Guided tour

Embark on this guided walking tour of Beijing's Forbidden City. Discover the stories and people behind the Forbidden City's historic courtyards, palaces, pavilions, and gardens.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 4 - 6 hours: Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide: English
Pickup optional: Your tour guide will meet you in the lobby of your Beijing Downtown hotel and will be holding your name sign on it. You can then either take a taxi or subway (at your own cost) together during the tour.
Wheelchair accessible
Private or small groups available

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

Yamandeep – Canada

The tour turned out exactly like how it was mentioned in description. Our guide Miko Lee was super helpful and knowledgeable. We were running late by few minutes and he made sure that we understood the instructions on how to catch up the group which we really appreciate. he shared all the history and stories about Forbidden city which were quite interesting . I highly recommend this tour and hope you get to do it with Miko as your tour guide.

Georgia – Canada

Kevin was the best tour guide I’ve ever had in my life. If I could have him show me around all of Beijing, I would. He gave context to everything we saw in the best way and also gave info on Beijing/China in general which was so interesting. Also very funny with lots of good stories. Very comforting tour guide, especially as a solo traveller. So good at his job, anyone would be lucky to have him as their tour guide!!

Itinerary

Starting/pickup location
Depends on the selected option
Tiananmen Square
Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour)
Forbidden City
Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (3 hours)
Arrive back at:
Qianmen Residential District

Main stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

Let our tour guide bring you back to the Ming and Qing dynasties
Listen to live English commentary along the way and ask your guide questions
Enter Tian'anmen Square via travel agency passage which will save your time
Choose a small group tour or private tour which includes hotel pickup
Admire the architecture of the Forbidden city and visit the Imperial Garden

Full description

Tour have few options including group tours and private guided tours. Meeting point: Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Group Tour: Duration : 4 Hours Start time: 10:00AM Meet in front of Beijing Urban Planning Center Forbidden City and Coal Hill Park Tour (Without Tian'anmen Square) Duration : 4 Hours Start time: 8:00 AM and 13:00 Meet in front of Donghuamen Private Tour to Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City Start Time : Various Meet in your Beijing downtown hotel's lobby. Itinerary for Tours including Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City (Please note in peak season, enter Tian'anmen Square may have long lines) After meet, follow your tour guide to enter Tian'anmen Square from the travel agency passage which save you some time. Once get on the Tian'anmen Square, your tour guide will introduce the buildings around you, including the The Great Hall of the People, The National Museum of China, The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, The Monument to the People's Heroes. Learn how the building was brought to life. Hear about the history events that took place here over time. Walk through the square and enter through the Tian'anmen gate, then enter the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate. The Forbidden City is the largest and the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world. You will visit the most important buildings along the middle axis of the palace, then visit two courtyards in the west chamber, be immersed in their history explained by your licensed and passionate guide. Lastly, you will visit the Imperial Garden and your tour will ends here, you can choose to explore more of the Forbidden City on your own, or your tour guide will advise where to catch a taxi to your next destination. When make booking you also can choose the option to including an authentic Chinese lunch in Hutong allays after the visit to the Forbidden City. For 6 Hour Forbidden City Private Tour, you will explore two museums inside the Forbidden City: the Hall of Treasure and the Hall of Clocks, or choose to climb up to the Coal Hill Park, from this vantage point to enjoy a panoramic and unobstructed view of the Forbidden City. Itinerary for Group Tour without Tian'anmen Square. After explore the major buildings inside the Forbidden City, move on to the Coal Hill Park. Learn about the history of the park and find the spot where the last emperor in the Ming Dynasty, Chongzhen hanged himself. Climb up to the summit of the park and enjoy panoramic views of Beijing's cityscape, including an unparalleled view of the Forbidden City.

Includes

Guide
Entry to the Forbidden City
Entry to the Coal Hill Park and Museums inside the Forbidden City (if option selected)
Hotel pickup (private option only)

Transportation fee to Tian'anmen Square
Hotel drop-off
Tips
Additional entry fees

Not suitable for

Children under 5 years
Wheelchair users
People with altitude sickness
People over 70 years

Meeting point

Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.

Important information

What to bring

Passport
Comfortable shoes

Not allowed

Pets
Weapons or sharp objects
Oversize luggage
Luggage or large bags
Drones
Pets (assistance dogs allowed)
Selfie sticks
Tripods
Walking frames
Sprays or Aerosols
Feeding animals
Scooter
Firework
Making fire

Know before you go

1: Your passport will be required during the tour. You may be refused entry to the Forbidden City without one
2: Tours will run rain or shine (unless the Forbidden City is closed by the officials for safety reasons)
3: Tour departs punctually. Please arrive 10 minutes early. Once the tour left, you are unable to join the tour, and this tour is not refundable.
4: There are mandatory security checks at all entry points to the sites. The wait time for the security check can be high during peak times/seasons and is separate from the ticket line
5: Tian'anmen Square might close without advance notice due to government activity, if this happens you will skip the Tian'anmen Square. Since the Square is free of charge, there is no refund if it is closed.
6: This tour is not recommended for travelers with physical/visual impairments or mobility restrictions due to varied terrain (underground passages, stairs) and the length of the tour. Please note that this tour covers 4 hours of walking.

Top destinations

Beijing: Forbidden City Walking Tour with Entry Tickets