Is a Beijing city tour a good idea for a first visit?

It is a convenient way to see several sights in one day if you prefer not to plan tickets and transport yourself.

Do Beijing tours include entrance tickets?

It depends on the tour. Check the "what's included" section of each listing before you book, especially for the Forbidden City, where entry has to be booked with your passport details.

Which Beijing tour should I book first?

The ones with the hardest tickets. Forbidden City tickets go on sale 7 days before the visit date and can sell out, so a Forbidden City tour is the one to secure early if you are not booking tickets yourself.

Group tour or private tour?

A group tour is cheaper and runs at fixed times. A private tour costs more but lets you choose the pace, the start time and the stops.

Beijing tours: how to choose the right type

Choosing a Beijing tour comes down to three things: the type of tour, whether it fits your trip, and what the listing actually includes. We go through each one before you book.

What types of Beijing tours are there?

City highlights tours

A Beijing city tour usually combines central sights, such as the Forbidden City with the Temple of Heaven or Tiananmen Square, in one day. It suits short trips and first-time visitors who don’t want to deal with tickets themselves.

Check before booking: which sights are visited inside (with entry) and which are only seen from outside, and whether the Forbidden City entry is included: see Forbidden City tours. The Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays.

Great Wall tours

The Great Wall sections that visitors usually go to are outside the city: Mutianyu is about 73 km northeast of central Beijing, about 1.5 hours by car. A tour takes care of the transport and, often, the tickets.

Check before booking: which section the tour goes to, whether the cable car or toboggan is included, and how long you actually get on the wall. Our Great Wall tours guide compares the options, and Great Wall tickets explains going on your own.

Hutong tours

The hutongs are Beijing’s old lanes. A hutong tour on foot or by rickshaw shows you everyday life in the lanes around the Shichahai lakes (including Houhai), the Drum and Bell Towers, and Nanluoguxiang, a restored lane.

Check before booking: walking or rickshaw, the area covered, and whether a courtyard visit or a meal is included. See hutong tours in Beijing.

Food tours

A food tour is a guided walk with tastings.

Check before booking: how many tastings are included, whether drinks are extra, and whether the guide can handle allergies or diets.

Private tours and private driver

A private tour or a car with a driver lets you set your own schedule, for example to combine the Great Wall with another sight, or to visit the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven at your own pace.

Check before booking: whether the guide speaks your language or only the driver is included, how many hours are covered, and whether entrance tickets are included.

A quiet grey-brick hutong lane in Beijing

What to check in any Beijing tour listing

What’s included: entrance tickets, transport, meals, guide or driver only.
Passport details: tours that include tickets for the Forbidden City and other real-name sites will ask for them in advance.
Group size: small groups and private tours are easier in busy places.
Meeting point and hotel pickup.
Cancellation terms: set by the tour provider.
Closing days: for example, the Forbidden City is closed on Mondays, except Mondays that are public holidays, and at the Temple of Heaven the inner sites usually close on Mondays (except public holidays), while the park stays open.