BEIJING HISTORY TOURS
Good beijing history tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 11 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Review of Beijing’s $22 Badaling Ancient Great Wall day trip, with quiet unrestored sections, transport tips, guide notes, and honest drawbacks.
“The Guide was very professional, very kind and very supportive.”
Beijing tour with Lama Temple, Summer Palace, pandas, lunch, silk demonstration, hotel pickup, and practical advice on timing and shopping stops.
“It was great to see the panda's, Lama Temple and Summer Palace, but you also go to a silk and pearl factory, which aren't factories at all. They are just stores which they aggressively try to sell you things. Also, if they offer the boat tour to the summer palace for 140 yuan, I would pass, it's nothing really exciting about it.”
Review of Beijing’s 7-hour tour of Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven, with lunch, guide, transport, and booking tips.
“A terrible experience, a shopping tour disguised as a real tour. Keep in mind for the forbidden city only 1 person in our group got the ticket the other 2 didn’t because the tour group said it was too busy and couldn’t get it. So they were forced to come to Jinshan park instead. Which is bs since they paid for the forbidden city. The tour guide wasn’t really knowledgeable just had basic facts down and couldn’t speak English. Got extremely angry I didn’t wanna do a scam shopping tour.”
Review of Beijing’s intimate tea, Guqin, and calligraphy workshop, with practical details on value, timing, group size, and who should book.
“Everything was done with care—from the welcome tea to the final group photo. The calligraphy teacher helped me write my Chinese name, and I even took the paper home. It’s now framed in my apartment!”
Compare wild Ancient Badaling with restored Badaling Great Wall on an affordable Beijing bus tour, with guides, transport, tickets, and optional lunch.
“Staff was helpful and flexible. They accommodate all our requests without drama. Despite the weather we felt well taken care at all times.”
Review of a private 2-day Beijing tour with the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, Peking Duck, private transport, and expert guides.
“The tour was interesting and well organised. Our guide, Lucy, was informative and knowledgeable. We had a great time with her.”
Review of Beijing’s 2-hour sidecar tour, covering hutongs, lakes, the Forbidden City moat, CBD sights, snacks, drinks, value, and practical tips.
“First of all, John was very punctual in picking me up from my hotel, and at the end of the tour very flexible in where I wanted to be dropped off. It was really nice to see the Hutong area and the CBD from a motorcycle side car, while John tRead more”
See Beijing’s top sights in three private days, with tickets, lunches, Great Wall cable car, airport pickup, and an English-speaking guide.
“Lucy was great! She was very helpful in taking us around Beijing and helping us navigate the bustling streets and crowded tourist places. She made sure we saw the most important places and gave us information on what we were seeing. Especially loved all the food we had on our lunches.”
Review of a three-day private Beijing tour covering the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, Peking duck, meals, and transport.
“My wife and I had a great experience touring Beijing and the Great Wall of China. Susan did a fantastic job explaining all the places we visited. Susan's made sure we never felt pressure to move on to the next site before we were satisfied answering our questions. I would recommend Susan to anyone!”
Review of Beijing’s private Forbidden City tour, with Tiananmen Square tips, guide quality, timing, price, transport, and booking advice.
“Mina gave us a fantastic, informative tour of the forbidden city. We hit all of the significant highlights, she was very friendly, and we recommend this tour.”
Dress in traditional Chinese costume, enjoy professional styling, and capture beautiful portraits beside Beijing’s Forbidden City.
“This experience was absolutely extraordinary! The makeup was stunning, the hairstyle was exquisite, and the outfit felt like a dream — every detail made me feel like I had stepped into another era. The staff were professional and attentive, creating such a magical and unforgettable moment. Truly one of the most unique experiences I’ve ever had. ❤️✨”
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