Nanjing Day Tour with Guide: Flexible Itinerary & Lunch

Build your own Nanjing itinerary with a guide who adapts to what you want to see

A private day tour of Nanjing with a personal guide who customizes the route based on your interests. Start at your hotel or railway station and choose from major sites: Niushoushan Forestal Park (home to a rare Buddha skull relic), the massive Zhonghua Gate and City Wall, Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River, or Purple Mountain via cable car. The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch at a local restaurant, and runs six to eight hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nanjing's historic sites

• Meet guide at hotel or station
• Visit Niushoushan Forestal Park
• See Zhonghua Gate and City Wall
• Walk Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River
• Optional boat ride on Qinhuai River
• Return to hotel or station

The experience

The tour starts when your guide meets you at your hotel lobby or Nanjing Railway Station, and from there the day is yours to shape. Rather than follow a set route, you tell your guide what interests you, whether that's the ancient military architecture of the City Wall and Zhonghua Gate, the spiritual history at Confucius Temple, or the views from Purple Mountain by cable car. Niushoushan Forestal Park typically anchors the morning. It's a major draw in Nanjing and takes about three hours to explore, with the rare Buddha skull relic housed there.

If you choose Confucius Temple and the Qinhuai River area, you'll walk the old streets and can taste local snacks. A 50-minute boat ride along the Qinhuai is available if time allows. The City Wall and Zhonghua Gate stop runs about an hour and shows the scale of the ancient defenses: massive masonry, deep arched gateways, and multiple courtyards built to protect the city. Other options include the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre, Porcelain Tower, Presidential Palace, or Xuanwu Lake, depending on what you want to prioritize.

Lunch at a local restaurant is included, and your guide will return you to your hotel or see you off at the railway station when the day ends. Entrance fees to individual sites are separate, so you pay only for the attractions you actually visit. The car is air-conditioned and private to your group.

What’s included

• Private air-conditioned car for your group.
• hotel or railway station pickup and drop-off.
• private guide in your chosen language.
• lunch at a local restaurant. Entrance fees to individual attractions are paid separately at each site.

Options for this experience

12 options

English-language tour with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30English-language tour with local lunch or dinner in a private vehicle; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

English All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Good tour guide, with lunch or dinner, and pickup is included

Korean-language tour with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Korean-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

See 9 more options

Spanish-speaking guide with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Spanish-speaking guide with lunch or dinner by car or coach; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

French-speaking guide with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30French-speaking guide with lunch or dinner by car or coach; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

Japanese-language tour with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Japanese-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

Korean All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Korean-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach, and pickup is included

Spanish All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Excellent Spanish-speaking guide, with lunch or dinner by car or coach, and pickup is included

French All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30French-speaking guide with lunch or dinner by car or coach, and pickup is included

Japanese All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Japanese-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach, and pickup is included

Arabic-language tour with a meal10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Arabic-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach; admission fees are paid on site, and pickup is included

Arabic All-Inclusive Package10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30Arabic-language tour with lunch or dinner by car or coach, and pickup is included

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day10 departure times: the first at 08:00, the last at 12:30

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, Arabic, Japanese and Korean

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

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

Prices and times updated 17 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Nanjing Best Tour Travel Agency

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to shape your own day around Nanjing's highlights rather than follow a fixed schedule. The flexibility means you spend your time on what genuinely interests you (whether that's the rare Buddha relic at Niushoushan, the ancient military architecture of the City Wall, or a quiet walk along the Qinhuai River), and skip what doesn't.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, Arabic, Korean and Japanese.

What is Niushoushan Forestal Park and why is it a must-see in Nanjing?

Niushoushan Forestal Park is one of Nanjing's major attractions, built with significant investment and known for housing the world's only Buddha skull relic. It typically takes about three hours to explore and is often the centerpiece of a Nanjing day tour.

Can I choose which sites to visit, or is the itinerary fixed?

The itinerary is flexible and tailored to your interests. You tell your guide what you want to see (whether Niushoushan, the City Wall, Confucius Temple, Purple Mountain, or other sites), and the guide customizes the route accordingly.

What is the Zhonghua Gate and City Wall like?

Zhonghua Gate is a castle-style ancient city gate built on a giant scale with massive masonry walls, deep arched gateways, and multiple courtyards. The surrounding City Wall dates to the 15th century and shows how the military defended and protected the city in ancient times.

Is there a boat ride included on the Qinhuai River?

A 50-minute boat ride along the Qinhuai River is optional and available if time allows. It passes through the old buildings and scenic areas near Confucius Temple and the Qinhuai River area.