Hue Imperial City Walking Tour & Motorbike Options

Walk the Imperial Citadel where 13 emperors ruled Vietnam for over a century.

Guided sightseeing tour in Hue with options to walk the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City, ride motorbike through the countryside, or travel by private car to royal tombs and landmarks: all with a local English-speaking guide. Entry fees are separate and can be purchased as a combo ticket valid for two days. Pickup is included in some options. Tips for the guide and driver are optional.

Options for this experience

11 options

From US$ 7 to US$ 45 per person, depending on the option and date you choose. See options & prices

Private airport transfer in Hue 19 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 16:00 Guide in English Up to 8 per booking Private transfer by 4, 7 or 16-seat car between Phu Bai Airport and hotels in the city center, in either direction. Please tell us your flight number. The journey usually takes around 30 minutes by car when there is no traffic jam. Pickup and drop-off are included at city center hotels or Hue train station. Please give the location, train or flight numbers for convenience. Trip inclusions: private car or van with an experienced driver, road tolls and parking fees. A tour guide is not included but is available for an additional charge. Pickup is included.

Private car tour visiting 2 places 17 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 15:00 Guide in English Up to 5 per booking With an English-speaking driver who can communicate and share some information about history and local culture (not a licensed tour guide). You may choose any 2 places from: 1. Hue Imperial City, 2. Thien Mu Pagoda, 3. Minh Mang Tomb, 4. Tu Duc Tomb, 5. Khai Dinh Tomb. Duration: about 3 hours, flexible depending on the sites and how long you wish to spend at each one, as we do not limit your sightseeing time. Tour guide and entry fees are not included: 200K per person for the Imperial City, 150K per tomb, or a combo ticket is recommended if you also visit two or three more royal tombs. Pickup and drop-off are included if you are in the city center or at Hue train station. Please provide the location or train number for convenience. Trip inclusions: private car with English-speaking driver, road tolls and parking fees. A tour guide is not included but is available for an additional charge. Pickup is included.

Private car tour visiting 3 places 15 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:00 Guide in English Up to 5 per booking With an English-speaking driver who can communicate and share some information about history and local culture (not a licensed tour guide). You may choose any 3 places from: 1. Hue Imperial City, 2. Thien Mu Pagoda, 3. Minh Mang Tomb, 4. Tu Duc Tomb, 5. Khai Dinh Tomb. Duration: 4 hours, flexible depending on the sites and how long you wish to spend at each one, as we do not limit your sightseeing time. Tour guide and entry fees are not included: 200K per person for the Imperial City, 150K per tomb, or a combo ticket is recommended if you visit the Citadel with two or three tombs. Pickup and drop-off are included if you are in the city center or at Hue train station. Please provide the location or train number for convenience. Trip inclusions: private car with English-speaking driver, road tolls and parking fees. A tour guide is not included but is available for an additional charge. Pickup is included.

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Walking tour of the Imperial City 08:30, 11:30 and 14:30 Guide in English Up to 8 per booking Small group of 8 with guide: 2.5 hours walking in the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden City with a tour guide to learn about Hue's history and Vietnamese royal culture. Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes. We walk with the tour guide for about 2.5 hours, but you may stay longer after the tour ends to enjoy more of the Imperial City. Entry fee is not included: 200 per person. To save waiting time at the ticket office, please prepare cash, and our guide can buy tickets for the whole group. Pickup and drop-off are not included; our guide will meet you at the 4 cannons of Ngan Gate (Cửa Ngăn). Please note there are 5 cannons on the other side. Tour inclusions: a friendly and informative English-speaking tour guide, and meeting at the 4 Cannons of Ngan Gate (Cửa Ngăn).

Private car tour visiting 4 places 14 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 13:30 Guide in English Up to 5 per booking With an English-speaking driver who can communicate and share some information about history and local culture (not a licensed tour guide). You may choose any 4 places from: 1. Hue Imperial City, 2. Thien Mu Pagoda, 3. Minh Mang Tomb, 4. Tu Duc Tomb, 5. Khai Dinh Tomb. Duration: 5 hours, flexible depending on the sites and how long you wish to spend at each one, as we do not limit your sightseeing time. Tour guide and entry fees are not included: 200K per person for the Imperial City, 150K per tomb, or a combo ticket is recommended if you visit the Citadel with two or three tombs. Pickup and drop-off are included if you are in the city center or at Hue train station. Please provide the location or train number for convenience. Trip inclusions: private car with English-speaking driver, road tolls and parking fees. A tour guide is not included but is available for an additional charge. Pickup is included.

Private car tour visiting 5 places 11 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:00 Guide in English Up to 5 per booking With an English-speaking driver who can communicate and share some information about history and local culture (not a licensed tour guide). You will visit 5 top tourist spots: 1. Hue Imperial City, 2. Thien Mu Pagoda, 3. Minh Mang Tomb, 4. Tu Duc Tomb, 5. Khai Dinh Tomb. Duration: 8 hours, flexible depending on the sites and how long you wish to spend at each one, as we do not limit your sightseeing time. Tour guide and entry fees are not included: 200K per person for the Imperial City, 150K per tomb, or a combo ticket is recommended if you visit the Citadel with two or three tombs. Pickup and drop-off are included if you are in the city center or at Hue train station. Please provide the location or train number for convenience. Trip inclusions: private car with English-speaking driver, road tolls and parking fees. A tour guide is not included but is available for an additional charge. Pickup is included.

Walking tour with dragon boat ride 08:30 and 11:30 Guide in English Up to 8 per booking Small group, maximum 8 people: 2.5 hours walking in the Imperial City with a tour guide, then a dragon boat trip on the Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, and transfer back to the city. Duration: 4 hours. You walk for 2.5 hours in the Imperial City with the tour guide, then take a 25-minute dragon boat ride on the Perfume River to visit Thien Mu Pagoda. Entry fee is not included: 200 per person. To save waiting time at the ticket office, please prepare cash, and our guide can buy tickets for the whole group. Pickup is not included; our guide will meet you at the 4 cannons of Ngan Gate. Drop-off is included; our driver will take you only to your hotel in the city center. Tour inclusions: English-speaking guide for the Imperial City walking tour, dragon boat ride on the Perfume River, and transfer from the pagoda back to the city center.

Hue to Da Nang via Hai Van Pass 16 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 14:30 Guide in English Up to 4 per booking With an English-speaking driver: one-way private car transfer with sightseeing stops, starting from Da Nang or Hue City. Duration: 3 hours. The trip by private car includes sightseeing stops at Lap An Lagoon, Lang Co Beach and Hai Van Pass. Private car with 4 or 7 seats. Pickup and drop-off are included at airports or train stations, or at hotels in the city centers of Hue and Da Nang. Trip notes: please confirm if you would like to visit An Bang Cemetery, Ba Na Hills, Monkey Mountain and My Son Sanctuary, which cost extra. Pickup is included.

Hue to Hoi An via Hai Van Pass 13 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 13:00 Guide in English Up to 4 per booking With an English-speaking driver: one-way private car transfer with sightseeing stops, starting from Hoi An or Hue City. Duration: 5 hours. The trip includes sightseeing stops at Lap An Lagoon, Lang Co Beach, Hai Van Pass and Marble Mountains (entry fee not included). Private car with 4 or 7 seats. Pickup and drop-off are included at Phu Bai Airport or Hue Train Station, and at hotels in the city centers of Hue or Hoi An. Trip notes: please confirm if you would like to visit An Bang Cemetery, Ba Na Hills, Monkey Mountain and My Son Sanctuary, which cost extra. Pickup is included.

Motorbike tour with guide and driver 12 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 12:30 Guide in English Up to 8 per booking To the countryside and heritage sites: Thanh Toan Bridge, Vong Canh Hill, Tiger Arena, Thien Mu Pagoda, Imperial City, and up to 2 tombs among Minh Mang, Khai Dinh and Tu Duc. Duration: 7 hours, but the time is flexible and depends on how many sites you want to visit and how long you want to spend at each stop. Motorbike travel insurance is included, covering up to 50,000,000 VND. Please provide your passport details if you need insurance. Scooter with driver and helmet: we provide a scooter with a helmet. The tour guide and driver will take you around; you just sit behind and enjoy. Entry tickets are not included: you pay 200K per person for the Citadel and 150K per person for each tomb; entry to Thanh Toan Covered Bridge, Thien Mu Pagoda and Vong Canh Hills is free. Pickup is included.

Transfer between Hue and Phong Nha 19 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 16:00 Guide in English Up to 4 per booking With an English-speaking driver: one-way private car transfer starting from Phong Nha, Dong Hoi or Hue City. Duration: 4 hours. We offer a direct transfer; the trip takes about 3 hours of driving between Hue and Dong Hoi, or 4 hours to or from Phong Nha National Park. Private car with 4 or 7 seats. Pickup and drop-off are included in the city center of Hue, Dong Hoi or Phong Nha; a surcharge applies for pickup outside the center. Trip notes: please confirm if you would like to visit the DMZ area (Hien Luong Bridge, Ben Hai River, Vinh Moc Tunnels), which costs extra. Pickup is included.

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Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Hue Imperial City and Surroundings

• Walk in Imperial City and Forbidden City
• Visit Hue Imperial Citadel
• See Thien Mu Pagoda
• Visit Mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang
• Visit Tomb of Tu Duc
• Visit Khai Dinh Tomb
• See Thanh Toan Covered Bridge
• Visit Vong Canh Hill
• Visit Tu Hieu Pagoda
• Admire Lap An Lagoon
• Lunch at Lang Co Beach
• See Tiger Elephant Arena
• Drive through Hai Van Pass
• Visit Marble Mountains

Stops and time spent at each 16 stops

1. Forbidden Purple City 2h 30m
2. Hue Citadel 2h 30m
3. Thien Mu Pagoda 30m
4. Minh Mang Tomb 45m
5. Tomb of Tu Duc 45m
6. Khai Dinh Tomb 30m
7. Thanh Toan Bridge 15m
8. Vong Canh Hill 20m
9. Tu Hieu Pagoda 30m
10. Lap An Lagoon 15m
11. Lang Co Beach 20m
12. Tiger Arena 15m
13. Hai Van Pass 10m
14. Hai Van Pass 10m
15. Marble Mountains 1h
16. Hai Van Pass 10m

What’s included

• A local English-speaking guide.
• optional stops at the Imperial Citadel, Forbidden Purple City, royal tombs (Tu Duc, Minh Mang, Khai Dinh), Thien Mu Pagoda, Thanh Toan Covered Bridge, and other landmarks depending on your chosen option.
• hotel pickup in some options.
• help purchasing entry tickets on the day if needed.

Times

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• Every day 07:00 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00 09:30 10:00 10:30 11:00 11:30 12:00 12:30 13:00 13:30 14:00 14:30 15:00 15:30 16:00

Information

Choose between a walking tour of the Imperial Citadel and Forbidden Purple City, a motorbike ride through Hue's countryside.

Group Private

Live guide English

Meeting point and pickup You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 624 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you can type in your address. See the exact addressSee the pickup points

Book up to the start time

Ages Adult (12 to 85 years) · Youth (7 to 11 years) · Child (3 to 6 years) · Infant (under 3): free

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

Confirmation Confirmation within 48 h

Good to know

Low physical effort Wheelchair accessible Stroller-friendly Public transport nearby

More information The exact meeting point address, the operator’s instructions and every other detail are in the full listing. See the full listing

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The experience

The tour starts with a choice: spend 2.5 hours walking through the Imperial Citadel and the Forbidden Purple City, the living quarters of 13 Nguyen Dynasty emperors from 1804 to 1945 when Hue was Vietnam's capital. A local guide walks you through the layout and explains the history of the royal court (the emperors, their wives, concubines and eunuchs), and how the complex functioned as the seat of power. The Citadel itself is Vietnam's first UNESCO Heritage Site, built in 1804 on the orders of King Gia Long after he founded the dynasty.

Beyond the city walls, you can add stops to royal tombs scattered outside Hue: the Tomb of Tu Duc (built starting in 1864 and used as a palace during his lifetime), the Minh Mang Tomb (completed in 1843 after ten years of construction), or the Khai Dinh Tomb, the only one blending Vietnamese, Indian and Western architecture. Other optional stops include Thien Mu Pagoda, built in 1601 on a hilltop overlooking the Perfume River; the Thanh Toan Covered Bridge, a wooden arch bridge from 1776 and one of only four covered bridges in Vietnam; or Vong Canh Hill, where Nguyen kings rested and where US Army bunkers still stand from the Vietnam War. If you choose the motorbike option, you ride on the back with a driver to explore the countryside and learn about daily life outside the city.

Private car options let you customize how many stops you visit: three, four or five places depending on the package. A motorbike-and-guide option covers the countryside. The walking tour focuses on the Citadel and Forbidden City alone. Some options include hotel pickup. Entry fees to sites are not included but can be bought on the day (the guide can help at the ticket office) or purchased in advance as a combo ticket valid for two days, which offers better value if you plan to visit multiple tombs. The tour suits all fitness levels and is wheelchair accessible.

Top questions

Can I be picked up at my hotel?

You can choose: pickup at your hotel, or go straight to the meeting point. When you book, you choose your hotel from 624 pickup locations; if yours isn’t listed, you can type in your address.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (7 to 11 years); Child (3 to 6 years); Infant (under 3): free.

What's inside the Forbidden Purple City that I'll see on the walking tour?

The Forbidden Purple City was the residential area of the 13 emperors and their court during the Nguyen Dynasty. On the 2.5-hour walk, you'll see the layout of the royal quarters, learn how the emperors, their wives, concubines and eunuchs lived, and understand the structure of the court that ruled Vietnam from Hue for over 140 years.

Do I need to buy entry tickets separately, or are they included?

Entry fees are not included in the tour price. You can buy tickets on the day (the guide will help you at the ticket office) or purchase a combo ticket in advance that's valid for two days and covers the Citadel and multiple royal tombs, which offers better value if you plan to visit more than one site.

What's the difference between the motorbike and private car options?

The motorbike option takes you on the back of a bike with a driver to explore the countryside around Hue and learn about daily life outside the city. The private car options let you visit a set number of royal tombs and landmarks (three, four or five places depending on which package you choose) at your own pace with a guide.

Can I visit the royal tombs on the same day as the Imperial Citadel walk?

Yes, you can combine stops. The private car options let you visit multiple sites in one day: the Citadel, Forbidden City, royal tombs like Tu Duc or Minh Mang, and other landmarks. A two-day combo ticket for entry fees makes this more economical if you plan several stops.

What language does the guide speak?

The guide speaks English and is a local expert who can explain the history and culture of Hue and Vietnam as you visit each site.

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

Prices and times updated 6 days ago