Forbidden City Tour: 2-Hour Private Highlights

Discover the wonders of Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City on a private 2-hour walking tour. Avoid the crowds, learn the stories behind the masterpieces, and enjoy direct entry. Entrance fees, hotel pick-up, and one-way transfer included.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Forbidden City-The Palace Museum - As Beijing’s most renowned landmark and a gem among UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Forbidden City exemplifies China’s imperial splendor—its red walls and golden roofs encapsulating centuries of Ming and Qing dynasty history, art, and culture. For every visitor to Beijing, a trip to this imperial palace is…
What's Included
  • Private tour
  • Professional guide
  • Private Transfer if choose the related option
  • Entrance fee
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
  • Transportation fee if you choose economy option: Tour on foot
Additional Information

Pressed for time in Beijing? Consider this concise 2-hour private walking tour to explore the Forbidden City’s main attractions efficiently, avoiding the crowds. Select from various daily time slots to suit your itinerary, and let a guide share the stories behind the palace’s renowned masterpieces—with direct entry for a seamless start to your visit….

Location
Forbidden City-The Palace Museum
No.4 Jingshanqian Street, Dongcheng District,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(24 Ratings)
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Thegoldencoconut
May 4, 2025
Amazing time with Lucy and driver during holidays in the Forbidden City! - This tour is amazing and quite true to its name, showcasing the highlights of Tiananmen and Forbidden City in 2 hours approximately give or take. Our driver picked us up on time from the hotel lobby that is close to Forbidden City and dropped us off as close as they could to Tiananmen Square and our guide Lucy acted as escort and provided the tour with numerous facts. We learned so much, from architecture to history to modern times about Tiananmen and Forbidden City. It is still the top #1 destination for local Chinese even over the Great Wall! We went during the beginning of Labour holiday in China also so there was a lot of car and foot traffic but we were able to get past the bigger tours due to our small group with guide Lucy and driver. It was very pretty during holiday season. After the tour, the driver dropped us off on time at our hotel. We are so grateful we booked this tour or else we would have been stuck behind with the big tours. After our tour, we used the extra time in the day to do some shopping at Wangfujing St. This tour was 100% worth every penny!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Zachpk800zw
Mar 14, 2024
Would recommend- great way to see Beijing attractions. - Very very good tour. We went with Miko and he is a rockstar. Very knowledgeable, does a great job with photography and he does a nice job both getting you to the forbidden city and Tian’anmen square in addition to talking through all the historical facts about the areas. He is also very knowledgeable about NBA and he speaks incredible English. Very happy with Miko!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
I8532uwmiked
Jan 19, 2024
Excellent! - Excellent guide. Great stories and insight. Well worth it. Sophie wenrmt at our pace and kept us well informed. Recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maya_m
Sep 21, 2023
Fantastic tour guide! - Me and my partner had a wonderful trip to the Forbidden City with our fantastic tour guide Christine, who was able to answer any questions we asked. She was very knowledgable and had impeccable English. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone who wants to learn more about the Forbidden City.
Review provided by Viator
Meander59030594794
Sep 1, 2023
Highly recommended tour of the Forbidden City - express but personal :) - Had an enjoyable morning, thanks to my tour guide Susan who showed me the Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. To begin with, the tour saved me from queuing up for the tickets, which would have taken at least an hour. Susan picked me up from the hotel, and we quickly built a rapport along the way to the landmarks. She was friendly, and offered to take some photos as we cut through the Tiananmen Square to enter the Forbidden City via the south gate. I enjoyed listening to the history and anecdotes of the China emperors. Susan kept the tour interesting by making me guess some of the answers rather than plainly telling the facts. Thanks Susan for making it a memorable tour for me. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vince_c
Jun 17, 2023
My guide Jay was amazing.... - My guide Jay was amazing. Great knowledge and always made me feel comfortable and informed. Be prepared to wait in many lines to get into the square and city.
Review provided by Viator
Kim_w
Jun 4, 2023
China history lesson - Learning the history of China Dynasties and Emporers. Their customs and way of life and how they have changed through time.
Review provided by Viator
Anita_p
May 27, 2023
Awesome quick tour! - Exceptional English speaking guide! Very informative and fun! Going early was good to avoid some of the crowds. He spent time helping us navigate unexpected traffic at end. If you are short on time this is great option.
Review provided by Viator
Leonskir99
May 24, 2023
Express Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City your - Excellent tour and my guide Lucy was very polite and informative. I only had a couple of hours so this was perfect for me.
Review provided by Viator
294johnr
Jan 4, 2020
Lucy’s Excellent 2 hour Forbidden City Tour - My girlfriend and I very much enjoyed the tour of the forbidden city! It started by walking through the Tiananmen Square, where Lucy gave us a lot of history of the country and the government that was relevant to the buildings around us. We then entered the Forbidden City and it’s really something you have to see for yourself! (As an added bonus with a Lucy we didn’t have to wait for security which easily saved 30 minutes). Lucy was constantly engaging us with history, stories, anecdotes, and much more. She also knew the best spots for pictures! It was a lot of walking and we didn’t want to stop! Thank you to Lucy, make sure to choose her for the best private tour you can get!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $40
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).