Forbidden City Ticket and Private Tour
Recommended by 99% of travelers
Beijing, China
- 2 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
See the Chinese imperial palace used from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty up close on this private tour of the Forbidden City. Please be aware that this tour doesn’t include transportation to and from the attractions, but your private guide can help you get a taxi or other form of transport (own expense). The tour includes admission ticket, but at least 2 days in advance.
- Explore a UNESCO World Heritage Site—the Forbidden City
- Choose from several tour times to fit your schedule
- Private guide for a more personalized experience
- Learn about the history of China and its dynasties
What's Included
- Private knowledgeable guide
- Forbidden city Admission Ticket
- Hotel drop off
- Gratuities ( Recommend for excellent service )
- Transport fee
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Beijing
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Forbidden City-The Palace Museum
2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Meridian Gate (Wu Men) (Pass By)
Hall of Great Harmony (Taihe Dian) (Pass By)
Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian) (Pass By)
The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- All travelers Passport name, number and birthday is required at time of booking for all participants for getting your SKIP THE LINE Forbidden City entrance ticket in advance
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Please provide the tour operator with your special requests at "special requirement", your tour operator will also contact you just in case
- Please note : The private tour not include hotel drop off ,but your guide can help you get taxi or personal Uber (own expense)
- For last minute booking , if no guide available , we can full refund or change the tour to another day
- If you choose to have Spanish language tour guide service, please ensure to make your booking at least 3 days in advance
- The tour include Forbidden city tickets , but need book the tour at least 2 days in advance
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 109 reviews
Brent_C, Mar 2026
We toured the Forbidden City with Sue from Leo Private Tour and I cannot recommend her enough. Sue is a wealth of knowledge and outgoing personality, so her facts and experience added tremendously to our memorable trip to the Forbidden City. As English only speakers, we would’ve had a much more difficult time navigating the palace without her help, and her guiding provided so much context and rich history to each point of the tour. 10 out of 10 experience and we will certainly reach back out to Sue / Leo Private Tours for our future trips in Beijing.
Cedric_L, Aug 2025
Tony was a fantastic guide for our Forbidden City visit. It made a huge difference compared to going on our own. We learned so much about Chinese history and culture. We asked him endless questions, even on topics not directly related to the Forbidden City, and he always had detailed, interesting answers and stories. His years of experience as a guide and knowledge really made the experience special.
KarenLau, Jun 2025
We had a great tour of the Forbidden City with Leo’s private China Tours. Hannah was our guide and she was very informative. She spoke very good English and was patient and friendly with my daughter and elderly in-laws. I would definitely recommend this tour!
Audrey_L, Apr 2025
Our guide Julia was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable about history in general and the site, she had great stories about the discovery of the warriors and a lot of information about their creation and their excavation. her English was perfect, she was extremely helpful and sorted our tickets and even helped us get tickets for a show. Best guide of our whole trip to China. Also one of the best experiences.
tianren_l, Dec 2024
We did the tour with Leo's private tour and Jenny was our tour guide. She was very engaging and knowledgeable and explained the history very well in perfect English. We really enjoyed the tour and highly recommend our tour guide Jenny.
Augustine_T, Nov 2024
Sue, was both knowledgeable and friendly, taking great care to share her love for history and all the back stories that relate to the forbidden city. She kept us captivated and the narrative going througout the experience which brought much insight and meaning to what were seeing as any good teacher would do. Would highly recommend Leo's private tour with Sue as your guide for a great experience in Beijing!
Noah_B, Oct 2024
We had a great time at the Forbidden City with our guide Jenny from Leo’s Guide & Driver Service. Jenny speaks excellent English and was very knowledgeable about history. We enjoyed the tour very much. Thank you Jenny!
Frederick_H, Jun 2024
This was an amazing experience! My tour guide Jenny did a great job at showing me around and teaching me about this history of Forbidden City!
ClausWilli_K, Oct 2023
Rita Gao, our guide was impeccable. On time, very patient and arranged everything for us. The forbidden city is for sure a must see, when you’re in Beijing.
However, the money we paid here at Viator was completely overpriced. When booking your tour, take your time and save big money. We paid 300US$ for a private tour for 4. You can get it for half and less, if you look a bit better, than what I did. Without any loss in quality. This makes me very critical regarding this App and I will not use it anymore without scrutinizing what I get for the money and before comparing it. If i even usenit again.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for selecting Leo’s Private Tour and for your review. We are dedicated to providing private tour services in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While we understand that private tours may have fewer participants compared to group tours, we firmly believe that private tours offer superior experiences. Despite the potentially higher cost, we believe that a private trip is worth it. We always strive to offer high-quality private tours to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.
gremlin, Jul 2023
Lisa, our guide is very friendly and professional in her knowledge. She is patient in bringing us around the tour on the forbidden city.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for selecting Leo’s Private Tour and for your fantastic review. We are dedicated to providing private tour services in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While we understand that private tours may have fewer participants compared to group tours, we firmly believe that private tours offer superior experiences. Despite the potentially higher cost, we believe that a private trip is worth it. We always strive to offer high-quality private tours to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.
liemilysun, Jul 2023
We had an amazing time on our Forbidden City tour! The tour operator was highly communicative with us immediately after booking. Our tour guide, Lucy, was so kind, funny, patient, and knowledgeable, with over 15 years of experience giving tours all over China! She met us at our hotel in the morning and was happy to answer my many questions about Chinese history and culture. (Also, if you’re last minute like we are and there weren’t any Forbidden City tickets left to the public online or on WeChat, going through a private tour like this one is the way to go!) I would highly recommend this tour!!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for selecting Leo’s Private Tour and for your fantastic review. We are dedicated to providing private tour services in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While we understand that private tours may have fewer participants compared to group tours, we firmly believe that private tours offer superior experiences. Despite the potentially higher cost, we believe that a private trip is worth it. We always strive to offer high-quality private tours to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.
Evren_D, Jul 2023
Forbidden city was very impressive. Culture, history and architecture.. My guide Jenny was very helpful, knowledgable and friendly. It was a great experience for me.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for selecting Leo’s Private Tour and for your fantastic review. We are dedicated to providing private tour services in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While we understand that private tours may have fewer participants compared to group tours, we firmly believe that private tours offer superior experiences. Despite the potentially higher cost, we believe that a private trip is worth it. We always strive to offer high-quality private tours to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.
Dena_V, Oct 2019
Wonderful tour! Helena is a great tour guide. She met me at my hotel early (first win!), arranged for a taxi and we rode together to the tour. She is personable and incredibly knowledgeable. As this was my first trip to Beijing, she told me all about the history and culture.
Even though it was crowded, we sped through the line at Tiananmen Square. I found out all about the area's rich history. Next was The Forbidden City - truly amazing, and so much more interesting with Helena's comprehensive knowledge.
Our last stop, Jingshan Park was lovely. We walked to the very top and not only enjoyed the trees, flowers but amazing views. I highly recommend Helena and this tour. I'm very glad I decided to take it!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Welcome to Leo's Private Tours! We pride ourselves on offering unparalleled private tour services across key destinations in China, including Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While our private tours may come at a premium compared to group alternatives, we are firm believers in the unmatched quality and personalized experiences they provide.
At Leo's Private Tours, we are committed to delivering exceptional value to our guests. Our goal is to ensure that every traveler enjoys a memorable and tailored experience that exceeds expectations. From exploring iconic landmarks to discovering hidden gems, our private tours promise unforgettable adventures curated to perfection.
Choose Leo's Private Tours for an unforgettable journey through China's cultural wonders and natural beauty. Experience the difference of personalized service and discover the true essence of travel with us.
GoingBackTo505, Sep 2019
We had a private tour of the Forbidden City last Sunday with Helena. She picked us up from the reception of our hotel promptly at 9am and we walked to the Forbidden City. On the way, Helena told us all about life in China and gave us so much information. With Helena, we could skip the long queues and we were into the Forbidden City quickly. It was a hot day and Helena was very good about stopping in the shade to talk to us so we were less exposed. She gave us a lot of interesting information and history of the Forbidden City, took plenty of pictures of us and helped us avoid the crowds. She obviously has a very in-depth knowledge of the Forbidden City and that certainly showed. We then walked up the hill at Jingshan Park to get a good view of the City below which was the perfect end to our tour. Overall, the tour was great - I would highly recommend it - and Helena was an excellent guide! Thank you!
(NB: unfortunately due to rehearsals for the parade, Tiananmen Square was closed that day so we did not go there during this tour.)
Edwin_P, Sep 2019
After searching for a one day tour of the Forbidden City based on guide reviews we decided on this one. As soon as we met our guide, April, we were not disappointed. April is knowledgeable, friendly, courteous, and professional. Walking to the Forbidden City April kept us informed of the inner workings of the area and of Beijing. Arriving at the main gate of the City April noticed it was too crowded and instead brought us through a side gate entrance where there were no lines and we entered with no problems. Once inside, April again educated us on the history of the Forbidden City and other detailed information. Would definitely recommend this tour and if possible ask for April !
Paul_S, May 2019
April was our amazing guide, she was so knowledgeable. It makes all the difference as you understand exactly what you are experiencing and therefore take in more. Thank you April for making it so special.
Hirsh_S, Apr 2019
Walking through the Forbidden City was like looking through a lens into China's past. The architecture, design, and artwork were all super impressive and well worth the trip.
We met our tour guide, April, near our hotel and she escorted us through the Subway to the Forbidden City. She was able to help us skip past extremely large crowds of people with the use of our tour guide pass which really expedited the trip- we probably would've been waiting in line for at least an hour if we did not have her help.
Throughout the entire trip, she gave us detailed information on the history and culture of China, and the role of the Forbidden City in Chinese history. She spoke English very well and she was kind and considerate- she even gave us directions to our next destination after the excursion and helped us hail a cab!
The one tip I would give to those considering visiting the Forbidden City: the majority of the trip is outside and we were rained on the entire time. Make sure to plan accordingly
CarlosHumberto_F, Apr 2019
We had a fantastic day with April who made it special because of her deep knowledge of Chinese history. She explained everything in detail and asked my 10 year old son extra questions to keep him curious and entertained. We highly recommend April and this tour.
Vernita_V, Apr 2019
Tina made our tour a special experience. She found a way to interact with each member of our multi-generation group in a special way. She even got our grandson involved by getting him a flag to lead the group. It was such a special experience to learn more about Chinese history and this special place with her.
Wotlos, Sep 2018
April was amazing, very knowledgeable about the area and had plenty of stories and conversation to keep me engaged for the long walk through the forbidden city. She was even was kind enough to take me by a local street vendor to grab some quick jianbing for breakfast before driving to the square. I can't recommend April enough, she was fantastic and I will definitely be taking the tour again when I travel back to Beijing with my family.
Fiona D, May 2018
My Tour guide Susan was wonderful. Very knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend the day with. She was flexible to go to the sections I wanted to see and she even stood in the rain to take photos for me. Thanks again for an amazing tour.
kedekeka2, Jan 2018
I was in Beijing less than two days and wanted to take in as much as possible. I booked this 1/2 day tour of the Forbidden City through Viator to take place on the morning before I was to leave for the airport. Getting to the airport and through immigration is a whole other adventure.
My guide, Susan, was at the hotel on time and ready to start the tour. I was the only one on the tour so it certainly was a Private Tour. It was a very cold and somewhat hazy December day in Beijing. Susan suggested we take the train, and since I had not yet experienced the Chinese public transportation, we walked a short way to the subway station. I am glad we did. It was very inexpensive and an easy trip to Tian'anman Square. There were very few people in the Square and in the Forbidden City.
I feel extremely lucky that Susan was my guide for the tour. She was delightful to be with, very personable and knowledgeable, and easily adjusted the tour to meet my requests. We covered a lot of ground, saw Tian'anman Square, the Forbidden City, and more. I highly recommend Susan for any tour in Beijing. If I get a chance to go back, I will request her.
Alvaro_A, Aug 2023
Personal muy eficaz en la gestión, guía con buen nivel de español y amplios conocimientos y con entusiasmo en las explicaciones
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Thank you for selecting Leo’s Private Tour and for your fantastic review. We are dedicated to providing private tour services in Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Chengdu, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, and Hangzhou. While we understand that private tours may have fewer participants compared to group tours, we firmly believe that private tours offer superior experiences. Despite the potentially higher cost, we believe that a private trip is worth it. We always strive to offer high-quality private tours to ensure an exceptional experience for our guests.
From $114.87
per person-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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Forbidden City Ticket and Private Tour
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