Karts of London runs guided street kart tours through central London, departing from Kendal Street in W2, a few minutes from Marble Arch and Hyde Park. Rather than a circuit, the experience puts visitors behind the wheel of a road-legal two-seater kart on public roads, following a guide past the city’s best-known landmarks. It is a sightseeing tour with a driving experience built into it, and it sits somewhere between an open-top bus tour and a driving day out. The operator also runs tours in Windsor.

This is the single most important thing to check before booking. Every driver must hold a full UK driving licence or an accepted international driving licence, and it must be brought along on the day. Physical and digital copies are both accepted. International visitors should make sure they have travelled with their licence, since without one the driver cannot take part. Passengers do not need a licence.

Tours are guided throughout. An experienced guide leads the convoy and talks to drivers through a walkie-talkie system fitted to each kart, so commentary and directions come through as the group moves between landmarks. Before setting off, everyone receives a full safety briefing covering how the kart works. The karts are fully automatic, which means no clutch or gear changes to think about, and the operator positions them as straightforward for first-time and experienced drivers alike.

Each kart is a road-legal two-seater carrying one driver and one passenger. They are electric and automatic, and fitted out for the tour rather than for racing: a Bluetooth speaker system, a phone holder and USB charging come as standard, with an optional 360-degree camera mount for anyone wanting to film the route. Six two-seater karts operate on the London tours, which sets the practical ceiling on group size for a single departure.

Six London products run from the same departure point. The West End tour takes 60 minutes past Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, Mayfair and Wellington Barracks. The Square Mile tour runs 120 minutes and adds the City of London, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Tower of London, Tower Bridge and the Shard. The Scenic Route is a gentler 60-minute option through Kensington and Mayfair, taking in Hyde Park, the Royal Albert Hall, the Albert Memorial, the Natural History and Science Museums, Harrods and Knightsbridge. Three further tours — hen party, stag party and corporate team building — follow the landmark route and are framed around group occasions.

Passengers of any age are welcome, and booster seats can be provided for younger children. Because each kart seats a driver and one passenger, a family or group needs one licensed driver per kart. This makes the tours workable for families with young children in a way that a racing circuit is not — a parent drives and a child rides alongside — though it does mean the number of licensed drivers in a group determines how many people can go out at once.

Comfortable clothing and closed-toe footwear are recommended. The tours run on open roads, so dressing for the weather matters more than it would indoors. Costume hire is available and is popular for birthdays, hen parties and stag celebrations, and visitors are also welcome to bring their own. Costumes and other optional extras can be paid for by card or cash on the day.

Tours operate in most conditions, including light rain. If severe weather such as heavy snow or storms makes it unsafe to run, the operator may reschedule, and in that case visitors can either take an alternative date or receive a full refund. Because the karts are open and the route is on public roads, it is worth dressing for conditions rather than assuming the weather will hold.

Booking is handled online through the operator’s own system. Dates and times can be changed subject to availability, and the operator recommends getting in touch as early as possible to secure an alternative slot. Cancellations are handled by phone or email, with options explained case by case. Prices are not published on the website and are shown during booking.

Tours depart from Kendal Street in the Tyburnia area of W2, a short walk from Marble Arch and the northern edge of Hyde Park, and within easy reach of Paddington and Edgware Road. There is no venue to spend time in — this is a departure point rather than a destination — so arriving in good time for the safety briefing matters more than usual. Since the route runs on public roads through central London, traffic conditions form part of the experience.