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
  • Entrance ticket to the Forbidden City
  • Reserve entry to the Tian’anmen Square
  • Private guide service fee (4 hours)
  • Uber between Forbidden City and other sights (if option selected)
  • No tour service if only Forbidden City Ticket is booked
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 includes the Forbidden City with optional additional sights.
If only the Forbidden City tour is selected, it lasts 4 hours. If combined with other sights, the tour will continue with additional options.
A professional English-speaking tour guide will meet the group at the designated hotel in the downtown area or a set meeting point….

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
(421 Ratings)
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Sam27573
Apr 12, 2026
Nice Forbidden City walking tour - Our family had a fun time doing this half-day walking tour in Beijing with our tour guide Cindy. There were a lot of tourists in Beijing and many sites had really long queues. Cindy gave us good tips and helped us navigate through everything very efficiently, which made the tour much smoother and less time waiting in lines. She was very good in explaining the history and the culture in both English and Chinese to my kids. Overall we quite enjoyed this activity and highly recommend it.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Supriya
Apr 11, 2026
Wonderful tour! - Our guide Annie was wonderful. She picked us up at the hotel and then took us, in very nice cars (through Didi) to our three sights. She was very knowledgeable and went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable. She also took the time to explain more during the car rides. Overall, great experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Th_of161
Apr 10, 2026
Great experience - private tour - Great experience, our guide May was amazing and gave us a great tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City - very knowledgeable about history and super friendly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
6prashanthb
Apr 10, 2026
Springtime in Beijing - Spring time in Beijing was beautiful, guided tour started at the hotel, we went upto temple of heaven,Tiananmen and forbidden city. English speaking guide was excellent
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Olivier_l
Apr 8, 2026
Super Private Tour in French - Veronique is a great guide, very good French, efficient and fast! She gave us a lot of explanations. Punctuality and pleasant.
Review provided by Viator
David_s
Apr 8, 2026
Great experience - Had a great day with our guide Amy. The forbidden city was huge, prob need more than a half day tour to see everything. Learn quite a bit about its history and what it means today for the Chinese people
Review provided by Viator
311ninap
Apr 6, 2026
Great experience - We had a great experience and booking. Our tour guide was Robin, who was very knowledgeable and accommodating with our plans. We had a group of 7 including 2 kids. Learned a lot about the history and stories of Tiananmen and forbidden city. Would recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Liamgy6726gw
Apr 4, 2026
Glad we had Susie! - We loved our morning exploring the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. We were extremely grateful we had booked the private tour guide and were very happy with our guide - Susie. The process for buying tickets sounded very difficult as a foreigner (handled by our guide for us) and it was extremely confusing entering, we would have been completely lost without Susie. Having a private tour guide made life so much easier, and Susie was able to tailor the tour for us, as well as shortening it up slightly to suit our timeline, as we had a flight out in the afternoon.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lauradaniela_t
Apr 3, 2026
Amazing experience. The... - Amazing experience. The Forbidden City tour was very well organized, informative, and easy to follow. The guide was excellent and made the history come alive. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Widaddaoudi
Mar 31, 2026
Amazing guide 😍 - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Our visit to the Forbidden City was absolutely unforgettable, and a huge part of that experience was thanks to our amazing tour guide, Vivienne! She was incredibly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating historical details and stories that really brought the palace to life. Her explanations were clear, engaging, and perfectly paced—never overwhelming, but always insightful. Vivienne also made the tour feel very personal. She was patient, friendly, and happy to answer all our questions, making sure everyone felt included and comfortable. Her passion for the history and culture truly shines through. If you’re planning a visit to the Forbidden City, I highly recommend booking a tour with Vivienne. She turned what could have been just a sightseeing trip into a memorable and enriching experience!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $38
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).