Best of Kyoto Private Tour: Discover Highlights and Hidden Gems with Locals

Experience the best of Kyoto on this private tour with locals. Discover the city’s highlights, hidden gems, and local treats, away from the tourist crowds.

Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Higashiyama Zoo & Botanical Garden - Pass by the Zoo and get to see this neighborhood, which preserves the look and feel of feudal-era Japan in a wood-built historic quarter of narrow lanes lined with traditional pottery stores, tea houses, and restaurants for multi-course kaiseki meals.
What's Included
  • Tickets for Kiyomizu Temple included
  • Private Tour
  • Experienced Local Guide
  • Complimentary local drink
What's Not Included
  • Hotel pick-up and drop off
  • Food & beverages not listed as inclusions
Additional Information

This isn’t just another city exploration; it’s the best of Kyoto seen from a distinctive angle! Explore Kyoto with a city tour that delivers an optimum overview, featuring city highlights, undiscovered treasures, narratives, and a local delicacy – this tour offers it all!
Let go of the idea of large tourist-packed groups and crowded places; it’s time to…

Location
198 Nakanochō
at the entrance of the Minamiza Theatre, next to Gion Shijo station
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
4.9
(118 Ratings)
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Katie
Apr 9, 2025
Excellent Tour Guide - Ted was punctual and very good at communicating prior to our tour. He gave us detailed information on the tour about Kyoto and the history and cultural events. Plus, he felt like a friend and was so kind and courteous and went above and beyond to help us figure out some plans for that evening and the next day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grandmabonnie47
Mar 2, 2025
A great guide - Eiji came highly recommended and we were very pleased. He is a very nice man and he gave interesting information without overwhelming us.
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956froga
Feb 17, 2025
Great tour with a great guide! - Yoshihiro (or Ted to us Americans) is an excellent and knowledgable guide. He gave us a comprehensive view of Buddhist, Shinto, and secular traditions in Kyoto, has wide ranging knowledge of the city's art and history, and showed us the culture on a deeper level than most guides. He's also a very pleasant and fun guy. He also led us to an great tempura restaurant after and gave us some nice recommendations for other parts of our trip. I would highly recommend Ted to anyone visiting Kyoto.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
834synn_vel
Feb 5, 2025
Ted Kyoto talk&walk - Ted took us through the artistically startup journey led by the female with a sword - he gave insightful story telling linked to the Geisha neighborhood. The guiding towards temples and shrines gave us a good basis for continuing to visit interesting places in Kyoto. Thank you Ted!
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Ralphi2014
Dec 30, 2024
Great time, Great City, Great Guide - We had the pleasure of joining a guided tour in Kyoto with Guia, and it was an unforgettable experience. Guia was incredibly friendly, funny, and entertaining, making us feel comfortable and engaged from the start. Her deep knowledge of Kyoto’s rich history and culture was impressive, and she shared it in a way that was both informative and captivating. She took us to the most beautiful and iconic spots in the city, as well as a few hidden gems we would have never discovered on our own. The time flew by, and by the end of the tour, we all felt like we had not only learned a lot but also gained a genuine appreciation for Kyoto. If you’re looking for an amazing guide who can bring the city to life, Guia is the one to choose. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Courtneys968
Dec 29, 2024
Great Introduction to Kyoto - Shohei was right on top of communication with us in the days leading up to our tour, and he was responsive and flexible when our plans changed, which reduced our stress greatly. Shohei provided a great overview of Kyoto history and Buddhist practices, and this was greatly appreciated as we wanted to be sure we were respectful of customs. We really enjoyed our time with Shohei and recommend him highly.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brightspirit1
Nov 20, 2024
Very enjoyable and informative! - Shohei is an excellent guide. He is very approachable, informative, and, most importantly, friendly. He answered all of our questions and speaks excellent English. This was a perfect introduction to the city, its history, and culture. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Voyage25142461379
Nov 18, 2024
Highly recommend - Ted was terrific. We did as much as we could in the time available. I would have liked more time with him. What I appreciated was showing me the “off the beaten track” spots.
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Nayrudin
Nov 14, 2024
Great tour for a good first impression of Kyoto - Ted was an amazing guide. He speaks very well English and answered all of our questions. The tour was great to get a good first impression of Kyoto of and even after our tour he was still available for questions and advice. 100% recommend
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Jimjam211
Nov 12, 2024
Book this for your first day in Kyoto - Ted was an amazing guide, even before our arrival. He provided us a fantastic list of restaurant options that we were able to reserve ahead, with every recommendation being some of our favourite meals of the entire trip. The hidden gems and stories from Ted were all fascinating and gave us a perfect overview of the city. He then left us with great ideas for what to do with our remaining days, including some excellent out of the way places where we could escape the crowds. We would highly recommend Ted and this tour to anyone.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $53
up to 8 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).