History tours · BEIJING HISTORY TOURS
The 6 beijing history tours worth the slot, with what each one costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is first for a reason.
Spend a full day at Badaling, including a quieter ancient section with weathered stone and old watchtowers. Choose a low-cost group bus, private car transfer, or private guided tour. English-speaking guides such as Amy, Evelyn, Betty, and Yoyo help with tickets, directions, and timing. Cable car use is optional.
“The Guide was very professional, very kind and very supportive.”
Spend about seven hours visiting Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace, and Panda Garden with hotel pickup, lunch, entrance fees, and an English-speaking guide. Guides such as William, Mary, Cathy, and Alice have led especially strong days. Expect a packed schedule and possible stops at silk, pearl, or tea shops.
“Cathy was a wonderful guide on this tour. She shared so much knowledge about the history of these places that it was a pleasure to take it all in. Her understanding of the relevance of each location was greatly appreciated. Cathy even went beyond her tour guide duties by taking us to other places where we could see and experience different parts of the Chinese culture, such as a pearl market and a silk museum. This was a smooth operation from an experienced guide who made the day an enjoyable and non-rushing event. Jeff and Julie, Australia”
Spend about seven hours visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven with an English-speaking guide. Your $93 fee includes entry tickets, lunch, and central Beijing hotel pickup. Guides such as Mary, Jenny, Mark, and Cherry have earned praise, but guide quality and extra shopping stops can vary.
“I can’t remember my tour guides name unfortunately but she was amazing, her depth of knowledge felt so present and real, almost as though she had been there while these things were happening. She made sure to include every moment and help us with everything and anything we might need including many photo opportunities.”
At Beijing’s 813 Creative Park, a bilingual guide with an M.A. in History and Sociology introduces you to tea, calligraphy, and Guqin music. You brew and taste tea, write Chinese characters, hear a live performance, and play a melody yourself. Traditional clothing is available for ritual photos.
This private two-day Beijing tour pairs the Forbidden City, Tian’anmen Square, Temple of Heaven, hutongs, Great Wall, and Summer Palace with Peking Duck and Chinese lunch. An English-speaking guide such as Lucy, Susan, Sherry, or Cassie handles the history, tickets, and schedule, while a private driver manages Beijing’s traffic.
“Anson is an excellent tour guide. He provided a lot of interesting insights and also brought us to various local restaurants.”
Meet your English-speaking guide at Jinyu Hutong Station, choose a traditional Chinese outfit, and spend about 1.5 hours on makeup and styling. Add a professional photoshoot by the Forbidden City moat, or choose the full option with an afternoon Forbidden City tour. You receive digital images and five retouched photos.
“We had a wonderful experience. Rebecca was a huge help with costume selection and translation, and the photographer guided us through the poses since we weren’t sure what to do”
Ancient, medieval, colonial, modern, and the cities that do each one best.
