Forbidden City tours: compare every tour worth taking
The most-booked tour: the flagship
The flagship ($16, 4.8 from 10,072 reviews) is what most visitors take: ticket included, English and Chinese guides, group or private options. Hotels pickups available on some slots; the group option meets in front of Laoshe Teahouse at 7:30, 9:30, or 11:30. Duration varies 2–8 hours depending on whether you choose group or private. This is the run that settled the question: you do not need a private specialist guide; the flagship works, the guide handles the booking and the passport check at the gate, and you walk the palace at your own pace.
Every Forbidden City tour
From $3 to $43, here is every guided tour, the bare ticket, and Jingshan Park (the hill north of the exit gate) with prices, what you get, and live availability.
Most bookedForbidden City Tour (Group or Private) with Tickets Included
Square + palaceTiananmen Square and Forbidden City Tour with Tickets
Lowest priceForbidden City Guided Tour with Entry Ticket, Tiananmen Optional
Ticket onlyForbidden City or Tiananmen Square Entry Ticket
In depthForbidden City In-Depth Cultural Tour with Historian Guide
Full dayTemple of Heaven, Tiananmen and Forbidden City Day Tour
The viewJingshan Park Ticket: The Full Forbidden City View
Which Forbidden City tour is right for you
Three core choices: whether you need the booking handled; whether you read English; and how much time you have.
| Forbidden City Guided Tour with Entry Ticket, Tiananmen Optional | Top pickForbidden City Tour (Group or Private) with Tickets Included | Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen and Forbidden City Day Tour | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $3 | $16 | $43 |
| Duration | 4–4.5 h | 2–8 h | 10 h |
| What it includes | Entry + guide | Entry + guide + pickup option | Entry + guides + Tiananmen + Temple of Heaven |
| Group size | Large | Small or private | 20–40 per bus |
| Best for | Budget | Most people | Full-day itinerary |
| View → | Book this → | View → |
Book at least a day or two ahead in peak season (summer, Chinese holidays) to lock in your slot. Free cancellation on all tours, so book early and cancel if plans shift.
Booking somewhere other than GetYourGuide? Compare the three routes in — the official Palace Museum site, GetYourGuide and Klook — before you pick a platform. Klook is the Asia-first reseller, so its Beijing inventory can differ from what is listed above; I have not verified those listings by hand, so read the price, inclusions and cancellation terms on the page itself.
See the Forbidden City half-day on Klook
Read the tour reviews first
We have written detailed reviews of every tour — what is included, how the morning or day runs, honest feedback from real reviewers who have done it.
- Flagship tour review (4.8★, 10,072 reviews)
- Tiananmen + Forbidden City review (4.8★, 5,935 reviews)
- Budget guided review (4.7★, 2,394 reviews)
- Ticket-only review (4.4★, 1,032 reviews)
- In-depth historian tour (4.6★, 25 reviews)
- Full-day Temple + Square + Palace (4.7★, 58 reviews)
- Jingshan Park view ticket (4.5★, 94 reviews)
Can’t make these dates?
Browse more available Forbidden City tours and find one that fits your schedule — all with instant confirmation and free cancellation.
Still deciding? Read how booking actually works, what each price band includes, or which tours have English guides.
Frequently asked questions
How many Forbidden City tours are there?
Seven GetYourGuide tours, all rated 4.4 or higher with free cancellation up to 24 hours ahead. Prices run from $3 for a guided walk to $43 for a full-day, three-site itinerary. Six include the entry ticket in the price; one is the entry ticket on its own.
Which Forbidden City tour should I book?
For most visitors the flagship ($16, 4.8 from 10,072 reviews) is the best balance. On a tight budget, the $3 tour covers the palace. If Tiananmen Square is on your list, the $17 tour pairs them. Read how booking actually works first — that is what stops most arrivals, not the tour choice itself.
Can I book on the day?
Rarely. The Palace Museum sells out 7 days ahead at around 8:00 PM Beijing time, sometimes in minutes on peak dates. A ticket-included tour avoids this by booking ahead, which is why booking a tour that already holds the ticket is worth it. See the full booking-window explanation.