England · TREASURE HUNTS

Treasure Hunts in England: The 15 Best, Priced and Timed

36 tours  ·  from $4

This is the shortlist you would hand a friend flying in: 15 treasure hunts that earn the money, each with its price, its verdict and the one thing to know before you commit.

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Manchester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Starting at Manchester Piccadilly
Manchester Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Manchester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

1.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Manchester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 253 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20Our pick

Follow Captain Bess on a self-guided Manchester treasure hunt from Piccadilly Station. Your phone delivers maps, cryptic clues, hints, facts, and stories as you walk through St Peter’s Square, Castlefield, St John’s Gardens, John Rylands Library, and Chinatown. Start between 8 AM and 6 PM, pause when you like, and finish back at the station.

“Loved recommendation for the pub and lovely way to see the city without clues being too hard. Only issue was at clue 13 there was scaffolding on the library which meant we were unable to see the answer. Also roadworks meant we crossed at a different point impacting on clue 14.”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around York with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - York Minster and Dean’s Park
Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts, Treasure Hunts in York, York Tours

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around York with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

2.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around York with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 248 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $20

Use your smartphone to follow Captain Bess through York on a private, self-guided treasure hunt. Solve clues, ask for hints, and explore Museum Gardens, York Minster, the Shambles, and lesser-known lanes at your own pace. The route takes about two hours, but you can pause for food, drinks, shops, or a pub stop.

“We really enjoyed finding our way around York using back alleys and snickleways. We found some places we hadn't seen before, even though this was our third visit to the city. Some of the clues were more tricky but that made it challenging and enjoyable.”

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The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat by HiddenCity - The Coal Hole start sets the tone
London Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts, Treasure Hunts in London

The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat by HiddenCity

3.The Hunt for the Cheshire Cat by HiddenCity

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 225 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $40

You and a team of 2 to 6 follow clues sent to your phone from The Coal Hole on Strand to Waterloo. Expect Alice in Wonderland puzzles, staff roleplay, city walking, built in food and drink breaks, and the freedom to pause and continue within the 28 day validity period.

“Such a great day. Took all day with food and drink stops and saw parts of London I have never seen. Great fun. We were a group of 5, parents and three adults kids (aged 19 to 26).”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bath with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Parade Gardens offers a calmer change of pace
Bath Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bath with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

4.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bath with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 208 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess guides your private group by smartphone from Bath Abbey through Parade Gardens, Pulteney Bridge, the Royal Crescent, Thermae Bath Spa, and the Roman Baths. Solve cryptic clues, request hints, and pause for shops, cafés, or pubs. The English-language game takes about 2.5 hours, but you can start and stop as you please.

“Great way to see the city and find out interesting and unusual facts without being part of a massive group. Plus the added advantage of being able to pop into any shops or wine bars on the way! Perfect”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Oxford with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Starting at Oxford Castle and Prison
Oxford Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Oxford with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

5.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Oxford with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 202 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Follow Captain Bess through Oxford by phone as maps and cryptic clues lead you from Oxford Castle to Radcliffe Camera, the Bodleian Library, Carfax Tower, and more. Start when you like, pause for shops or pubs, ask for hints, and learn useful facts along the way. No app, printing, or group pace is required.

“A great way to learn about the city for both kids and adults. Easy booking process and seamless process on the day of the experience”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Birmingham with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Birmingham Town Hall starts the city story
Birmingham Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Birmingham with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

6.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Birmingham with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 167 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess leads your private group around Birmingham with maps, cryptic clues, directions, and fun facts. Starting at Birmingham School of Art, you visit Town Hall, Centenary Square, the Library of Birmingham, the Jewellery Quarter, and St. Paul’s Church before returning to the start. Use your phone, take breaks, and ask for hints when needed.

“We spent a thoroughly enjoyable day exploring Birmingham while doing this treasure hunt. A great way to see the city and parts of it that we would otherwise have missed. This is about the 5th one of these types of hunts that we've done and there will be more! Highly recommended!”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Chester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Chester Cathedral and the city walls
Chester Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Chester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

7.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Chester with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 162 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess sends your group maps, clues, hints, and Chester facts by phone. Start at Town Hall Square and follow a two-hour route to the cathedral, Roman sites, Chester Rows, the River Dee, and more. Pause for lunch, a shop, or a pub, then continue at your own pace, even over several days.

“Loved this. The clues were challenging but manageable. We had a good wander around. Chester and saw things were probably wouldn’t have seen otherwise. You have the flexibility to take your time & we stopped several times and ended up finishing on a second day. Thoroughly enjoyed it and will definitely look to do another one in a different city.”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Brighton with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Brighton Dome and the city’s grand center
Brighton Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Brighton with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

8.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Brighton with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 154 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess guides your private group by phone through Brighton’s Royal Pavilion, North Laine, the Lanes, Brighton Pier, and lesser-known corners. You solve cryptic clues, request hints when needed, and pause for shops or a pub. The self-guided route takes about two and a half hours and starts and ends at India Gate.

“We all had a great time - 2 adults & a teen. We’ve lived in Brighton for 20 years and there were things we’d never noticed. Right level of clues, wear comfortable shoes as it does take about 2 & a half hours as the notes say. Instructions were clear and it all worked well. Really recommend it.”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Cambridge with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Starting at 57 St Mary’s Passage
Cambridge Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Cambridge with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

9.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Cambridge with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 142 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess sends maps, clues, hints, facts, and stories to your phone in a WhatsApp-style game. Over about two and a half hours, your private group walks from King’s College Chapel through Cambridge Market Square, Trinity College, The Backs, and other central sights. Start when you like, pause for shops or food, and finish where you began.

“Enjoyable fun experience. Well organised and easy to play. Provides a good guide to the city of cambridge”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Liverpool with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Royal Albert Dock and the change to waterfront scenery
Liverpool Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Liverpool with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

10.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Liverpool with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 141 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $20

Join Captain Bess and your group for a self-guided Liverpool treasure hunt by phone. Maps, clues, hints, facts, and stories lead you from Hope Street through the cathedral, Royal Albert Dock, Mathew Street, Bold Street, and the Three Graces. Plan on a 3.5-mile walk, mobile data, and plenty of time for stops.

“Great fun. Good way to explore a city. Allow yourself a full day, so that you can visit all the places en route, and get a bite to eat.”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bristol with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Saint Nicholas Market adds a lively puzzle stop
Bristol Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bristol with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

11.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Bristol with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 101 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $20

Captain Bess guides your private group by phone through Bristol’s central sights, using maps, cryptic clues, hints, facts, and a light pirate theme. Start at Castle Park whenever you like, then follow a route through Saint Nicholas Market, Bristol Cathedral, Queen Square, and Bristol Old Vic. Nothing needs printing or downloading.

“Nice introduction to the city, with nice little packets of information around each clue, with a not to over the top pirate theme. Unfortunately my phone battery run out, so failed to complete the tour.”

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Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Leeds with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems - Starting at Leeds Art Gallery
Leeds Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts

Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Leeds with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

12.Fun, Flexible Treasure Hunt Around Leeds with Cryptic Clues & Hidden Gems

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 63 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $20

Use your phone to follow Captain Bess through central Leeds, from Leeds Art Gallery to Victoria Leeds, Kirkgate Market, arcades, churches, and Town Hall. Solve clues, request hints, pause for food or shopping, and restart when ready. This private, self-guided hunt costs $20.72 per person and ends where it begins.

“Perfect fun day, great treasure hunt fun, perfect way to see a city. Clues were just the right level of hard.”

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Bristol Street Art: Banksy Exploration Game and Tour - El Mac’s photorealistic mother and child
Bristol Tours, Self-Guided Tours, Street Art, Tour Reviews, Tours, Treasure Hunts

Bristol Street Art: Banksy Exploration Game and Tour

13.Bristol Street Art: Banksy Exploration Game and Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 39 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $6

Use the Questo app to follow a 90-minute Bristol street-art route from Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel to Charlotte Street. You will solve 11 location-based puzzles while finding works by Banksy, El Mac, Aryz, and Pixel Pancho. There is no guide or fixed start time, and the game can be played offline in English.

“If was great to see the art work and explore different parts of Bristol. We skipped through the 'love story' as it was very cheesy and wouldn't be suitable for young children. Some of the questions weren't easy to answer as the answers could have been a number of things. On one question you had to fill in a street name. We were literally stood in front of the sign and got the question wrong. Not sure if the street name has been changed since the tour was started but definitely wouldn't have got the answer without skipping it. On the whole we enjoyed the tour as a couple, the…”

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Birmingham Ghost Hunt: Haunted Self-Guide Tour & Quest - The Magnet Centre and the search for a code
Birmingham Tours, Ghost Tours, Guided, Tour Reviews, Tours, Treasure Hunts

Birmingham Ghost Hunt: Haunted Self-Guide Tour & Quest

14.Birmingham Ghost Hunt: Haunted Self-Guide Tour & Quest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 37 reviews · 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $5Best value

You guide yourself through Birmingham with the Questo app, solving story-based riddles at historic squares, canals, shopping areas, and war memorials. Allow about 90 minutes, though one game took longer for a player. It runs day or night, costs $5.98 per person, and is private to your group, with no physical guide.

“The canal walk and walking on water was enjoyable our favourite was the walking round the city and seeing different places”

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Little Venice London: Journey Through Lost Memories Quest - Starting at Warwick Avenue and finding your bearings
London Tours, Tour Reviews, Treasure Hunts, Treasure Hunts in London

Little Venice London: Journey Through Lost Memories Quest

15.Little Venice London: Journey Through Lost Memories Quest

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 29 reviews · 1 hour to 1 hour 30 minutes (approx.) · from $6

Follow clues through Little Venice on a self-guided Questo game. You will learn about Regent’s Canal, solve puzzles, and move between stops using your phone, with no guide, boat ride, GPS, or live contact required. The game takes about one to one and a half hours and can be paused or spread across several days.

“Was terrible wouldn’t recommend. The location stated on the website was the wrong location. And when we got there we was told this website is a scam.”

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New in Treasure Hunts

★ 5.0Southwark Pirates of the Thames Quest Experience in LondonFrom $73 reviews
★ 4.0London Scavenger Hunt and Highlights Self-Guided TourFrom $34 reviews
★ 3.5Interactive Treasure Hunt London – City of London/SouthwarkFrom $245 reviews
★ 4.5Romantic Notting Hill: Self-Guided Love Story Puzzle WalkFrom $93 reviews
★ 5.0Cluefall – Immersive Treasure Hunt in London’s South BankFrom $303 reviews
★ 4.0Isle of Wight Tour App, Hidden Gems Game and Big Britain Quiz (7 Day Pass) UK6 reviews
★ 4.5Falmouth Tour App, Hidden Gems Game and Big Britain Quiz (1 Day Pass) UK3 reviews
★ 4.5A Walk through Tudor Ipswich Tour and Exploration GameFrom $63 reviews
★ 5.0Letchworth Garden City: Self-Guided History Puzzle WalkFrom $55 reviews
★ 4.0Peak District Tour App, Hidden Gems Game and Big Britain Quiz (7 Day Pass) UK3 reviews
★ 3.5Cambridge Quest: Self Guided City Walk & Immersive Treasure Hunt3 reviews
★ 4.5Bristol Quest: Self Guided City Walk & Immersive Treasure Hunt3 reviews
★ 5.0Immersive City Treasure Hunt – BrightonFrom $295 reviews
★ 4.0Bournemouth Tour App, Hidden Gems Game and Big Britain Quiz (1 Day Pass) UK3 reviews
★ 4.5Blackpool Tour App, Hidden Gems Game and Big Britain Quiz (1 Day Pass) UK4 reviews

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