Private Tour
Beijing:Forbidden City Ancient Costume Tour+Must-See City Sights
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Embark on a private Forbidden City tour and immerse yourself in imperial China with an exclusive Hanfu experience! We handle all pre-booked Forbidden City tickets—no queuing or hassle—so you can step into the grandeur in elegant Hanfu or regal Imperial Robes for an authentic imperial vibe. Choose from 4 tailored packages, including combined explorations of Beijing’s iconic UNESCO World Heritage sites: the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace, all must-see landmarks in the city. Your knowledgeable private guide will share vivid, in-depth historical insights at every stop, breathing life into these ancient treasures, and curate the best photo spots throughout your journey to capture stunning, one-of-a-kind shots—crafting a Beijing experience that stands out from the ordinary. Opt for our packages with round-trip private transfer for a seamless, comfortable adventure, and savor this unique, off-the-beaten-path cultural experience with every detail taken care of.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Forbidden City entry is via passport scan with the registered passport number—please provide your valid, exact passport number for ticket booking.
We offer 4 tailored tour packages with different inclusions; select the one that best fits your travel needs and schedule.
Hanfu/imperial robe rental fees vary by costume style and are not included in the tour price—simply pay the costume studio directly on-site.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Beijing
We offer four tailored packages for this Hanfu experience tour: Package 1 is a Forbidden City guided tour with only a professional guide and no transportation; Package 2 adds round-trip driver transfer on the basis of Package 1; Package 3 covers a Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven combined tour with a guide and round-trip transfer; Package 4 is a Forbidden City & Summer Palace combined tour with a guide and round-trip transfer. Please check the details of your preferred package below for full inclusions, exclusions and tour arrangements.
The Palace Museum
Package 1: Forbidden City 4-Hour Guided Tour - Transportation fee at your own cost Your guide will pick you up from your downtown Beijing hotel first, then take you to the costume studio for Hanfu selection and hair/makeup styling. After that, you’ll head to the Forbidden City for a 4-hour guided tour—your guide will lead you to the best photo spots and provide detailed historical commentary on the Forbidden City and Beijing’s central axis throughout the visit. Inclusions: Professional guide service (downtown hotel pick-up) Exclusions: Transportation fees (at your own cost), Hanfu rental fee (180-580 RMB, paid on-site) Package 2: Forbidden City 4-Hour Guided Tour including Round Trip Hotel Private Transfer Same itinerary as Package 1 but with hotel pick up and drop off by private car Inclusions: Professional guide service, round-trip driver transfer (downtown hotel pick-up & drop-off) Exclusions: Hanfu rental fee (180-580 RMB, paid on-site)
What‘s Included
Entrance fee to the Forbidden City
Private tour
Professional guide
Private Transfer if you choose option 2, 3 or 4
Gratuities
Transportation fee if you choose option 1
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Options
P3: Add Temple of Heaven
P3: Add Temple of Heaven: 6-hour Forbidden City&Temple of Heaven tour with an English-speaking guide&private car; costume rental&lunch at your own cost
Pickup included
P1: 4H Forbidden City on Foot
P1: 4H Forbidden City on Foot: Includes 4-hour Forbidden City tour with hotel pick-up (guide on foot), transportation & costume rental at your own cost.
Pickup included
P4: Add Summer Palace
P4: Add Summer Palace: Includes a 6-hour Forbidden City&Summer Palace tour with English-speaking guide&driver; costume rental&lunch at your own cost
Pickup included
P2: 4H Forbidden City+Transfer
P2: 4H Forbidden City+Transfer: 4-hour Forbidden City tour with English-speaking guide&round-trip downtown hotel transfer, costume rental at your own cost
Pickup included
Reviews
7 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Day Tour of Old Beijing
Julian S,Dec 13, 2023
- Review from Viator
5.00I really enjoyed my day tour with Lucy! Her knowledge of the local history was endlessly fascinating, and bonus points for the food recommendations!!! :)
Best half-day hike and bike
832tobiasa,May 19, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a fantastic time thanks to my lovely and very knowledgable guide Becky. Picking me up from my hotel at lunchtime we arrived at Tiananmen Square after a few minutes walk ( dodging quite a few queues thanks to her local knowledge) and then leisurely made our way through several gates into the Forbidden City. Becky cleverly kept us out of every crowd so I could fully enjoy the spectacular views while being filled in about history and background stories. A couple hours later we got ourselves two bikes and circumnavigated the beautiful Houhai Lake. Becky’s restaurant recommendation for dinner had a fantastic view across the lake and by far the yummiest food I’ve had in a while. We happily chatted away and completely forgot about the time... thanks Becky for a super interesting tour and your very enjoyable company! Janett
Half-day tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
OwenCJY,Apr 19, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My wife and I were lucky to have Jimmy guide us on our tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. He met us at our hotel lobby and walked with us to the Forbidden City, taking a route that the local guides use which required minimal queuing. Inside the Forbidden City, he brought us to the places which are less crowded but nonetheless rich with history. Throughout our tour, Jimmy filled us with stories about the history and culture of China, and the significance of the Square and the Forbidden City. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Although the walking tour was a bit tiring towards the end, it was definitely worth the effort and time. Tip: Start the tour in the afternoon to avoid the crowd that would be visiting the Mao Mausoleum in the morning. Thank you, Jimmy, for the wonderful tour!
Excellent way to see the city and great tour guide!
KK UK London,Apr 18, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Becky was amazing, had great knowledge and took us for a delicious local lunch! Despite the rain we lasted the whole tour as it was so interesting and we especially enjoyed the bike ride around the Hutong's. Thanks for a wonderful tour Becky!
BEST. DAY. EVER.
Carol M,Mar 23, 2019
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Linda the tour guide 🤩🎉🇨🇳!!! That is what made this day awesome. She promptly picked us up at our hotel and walked us around town, made sure we didn’t get hit by any buses, took amazing pictures of us, ordered us the tastiest lunch, and rode us around the most beautiful lake on our orange and blue bicycles 🚲. Scorpions 🦂 on sticks STILL ALIVE are waiting to go in the fryer at your command, for medicinal purposes says Linda 😳✋🏻, and there was some sort of small pepper in my lunch that made my mouth go numb for several minutes 🤣 We loved our tour! Linda spoke perfect English. She was so knowledgeable about the history of the landmarks we visited. She made sure we always had time to take plenty of photos and ask questions. She made our tour so comfortable! It was like having your best friend for a guide! Thank you so much Linda for making our day so much fun!!
Forbidden city
terriup,Oct 30, 2018
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Cactus was a great tour guide, genuinely sweet and made sure we where happy the whole time. Tour was good and informative.
Jimmy our guide was terrific. Great...
Zina D,Jun 19, 2018
- Review from Viator
5.00Jimmy our guide was terrific. Great sense of humour and knew his stuff. Very well versed in Chinese history great job Jimmy and thanks for making us laugh.
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Operated by Unique Beijing Tours