Forbidden City Tour: Explore Imperial Beijing

Immerse yourself in Chinese history and explore the majestic Forbidden City on this private half-day walking tour. Discover the secrets of the Ming & Qing Dynasty emperors and visit the iconic Tiananmen Square. Beat the crowds and delve into the hidden halls of the palace.

Duration: 6 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - Begin your journey from your hotel or meet at the designated Lash Tea House at Qianmen Branch near Tian’anmen Square. Accompanied by our certified Tour Guide, walk to Tian’anmen Square (following all security checks). You will view the historic Qianmen Gate, the Monument to the People’s Heroes, and the…
What's Included
  • Reserved entry to Tian’anmen Square
  • Private guide service fee (4 hours)
  • Entrance ticket to the Forbidden City
  • Uber between Forbidden City and other sights (if option selected)
What's Not Included
  • Transportation to the Forbidden City (If the Option for T Square W Forbidden city 4 hour Tour)
  • Meals (lunch & dinner)
  • Gratuity (for good service)
  • Transportation (hotel drop off)
  • Hotel Pick-up within 4th ring road (transportation to the Tian’anmen Square probably costs $50)
Additional Information

This private tour features the Forbidden City, with optional additional sights available.
Choosing only the Forbidden City tour provides a 4-hour experience. Opting for additional sights extends the tour duration.
A professional English-speaking tour guide will meet the group at a designated hotel in the downtown area or a set meeting point. The tour…

Location
Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)
West Changan Street, Dongcheng District,
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(354 Ratings)
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Trail824253
May 31, 2025
Tianamen + Forbidden City - Excellent tour with May! Highly recommended! We took many many pictures and spent a few hours exploring the many palaces of the Forbidden City.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
41brendeng
May 28, 2025
Excellent Forbidden City and Food Tour - The guide was excellent. Very strong knowledge of the Forbidden City; very good walkthrough. The food tour was wonderful. He did a wonderful job and we STRONGLY recommend you to take this tour. Ten out of ten!
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Milroy2014
May 27, 2025
A surprisingly pleasant experience... - We were met at our hotel, the Sofitel in Beijing, sharp on time. Our guide, Maggie, introduced herself to us, and we set off on arguably the least likely day to tour T Square and the Forbidden City, May 1, 2025. We expected it to be a day of standing in queues, but to our relief, we found that our worries were unfounded. Perhaps we were lucky, as we started early in the morning. Maggie was able to walk us through the volumes of people. At the same time, she shared many historical details about the significant role that these monuments have played and continue to play in Chinese political culture. We were surprised to observe how many people passed through in such an orderly fashion. A credit to the system at all levels.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Erikagasti
May 26, 2025
Amazing afternoon - I had an amazing time with Gary in our Forbidden city private wlaking tour. He was very clear, kind and he was very helpful searching for some gifts and to return to my hotel. I'm glad to have decide to do this tour, i had really nice time.
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Ada_s
May 26, 2025
Tour with Italian speaking guide, Aurora, very good despite merciless weather - Perfect organization. Unfortunately cold day and incessant rain. Our guide Aurora, who spoke perfect Italian, and 'was really fantastic .. because' despite the horrendous weather conditions .. accompanied us explaining everything with great professionalism' and helped us to take the taxi back to the hotel .. good, nice, very helpful ... a pleasure to have known her.
Review provided by Viator
Aureade006
May 25, 2025
Family visit - Great family visit with our guide Tony who speaks French wonderfully, and is very friendly! Pick up from our hotel.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Pitalpa
May 21, 2025
Perfect half day solo walking tour if you are time poor! - I had only had about 24 hours to explore Beijing city following a business trip. This 6 hour walking tour was perfect - we saw the major sights of Beijing, enjoyed some fabulous local food and even managed a bespoke shopping trip. My guide Joe collected me from my city hotel. We headed to Tiananmen Square, followed by the Forbidden City. He had prearranged the entry tickets and so avoided lengthy queues. Joe was incredibly knowledgeable and shared great insights into China’s ancient and modern history. His anecdotes about the history of the Forbidden city were so engaging and interesting. He even took me to some lesser known parts of the City to see less touristy exhibitions and displays. After the Forbidden City we had a short DiDi ride to the Temple of Heaven where we explored many parts of the Temple complex. Joe also took some fabulous photos. We headed to a local eatery for lunch away from the crowds. I had mentioned to Joe that I wanted to buy a jade bracelet. He took me to a reputable store, with quality jade. There was no pressure to buy and he helped me agree a fair price. We then headed home to my hotel for a well deserved rest!
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Bernhard_s
May 15, 2025
Joe means longevity 😁 - Joe. It has been a pleasure experiencing your knowledgeable and fun tour. The day was awesome and we would recommend to book him again.
Review provided by Viator
Salomonp431
May 13, 2025
A Perfect Tour with Tony – The Best Forbidden City Experience - We had an incredible time touring the Forbidden City with Tony! He gave the most complete and insightful explanation we’ve ever had on a guided tour. Every important highlight was covered—nothing was missed. You can tell Tony really knows his history and brings it to life with stories that are both fascinating and easy to follow. And on top of that, he’s the best photographer ever! He knew all the perfect spots and angles, and now we have amazing photos to remember the day. If you’re visiting Beijing, don’t miss the chance to tour with Tony. Truly unforgettable!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A4818hkpatriciat
May 12, 2025
A perfect day - Our private tour of the Forbidden City was not only very educational but also entertaining. Our guide James was very knowledgeable and we learnt a lot about Tian An Men square, its architecture, Chinese history, the different dynasties etc. James was very professional and the tour was perfectly organized. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $15
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).