Beijing Tours
4-Hour Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City
5

4-Hour Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City

By Discover Beijing Tours
Recommended by 98% of travelers
98% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
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About
Get the most out of your Beijing vacation with this personalized private Beijing walking tour of the Forbidden City. Eliminate the need to study a map, and rely on your guide to take care of the navigating. Explore Tiananmen Square, and avoid waiting in ticket lines at the Forbidden City, as entrance fees are included. A perk of the tour is that the itinerary can be tailored to your preferences.
from
$90.00
per adult (price varies by group size)
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-90
Duration: 4h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
More

Highlights
  • Avoid long ticket lines at the Forbidden City—entry is included
  • A private tour ensures having your guide’s undivided attention
  • Choose the start time of the tour to suit your schedule
  • Learn about Beijing’s history through guide commentary

  • Professional guide
  • Private tour
  • Hotel pickup only(but not including the transportation fee to Tian'anmen Square)
  • Entrance fee
  • Entry/Admission - Forbidden City-The Palace Museum
  • Entry/Admission - Hall of Union
  • Entry/Admission - Hall of Great Harmony (Taihe Dian)
  • Entry/Admission - Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian)
  • Entry/Admission - The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
What's not included
  • Transportation to the Forbidden City
  • Hotel drop-off
  • Gratuities
  • Additional entrance fee to the museums


Start:Traveler pickup offered.
    Pickup details
    • Hotel pick up including hotels within the 4th ring road of Beijing city
    Additional pickup options
    During checkout you will be able to select from the list of included pickup points.
    • Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, 20 Qian Men Dong Da Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100051
    End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

      • Wheelchair accessible
      • Stroller accessible
      • Near public transportation
      • Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
      If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11301P27

      • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
      • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
      • Passport name, number is required at time of booking for all participants
      • The Forbidden City in winter closes at 4:30pm (1st of Nov - 31st of March), in summer at 5:00pm (1st of April -31st of Oct), please arrange your start time accordingly
      • Please Note: When making a booking, please provide the tour operator with your desired pick up time at "special requirement", your tour operator will also contact you just in case
      • The visit to Tiananmen Square is not guaranteed, it might be closed due to the government events.
      • Most travelers can participate
      • This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

      • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

      If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 11301P27

      Reserve your spot

      Similar experiences

      Itinerary
      • 1
        Pass by
        National Museum Of China
        Mausoleum of Mao Zedong
      • 2
        Pass by
        Meridian Gate (Wu Men)
      • 3
      • 4
      • 5
      • 6
      About the operator
      Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
      • Discover Beijing Tours
        2,094
        Beijing, China
        Joined in December 2012
      • igoraP8832YE
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great experience
        I would like to thank Lucy for a wonderful tour of the Forbidden City yesterday. There was fantastically pleasant weather and lots of interesting stories about the City. I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to know a lot about Chinese culture. Also, Lucy recommended me some antique tea houses and cafes around. Thanks again 🙏🏼 10/10
        Written September 11, 2024
      • Jose M
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A must
        Our guide was knowledgeable, funny and friendly. I recommend them as a guide. His name is Kevin. he also helped us with taking photos and they came out very well. He knew where to put us to make sure that the pictures were great
        Written September 11, 2024
      • giuliapJ6992TI
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Wonderful day at the forbidden city
        Today we had a wonderful tour of the Forbidden City with Vivien. She was very knowledgeable and definitely knows how to keep our attention for the whole time with a lot of interesting facts and stories. She is very passionate about her job and she made us passionate about what we learnt today too. Thank you very much Vivien! We had a great day
        Written September 11, 2024
      • 375orianag
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Fantastic tour of the forbidden city
        We had a great time touring the forbidden city with Mike. Mike was a fantastic tour guide with lots of knowledge of Chinese history. Would definitely recommend.
        Written September 11, 2024
      • traceybU4218XS
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great experience, excellent guide
        This was a wonderful tour! So original and a great mix of food experiences, each unique. Miko is the perfect guide - he is knowledgeable, fun and has great energy. We had the best time.
        Written September 10, 2024
      • 890romaink
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great visit with Mike ✌️🇨🇳
        We did an amazing tour of the forbidden city with Mike. Lots of stories détails and captivating us throughout this 4h long visit. I warmly recommend to do this to know more and learn a lot about this historical place !
        Written September 10, 2024
      • M9239RGdaniel
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Wonderful food and great company!
        Fabulous food with a really interesting social and political context from Anson. He gently figured out my tolerance for different foods and spices and then tailored the food accordingly. I ended up trying so many things for the first time and they were all delicious. Anson was charming company throughout and answered all of my many questions about China with humour and grace.
        Written September 10, 2024
      • Janie S
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        A great tour.
        Jack was our guide for this tour for my husband and I traveling with our adult son. He spoke English well and was interested in learning new words and phrases from us. He was very knowledgeable about Chinese history and the places we visited. He moved at a very fast pace which was perfect for us. Jack suggested adding on a Chinese acrobatics performance before lunch which we enjoyed. He helped us before dropping us off at the hotel make a reservation for Tian’anmen Square the next day through We Chat. It had been closed due to the African forum when we toured Forbidden City a prior day with a different company who had told us incorrectly that Tiananmen Square was also closed on Mondays so we thought we were not going to be able to see it before leaving China.
        Written September 10, 2024
      • taisetu16
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Forbidden city tour with Kevin
        what made this tour so successful was Kevin our guide as his knowledge was fantastic and detailed his English was great and I could understand him He made us feel relaxed and his sense of humour and delivery made the tour even more engaging I really learned a lot about the history and architecture of china The tour itself was well planned, earpieces so we could always hear what was being explained Despite it being a last minute booking all went well and the meeting instructions very clear | easy to follow and precise Great value for money Well done Kevin I wiikd never have gained so much knowledge without you
        Written September 10, 2024
      • minc684
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Best tour ever!
        Kevin is an excellent tour guide! Highly recommend! He is friendly, helpful, knowledgeable, fun and funny. There were three of us in our group and we were part of his tour group. He gave individual attention to each of us without compromising the rest of the group. He paid attention if people were bored or too hot or needed a break, so he would change his approach or route. Picked excellent spots to take a picture of each of us in the group and all of the pictures came out great! My absolute favorite part is all I learned about Chinese history, language and culture. He made it interesting and easy to understand and remember. I found myself seeing what I learned in his tour in other parts of China beyond his tour. Also, he was funny! 谢谢 凯文! 再见!
        Written September 9, 2024
      • Voyage44332160397
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Stongly recommend!
        Two of the must visit locations around Beijing! We spent a great day with Sherry talking about history, curiosities and Chinese culture. Very nice and kind person as the driver Sun who at the end of the tour took us to the city center for a last walk before dinner.
        Written September 9, 2024
      • Nomad63642964144
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Great tour!
        Mike’s tour of the forbidden city was great. He has interesting and novel stories and takes the time to show you around. He even explores the park north of the city. Recommended!
        Written September 9, 2024
      • Benjamin C
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Stunning hike of the Great Wall
        Huang took me on a fantastic tour of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. We were the only people there and Huang gave me an awesome history lectures in the car during our two hour journey there. stunning views and a very memorable experience. Simatai was also incredible and walking along the wall with it all lit up was beautiful. The water town is well worth seeing. An excellent tour and an excellent guide and driver.
        Written September 8, 2024
      • F8993JHrenea
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Highly recommended tour
        I highly recommend this tour. Mike speaks fluently English. His explanations and stories about the Forbidden City are compelling. Due to his engaging manner the tour was over before you know
        Written September 8, 2024
      • gostone
        0 contributions
        5.0 of 5 bubbles
        Amazing tour
        Our guide, Jay was very knowledgeable and helpful. We needed to get a taxi back to our hotel and Jay helped us get one, which was very nice.
        Written September 8, 2024
      See all 2,094 reviews
      These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

      Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

      Popular mentions

      5.0
      5.0 of 5 bubbles323 reviews
      Excellent
      310
      Very good
      9
      Average
      1
      Poor
      1
      Terrible
      2

      James C
      13 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2024 • Couples
      In addition to tremendous crowds, the area around Tianamen Square and the Forbidden city is riddled with check points and barriers and I would not want to begin trying to navigate it on my own to save a few dollars. Despite these obstacles, we never waited more than a few minutes in line and our guide gave us clear instructions on how to proceed. Miko was a great guide. Very knowledgeable and entertaining. Despite having a tough tour due to rain, health issues and children in our group— he was calm, helpful , professional and was able to keep our tour on track! I was very impressed and I would recommend him as a guide!
      Written September 6, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      elena e
      1 contribution
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Aug 2024 • Couples
      My recent tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with Miko was an absolute highlight of my trip to Beijing. His knowledge and passion for Chinese history were truly inspiring.
      Miko’s ability to weave historical tales with personal anecdotes made the tour engaging and relatable. He explained the significance of each landmark, offering insights that I wouldn’t have gained from a simple guidebook. His enthusiasm was contagious, and I found myself completely captivated by his storytelling.
      The 4-hour tour was perfectly paced, allowing us to explore both Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City at a leisurely pace. Miko ensured that we had ample time to ask questions and take photos. His attention to detail and his ability to adapt to our interests made the experience truly personalized.
      If you're looking for a knowledgeable and engaging guide to explore Beijing's iconic landmarks, I highly recommend Miko. His tour is a must-do for anyone visiting the city.
      Written August 22, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      QRC
      12 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2024 • Friends
      Great experience with our tour guide Miko! We went during peak period (clashes with Beijing’s school holidays) so there were many more people than expected. However, Miko handled the situation very professionally, navigating our group through the crowds efficiently, and finding sheltered places (shades) for our group to rest along the way while he describes the history of Tiananmen and Forbidden City. Miko is well-prepared for the trip (the mic and earpieces are very useful for us to hear his stories clearly). Even at times where we had to queue up to enter Forbidden City, he kept sharing about the culture and lifestyle in Beijing so that we don’t feel bored, and the queues don’t seem so mundane. Throughout the 4 hour tour, and especially towards the end (where we start to get tired from the heat and walking) Miko’s energetic outlook motivates us to keep going and exploring the palace halls. Overall it was a fun and memorable trip ! Would recommend ~
      (ps: picture featuring back view of Miko with his Bobble Head stick)

      跟导游Miko的旅行体验非常棒!我们在参观故宫的日期属于旅游高峰期(与北京的学校假期重合),所以人比预期的多了许多。但是,Miko非常专业地处理了这种情况,高效地带领我们穿梭于人群之间,并且多次找了遮荫的地方让我们的团队休息,同时讲解天安门和故宫的历史。Miko为他的旅游团准备得很充分(麦克风和耳机让我们能清楚地听到他的讲述)。即使在我们排队进入故宫的时候,他也一直分享北京的文化和生活方式,让我们不感到无聊,排队也不那么枯燥。整个四个小时的旅行,特别是到了最后(我们开始因天气炎热和步行感到疲倦的时候),Miko充满活力的态度激励我们继续探索和参观故宫殿宇。总体来说,这是一次有趣而令人难忘的旅行!强烈推荐~ (图片显示Miko背影,手持他的Bobble Head拐杖)
      Written July 9, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      tomc55555
      Sydney, Australia6 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      I had an amazing experience on this tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.

      Miko was a very friendly and professional tour guide. His knowledge of the history of the city helped me to understand the significance of what I was seeing.

      I highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Beijing, as it allows you to see two key landmarks and you avoid having to book the tickets yourself!
      Written April 24, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Colin B
      16 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jun 2024 • Family
      We did the Forbidden City tour alongside a walk through of Tiananmen Square with Miko. He met as at the scheduled point and guided us for 4 hours making sure we were comfortable in the heat, buying us water, taking care of all the entrance procedures and answering all our questions. His knowledge of the Forbidden City was amazing. Coupled with his very entertaining presentation style he also provided a lot of background information on Chinese culture and history. It is fair to say he was the best guide we booked throughout our entire stay in China. I would thoroughly recommend this tour (especially Miko) to anyone visiting Beijing.
      Excellent all round.
      Colin and Ciera.
      Written June 21, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Betania_travel
      Brasilia, DF14 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Jul 2023 • Solo
      The forbidden city is one of the main tourist destinations in Beijing... it is huge, so going with a private guide makes the experience a lot more efficient! Lucy is a wonderful guide. Very knowledgeable and her English is excellent.. very easy to understand. She explained not only the history but also Chinese culture. It was also fascinating to hear how many in the local tourism industry navigated the pandemic years. I highly recommend the tour and Lucy as the guide.
      Written July 2, 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Scott S
      3 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Apr 2024 • Solo
      The only way to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. If can be crowded and a limited number of tickets for entry are issued a week in advance. The tour group is on it and gets tickets for you and you get expedited access. Well worth it for that alone. Add to it that Miko, our tour guide, made the experience really special. His English was great and he shared lots of relevant information about the sights in the Forbidden City and Chinese history. He’s really knowledgeable and a really nice guy. When the tour was over, he went out of his way to help me find a pharmacy and called ahead to let them know I was coming and what I needed. I feel like i have a friend in Beijing in Miko.
      Written May 11, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Kevin K
      38 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Nov 2023 • Family
      We had a great tour with Vivian and learned a lot about the Forbidden City and Beijing. The Forbidden City is a must see while in Beijing and the private tour made it more interesting and exciting. Vivian also took a ton of great photos of us and knew all the best photo spots. I am glad we splurged on the private tour as the bigger tours looked pretty slow and it would be annoying to have to wait for so many people. It also seems like it would be hard to keep up and hear everything given how crowded it is.
      Written November 15, 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      LightPacker766956
      2 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Oct 2023 • Couples
      On our first trip to China we took a 4-hour tour with Miko , who was an excellent source of information about the history of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. He did his best answering our numerous questions about modern China, its culture and socioeconomic aspects. His english skills are very good and he even spelled out some of the words to ensure we understand the content. I only wish we had more time in Beijing to take other tours with a guide like him.
      Written October 23, 2023
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

      Timon S
      12 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      I went to the tour alone and felt very comfortable right away. Miko has equipped all participants with headphones about which he always gave us information. I really liked Miko's relaxed and humorous way! Since the forbidden city is very large, you couldn't see everything. But you could see everything important. I would only recommend taking snacks and enough to drink with you, as you can't buy anything in the forbidden city.
      Written August 16, 2024
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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      4-Hour Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City provided by Discover Beijing Tours

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