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 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
(390 Ratings)
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Gianpiero_a
Oct 29, 2025
A beautiful experience - Our Marble guide, very friendly and professional, spoke excellent Italian and accompanied us throughout the tour telling us exhaustively the history and curiosity of the wonderful places visited. We thank him for his availability and kindness. It was nice to tour with him. Thank you Marble!
Review provided by Viator
Guillaumem163
Oct 29, 2025
Very good visit to the forbidden city with our French guide - Very good visit with our guide Sylvie who introduced us to the imperial city. Sylvie speaks very well French of course knows the subject extremely well. She was able to make the children want and capture their attention.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Y7101xlroberth
Oct 26, 2025
don’t make the mistake of skipping a guide! - Adele was an incredible guide for our trip to the Forbidden City! You could tell she was a true historian and lover of history and her country’s past. You could not stump her if you tried. It would have been nearly impossible to sort the tickets and arrival without a Chinese guide so we’re very glad we booked and got such an excellent host. Cannot recommend enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
E8798hhwalterb
Oct 22, 2025
Well... - Very good. Nice and friendly. Explaining the route. And very predisposed with accurate data.....all very nice, we take many photos for us
Review provided by Tripadvisor
P634rxericb
Oct 21, 2025
Best Day Ever in Beijing - Jonathan was absolutely amazing. The best tour guide ever. He was knowledgeable, kind, and attentive to all Of our needs. He explained everything. We truly truly appreciate him.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Miguel
Oct 12, 2025
Fantastic day at Forbidden City - Catherine Lu’s agency worked well.Booking was easy, and any unforseen issues that arose were easily managed. Tony was a fantastic guide. He is a superb guide, very attentive and professional, with a wealth of knowledge. He was algo able to efficiently manage the queues at the various entrances. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vittorio
Oct 12, 2025
A great first private tour experience - We had a great time with James. He picked us up directly at the hotel, which is nice additional service. We had an insightful conversation with him about the history of China and learned a lot about this country. He also gave us great tips for our stay here. It was our first private tour and we would highly recommend others to try this experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D9447udmathieua
Oct 11, 2025
Visit of forbidden city - Super nice with visit, very interesting and very friendly guide. Highly recommended. And great explanation in English
Review provided by Tripadvisor
N8771yxsusannej
Oct 10, 2025
Well organized and very interesting tour - This tour is a highlight. The tour guide Suzy has such great knowledge of the history of this fascinating place! Only the weather was not so nice..
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chantal_b
Oct 12, 2025
Historically essential but not exceptional - Tianmen Square is impressive and exceptional. As for the forbidden city, disappointment, we see only the exterior buildings. The interior of the buildings is inaccessible.
Review provided by Viator
From $38
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).