Private Tour
Private Summer Palace Walking Tour
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
As one of China's most famous gardens, the private guided tour of the Summer Palace is led by a professional English-speaking guide throughout, allowing you to explore in depth. Without a guide, you might only see the garden's surface—but this beautiful landscape holds stories of important historical figures, and it takes a guide to help you uncover these hidden narratives. During the tour, you will visit the major buildings in the garden, learn about the gardening wisdom of ancient times, listen to the historical context of this stunning garden, and discover the legendary story of Empress Dowager Cixi, who held power for 48 years.
We offer a variety of package options: you can either go to the Summer Palace to meet up on your own, choose the service with private car transfers, or opt for the 6-hour in-depth tour package, catering to your different exploration needs for the Summer Palace.
Additional Info
Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Professional guide
Entrance fee
Additional entrance fees inside the Summer Palace to the museums
Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)
Embark on a memorable Summer Palace journey with our 4 tailored one-day tours, each matching your needs for time, comfort, and exploration depth. Package 1: 2-Hour Guided Tour (Self-Meetup) Great for tight schedules: meet your guide at the Summer Palace East Gate (self-transport), and explore iconic spots with imperial stories. Package 2: 4-Hour Budget Tour (Subway Transfer) Budget-friendly choice: includes subway transfers from downtown Beijing hotels. Explore key attractions at a leisurely pace, low cost. Package 3: 4-Hour Comfort Tour (Private Car Transfer) Relaxed experience: private car transfers from Beijing hotels (taxis near the Summer Palace are hard to hail). Enjoy stress-free exploration with a guide. Package 4: 6-Hour In-Depth Tour (Car + Guide + Museums) Premium deep dive: hotel pickup by guide and driver. Explore gardens, scenic spots, and on-site museums to uncover rich heritage stories.
Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
Your Summer Palace adventure begins with meeting your guide. Once you’re together, your journey into this imperial garden’s charm and history gets underway, starting right at the East Gate. Here, your guide will gather you by a map to share a detailed overview of the Summer Palace: its imperial origins, its role in Qing Dynasty life, and the thoughtful architectural layout that makes it a masterpiece of classical Chinese gardening. This introduction sets the stage for what’s to come, helping you grasp the grandeur of the space before you dive into exploring. Your first stop is Hall of Benevolence and Longevity—the former main administrative hall of the Summer Palace, where Qing emperors once held court and received officials. Your guide will walk you through its imperial decor, explain its role in state affairs, and share stories of how rulers like Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi used this space to manage court business.
Options
Private Guide & Transfer
Downtown hotel pickup and drop off is included in this option.
Pickup included
Private Guide&public Transport
Hotel pickup on foot is included in this option, you will subway together with your guide to the Summer Palace.
Pickup included
Meet at the meeting point
Private Tour start at the Meeting point: is in front of the lions of the Summer Palace East Gate.
Summer Palace In-depth tour
Summer Palace In-depth tour : 6 Hours tour with round trip hotel transfers, tour including the museums, gardens and boat ride(summer only)
Pickup included
Reviews
31 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent time at the Summer Palace thanks to our guide Moko
Jerry Y,
Aug 5, 2025
- Viator
5.00My daughter and I went on the walking tour of the Summer Palace with our guide Moko. We felt that he was an excellent guide, and we were very lucky to have been shown around the Summer Palace by him. He was very friendly and knowledgeable. His explanations were interesting, spirited, and energetic. He went at our pace and we didn't feel that it was rushed or too slow. Moko's English was excellent and we had no trouble communicating. It was a very hot day and Moko very thoughtfully gave us a spritz of a minty cooling spray and often shared the breeze from his fan towards us to help cool us down. We had done a group tour at another attraction, and we found that we much preferred having a dedicated guide to ourselves. We really enjoyed our time at the Summer Palace and Moko played a big part in that positive experience. Thanks Moko!
Great experience, Aurora...
Matthieu L,
May 15, 2025
- Viator
5.00Great experience, Aurora our guide was great & super knowledgeable, and speaks great English :) would definitely recommend!!
Worth it.
Tayler L,
May 30, 2024
- Viator
5.00Our tour guide, Mike, did a fantastic job. Very helpful and informative. He was also able to give me other recommendations for our time in the city. The history and context provided in the tour added a lot of richness to the experience.
Great time
Anonymous,
May 11, 2024
- Viator
5.00Be careful with the meeting point: there are several gates, and the map in the Viator map may not be accurate. Or maybe I just mistook the ending point for the starting one :) Either way, I was able to contact the guide and find the correct place. Our guide Sun was very pleasant. Her English is quite good, she also answered all our questions about the history of China. The tour was even longer than expected (which was good) The Suzhou-style canal was very beautiful (but the shops were closed). The view from the highest point is good. Unfortunately, I was unable to experience it in full because of an earlier food poisoning, but Sun was compassionate and always knew where the closest restroom was :)
Great Experience with Jessie!
Yu M,
Apr 24, 2024
- Viator
5.00Jessie is a great tour guide! We are so lucky that she was able to arrive 30mins earlier as we reached too early. Besides, she is very knowledgeable, patient and helpful! She also recommended many good local restaurants around our hotel! Thanks for the great experience!!
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Operated by Discover Beijing Tours