Forbidden City Private Tour with Jingshan Park Bird's View

Walk the imperial palace, then climb for the view that shows why it took 600 years to build.

A private 4-hour walking tour of Beijing's Forbidden City with a professional guide, hotel pickup, and entrance fee included. You explore the world's largest imperial complex at your own pace with your guide's stories of its history and traditions, then walk to Jingshan Park and climb to its peak for a bird's-eye view of the entire palace layout. A souvenir photo print is included.

Options for this experience

3 options

From US$ 108 per person, depending on the option and date you choose. See options & prices

Tours are available in English and Chinese. 12 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:30 Pickup is included.

Spanish, Japanese and Korean options are offered. 12 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:30 Spanish, Japanese and Korean-speaking tour guides are available. Please book at least 3 days in advance. Pickup is included.

German, French, Italian 12 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 13:30 A German, French or Italian-speaking tour guide is available. Pickup is included.

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Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Forbidden City and Jingshan Park

• Hotel pickup by private guide
• Travel to Forbidden City
• Explore Forbidden City
• Walk to Jingshan Park
• Climb to Jingshan Park peak
• View Forbidden City from above

Stops and time spent at each 2 stops

1. Forbidden City Entry included 3h
2. Jingshan Park Entry included 40m

What’s included

• Professional guide in your chosen language.
• hotel pickup.
• Forbidden City entrance fee.
• Jingshan Park access.
• souvenir photo print.

Times

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• Tuesday to Sunday 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30

Information

Private walking tour of Beijing's Forbidden City with a professional guide, hotel pickup included, plus Jingshan Park climb for an overhead view of the imperial complex.

Group Private 2 similar group tours ›

Live guide English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and Korean

Meeting point and pickup Hotel pickup included. See the pickup points

Book up to 2d before

Ages Adult (9 and older) · Child (5 to 8 years) · Infant (under 5): free

Cancellation and refunds Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Good to know

Low physical effort Public transport nearby

More information The pickup points, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

Traveler reviews

4.64 ★★★★★ Excellent 11 verified traveler reviews

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The experience

Hotel pickup means you start from where you're staying, then head to the Forbidden City with your private guide. You walk through the imperial palace (the world's largest imperial complex and one of the best-preserved sites) at a pace that lets you absorb what your guide is telling you about the nearly 600 years it served as home to emperors and the political center of Chinese government. The entrance fee is already paid, so you skip the ticket line.

After the palace, if you want the overhead perspective, you continue walking to Jingshan Park, a green space built from the earth excavated to make the Forbidden City's moat. The climb to the park's central peak, once Beijing's highest point, takes you above the rooflines so you can see how the complex is actually laid out. From the top you also see the Drum and Bell Towers to the north and Beihai Park to the west. The whole route is walkable for all fitness levels, and you're done in about four hours.

Your guide speaks one of several languages. You choose which one at booking. If the Forbidden City ticket sells out (it's booked a week in advance), your guide takes you to a nearby vantage point and you still get the Jingshan Park view, with a full refund if that doesn't work for you. You leave with a printed souvenir photo.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What is the Forbidden City and why does it take four hours to see it?

The Forbidden City is the world's largest imperial complex, located in central Beijing, and served as home to emperors and the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for nearly 600 years. It's one of the best-preserved sites of its kind, so there's substantial ground to cover and stories to hear from your guide as you walk through it.

Can I really see the whole Forbidden City from the top of Jingshan Park?

Jingshan Park's central peak gives you a bird's-eye view of the entire Forbidden City layout, which is why it's the second stop on the tour. From there you can also see the Drum and Bell Towers to the north and Beihai Park to the west. The park itself sits on a hill made from earth dug out when the Forbidden City's moat was created.

What happens if the Forbidden City ticket is sold out when I book?

Tickets are booked one week before your tour date, and they can sell out. If that happens, your guide takes you to a nearby location with a close view of the palace and you still visit Jingshan Park for the bird's-eye perspective. If that arrangement doesn't suit you, you receive a full refund.

Does the price include lunch or transportation between stops?

Hotel pickup is included, but transportation to and from attractions beyond that is at your own cost. Public transportation options are available nearby. Lunch is not included. Your guide can help you arrange a taxi if you need one.

Operated by Beijing Tour Guide. Explorevia does not run this tour: we compare it with similar options, and you book it with our booking partner.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago