Harbin Ice Festival 2-day tour: Ice World & Lantern Show

Two days inside the world's largest ice and snow festival, with a guide who knows where the lights look best after dark.

A private 2-day tour of Harbin's ice and snow festival, running late December through February, with a guide in your choice of language and hotel pickup both days. Entry to Harbin Ice and Snow World, the Snow Fair on Sun Island, and the Ice Lantern Show at Zhaolin Park is included, along with lunch and a private vehicle for the full route. Day one covers Saint Sophia Cathedral, the Songhua River ropeway, Russian Town and Zhongyang Pedestrian Street. Day two adds the Longta TV tower and any additional attractions you request. A moderate amount of walking is involved. Wear comfortable boots and dress for winter weather.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Harbin city and Ice and Snow World

• Pick up from hotel at 9am
• Visit Saint Sophia Cathedral
• Watch Ice Swimming Show
• Ride Songhua River ropeway
• Visit Russian Town
• Return by ropeway to Stalin Park
• Visit Stalin Park snow sculptures
• Walk to Flood Control Memorial Tower Square
• Visit Zhongyang Pedestrian Street
• Lunch with local cuisine
• Visit Laodaowai Chinese Baroque area
• Explore Harbin Ice and Snow World at night
• Transfer back to hotel

Day 2: Snow Fair and Ice Lantern Show

• Meet tour guide at 9am
• Visit Harbin Snow Fair at Sun Island
• Explore nearby attractions with guide
• Lunch break
• Visit Longta TV Tower for city view
• Visit Zhaolin Park Ice Lantern Show
• Transfer back to hotel

The experience

You arrive in Harbin during the festival season and have two full days to see it. A private guide picks you up from your hotel at 9am on day one and again on day two, speaking English, Spanish, French, Russian or one of three other languages. The guide handles the route, the timing and the entry to each site, so you move through the festival without arranging tickets or transport yourself.

Day one starts at Saint Sophia Cathedral, then moves to the Songhua River ropeway: a 70-meter cable car ride that shows both banks of the river below. From there you walk through Russian Town and Stalin Park to see snow sculptures, then head to Zhongyang Pedestrian Street, Asia's longest pedestrian street, where you choose lunch from local restaurants. In the afternoon, Laodaowai's hundred-year-old Chinese baroque buildings come next, followed by Harbin Ice and Snow World, which opens at 11am and runs until 10pm. The best time to visit is after dark when the ice sculptures are lit. Day two begins at the Snow Fair on Sun Island, a large-scale ice and snow exhibition with multiple sculpture zones. You can ask your guide to take you to any other nearby attractions you want to see, with entry included. After lunch, the Longta TV tower gives you a 360-degree view of the whole city, and the day ends at Zhaolin Park for the Ice Lantern Show before returning to your hotel.

Lunch is included both days with a choice of local cuisine and drinks. The tour runs only in winter, typically from late December through the end of February, depending on weather. You'll need to bring cash in Chinese yuan, or use WeChat or Alipay, as international credit cards don't work in Harbin. Wear comfortable walking boots. A moderate amount of walking is involved each day.

What’s included

• Entry to Harbin Ice and Snow World, the Snow Fair on Sun Island, the Ice Lantern Show at Zhaolin Park and all other listed attractions.
• private vehicle transport both days.
• private guide in your choice of language.
• hotel pickup at 9am each morning.
• lunch with a choice of local cuisine and drinks on both days.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day7 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 11:30Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (6 to 12 years) · Infant (under 6)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Paid on siteUS$ 119

Prices and times updated 22 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Private Tour Guide

Is this one for you?Your guide speaks one of six languages, so you follow the commentary comfortably. Choose the language at booking and the same guide meets you both mornings. The private vehicle means you move at your own pace between sites instead of keeping to a group schedule, and any attraction you want to add on day two is included, so the itinerary can shift to what interests you most.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

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

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 12 years); Infant (under 6).

What exactly is the Harbin Ice and Snow World?

Harbin Ice and Snow World is an ice palace amusement park founded in 1999, with food, drinks and multiple entertainments built inside massive ice and snow structures. It opens at 11am and stays open until 10pm, and the sculptures are illuminated at night. Entry is included in your tour.

Can I visit attractions that aren't on the itinerary?

Yes. On day two, you can ask your guide to take you to other attractions around Sun Island or elsewhere in Harbin. Entry fees for those sites are included. If you want to visit something on day one, mention it to your guide and she or he will adjust the route if time allows.

When does the festival run, and what if the weather is bad?

The festival typically runs from late December through the end of February, depending on winter weather. The tour operates in winter conditions, so you'll need to dress warmly and wear comfortable walking boots. A moderate amount of walking is involved each day.

Is lunch included, and what about dinner?

Lunch is included both days with a choice of local cuisine and drinks. Dinner is not included, so you'll arrange your own evening meals.

Do I need a passport for this tour?

Yes, you'll need a current valid passport on the day of travel.