lesalouettes.net

Guides based in Hardecourt-aux-Bois. Tours for individuals (and groups on request). (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Salient Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)57- 214 657

Website: www.salienttours.be

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

SBT Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)478 329 929

Website: www.sbt-ypers.be

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides. Flights over the battlefields are available.

Skylark Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1354 696 779

Website: www.skylarkbattlefieldtours.co.uk

Mickael Smith

Telephone: +33 (0)3.22.27.20.80

Email: frenchtours@aliceadsl.fr

Guide based at Pont-Remy offering tours of the Somme battlefields. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Somme 1916 Museum, Albert, France

Telephone: +33 (0)3 22.75.16.17

Website: www.musee-somme-1916.eu

Tours of the Circuit du Souvenir (Circuit of Remembrance) available from this museum located in Albert, France, with a combined entry fee for the museum. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Somme Battlefield Tours Ltd.

Telephone: +44 (0)1202 - 880 211

Website: www.battlefield-tours.com

Spider Holidays Ltd. Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)845 373 3015

Website: www.spiderholidays.co.uk

Spirit of History

Telephone: +44 (0)1883 744 342

Website: www.spiritofhistory.co.uk

Terres de Mémoire

Telephone: +33 (0)3.22.84.23.05

Website: www.terresdememoire.com

Tour guide based in Péronne. Half-day tours of the Somme and Artois battlefields; Guided tour of the Somme Circuit of Remembrance. (Somme Battlefields' Partner)

Trench Map Tours

Telephone: +32 (0)57 - 48 61 31

Website: www.trenchmaptours.com

Tour company based in Ypres, Belgium, with English speaking guides.

War Research Society Battlefield Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)121 - 430 5348

Website: www.battlefieldtours.co.uk

Williamsomme Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)1795 538 069 or +44 (0)1795 591863

Website: www.williamsommetours.co.uk

Battlefield Tours for Schools

Equity School Travel

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 - 648 248

Website: www.equityschooltravel.co.uk

Galina International Study Tours Ltd.

Telephone: +44 (0)800 801 560

Website: www.schooltours.co.uk

Halsbury Travel

Telephone: +44 (0)115 9404 303 or 07000 150 300

Website: www.halsbury.com

Holts Tours Battlefields and Education

Telephone: +44 (0)1293 - 865 000

Website: www.holts.co.uk

Kingswood Centres for Education and Adventure

Telephone: +44 (0)1603 - 309 300

Website: www.kingswood.co.uk

NST Group

Telephone: +44 (0)845 - 671 0072

Website: www.nstgroup.co.uk

Poppy Travel

Telephone: +44 (0)1622 716 729

Website: www.poppytravel.org.uk

Schools into Europe

Telephone: +44 (0)29 2052 2236

Website: www.schoolsintoeurope.com

Schools Travel Service (STS)

Telephone: +44 (0)870 240 6828

Website: ststravel.co.uk

Skylark Battlefield Tours for Schools and Colleges

Telephone: +44 (0)1354 696 779

Website: www.skylarkbattlefieldtours.co.uk

Sporting Destinations: Worldwide Sports and Educational Tours

Telephone: +44 (0)845 - 337 9180

Website: www.sportingdestinations.co.uk

Travelbound

Telephone: +44 (0)1273 - 265 265

Website: www.travelbound.co.uk

Related Links

Visiting the WW1 Western Front Battlefields

Advice and useful links for travellers wanting to visit the Western Front battlefields:

Visiting WW1 Western Front Battlefields

Battlefields of the Western Front

Pages on the battlefields by area including comprehensive listings and locations of military cemeteries, main memorials, battle remains, museums and accommodation:

The Ypres Salient, Flanders, Belgium The Somme, Picardie, France

International Guild of Battlefield Guides

The International Guild of Battlefield Guides is for guides with a specialism in battlefield history, providing an organization where guides can meet one another, share information and approaches to the subject. Members of the Guild can take part in an accreditation programme to become a “Badged Guide”. Visit:

International Guild of Battlefield Guides

Somme Battlefields' Partner, France

The Somme Battlefields' Partner is a new network for visitors to the Somme, where local professionals involved in tourism and the history of this battlefield area have come together.

Somme Battlefields' Partner website: Somme Battlefields