Eiffel Tower Guided Tour by Stairs with Optional Summit by Lift
Recommended by 93% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Paris, France
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Overview
Experience the Eiffel Tower the way Gustave Eiffel himself would have by climbing its stairs on a guided adventure. Learn about its history, hidden stories and engineering feats along the way. Then from the second level, take the elevator to the top (optional extra) for panoramic views of Paris, where you can stay and explore at your own leisure.
- See a side to the Eiffel Tower that many tourists miss
- Enjoy panoramic views over Paris where you can snap photos and videos
- Go beyond the guidebooks with insight and fun stories from your guide
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Rather than using the elevator like most tours, this tour gives a new perspective by taking the stairs.
What's Included
- Your Host is there to facilitate your entry, provide you with all the necessary information
- Access up to the second floor by stairs
- Access to the Eiffel Tower Summit by lift (if option selected)
- Panoramic Views: Marvel at sweeping Paris vistas.
- Unlimited Time: After the tour, stay as long as you wish.
- Skip the line
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 3 Rue Buenos-Ayres, 75007 Paris, France
Please do not go directly to the Eiffel Tower. Arrive 15 min early at 3 Rue Buenos-Ayres, 75007 Paris (outside, next to the café). The street faces Entrance 1. Look for our team holding a blue sign that says "Epic Tours."
End point
- Eiffel TowerAv. Gustave Eiffel, 75007 Paris, France
This tour ends at the Eiffel Tower
Ticket Redemption Point
3 Rue Buenos-Ayres, 75007 Paris, France
Itinerary
1
Eiffel Tower
Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- The summit may close unexpectedly at the tower's discretion. If this happens and you’ve booked summit access, you’ll receive a partial refund.
- During peak periods, security checks can sometimes take as long as an hour.
- According to tower regulations, if you book the summit, you must visit the top first before exploring the lower floors.
- If you chose the cruise option: It’s a 1-hour Seine River cruise with Bateaux Parisiens, departing from the Eiffel Tower. Admire Paris’s top landmarks like Notre-Dame, the Louvre, and the Musée d'Orsay, with audio commentary available in 14 languages. Cruises run daily, every 30 minutes from 10:30 AM to 10:30 PM. Your tour guide will give you the tickets on the day of the tour, and they’re valid for 1 year.
- There are 674 steps from the ground to the second floor of the Eiffel Tower.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 3,758 reviews
JoAnn_J, May 2026
Thank you Kouss for capturing our 25th wedding anniversary, we look forward to seeing great results.
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re honored to have been part of celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary! Thank you for choosing us to capture such a special occasion, and we hope you’ll love the final results for years to come.
Leanne_K, May 2026
This was a nice tour, but a very slow pace. I should have just done it on my own. The guide was very informative, and did learn things!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re glad to hear the guide was informative and that you still learned new things during your visit to the Eiffel Tower, even if the pace felt slower than expected. Your feedback is appreciated and will help us improve the overall flow of the tour experience.
Michelle_L, May 2026
Our guide Ana was amazing. Over 600 stairs so this tour is not for everyone but we loved it. Highly recommend!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear Ana made your climb of the Eiffel Tower such an enjoyable experience. The stairs can definitely be a challenge, but we’re so glad you loved the tour and truly appreciate your recommendation!
Edward_M, May 2026
Climbing the Eiffel Tower by stairs was quite a hike, but the views along the way made it absolutely worth it. We were unable to utilize the option to reach the very top because they closed it while we were waiting, but the experience was still memorable and rewarding.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear the climb and the views along the way made your visit to the Eiffel Tower memorable and rewarding. We understand the disappointment regarding access to the summit, though closures can occasionally occur due to operational, safety, or capacity reasons beyond our control.
Thomas_K, May 2026
Mia was an exceptional guide.
Would recommend to anyone needing a guide around the tower and its history
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re delighted to hear Mia provided such an exceptional experience and made your visit to the Eiffel Tower memorable. We truly appreciate your recommendation!
Lynn_D, May 2026
The guide was exceptional, not only with commentary, but managing our entrance to the Tower. The directions to the meeting point were also accurate.
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a positive experience. It’s wonderful that the guide’s commentary and organization helped make your visit smooth and enjoyable. We’re also glad the meeting point directions were clear and easy to follow. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon.
Omali_L, Apr 2026
It was a great experience! The tour guide kept us entertained in the line with some very interesting facts about the Eiffel Tower!! Then going all the way to top was icing on the cake!! The view from up there was just amazing!!
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re so glad to hear you had such a great experience and enjoyed the tour from start to finish. It’s wonderful that the guide kept things engaging while you were in line with interesting facts, and that reaching the top was such a highlight for you. The views really are something special! We truly appreciate you sharing your feedback and hope to welcome you again on another tour soon.
Paul_W, Apr 2026
Joanne was a super friendly, knowledgeable tour guide with interesting illustrations and insight. It was not my first time to the Eiffel Tower, but the first time with a guide. She made the experience very memorable.
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re so glad to hear you had such a memorable experience with Joanne. It’s wonderful that her friendly approach, knowledge, and illustrations helped bring a fresh perspective to your visit, even as a returning guest to the Eiffel Tower. We truly appreciate you sharing your feedback. We hope to welcome you again on another tour soon.
Nancy_B, Apr 2026
Very knowledgeable guide! Lots of information and super friendly! We would do this again - great tour!
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re so pleased to hear you had such a great experience and enjoyed the guide’s knowledge and friendly approach. It’s wonderful that the tour felt informative and engaging for you. We truly appreciate your kind feedback and recommendation. We hope to welcome you again on another tour soon.
Jamie_B, Apr 2026
Johanna was wonderful! She is from Australia, so very easy to understand and we learned so much! We are so glad we did the tour instead of just going by ourselves.
Response from Host, May 2026
We’re so pleased to hear you had such a great experience with Joanna. It’s wonderful that her clear explanations and friendly approach made the tour both easy to follow and informative. We’re especially glad you felt the guided experience was worthwhile compared to այցելing on your own. Many thanks for sharing your kind feedback—we hope to welcome you again soon.
David_S, Apr 2026
James did a great job with our tour of Eiffel Tower. He was funny and kept entire group engaged. He even went extra mile when one person in our group lost their lift ticket to the top by getting another one. He made it a great experience.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a great experience with James! It’s wonderful that his humor and engagement made the tour enjoyable, and that he went the extra mile to help your group when needed. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Philip_H, Apr 2026
Exhilarating, breathtaking; a true masterpiece of art to be shared with all mankind. Well worth the trip!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such an incredible experience! It’s wonderful that you found it exhilarating and breathtaking—truly a masterpiece worth the visit. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Darci_G, Apr 2026
Does not Skip the Line!!! While our tour guide James was great and gave us some interesting info about the Eiffel Tower we waited in line almost 2 hours when we were told the wait would be about 30 minutes. Considering you need to wait in line anyways I would say save your money and go up yourself.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Darci,
We’re sorry to hear the waiting time impacted your experience.
As outlined in the booking details, this tour does "not include skip-the-line access" and all guests must go through standard Eiffel Tower security and ticketing queues, which can vary significantly depending on crowd levels.
We’re glad to hear James provided an informative experience, and we appreciate you sharing your feedback.
Anna_K, Apr 2026
Ana was our guide and she was wonderful. Full of fascinating information and took care of our group well.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a great experience with Ana! It’s wonderful that her knowledge and care made the tour enjoyable for your group. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Barbara_J, Apr 2026
Melanie was fantastic- we learned so much from her engaging talks about the Eiffle Tower while waiting to gain access to the stairs- she made the wait fun and interesting! Walking up was challenging and fun, and the views were fantastic! Would recommend for those who like to be active for sure!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic experience with Melanie! It’s wonderful that her engaging talks made the wait enjoyable and that you loved the climb and the amazing views. Thank you for the recommendation!
Francis_T, Apr 2026
Unfortunately we arrived 7 minutes late and the party had already gone. No warning no number to call. We ran after to the central point but had missed them.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Francis,
We’re sorry to hear you missed the tour and understand how frustrating that must have been.
For future reference, our contact number is listed at the bottom of your voucher and is available to call during business hours if you are running late or need assistance. The guide must depart on time with the group to ensure the schedule is respected for all guests.
We would still be happy to offer you a free reschedule, so please reach out via Viator or our direct line and we’ll assist you further.
Thank you for writing this review.
Deborah_P, Apr 2026
Nihad was our guide to climb the stairs to 2nd level of Eiffel Tower. What a wonderful tour guide, very amusing and full of knowledge. The view is out of this world, would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a wonderful experience with Nihad! It’s great that his knowledge and sense of humor made the climb to the second level even more enjoyable, and that you loved the incredible views. Thank you for the high recommendation!
Jason_M, Apr 2026
This is a must book tour that covers so much! We loved learning about the details of the tower. The prospective will open you up to the city. I recommend this for your first or second day in Paris. We loved hearing from an extremely knowledgeable guide who was able to tell us about the history of an amazing structure sitting in such an amazing city!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic experience! It’s wonderful that you enjoyed learning the details and history of the Eiffel Tower, and that your guide’s knowledge helped bring the experience—and the city—to life. We truly appreciate your recommendation for visitors early in their Paris trip. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Tommy_L, Apr 2026
It was brilliant James our guide was fantastic, told us all about the history of the tower, and the views were great
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a brilliant experience with James! It’s wonderful that his storytelling about the history of the Eiffel Tower made the tour so enjoyable, and that you loved the views as well. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Yvonne_M, Apr 2026
I was late for this eifel tower experience and I got a guided tour of the Notre Dame instead..I want to sincetely thank you for providing this option.I appreciate so much.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re glad to hear you were still able to enjoy an alternative experience! It’s wonderful that the Notre Dame tour worked out for you despite arriving late, and we truly appreciate your understanding and kind words. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Lorena_R, Apr 2026
Had a good time - our guide was super patient with everyone and the Eifel tower was fun. Definitely a good tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had a good experience! It’s wonderful that your guide was patient and that you enjoyed visiting the Eiffel Tower. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Maries_J, Apr 2026
Very disappointing experience. We paid $157 for Eiffel Tower experience at 4 pm on 4/14/26. We were asked to wait at a specific point to meet the guide from Epic tours who will be meeting us there holding a blue flag. No one showed up after waiting for 1 hour there. We called Epic tours and they said they have no guides scheduled for the day and they are not responsible. Very poor experience and very disappointed.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Maries,
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Based on our records, no contact was received from you on the day of the tour. Our guide arrived at the meeting point at 3:40 PM and began check-in at 3:45 PM, as scheduled. The tour then started at 4:03 PM, with a short extension to accommodate late arrivals.
We always encourage guests to be at the meeting point in advance to ensure they do not miss the departure, as the group must proceed on time.
We appreciate your feedback and we are hoping for your understanding.
michelle, Apr 2026
No had our guide was fantastic . He was very entertaining, made it a point to get to know each person on the tour, was extremely informative and has a great sense of humor. Very nice tour - definitely worth going to the top. The views at each level were amazing.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a fantastic experience with Nihad! It’s wonderful that his entertaining style, humor, and personal approach made the tour so enjoyable for you. We’re also glad you loved the views from each level—thank you for sharing your feedback and recommendation!
cynthia_k, Apr 2026
Unfortunately we didn’t have the best experience as I understood we would have to wait for security, but I didn’t think we would need to wait in line for tickets as well. The lines were very long last week and my kids were not interested in waiting as it was very warm. On top of it, the tower ticket booth only had one booth open so it took way too long. Just be prepared if you decide to do this tour, you will need to wait for tickets on top of security.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Cynthia,
We’re sorry to hear your experience was affected by the long waiting times, especially with the heat and your children.
As noted in the booking details, this experience does involve standard Eiffel Tower security and ticketing queues, which can vary significantly depending on crowd levels and operational capacity on the day. Unfortunately, only the Eiffel Tower manages the number of ticket booths and processing speed, which can sometimes lead to longer waits.
We understand how this impacted your visit and appreciate you sharing this feedback.
Catherine_J, Apr 2026
Thank you Melanie for being a wonderful guide, we really enjoyed our trip to the Eiffel Tower and learned so many great facts about the tower from you. Noa was very brave and made it to the top!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a wonderful experience with Melanie! It’s great that you enjoyed the tour and learned so many interesting facts along the way. And well done to Noa for making it to the top—that’s fantastic! Thank you for sharing your lovely feedback!
Noah_J, Apr 2026
I found this tour very disappointing and misleading. The booking information wasn’t clear about tickets—it mentioned the operator would “facilitate entry,” but in reality tickets are purchased after security, so there’s no real benefit to meeting the guide beforehand. In fact, being part of a group only slowed things down.
Considering the price, this feels like a tourist trap. Though they mention you don't skip the queues, you’re essentially paying a premium for stairs/summit access (if open) and a guide, with no added value compared to general admission or other tours.
Unfortunately, I can’t comment on the tour itself as I became unwell and had no way to contact the guide to re-join. Before the group departed, I was verbally offered a refund for the summit (which was closed at the time), but later this was refused because others in the group eventually accessed it.
I contacted Epic Tours, who only offered an alternative date—which was useless given my short trip—and refused any partial refund (despite my own verbal agreement). Other operators show far more flexibility instead of hiding behind strict terms and conditions.
Appealing through Viator the booking platform was equally frustrating; the decision was made within minutes with very limited space to explain the situation (300 characters), and no real customer support, appeals process or mediation.
Overall, a very disappointing experience and the customer service form guide and operator could be more flexible.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Noah,
We’re sorry to hear about your experience and understand your frustration.
To clarify, as stated in the booking details, this experience does not include skip-the-line access, and tickets are managed on-site in accordance with Eiffel Tower procedures. The role of the guide is to provide assistance, coordination, and historical context, particularly during entry and the initial stages of the visit.
Regarding the summit, access is subject to Eiffel Tower operations on the day. While it may have been temporarily unavailable earlier, the guide was ultimately able to secure access for the group. As such, refunds for the summit portion are not applicable in this case.
We’re also sorry to hear that you felt unwell and were unable to continue the tour. As you were unable to complete the experience, we understand your disappointment with the outcome. While we did offer an alternative date, we regret that this did not fit your travel plans.
Your feedback regarding communication, expectations, and flexibility has been noted and will be shared with the team for review.
Orlando_A, Apr 2026
We pay -in advance- for a tour to the TOP of the Eiffel Tower.
Never Happened!!!
When we arrived to the line it was Closed!!
There was no advantage of buying the tickets in advance!
More expensive, zero garantees to my expectatives...
The tour guide was ok, knowledgeable yes; but it does not matter!
At the end, I payed for a service that was not complete and most probably it will never happen in my life!!
Lesson learned! I wont do it again....
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your review, Orland.
We’re very sorry to hear about your experience and understand your frustration, especially regarding the summit not being accessible.
Please note that summit access is managed by the Eiffel Tower and can be closed due to safety or operational reasons, which are outside our control even for pre-booked tickets.
We appreciate your understanding.
Stephanie_T, Apr 2026
Interesting, with the right amount of freedom to wander. Andre was an enthusiastic and knowledgable tour guide.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the balance of guidance and freedom during the tour! It’s great that André’s enthusiasm and knowledge made the experience even more engaging. Thank you for sharing your feedback!
Susan_T, Apr 2026
We had a wonderful tour with an excellent guide and our group was very friendly.our guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly! Would definitely recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We’re delighted to hear you had such a wonderful tour! It’s great that your guide was knowledgeable and friendly, and that you enjoyed the company of a friendly group as well. Thank you so much for the recommendation!
Jordan_C, Apr 2026
I wouldn’t recommend this tour. It doesn’t include skip-the-line access, yet costs over twice as much as a self-guided visit. I waited more than 90 minutes to enter the Eiffel Tower. The guide was great, but it’s not worth the price.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Jordan,
Thank you for your review.
As noted in the product details, this experience does not include skip-the-line access, and all guests are required to queue for entry in line with Eiffel Tower procedures. During busy periods, waiting times can exceed 90 minutes due to security and crowd levels.
That said, the advantage of having a guide is the added context, storytelling, and assistance throughout the experience. Guides provide historical background, insights, and tips that go beyond what is available on-site, and they help manage the process, answer questions, and support the group—particularly during the initial stages of the visit.
We regret this impacted your visit. Thank you for understanding!
From $52.62
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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