北京
Beijing private tours with a local
Imperial capital, hutong lanes, the Great Wall an hour away.
6 private tours1 local guidefrom $139 per groupNorth China
Beijing is where China's imperial story is still standing: the Forbidden City at the centre, the Temple of Heaven to the south, the Summer Palace to the north-west, and the Great Wall curling over the mountains an hour's drive away. Between them run the hutongs, the grey-brick lanes where Beijingers still play chess under the trees. A private tour with a local guide gets you into the Forbidden City before the crowds, onto a quiet stretch of wall at Mutianyu or Jinshanling, and to the duck restaurant locals actually book, with a car when distances are long and a bike when the lanes are narrow.
Tours
All Beijing tours
Each one is private, led by Wei, and can be reshaped around you.
Top sights
What to see in Beijing
Stay · Eat · Play
Our guide's Beijing notes
Where we would put you, what we would order, and what the days are for. We do not sell rooms or take restaurant commission.
Where to stay
- Dongcheng, around the Drum Tower hutongsCourtyard hotels in the lanes; quiet at night, 20 minutes on foot to the Forbidden City.
- Wangfujing / DongdanBig international hotels, metro on the doorstep, walk to the palace.
- SanlitunRestaurants and bars, newer rooms, taxi to the sights.
What to eat
- Peking duck, carved at the table (we book the restaurant)
- Zhajiangmian noodles in a hutong courtyard
- Lamb hotpot in copper pots in winter
What to do
- Great Wall days (Mutianyu, Jinshanling)
- Palaces and parks
- Hutong life by bike
Your guide
Who leads the Beijing tours
Beijing questions
How many days do I need in Beijing?
Three full days cover the essentials of Beijing at a comfortable pace: Mutianyu Great Wall private day trip, Forbidden City at opening, Jingshan Hill view, Temple of Heaven morning. Two days works if you are moving fast.
Is a private guide worth it in Beijing?
Beijing rewards local knowledge: timing, tickets, which entrance, which table. Our guide lives here, books the tickets in your name and runs the day in the right order, so you spend the hours on the place rather than the logistics.
What does a Beijing tour cost?
Our Beijing tours run from $139 to $349 per private group (not per person), for 3.5 to 10 hours. Entrance tickets and meals are listed separately on each tour.
How do I get around Beijing?
Day trips use a private car with driver; city tours use the metro, taxis or our guide's bike routes where that is faster. Every stop has its Chinese name and address so you can also move around on your own.
Make Beijing yours
Combine tours, add a day trip, slow the pace or start earlier. Wei reads every request personally.