I had an absolutely wonderful full-day private tour of Beijing with Padma and cannot recommend her highly enough!
From the beginning, Padma was incredibly knowledgeable, thoughtful, and brought such positive energy to the entire day. My schedule changed at the last minute, and I really wanted to make sure I had enough time to experience the Great Wall. Padma immediately adapted, came up with several options, and helped me think through how to make the most of my limited time. Once we decided on a plan, her travel company was incredibly efficient in rebooking tickets and adjusting our itinerary to accommodate the places I most wanted to see.
The professionalism of the company really showed throughout the day. At the Great Wall, having priority access made a huge difference and allowed me to spend my time actually experiencing this incredible place rather than waiting in long lines.
Our driver was also courteous and friendly, and the car was comfortable and stocked with snacks and beverages—a small but very thoughtful touch after a long day of sightseeing.
Most importantly, Padma is simply a wonderful person. She has such a kind heart and joyful spirit, and as a woman traveling on my own, I felt completely comfortable and well cared for throughout the day. Seeing the Forbidden City and walking on the Great Wall were experiences I had dreamed about, and Padma helped turn them into memories I will genuinely treasure for a lifetime.
An absolute joy from beginning to end. I highly recommend!!
L
Liam_B
September 10, 2026
A Wonderful Guide Made Exploring Beijing's Most Iconic Sites Easy and Stress Free
Our guide 王洪娟 (Aurora) picked us up from our hotel and helped us quickly get into Tiananmen and the Forbidden City. She was incredibly knowledgeable about all the sites we explored and guided us to the right places for photo ops. She was also very friendly and her English was fantastic (great for those who require an english language guide). I highly recommend this experience if you have some extra money to spare and would like a hastle free experience of touring a couple of Beijing's most iconic sites. Thank you!
M
Maya_Y
July 25, 2026
Lily made the sight seeing exceptional
Our Beijing tour booked through Viator exceeded all expectations. The itinerary was exceptionally well organized, allowing us to experience China's rich history and culture while making the most of our time.
What made the experience outstanding was our guide, Lily. She was incredibly knowledgeable, professional, and passionate about Beijing's history and culture. Her engaging storytelling brought each site to life, and she was always happy to answer questions and share fascinating historical insights. Lily was also attentive to our group's needs, ensuring that everyone was comfortable and that the tour ran smoothly from start to finish.
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theresalI9757NE
July 21, 2026
Highly recommended
We booked a private (couples) tour and had a great time with our guide (Aurora). We had initially thought to go ourselves but are grateful we booked a tour guide to help us navigate there (and around the grounds), translate where necessary and explain the history of the palace museum in great detail. This made the experience much more seamless and less stressful. Whilst it's more expensive to book a private tour, we were able to explore the grounds at our own pace which we also really appreciated. Thank you Aurora and team!
G
Greg_K
July 19, 2026
Solid tour with Leo
Went with my wife and son. Leo, our tour guide, was extremely knowledgeable. And patient with our son on a very hot day! Plan accordingly- the security lines are no joke. Leo knew how best to navigate them. Recommended!
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Nithya_S
July 16, 2026
We really enjoyed...
We really enjoyed learning about the history and culture of China from our guide, Lucy. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the Forbidden City tour engaging and informative.
One tip for future travelers: be sure to compare prices before purchasing optional add-ons through the tour company. We purchased tickets to the Chinese acrobatic show through Lucy's company for 380 RMB each because we were told the 280 RMB seats might not offer a good view. However, when we arrived, the theater was mostly empty, and it appeared that virtually every seat had an excellent view. In hindsight, we would have chosen the 280 RMB tickets or booked online ourselves and saved some money.
This didn't take away from an otherwise excellent tour, but I hope this information helps future visitors make a more informed decision about the optional show tickets.
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terrisC2166KO
July 12, 2026
Interesting but felt rushed
Our tour was supposed to include Tiananmen Square, but our guide only drove by it so “we could take pictures”. We wanted to experience it, not just take a picture. Our guide was very knowledgeable and gave excellent information about The Forbidden City but the tour felt too rushed. Our tour was supposed to be 4-6 hours and ours was about 4.
A
Aiden_L
June 30, 2026
Mina Li tour of Tianmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven
Mina Li did a great job showing us around Tianmen square, the forbidden city and the temple of heaven. She is very knowledgable about the history of each of the locations and speaks English exceptionally well. Highly recommend using her for tours in Beijing. The driver and transportation was also seamless and prompt.
P
PingLok_T
June 13, 2026
Shortly after i booked...
Shortly after i booked this tour, i received communications from the tour operator about documents needed to complete booking. My questions about the tour was also met with prompt responses. Communication from our tour guide as to when/where we were met was received a day before the tour. Our English speaking tour guide Mina Li was very knowledgeable and maneuvered us thru the Forbidden city and Heavenly palace smoothly. Having a private tour guide was great. We learned so much on this tour. . I would definitely book through Viators again… the guides and drivers used were top notch….Thank you for a worry free tour!
J
jgw477
June 8, 2026
A dream, but prepare well
Of course you should go here when you are in Beijing, because it is of course a dream to walk through the Forbidden City. And make no mistake: a lot of them do that to you. You can of course hire a guide who will make you understand which buildings are there and what function they had.
If you're going through it yourself, like we are, prepare well. Most buildings are closed, because the wooden floors and contents absolutely cannot handle the amount of visitors. Of course, that is a great pity. We expected to go through the city under supervision, but it turned out not to be so. So we don't feel satisfied that we've seen everything...
There are a few signs with a map on them, but no or hardly any information about the function or history can be found at the buildings themselves.
There are of course several gates through which you can enter. The main gate on the side of Tiananmen Square is the most chosen and there is a huge queue for that. Choose another one that is much quieter. There is also a garden with rocks and old trees.