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
(369 Ratings)
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61shayl
Jul 26, 2025
Great tour. Highly recommend - The guide really kept the group together even though it was quite challenging and people didn't always find the right place
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Felix_k
Jul 24, 2025
The tour was very nice.... - The tour was very nice. Our guide, Adam, was very knowledgeable and could provide a lot of information.
Review provided by Viator
Emmamorindesaivres
Jul 23, 2025
A fascinating dive into the heart DE Chinese imperial history - Visiting DE the Forbidden City is a must-see experience in Beijing. This vast imperial complex, perfectly preserved, impresses with its immensity as well as its rich architectural details DE. You can immediately feel the weight DE history and the greatness of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Every courtyard, every pavilion tells the story of a part of the Chinese imperial past. The golden roofs, bright colours, sculptures and symbols exemplify the sophistication and power DE the era. The site is imm ense, it takes several hours to browse it serenely, even half a full day if you really want to enjoy it. We strongly recommend DE visit with a guide or audio guide. This allows DE better understand the symbolic DE buildings, the imperial protocol and the organization of life inside the palace. Without explanation, many fascinating details can easily be missed DE. EN practice, it is better DE book tickets in advance (seats are limited per day), and DE come early to avoid the crowds. Also plan DE good shoes: there is a lot DE walking. EN summary, the Forbidden City is much more than a tourist site: it is a majestic immersion in the culture and history DE China. A true journey through time, not to be missed.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tori_j
Jul 22, 2025
Adam was a great tour... - Adam was a great tour guide. He was flexible and understanding when we ran late due to traffic. We had to shorten the tour a lot but it still was informative and thorough. I highly recommend this tour.
Review provided by Viator
Loveb587
Jul 16, 2025
Very good - Michael was fantastic! Very interesting and fun tour! The tour took us through the entire area, and we also received some extra fun facts. Would recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
699dougf
Jul 12, 2025
An impressive tour and service - Adam was a terrific guide. He is so knowledgable, kind and efficient, he is a great leader. I highly recommend Catherine Lu Tours who made this all possible.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Vykintasn2019
Jul 9, 2025
Private Tiananmen and Forbidden city tour with Sonia - The tickets to some of the most popular Beijing attractions such as the forbidden palace is notoriously difficult to get. Being native chinese speaker, I had done a lot of research before deciding to save myself the trouble and book a private tour. As our group is a bit more complicated in our requirements - my mom only speaks mandarin, my partner only speaks English and I'm bilingual - we wanted a bilingual commentary if possible. After registering my interest on the Catherine Lu tours website, Catherine herself promptly contacted me via WhatsApp and email. She was really communicative and answered all my questions promptly. We were assigned Sonia as our guide, she speaks excellent English and of course mandarin. Despite having to do the commentary in both English and mandarin, she is most patient with us and I also notice that she tries to introduce variations in her commentaries and not just repeat the same information in different languages. She also engages in additional discussions with us when she knows we are more well versed in Chinese history. The security and ticket checkpoints to get to Tiananmen square and forbidden palace are numerous and sometimes confusing but Sonia masterfully guided us through all of them smoothly. The palace itself is also extremely busy given that we had visited on a Friday morning during peak tourist season but Sonia is able to take us through the less taken paths, avoiding the crowds. She also knows all the best vantage points for photo taking. Overall we are also very impressed with her friendly and relaxed demeanor which really makes such a busy tourist attraction less stressful. Thank you Sonia! I would definitely strongly recommend Catherine's company and Sonia!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eugene_y
Jul 8, 2025
Michael Guide Beijing Forbidden City - Michael our guide was excellent. He was fluent in English and very knowledgeable about the Forbidden City. Highly recommended Viator identified Michael from Catherine Lu Tours
Review provided by Viator
K7241ajmitchells
Jul 8, 2025
A solid guided tour of the Beijing sights - I had an excellent private tour of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and nearby parks with this company in July. Robin’s English is excellent, and it was very useful having a knowledgeable guide who could explain the historical and cultural significance of the sights I saw. It really added to the experience. It was good value for money, and I got a lot more out of it than if I had gone by myself.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Francesco_p
Jul 17, 2025
Scam - Bad: tickets paid for but not associated with passport so UNABLE TO ENTER. I tried to notify Viator support and the tour operator but they couldn't fix it. Awaiting reimbursement
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).