Castles · Tour
Twenty-Four Emperors, a Million Objects, and a Package for Each Kind of Day
The Forbidden City with a private guide, sold as a set of packages rather than one fixed shape: a straight walking tour, a version with a private car both ways, one with a hutong lunch, and longer itineraries taking in the palace museums, Jingshan Park, or the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. The thing they all share is the ticket. Every package includes admission, which matters more here than at most sites: the Forbidden City's ticketing rules are strict, the daily allocation is capped, and buying on the day is not an option. The walk itself follows the imperial central axis, from Tian'anmen Square in through the Meridian Gate, which is the route the emperors used. The guide takes the stops one at a time, which is also how you get ahead of the crowd rather than behind it.
What's included
- Private round trip transfer if you choose the option 2 and 3
- Professional guide
- Lunch or Dinner in Hutong if you choose option 3
- For option 1+4: Hotel pickup included but not including the transportation fee to the attraction
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- Entrance fee
Itinerary
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Tiananmen Square
There are eight options; choose by what suits you. Option 1: 4-hour private Forbidden City tour (transport to the site at your own expense). Option 2: 4-hour private Forbidden City tour, including a private car both ways. Option 3: 6-hour Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City tour, including a Chinese lunch and private transfer. Option 4: 6-hour in-depth Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City tour (transport at your own expense). This one adds the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery. If you would rather skip the museums, you can go up Jingshan Park instead, which looks straight down the central axis over the whole palace: the best place in the city to photograph it and to understand how Beijing is laid out.
National Museum Of China
The first stop is Tian'anmen Square. Note that the square can close at short notice for official events; if that happens the itinerary is adjusted on the spot. The guide walks the perimeter with you and covers the buildings you see from outside: the National Museum of China, the Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall, the Monument to the People's Heroes and the flagpole.
Meridian Gate (Wu Men)
Into the Forbidden City through its south gate, the Meridian Gate. The palace sits at the centre of Beijing's central axis and housed 24 emperors across the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1912). Red walls, yellow tiles, and a plan symmetrical from end to end. It is now the Palace Museum, with more than a million objects in the collection, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Palace Museum
The route: in through the Meridian Gate, then north along the central axis to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Central Harmony, the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the Palace of Heavenly Purity and the Hall of Union. After that, one or two courtyards in the Six Eastern or Six Western Palaces, the Palace of Eternal Spring among them. The tour finishes in the Imperial Garden. About 70 per cent of the time goes on the history. The rooms look alike at first; what each was for, and what happened in it, is the part only a guide can give you.
The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
How each option ends: Option 1 (4-hour, own transport): the tour finishes at the Imperial Garden, and you can stay on in the palace or make your own way back. Option 2 (4-hour, private car both ways): the driver takes you back to your hotel. Option 3 (6-hour, lunch and transfer): the driver takes you to the hutong neighbourhoods, and you are returned to your hotel after the meal. Option 4 (6-hour in-depth, own transport): two museums inside the palace, or Jingshan Park for the view over it. This option ends without a hotel drop-off.
Beijing
Four further combinations, for seeing more of Beijing in one day: Option 5: Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden City. Option 6: Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace. Option 7: Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City and the Great Wall (Badaling or Mutianyu). Option 8: Temple of Heaven, Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City and Summer Palace. All four include every admission ticket, the guide and transport both ways. Lunch and cable car tickets, where they apply, are not included.
Not included
- Transportation if you choose option 1 or 4
- Gratuities
Good to know
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
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- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Your passport name and number are required at time of booking (for all participants)
- Please don't forget to bring your passport, you may be refused entry without it.
- 0-3 Years old infant is free, children have to purchase tickets as well
- Chinese citizens, including customers from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, need to reserve the tickets for the Palace Museum 7 days in advance. Once the tickets for the Palace Museum are sold out, it will be impossible to participate in this itinerary. In addition, according to the regulations of the Palace Museum, Chinese citizens can only choose to reserve tickets with their ID cards. Therefore, when making a reservation, it is necessary to submit the Chinese name and ID card number, and on the day of the tour, the submitted ID document must be presented to join the tour group.
- In Peak season, the security checks at Tiananmen Square are particularly stringent. If the waiting time exceeds one hour, we recommend considering skip the square. Given the sweltering heat, waiting in line for an extended period increases the risk of heat - related illnesses. Additionally, spending too much time at the square could detract from your experience at the iconic Forbidden City, which is a highlight of our tour. Please keep this in mind as we plan our visit.
- Tiananmen Square is a complimentary attraction, functioning as a tourist landmark and a political activity center. In case the square visit is unavailable due to political reasons or other unforeseen factors, no refund shall be issued for this part, given its free admission nature.
- Chinese citizens (including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) need to book this tour 7 days in advance. By regulation, please submit Chinese name & ID number when reserving and present the ID on the tour day to join the group
- Up to 15 travelers per booking.
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Guiding available in: cmn, en.
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