Harbin Ice and Snow Festival tour: Private guide and hotel pickup
See Harbin's ice sculptures and lit ice castle in one day without arranging transport
A full-day private tour of Harbin's Ice and Snow Festival takes you to two main winter attractions: the Snow Fair on Sun Island, where you spend two hours viewing large-scale snow sculptures and watching people enjoy snow tubing and snowmobile activities, and Harbin Ice and Snow World, where you explore a colorful lighted ice labyrinth, ice slide, and ice castle over 3–4 hours. Hotel pickup, a private guide in English or Chinese, and lunch at a local Manchurian-Han restaurant are included. Entry tickets vary by option.
Step-by-step itinerary
Visit Harbin Ice and Snow Festival
- Pick up from hotel at 9:30 a.m.
- Visit Harbin Snow Fair on Sun Island
- Enjoy snow sculptures and snow activities
- Lunch at local Manchurian-Han restaurant
- Visit Harbin Ice and Snow World at 3:30 p.m.
- See ice labyrinth, slide, and castle
- Transfer back to hotel
What’s included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off from your hotel.
- a private air-conditioned vehicle for the full 8 hours.
- a live guide in English or Chinese.
- entry tickets to both the Snow Fair on Sun Island and Harbin Ice and Snow World (depending on your option).
- lunch at a local Manchurian-Han restaurant (included in two of the three purchase options).
Times
- Every day 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00
Options for this experience
3 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by Private Tour Guide
The experience
Your guide and driver meet you at your hotel at 9:30 a.m. and drive you to Sun Island, where the Snow Fair spreads across the landscape. You have two hours to walk among massive snow sculptures (this is the birthplace of Chinese snow sculpture art), and watch other visitors slide down snow tubing runs or ride snowmobiles. The scale and detail of the carvings are what draw people back. The fair is not a small installation but a full winter grounds built each season.
Around midday you stop at a local restaurant for lunch in the Manchurian-Han style, a taste of Harbin's regional food culture. After eating, the driver takes you to Harbin Ice and Snow World, where you spend 3–4 hours inside the main attraction. The ice labyrinth is lit from within in different colors, the ice slide runs the length of a building, and the ice castle stands as the centerpiece. Everything is carved from ice and lit at night, so the experience changes depending on when you arrive: afternoon light shows the detail of the carving, while evening brings out the colored lighting. You return to your hotel by the end of the afternoon.
The tour operates as a private booking, so the timing and route stay flexible. If you want to add a stop not on the itinerary, you can ask your guide on the day or email ahead, though entry to any extra attractions is your own cost. Harbin does not accept international credit cards at most venues, so bring Chinese cash or have WeChat or Alipay set up on your phone before you arrive. Wear a down coat, snow boots, cotton pants, gloves, hat and scarf. The winter here is cold and the time spent outdoors is substantial.
Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see both of Harbin's major winter festivals in a single day without navigating transport or timing on your own. The private format means your guide adjusts the pace at each stop and can add detours if you find something worth lingering over, and the fixed pickup time removes the logistics of reaching Sun Island and Ice and Snow World from different parts of the city.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Chinese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 8 years); Infant (under 5).
What exactly is the Snow Fair on Sun Island?
The Snow Fair is a seasonal winter festival on Sun Island featuring large-scale snow sculptures carved by artists. It is known as the birthplace of Chinese snow sculpture art. You spend two hours there viewing the sculptures and watching visitors enjoy snow tubing, snowmobiles, and other winter activities set up across the grounds.
How much time do I spend at Harbin Ice and Snow World?
You spend 3–4 hours at Harbin Ice and Snow World exploring the illuminated ice labyrinth, ice slide, and ice castle. The attractions are all carved from ice and lit with colored lighting, so the visual experience shifts throughout the afternoon and into evening.
Is lunch included in the tour?
Lunch is included in two of the three purchase options: "Tour with lunch and dinner" and "Tour with lunch." The meal is served at a local restaurant and features Manchurian-Han style dishes. The "Tour with entry tickets" option does not include meals.
What does the private tour include?
The tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a private air-conditioned vehicle, a live guide in English or Chinese, and entry tickets to both the Snow Fair and Harbin Ice and Snow World (ticket inclusion depends on which option you choose at checkout). Lunch is included in two of the three options.
What should I bring for a winter tour in Harbin?
Wear a down coat, snow boots, cotton pants, gloves, hat, and scarf. Winter in Harbin is cold, and you spend significant time outdoors at both the Snow Fair and Ice and Snow World, so layering and insulated footwear are essential.
Can I add other attractions to the tour?
Yes, you can ask your guide on the tour day or email ahead to add stops not on the standard itinerary. Entry fees for any extra attractions are your own cost, and your guide will arrange the detour within the day's schedule.
Harbin Ice and Snow Festival tour: Private guide and hotel pickup
8h · EN +1 · at your hotel
from US$ 304 per person