China · PRIVATE

15 Private Tours in China to Build a Day Around

327 tours  ·  from $5 a head

The 15 best private tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.

Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included - Meeting Tian’anmen Square without wasting the morning
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Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

1.Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7,974 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $4Our pick

Choose a small-group or private visit to Tian’anmen Square and the Forbidden City, led by experienced English-speaking guides such as Mina, Miko, Maria, or Jay. Palace Museum entry is arranged for you. Longer options add the Clock and Treasure museums or Coal Hill Park, while a private booking can include hotel pickup.

“Our guide Susan spoke perfect English and had a fantastic knowledge of Chinese history. It was exactly why we booked private tour. There is no way we could navigate through tiananmen square so quick by ourselves. Lots of different queues in different places. Susan was absolutely incredible.”

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Beijing: T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour - Tiananmen Square: a one-hour introduction
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Beijing: T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour

2.T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,446 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $17

See Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with a multilingual guide such as Tony, Michael, Gary, or Song. Choose a 3-hour Forbidden City visit, a 4-hour group tour with the square, or a private day adding the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Hutongs, or Great Wall. Expect security checks, brisk walking, and help with Beijing’s complicated entry process.

“Our Guide-James was really kind, helpful and has great knowledge about history of Forbidden City. He showed us some interesting objects in the museum and guided us through Tiananmen square.”

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Beijing:Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver - The 1.5-hour drive from Beijing
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Beijing:Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver

3.Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,263 reviews · 6 - 8 hours · from $84Top rated

Your English-speaking driver collects you at a Beijing hotel, station, or airport and drives you to Mutianyu in a private air-conditioned car. Drivers such as Peter, Jack, Naomi, and Shane help with tickets, cable-car choices, directions, and photos, then give you about three hours to explore independently. Early departures help avoid crowds.

“good experience. Our guide Jack explained us very interesting things and was very kind.”

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Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour - The Bund puts Shanghai’s past and present together
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Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour

4.Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,016 reviews · from $246

Spend about eight hours with a private guide and driver, combining Zhujiajiao’s canals and local lunch with Shanghai’s Yuyuan Garden, Bund, and Shanghai Tower. Guides such as Snow, Caroline, Xin, and Jane are praised for clear English, local food advice, photos, and flexible pacing. Hotel pickup, admission, lunch, and private transport are included.

“Really good tour! Our guide, Snow, was excellent! She was knowledgeable, patient and accommodated our interests. We had a very good Shanghainese lunch. The whole day was really awesome!”

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Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights - The French Concession and its local park
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Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights

5.Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 995 reviews · from $115

Spend 7 to 8 hours seeing Shanghai’s strongest contrasts, from Yu Garden and the Old Town bazaar to the Bund and Pudong skyscrapers. Your private guide can reshape the day around your interests, help order lunch, and explain local customs. Choose a guide-only, car, or all-inclusive package, with guides such as Annie, Sammy, and Fei Fei often praised for warm, clear English.

“My day with Sammy was just awesome! We really had a great time and Sammy showed me a lot of beautiful sights in Shanghai. I enjoyed it very much. I learned a lot about the City and its history.”

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Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip with English-Speaking Driver - The drive from Beijing to the Wall
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Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip with English-Speaking Driver

6.Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip with English-Speaking Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 927 reviews · from $78

Travel from your Beijing hotel or airport to Mutianyu in a private vehicle with an English-speaking driver. You set the departure time and explore the Wall independently, with entrance and shuttle fees included. Cable car and toboggan rides cost extra. Drivers such as Kevin, Ken, Wu, and Matthew have helped with tickets, routes, photos, and family needs.

“Matthew was an excellent driver for our trip to the Great Wall. He was punctual, friendly, and professional, and the car was clean and comfortable. He made the journey smooth and enjoyable with helpful tips along the way. Highly recommend him for anyone visiting Beijing!”

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Xi'an: Terracotta Army Mini Group or Private Tour - Choosing between the three tour styles
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Xi’an: Terracotta Army Mini Group or Private Tour

7.Terracotta Army Mini Group or Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 926 reviews · 2.5 - 8 hours · from $36

Visit Xi’an’s Terracotta Army with a small group or private guide. Meet at the museum or choose hotel pickup, then explore the three main pits with a guide such as Jade, David, Becky, or Elith. Skip-the-line tickets, headsets, bottled water, and multilingual service are included. Private tours let you set the pace.

“We very liked this trip. Our guide David was very professional and knowledgeable. Highly recommend.”

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Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip with English-Speaking Driver - The drive from Beijing to the Wall
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Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip With English-Speaking Driver

8.Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip With English-Speaking Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 899 reviews · from $92

Travel from Beijing to Mutianyu in a private air-conditioned car with a basic English-speaking driver. Choose your pickup time, get help with tickets and cable car options, then hike independently for about three hours. Drivers such as Peter, Ken, Ruby, and Jack are often praised for safe driving, photos, and practical advice.

“We had a great drive out to the Great Wall by Ken. He was timely, kind and helpful with retrieving the extra tickets for the cable car and toboggan. So glad we left our hotel at 0630 to beat the bigger crowds!”

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Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options - Mutianyu Great Wall: the morning centerpiece
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Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

9.Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 816 reviews · from $124

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a guide such as Sherry, Lucy, Aurora, or Cindy at Beijing’s Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace. Ride a cable car or ski lift, hike the Wall, enjoy lunch, and explore imperial halls, the Long Corridor, and Marble Boat by private vehicle.

“Wonderful, so well planned it made me very comfortable! Amy was so knowledgeable about our sights and I learned so much!!!!”

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Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options - The Palace Museum and Its Galleries
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Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options

10.Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 675 reviews · from $75

Spend four to six hours with a private Beijing guide at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Your visit can follow the central palace route or focus on galleries, courtyards, gardens, and imperial details. Guides such as Lily, Cindy, Jason, and May are praised for clear English, patient pacing, and practical help. Some options add transport, Temple of Heaven, or a hutong meal.

“Our travel guide Sherry was good and informative. Of course, there're certain things that are portrayed a bit subjectively, but overall we were satisfied with our guide. And we were able to finish our tour in just 2,5 hours instead of 4 hours.”

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Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride - The private ride from Shanghai
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Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride

11.Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 661 reviews · from $148

Leave Shanghai by private air-conditioned vehicle for Zhujiajiao, a 1,700-year-old water town. Your guide, often Kalvin, Snow, Caroline, or Xin, leads you through old streets, markets, gardens, historic bridges, and canals before returning you to your hotel. Choose a morning or afternoon departure, and add lunch or early dinner.

“Snow provided a comprehensive tour of Zhujiajiao. She was punctual and accommodating and friendly to my family. Appreciative!”

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Mutianyu Great Wall All-inclusive Private Tour with Options - Climbing Watchtowers and Stone Steps
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Mutianyu Great Wall All-inclusive Private Tour with Options

12.Mutianyu Great Wall All-inclusive Private Tour with Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 588 reviews · from $130

Travel from your Beijing hotel to Mutianyu in a private vehicle with an English-speaking guide. You get ticket help, Wall time, buffet lunch, tea, snacks, water, and beer. Guides may include Michael, Mike, Jackie, Jily, or Mr. Zhu. Check your option carefully for cable car or toboggan costs.

“Very nice tour. Driver took good care of us. Tour guide was very informative and interesting. Lunch was very good.”

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Customized Private Day Tour of Terracotta Warriors and Xi'an - Xi’an City Wall: the best choice for broad city views
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Customized Private Day Tour of Terracotta Warriors and Xi’an

13.Customized Private Day Tour of Terracotta Warriors and Xi’an

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 513 reviews · from $109

Start with the Terracotta Warriors, then choose two Xi’an sights such as the City Wall, Big Wild Goose Pagoda, Muslim Quarter, or Huaqing Palace. Wendy, Becky, Agnes, or another English-speaking guide leads your private group, with a driver, hotel pickup, and time for local food. Entrance fees and shows cost extra.

“Great experience provided by lovely people, relaxed, informative and a fantastic way to spend a day in Xian.”

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Private Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall Lift Way Up & Toboggan Down - Reaching the wall by chairlift or cable car
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Private Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall Lift Way Up & Toboggan Down

14.Private Tour to Mutianyu Great Wall Lift Way Up & Toboggan Down

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 501 reviews · from $108

Travel privately from your Beijing hotel to Mutianyu Great Wall with a guide such as Lucy, Jerry, Maggie, or Bobo. Take the chairlift or cable car up, walk the wall at your own pace, and choose a toboggan ride down where available. Expect five to eight hours, hotel transfers, tickets, bottled water, and time for photos.

“This trip is very worthwhile, had a very good guide named Jerry. Made it very easy to navigate our way onto the wall with no hassles of queuing and waiting for tickets.”

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Private Hong Kong Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised - PMQ, Tai Kwun, and the creative side of Central
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Private Hong Kong Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised

15.Private Hong Kong Tour with a Local, Highlights & Hidden Gems 100% Personalised

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 490 reviews · from $90

This private 2 to 8-hour walking tour pairs you with a Hong Kong local such as Alfred, Regene, Karen, or Robert. A pre-tour questionnaire helps shape your route around food, history, art, neighborhoods, or transport. Expect Central, PMQ, Tai Kwun, Tsim Sha Tsui, SoHo, and practical help using the MTR, trams, and escalator system.

“Alfred is a great guide and person. The tour was amazing and we enjoyed it fully. Highly recommended!”

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New in Private

★ 5.0Longji Rice Terraces: 1-Day Private TourFrom $894 reviews
★ 4.5Lijiang to Shangri-La HuXiang Road Private Scenic TourFrom $1186 reviews
★ 4.7Tiger Leaping Gorge with Lijiang Private TourFrom $1143 reviews
★ 4.8Kaiping Private Day Tour From GuangzhouFrom $2596 reviews
★ 4.7Stone Forest Private Day TourFrom $14313 reviews
★ 3.4KunmingStone Forest Private Tour:Scenic Walks+Guide InsightsFrom $2064 reviews
★ 4.8Jinsha&Sanxingdui archaeological site private day tourFrom $1804 reviews
★ 5.0Immerse in Suzhou & Tongli: Private Day TripFrom $26010 reviews
★ 4.6Ngong Ping Private Cable Car Skip-the-Line Ticket7 reviews
★ 5.0Wuzhen Private Full-Day Tour from ShanghaiFrom $2084 reviews
★ 4.8Lantau Private Coach, Tai O & Big Buddha TourFrom $468 reviews
★ 5.0Hangzhou Private One Day Trip from Shanghai by Bullet TrainFrom $2707 reviews
★ 4.5Private Customized Tour of City’s Top SightsFrom $1983 reviews
★ 4.7Half-Day Zhujiajiao Water Town Wonders Private TourFrom $19014 reviews
★ 4.9Private Mountains and Rivers Day TourFrom $1507 reviews

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Great Wall Tours171Forbidden City Tours80Terracotta Warriors Tours46Chinese Food Tours48Giant Panda Tours41City Highlights Tours53
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