History tours · BEIJING HISTORY TOURS
The 11 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.
Travel from Beijing to two very different Great Wall sites in about eight hours. Walk the quiet, rough Ancient Great Wall of Badaling, then see the restored towers and broad paths at famous Badaling. Guides may include Aria, Lee, Jackie Chan, or Betty. Bus, hotel pickup, lunch, and cable car access depend on the option you book.
“An amazing tour I would definitely recommend it Great way to explore the Great Wall of China 10/10😀😀”
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.”
Ride through Beijing with a professional driver-guide, including John, in a two-hour private sidecar tour. You will pass hutongs, the Bell and Drum Towers, Houhai, the Forbidden City moat, Workers’ Stadium, CCTV, and the Ming City Wall Park. Helmets, snacks, drinks, and photo stops are included.
“I highly recommend Beijing sidecar tour on your first day visiting Beijing. John was waiting for us at it hotel and we had a fantastic 2 hours with him exploring the city. This is a great way to get your bearings straight and to understand the city lRead more”
This private Beijing tour packs Tian’anmen Square, the Forbidden City, Lama Temple, your choice of Mutianyu or Badaling, the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, hutongs, pandas, and Peking duck into three days. An English-speaking guide such as Linda, Susan, Lucy, or Ranee leads the visits, while a private car handles the city’s long distances.
“We have a really great time at Beijing. The tour guide was very attentive and knowledgeable. He was patient and gave us enough time at each place to visit thoroughly. The highlight of our tour was the trip to the Great Wall. Due to our tour guide we arrived early and had the wall almost to ourselves. This was amazing. Also the lunches were great at the local restaurants. We could choose the food we liked and the guide had great recommendations as well. Also the driver was very kind and he drove very well safely. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone that comes to visit Beijing. It…”
Explore Beijing’s Forbidden City with a private English-speaking guide such as Lily, Becky, Jay, or Lucy. The two-hour route covers the Palace Museum, Hall of Great Harmony, Palace of Heavenly Purity, and possibly Tiananmen Square. Choose economy transit advice or comfort transportation with hotel pickup.
“Exceptional English speaking guide! Very informative and fun! Going early was good to avoid some of the crowds. He spent time helping us navigate unexpected traffic at end. If you are short on time this is great option.”
Spend three full days touring Beijing with a private guide and driver, visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace. You’ll eat Peking duck, ride the Great Wall cable car or toboggan, and shape the pace around your interests. Guides such as Qing, Roy, Susan, and Albert have earned praise for their care and clear explanations.
“This tour was fantastic. In a short and very comfortable three days, we covered a lot - the Great Wall, Summer Palace, etc. My guide, Albert Liu, was very knowledgeable, especially about the Ming era. He made the places come to life with aRead more”
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.
