China · TOURS IN BEIJING

The 15 Best Beijing Tours & Day Trips

395 tours  ·  from $5 a head

Beijing is an imperial city with a wall two hours beyond it, and almost everything worth seeing takes a booked ticket. Build a first visit out of these 15: the palace, the temples, the lanes, and the day out to the Great Wall.

From Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options - The 8:00 AM coach and the ride to the mountains
Great Wall Tours, Mutianyu Great Wall Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Beijing

From Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options

1.Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9,216 reviews · 8 - 10 hours · from $19Our pick

Join Beijing Mubus for an 8 to 10 hour Mutianyu Great Wall trip from central Beijing. Ride a direct coach, spend about four to five hours at the Wall, and choose from free exploration, a buffet lunch, a 30-minute architecture talk, a demanding 5-kilometer hike, an overnight villa, or a Summer Palace add-on. English, Spanish, and Russian guides are available.

“It was very nice trip, interesting info received while on the bus, everything well explained and enough time to explore great wall on your own, highly recommended! And make sure to include lunch, worth it.”

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

Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

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

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

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

3.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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All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall - Walking Into the Forbidden City
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All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

4.All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,873 reviews · from $128Top rated

Spend 9 to 11 hours with a private guide such as Lucy, Wendy, or Jerry, visiting Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall. Hotel pickup, transport, lunch, entrance fees, bottled water, and either a cable car or chairlift and toboggan ride are included. Expect a full, active day with useful help at security points.

“Jerry was an amazing guide, catering to our interests, giving us tips that allowed us to sail thru security, and seeing the good stuff! He knew historical details that thrilled these history buffs’ hearts. This trip was clearly bucket list items, and he allowed us all the time we needed to fully appreciate our amazing time at the Great Wall! I’d recommend this tour and Jerry both!”

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MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour - Arriving at Mutianyu and using the shuttle
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MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour

5.MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,361 reviews · from $20

Travel from Dongzhimen to Mutianyu by direct bus with an English, Spanish, or Russian-speaking guide. You get several hours on the Wall, entrance and internal shuttle tickets, plus tea and snacks. Optional extras include a rural buffet lunch, a 5-kilometer hike, cable car, and toboggan rides.

“John was very helpful. But if you plan to do west and east side the time is very short. The point 20 is very beautiful but hard to climb.”

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4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets - Tiananmen Square: important, but not always quick
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4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets

6.4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · from $15

Explore Beijing’s Forbidden City with a guide in a group capped at 15 people. Hear stories of the Ming and Qing emperors, see the Meridian Gate, grand halls, living quarters, and Imperial Garden. Choose Tiananmen Square or Jingshan Park, and bring your passport for entry.

“Good and expert guide (Maria), with value for money. The pace was very relax and probably due to off peak, the group size is small. Maria was very helpful through the tour and patiently helping us taking photos. Her spoken English was good and clear.”

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Beijing: Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket) - How the online registration works
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Beijing: Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket)

7.Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,704 reviews · 30 min · from $3

Ezio’s Private Tour registers your Tiananmen Square visit online using your name and passport number. You receive confirmation by email, then show your passport and confirmation at the entrance. Tiananmen is free, while Forbidden City tickets can be bought separately at Meridian Gate. No guide accompanies you.

“Ezio saved us last minute because I had reservation for the Forbidden City which was different than the Tiananmen Square. Thanks to him in 1 hour he closed us a ticket for the same day.”

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Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall - Three hours inside the Forbidden City
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Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall

8.Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,634 reviews · from $99

This 10 to 11-hour small-group outing links Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall. Expect hotel pickup within Beijing’s Third Ring Road, an English-speaking guide such as Helen or Rocky, entrance fees, buffet lunch, water, and a cable car or chairlift and toboggan ride. It is an efficient first-day introduction, but expect a long, active schedule.

“Mary is our tour guide! Thank Mary for sharing her expertise, food and experience! She has been great Great way to go to all the places! May not be the best to come to China or any East Asian countries during summer. Otherwise, well worth it to not go through the hassle of doing all of them yourselves.”

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Beijing: Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours - Entering the Forbidden City with ticket assistance
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Beijing: Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours

9.Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,288 reviews · from $4

Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with ticket help or a guided group tour. Choose English or Spanish, morning or afternoon departures, and select options that include the Royal Treasures Museum. Guides such as Linda, Vanessa, Mary, Snow, and Icy are praised for clear stories, crowd help, and patient care in the heat.

“The meeting point could be closer to the entrance, because it's a lot of walking inside the palace anyway.”

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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket - Entering the Temple of Heaven by QR code
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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

10.The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,286 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $7Best value

Choose entry to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace, with an optional package ticket. Your supplier sends the usable QR code by email or WhatsApp, often before the visit. Explore independently, or select a guided option if available. Allow 2 to 8 hours, bring your passport details, and check exactly which gates and inner sights your ticket covers.

“Very good. It was a long tour but Joe made it great with lots of insights about the places and the history.”

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Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options - Meeting at Dongzhimen and riding out
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Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options

11.Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,272 reviews · from $20

Mubus takes you from Dongzhimen to Mutianyu on a direct bus with an English, Spanish, or Russian-speaking guide, depending on your booking. You get the wall entrance fee, internal shuttle, free tea and snacks, and 4 to 5 hours to explore. Optional packages may add cable cars, a toboggan, buffet lunch, or a Summer Palace visit.

“The experience was amazing, walking on the great wall of China was surreal. The lunch they provide with the tour was also delicious. Thank you very much Mike for an incredible tour!”

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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

12.Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver

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

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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Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) - The central halls and the emperor’s public world
Forbidden City Tours, Guided, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours in Beijing

Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

13.Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,263 reviews · from $9

Reserve a morning or afternoon entry to Beijing’s Forbidden City, then explore its grand halls, imperial courtyards, Palace of Earthly Tranquility, and Imperial Garden. Your passport serves as your entry credential. You can visit independently or add a guide such as Bobo, Summer, Marco, Sophia, or Maggie. The visit takes about three to four hours.

“Thank you Lisa, you have been a wonderful guide! I recommend this tour to improve your experience about the visit of forbidden city.”

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Beijing: Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets - Getting from central Beijing to the Wall
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Beijing: Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets

14.Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,256 reviews · 8.5 - 9.5 hours · from $18

This low-cost Beijing day trip takes you by licensed bus from central Wangfujing to Mutianyu, with admission and park shuttle included. English-speaking guides such as Maggie, Lina, Lucy, and Brown explain the routes, help with cable car choices, and keep the day on track. You get about five hours at the Wall, with optional chairlift, cable car, and toboggan rides at extra cost.

“Everything was really good, nice meeting point, the guide Maggie was really attencious and gave good tips, and helped during the bus buying the tickets of the chairlift/tobogan or the cableway. The time is enough to do east or west or middle tracks.”

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Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants - Stop one: Beijing hotpot in a copper pot
Drinking Tours, Food, Food & Drink, Hutong Tours, Local Life & Hidden Corners, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Beijing, Walking Tours

Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants

15.Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,132 reviews · from $80

Walk Beijing’s old hutongs for 3.5 hours with an English-speaking guide and up to 11 other people. Stop at four tucked-away family restaurants and homes for hotpot, noodles, beef buns, and spring pancakes, with unlimited local beer and soda. Guides such as Winnie, Yoyo, Janice, and Haitao add food and neighborhood context before a final craft beer at a local brewery.

“This was a great way to explore a part of Beijing that would be hard to navigate without some local knowledge. The food was delicious, the beer free-flowing and the company was interesting. Our guide, Yoyao, was engaging and informative. Definitely recommend this tour as a way to see Beijing.”

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