15 Guided Tours in China That Fill Up First

1.MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,361 reviews · from $20Our pick

Ride from Dongzhimen to Mutianyu with an English, Spanish, or Russian guide, then explore for about five hours. Guides such as Kevin, Mike, Helly, and Taka explain the route and help with optional cable car or toboggan tickets. Lunch and a short expert lecture depend on your selected option.

“On time, Kevin our leader was very helpful and professional. Enjoyed the tour and will trust Mubus in the future if the opportunity apoears.”

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2.Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,263 reviews · from $9

Reserve your Forbidden City ticket in advance and enter with your passport near Meridian Gate. Choose morning or afternoon admission, then explore the main halls, inner court, and Imperial Garden. Add a guide such as Bobo, Summer, Marco, or Maggie, or include the Treasure Gallery.

“Jun was very professional and his English was excellent! This tour did a great job at making everyone feel welcomed and understood. Great way to see the forbidden city! Don’t forget to book your Tiananmen Square tickets the day before so you can visit that after !”

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3.Forbidden City&T-Square Small GroupTours w/ ticket(Eng/Esp Guide)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 995 reviews · from $11

Spend about 4.5 hours with an English or Spanish guide at Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Treasure Gallery. Guides such as Vanessa, Snow, Linda, Ivy, and Icy explain palace rituals, imperial life, architecture, and modern history. Expect a small group of up to 15, timed entry, and plenty of walking.

“Wonderful tour that visited Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Our guide Vanessa was great, very knowledgeable and friendly. Would recommend.”

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4.Summer Palace Entry Ticket and Optional Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 810 reviews · 3 hours - 1 day · from $12

Visit Beijing’s Summer Palace with a ticket, English PDF guide, scenic boat ride, group tour, or private guide. Choose palace-only time or combine it with the Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Forbidden City, panda house, or tea ceremony. Guides such as Joy, Yan, Gary, and Lisa add local stories and useful help.

“I did the forbidden city and T Square with May on the 14th and she was wonderful! She cared so much, kept track of us, was so knowledgeable!”

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5.Terracotta Army Ticket & Guided Bus Tour with Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 579 reviews · 6 - 7 hours · from $28

Travel from Xi’an to the Terracotta Army Museum by guided coach, explore Pits 1 to 3 and the bronze chariots, and hear the story of China’s first emperor. Choose ticket-only, group, or private options, with some packages adding lunch and hotel pickup.

“It was a very memorable day trip. The guide and the driver were extremely dedicated and professional through out.”

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6.Hidden Gems Guided Food Tour with Beer and Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 306 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $75

Walk 2.5km through Beijing’s old hutongs with an English-speaking guide such as Janice, Tony, Winnie, or Haitao. Stop at four local eateries for hotpot, noodles, an endangered Muslim dish, spring pancakes, beer, and other tastings. The 3.5-hour evening tour feels like dinner with a food-loving local.

“This was a great tour! Excellent guide Grisle, very knowledgeable and friendly. We visited four restaurants and learned so much about the culture, both in the restaurants and in the streets round about them. Variety of dishes, authentic and very tasty! Tried a couple of local beers and rice wine too. No negatives.”

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7.Private and Personalized Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 268 reviews · 8 hours

You get an English-speaking guide and a flexible private day in Shanghai, with time for Yu Garden, tea, the French Concession, Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, and Pudong. Guides including Tom, Vicky, Mary, Linda, Peter, and Jimmy tailor the route to your interests. Transport, meals, and entrance tickets cost extra.

“Totally private tour for your own. I visited iconic places with my amazing guide Mary who is so knowledgeable and attentive. She's really wonderful. I enjoyed every single minute though by myself. Definitely worthwhile to reserve this very private and flexible tour.”

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8.Full-Day Private Guided Tour of Shanghai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 211 reviews · from $99

Spend eight hours with a private Shanghai guide, visiting People’s Park, Jade Buddha Temple, Nanjing Road, the Bund, and Old Town. Choose metro and taxis or a private car, adjust the route, and ask for guides such as Peggy, Apple, Troy, or Jessie when available.

“Our excellent English speaking guide,Troy, gave us an interesting and tailored Shanghai experience. We appreciated his extensive knowledge of Shanghai cultural history and his flexibility in showing us the different facets of life in this city. Thanks for an excellent day.”

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9.Shanghai One Day City Private Tour by German-Speaking Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 180 reviews · 8 hours · from $158

Explore Shanghai for 8 hours with a private German-speaking guide such as Sarah or Boris, a driver, and hotel pickup. Visit the Bund, Yu Garden, Old Town, Jade Buddha Temple, and Pudong, then adjust the plan for shopping, museums, or sunset views.

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10.Guided Cycle Tour of Guangzhou

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 164 reviews · from $83

Ride through Guangzhou with a local guide such as Nicole, Cherry, Ben, or Bram, moving from old lanes and People’s Park to Ersha Island, the Opera House, and Canton Tower. You get a bike, helmet, water, and light snacks. Expect a leisurely pace, local stories, and some busy traffic.

“Unfortunately, it was a wet day but Cherry made it fun. As we decided to finish a bit earlier they covered our Uber back to our hotel which was great.”

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11.Forbidden City Admission Ticket – With Guide Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 151 reviews · from $9

Pre-book Forbidden City admission in Beijing for $9.90 per person. Your passport is linked to the reservation, so you enter at Meridian Gate without a paper ticket. The ticket-only choice includes the main palace halls and Imperial Garden, but no guide or transport.

“Smooth and enjoyable experience despite the large crowds. Highly recommended! The place is huge but easy to navigate.”

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12.1 Day Li River Cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo with Private Guide & Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 148 reviews · from $209

You’ll cruise four hours from Guilin to Yangshuo, passing the Li River’s famous limestone peaks with an English-speaking guide nearby. A Chinese buffet lunch is served on board, followed by a guided countryside tour and free time on West Street. Private transfers make this a practical full-day choice.

“1-Day Guilin Tour to Reed Flute Cave, Xianggong Hill, Bamboo Boat & Night Show This tour was truly amazing, made even more special by our excellent English-speaking guide, Mr. Jeff. He is caring, attentive, and took very good care of us Read more”

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13.Xi’an Terracotta Army Entry Ticket Booking – with Guide Option

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 122 reviews · from $23

Reserve your Terracotta Army admission before arriving in Xi’an. Your passport-linked ticket covers the main excavation halls, Lishan Yuan, and the shuttle between the museum and Qin Shi Huang’s mausoleum. Choose ticket-only independence or add a guide for historical context and crowd help.

“This was a wonderful experience. We purchased the e ticket option and on presenting our passports there were no issues. We commend the whole process.Tips: 1. Be patient for the final ticket confirmation and make sure you can access your email in China (problematic at times) 2. Book the early session 8.30am as it gets very busy very quickly and there is no skipping the queue. 3. If independent travellers pay for a taxi to drop you and wait to take you back… it’s not that expensive. 4. Once inside the entry go to the left and pay 10rmb to be dropped straight to main sites. Otherwise be prepared for…”

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14.2-Day Beijing Highlights Small-Group Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 120 reviews · from $179

This two-day Beijing tour pairs the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Jingshan Park, Temple of Heaven, Mutianyu Great Wall, and Summer Palace. English-speaking guides such as Keith, David, Mike, and Susie lead groups of up to nine, with early Wall access, local lunches, and optional acrobatics.

“David our tour guide has huge heart an knowledge. He was a great help during our tour. This tour was a once in a lifetime experiece, and I really enjoyed it. Once again, without David, this tour would be less, however everything was so pretty. Thank you for the chance to being with you.”

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15.Mutianyu Great Wall Private Layover Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 120 reviews · from $145

Use a 4 to 6-hour Beijing layover to visit Mutianyu with private airport pickup, an English-speaking guide, driver, tickets, water, and winter coats. Guides such as Herby and Jade have helped with airport problems as well as sightseeing. Cable cars, meals, and tips cost extra.

“I am so sorry to write a review tilting toward negative just because of the driver. Our actual tour guide was outstanding. I would love to tour with her again. However, the way the driver drove the car, there is no other way to describe it, was like Read more”

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