13 History Tours in China Worth Booking

1.Between Capitalism & Communism: Hong Kong History Tip Based Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 234 reviews · from $2Our pick

Follow a local guide from Central MTR to Man Mo Temple, with stops at the Court of Final Appeal, HSBC, St. John’s Cathedral, Hollywood Road, and more. Guides such as Alice, Andy, Armie, and Wingman bring personal stories to Hong Kong’s colonial past and current politics. A street food tasting is included.

“Excellent tour. Short but thorough and helpful towards the rest of our stay in HK. “Wingman” was terrific, especially sharing her personal story.”

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2.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93

Spend about seven hours visiting Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Panda Garden with an English-speaking guide, lunch, transport and entrance fees included. Guides such as William, Mary, Cathy and Cynthia have earned praise for clear explanations. Expect a busy day, optional boat rides, and possible silk, pearl or tea shopping stops.

“I really enjoyed the tour and was lucky to be the only person so it turned into a private tour with Suzanne my local guide. Suzanne also took me to the Olympic Village since we had extra time available which was not on the itinerary.”

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3.Beijing Historical Tour I – Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square & Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 120 reviews · from $93

Spend about seven hours visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven with an English-speaking guide. Central Beijing hotel pickup, admission fees, lunch, and return transport are included. Guides such as Mary, Jenny, Cherry, and Mark have earned praise, but confirm the Forbidden City ticket and ask about shopping stops before departure.

“I can’t remember my tour guides name unfortunately but she was amazing, her depth of knowledge felt so present and real, almost as though she had been there while these things were happening. She made sure to include every moment and help us with everything and anything we might need including many photo opportunities.”

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4.Tour of Jewish Shanghai led by a Jewish History Expert

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 106 reviews · from $96

Spend four hours with an expert guide, often Dvir, tracing Jewish life in Shanghai from Baghdadi merchants to European refugees. Begin near the Bund, then visit Hongkou, the former Shanghai Ghetto, Ohel Moishe Synagogue, Huoshan Park, back lanes, and a former refugee home. Private transport and museum admission are included.

“I would highly recommend this tour without any reservations to anyone traveling to Shanghai. Dvir, the guide, is friendly, knowledgeable and passionate about his work. He will provide you a full history of Jews in the Far East as well as share extensive information about WWII and China. It's a must do!”

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5.Beijing Historic City Guided Walking Tour + Calligraphy Creation

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 59 reviews · from $5Best value

Spend 3.5 hours walking from Huguang Guild Hall through old hutongs, Liulichang, Yangmeizhu Byway, Dashilan, and Qianmen. Guides such as Kris and Hao bring history, food, and daily life into the story, with calligraphy along the way. Pay $5 to reserve your place, then tip about 160 to 200 RMB.

“I had such a good time during this tour in Beijing and it exceeded all my expectations! Hao was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the city's history, providing various insights at every stop. Highly recommended for anyone looking to explore Beijing in such unique way!”

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6.Beijing Culture: Tea Ceremony, Heritage Instrument & Calligraphy

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 57 reviews · from $78

Spend 2.5 hours at Beijing’s private 813 Creative Park venue learning tea ceremony, calligraphy, and Guqin music. A bilingual guide with a master’s degree in history and sociology explains the rituals, while cultural specialists lead the hands-on sessions. Tea snacks, traditional clothing, photos, and a small group of up to eight are included.

“I didn’t expect to feel so moved. Playing the Guqin while the master guided my fingers felt like stepping into another time. It was quiet, personal, and completely different from anything else in my itinerary.”

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7.Xi’an Full Day Sightseeing Tour – Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Ancient City Wall

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 26 reviews · from $219

Spend eight hours with an English-speaking guide, private vehicle, and included lunch visiting Xi’an’s Shaanxi History Museum, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, ancient city wall, and Great Mosque. Guides such as Lily, Lucia, Alice, and Kimi have earned praise for clear explanations and flexible pacing. Book early if the museum matters most.

“While I don't think that this tour is needed to see Xi'an this tour provided a quick overview for anyone who wants to see the city. The tour guide was extremely knowledgable and makes getting around easy if you don't speak Chinese.”

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8.Private Historical Tour: Guangzhou City Sightseeing Including Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 24 reviews · from $239

Spend about eight hours touring Guangzhou with a private English-speaking guide, driver, and air-conditioned vehicle. Visit Chen Clan Temple, the Nanyue King’s underground tomb, Six Banyan Temple, Shamian Island, and Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street. Admission, hotel transport, and a Chinese-style lunch are included.

“We only had a couple of days to spend in Guangzhou so we decided to book this whole day tour to take in the most of the city. We were very glad that we did. Frank, our tour guide, was very informative. The sites that we visited were all very interesting. But the comments and site-seeing between these was very interesting as well.”

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9.Bell and Drum Towers Entry Ticket—Historic Landmark

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 23 reviews · 4 hours · from $13

Visit Beijing’s Bell and Drum Towers at the northern end of the central axis with entry to both historic buildings and an English PDF guidebook. Climb the Drum Tower for city views and a possible five-minute drum performance, then see the 63-ton Yongle-era bell and ancient drums at your own pace.

“Easy tickets to use. Great communication from your company through WhatsApp.”

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10.Tiananmen Square Entry Reservation – Iconic Landmark

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 17 reviews · 2 hours · from $4

This $4.82 reservation service helps you arrange entry to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square in advance. After you send your passport name and number by email or WhatsApp, Hua Hua Explore China provides reservation details and an English visual guide. You enter with your original passport, but no live guide or audio tour is included.

“The lady who organiz my trip was very communicative and clear about instructions. She even included a map and the top sites to see which I was very grateful for she made sure to reach out before and after I made it clear how and how not to get in which entrances the quickest and how to get to them.”

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11.1-Day Iconic Landmarks & Cultural Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 1 day

Spend a full day with a private English-speaking driver and guide exploring Guilin’s Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Daxu Ancient Town, and Xingping’s cormorant fishing tradition. The $159 rate covers up to two people, while entrance fees and food cost extra. Guides such as Molly, Blues Lee, Rita, and Pang can help tailor the day.

“l'escursione di oggi è stata meravigliosa, la nostra guida Molly è stata bravissima e molto disponibile. Grotte e gita in zattera per vedere lo spettacolo di notte lungo il fiume veramente entusiasmante. Grazie Molly!!”

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12.Historical Blocks, Temple, and Mountain Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 4 hours · from $88

Start at Longmenhao Old Street with a multilingual private guide, then ride to Nanshan for forest paths, stone stairs, old mountain streets, local snacks, and Chongqing’s largest Taoist temple. You’ll get city views, local context, and flexible guidance in English, French, Italian, or Spanish.

“Highly recommended! Very well organised visit with a super kind guide. We directly matched and he was always focused on what we wanted. He asked questions about us and linked them to our visit which felt very interesting. Even after the visits he kept on giving us tips and advice to enjoy our time in Chongqing.”

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13.Sichuan Museum – Cultural and Historical Heritage

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 1 day · from $5

Reserve a one-day visit to Chengdu’s Sichuan Museum and explore permanent displays of bronze, ceramics, calligraphy, Han stone carvings, Sanxingdui artifacts, and Tibetan Thangka paintings. Entry to permanent exhibitions and museum guided tours is free, but you must provide your passport details and reserve a morning or afternoon entry slot.

“Prachtig en zeer interessant museum, ruim opgezet, mooie souvenirshop en leuke tearoom”

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