Half Day Private Forbidden City Tour

At the pre-agreed time, your private guide will greet you at the lobby of your own booked hotel, and then accompany you travel via public transport to Tiananmen Square, the heart of Beijing. Subway Line 1 is usually our top choice, as it offers the fastest access to Tiananmen Square and also offers a chance to glimpse local life. Experiencing the crowded morning rush hour gives you a vivid sense of such a populous country. However, your experienced guide will select the most suitable transport - which may be the subway, a bus, or a taxi - based on your hotel's location and your personal preferences.

► Know Before You Go:
1. Tickets to the Forbidden City are released 7 days in advance and would be sold out easily within an hour, so please book this private Forbidden City tour at least 8 days before. Also, plan this trip not on Mondays as the Forbidden City is closed.
2. It is recommended that you carry a small handbag without a zipper, with only your passport and bottled water, through the no-bag passage into Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, instead of queuing in long lines for security checks.
3. It’s better to wear a pair of comfortable shoes as you have to walk a lot in the Forbidden City.

Upon arrival, let’s take a short walk on the large Tiananmen Square and admire those neatly distributed and harmoniously integrated iconic buildings standing here. With your guide, delve into how it transformed from a royal forbidden zone with numerous government offices and security forces over 600 years ago, to a dilapidated site overgrown with weeds and full of potholes after the collapse of China’s last feudal dynasty in 1911, and then to a modern, national venue that can accommodate 1 million people for grand gatherings today. 

Head north and we’ll reach the magnificent Tiananmen Tower, also known as the Gate of Heavenly Peace, a glorious symbol of Beijing and even the entire country. Composed of a red-walled platform and a golden-tiled tower, it will be the first typical traditional Chinese palatial building you witness today. Your guide will help you find a good camera position to leave your exclusive Beijing memory.

After passing through it, prepare to marvel at the Forbidden City, the world’s largest and best-preserved ancient wooden palace complex certified by UNESCO, where 24 emperors have successively lived for 491 years since 1420 AD. It is axially symmetrical, with some 70 or so splendid palaces and halls, within which there are a total of 9999 rooms! Let’s enter from the south Meridian Gate and get a glimpse of some essential ones along the central axis and on the two wings.► Classic Central Axis Route for Your Reference:
Meridian Gate → Gate of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Supreme Harmony → Hall of Central Harmony → Hall of Preserved Harmony → Gate of Heavenly Purity → Palace of Heavenly Purity → Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union → Palace of Earthly Tranquility → Imperial Garden → Gate of Divine Prowess

Upon entry, you’ll first be greeted by the five white marble bridges that arch over the Inner Golden Water River. This artificial waterway, although an artistic sight in itself, was dug not just for landscape design, but also for essential functions like fire prevention and flood control. Prepared to be amazed by the massive Outer Court, which is centered around the three major halls - Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserved Harmony - and flanked by the Hall of Literary Glory and Hall of Martial Valor. It was the place where the emperors held major ceremonies such as his birthday, enthronement, and wedding, as well as handled the formal state affairs. In the core Hall of Supreme Harmony, the largest and highest-grade structure in the Forbidden City, you’ll see the largest, most elaborate and luxurious golden dragon throne, the gilded dragon screen behind it, and the six golden phoebe dragon pillars on both sides, all exuding the overwhelming royal air.Further ahead lies the Inner Court, designed for the imperial families’ residence and for the emperors to deal with daily affairs, featuring the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Hall of Celestial and Terrestrial Union, and Palace of Earthly Tranquility in the middle, and six palaces each on the east and west wings. When visiting the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the residence of the emperors, your guide will reveal a surprising detail: the palace has 9 rooms across 2 floors, containing a total of 27 beds. No one would know exactly which bed the emperor would sleep on, so that his safety could be ensured. After that, the guide will show you around the scenic Imperial Garden, the back garden for the emperor and his concubines to relax and have fun. In the end, let’s exit from the northernmost Gate of Divine Prowess.

Thus far, your half-day private tour of Forbidden City is over, and the guide will escort you back to your hotel by public transport. Hope you had a pleasant time with us!► Inspiration for Your Tour Extension:
If you prefer not to return to your hotel early, you can say farewell to your guide before leaving the Forbidden City and spend more time discovering hidden palaces and treasures on its eastern and western wings by yourself, such as the Pavilion of Pleasant Sounds serving as the imperial theater, the Palace of Gathered Elegance where Empress Dowager Cixi (1835 - 1908 AD) once lived, and the exquisite Nine-Dragon Wall. The sheer scale and ingenious design details of the Forbidden City could easily keep you captivated for a whole day! Otherwise, if you want to explore other nearby attractions independently, such as Jingshan Park, Beihai Park, or South Gong and Drum Lane, simply ask your guide for transport suggestions before you part ways. Beijing also boasts other celebrated UNESCO marvels, such as the Mutianyu Great Wall, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace, and if you’re interested, feel free to contact our travel consultant for a tailored Beijing trip to your preference.

If you don’t mind sharing the tour with others, our affordable small group of about 12 people is an excellent choice. You’ll receive the high-quality tour of the Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, but need to meet your guide at a central location instead of using our hotel pick-up service. Please contact us if this interests you.

► Prefer an independent travel to the Forbidden City? The following essentials are what you need:
● Ticket Price: 
Entrance fee: CNY 60 (Apr.1 - Oct.31); CNY 40 (Nov.1 - Mar.31)
Treasure Gallery inside: CNY 10
Gallery of Clocks inside: CNY 10
* Book e-tickets with real names at 20:00 seven days in advance on its official website (English version available) or WeChat mini program (no English version). Remember to fill in your identity information beforehand to ensure a smoother ticket purchase.

● Opening Hours: 
Apr.1 - Oct.31: 8:30 - 17:00; Nov.1 - Mar.31: 8:30 - 16:30. Stop admission 1 hour before closing time.
* It is closed on every Monday except public holidays.

● How to get to the Forbidden City?
By Subway: Take metro Line 1 to Tiananmen East Station or Tiananmen West Station, get out from Exit B, walk through the Tiananmen Tower, and you’ll reach the Meridian Gate, the only entrance to the Forbidden City.
By city bus: Take bus 1, 2, 52, 82, or 120 to Tiananmen East stop, or Sightseeing Bus Line 1 or 2 to Tiananmen West stop, and then walk northward to the Meridian Gate.