China · HALF-DAY

15 Half-Day Tours in China Worth the Day

54 tours  ·  from $16

The good half-day tours go weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and where they differ.

Half-Day Mini Group Xian Tour to Terracotta Warriors Museum - Finishing near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda
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Half-Day Mini Group Xian Tour to Terracotta Warriors Museum

1.Half-Day Mini Group Xian Tour to Terracotta Warriors Museum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 467 reviews · from $49Our pick

Visit the Terracotta Warriors from Xi’an on a six-hour small-group tour capped at about 12 people. An English-speaking guide such as Rita, Carol, or Celine leads you through three pits and a new exhibition, with hotel pickup, entry, bottled water, headsets, and a Chinese buffet included.

“We did the 1/2 day tour. We arrived around 8:15 and there was already a lot of people. Huge queues to pass the passports and security. Very hot, bring water and hat. Inside the temperature is optimal, much cooler. Celine was a great Read moreAuto-translated”

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Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit - Tea, snacks, and a pause before the wok
Chengdu Tours, Cooking Classes, Half-Day, Markets, Shopping Tours, Tour Reviews, Workshops

Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit

2.Half-Day Chengdu Cooking Class with a Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 465 reviews · from $90

Walk through Liangjiaxiang market with Lance or Jerry, learn about Sichuan spices, taste local ingredients, and cook several dishes with a chef at Chilli Cool’s Kitchen. Tea, drinks, recipes, ingredients, and your meal are included.

“The host Lance was very friendly and welcoming, explaining about the ingredients used in Sichuan cuisine. So interesting! Mrs. Li was also very welcoming and experienced. I had a superb experience learning about the techniques oRead more”

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Private Half-Day Chengdu Panda Breeding Center Tour with Optional Volunteer - Red pandas, a different kind of encounter
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Private Half-Day Chengdu Panda Breeding Center Tour with Optional Volunteer

3.Private Half-Day Chengdu Panda Breeding Center Tour with Optional Volunteer

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 353 reviews · from $87

Spend 3 to 4 hours at Chengdu’s panda base with a private guide such as Cindy, Jason, Jojo, or Wells. See cubs, young pandas, adults, and red pandas, with hotel pickup included. Choose the standard Chengdu base or the volunteer option at Dujiangyan, about 90 minutes from central Chengdu.

“Wells was the best guide I’ve had during my time in China - The Center is quite large with a lot of pandas”

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Half-Day Bike Tour of Shanghai Old Town with Food Tasting - Fuxing Park: a look at Shanghai’s daily rhythm
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Half-Day Bike Tour of Shanghai Old Town with Food Tasting

4.Half-Day Bike Tour of Shanghai Old Town with Food Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 306 reviews · from $100

Start at 9:30 a.m. with a safety briefing, coffee, and a vintage bicycle. Your guide leads you through Shanghai Old Town, the Former French Concession, Fuxing Park, Fazang Temple, and local food stops. Guides may include Charlie, Claire, Jeremy, Kat, Rose, or Mr Q.

“Great way to spend a half-day in Shanghai. Our guide Jeremy was very knowledgable and guided us through some less touristy sections for the city. We also stopped for some tasty street food, which was an added bonus. I definitely recommend this tour.”

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Half-Day Private Custom Tour of Hong Kong - Sheung Wan, Seafood Street, and Cat Street
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Half-Day Private Custom Tour of Hong Kong

5.Half-Day Private Custom Tour of Hong Kong

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 202 reviews · from $231

Build your own five-hour Hong Kong tour with a private guide such as Alfred, Andy, Mel, or Sinclair. Walk, ride the MTR, tram, bus, and Star Ferry, then focus on peaks, markets, temples, food, photography, or neighborhoods. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but Peak Tram tickets, food, and taxis cost extra.

“I enjoyed a wonderfully educational and pleasant half-day tour of Hong Kong. It was five hours packed with many adventures. I loved traveling on the tram, ferry, ding-ding cars, and metro system. Sinclair, my tour guide, made me feel like a local as well as showing me the best views of the city. Thank you for a very enjoyable day!! I can't wait until my next visit and tour.”

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Private Half-Day Tour of Xi'an Terracotta Warriors - Lunch, dinner, and the local-food question
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Private Half-Day Tour of Xi’an Terracotta Warriors

6.Private Half-Day Tour of Xi’an Terracotta Warriors

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 201 reviews · from $145

Spend about five hours with a private guide and driver at Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors Museum. Guides such as Ellen, Crystal, Lin, Maggie, and Jackie are praised for clear English and strong local knowledge. Choose morning or afternoon departure, then add a dumpling feast and Tang Dynasty Show.

“We had a wonderful private day trip experience visiting the must-see Terracotta Warriors in Xian. Crystal was our tour guide and she was wonderful, friendly and funny. I highly recommend her as her English is very good, she was very inforRead more”

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Shanghai: Half-Day Biking and Local Food Tour - Meeting at South Shanxi Road
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Shanghai: Half-Day Biking and Local Food Tour

7.Half-Day Biking and Local Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 170 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Ride 11 miles through central Shanghai with an English-speaking guide such as Ellen or Alyssa, stopping in the French Concession, Xintiandi, Taikang Road, Old Town, and the Bund. Bikes, helmets, water, entrance fees, photos, and local food are included. The route suits beginners, but you will ride near city traffic.

“A fantastic way to view Shanghai. Although the roads look busy and scary all the drivers and motorcycle riders just give way to each other. Ellen our guide gave us an awesome experience showing us a variety of places to experience the sights, sounds and tastes of Shanghai. Shanghai is flat so no big hills to climb and despite 31 degree temperatures it was cooler biking than walking. Would definitely recommend.”

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Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai - Kezhi Garden, a quieter change of pace
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Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai

8.Half-Day Private Zhujiajiao Water Town Tour with Boat Ride from Shanghai

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 144 reviews · from $160

Travel from Shanghai with a private guide and driver to Zhujiajiao, a 600-year-old canal town. Walk its lanes, ride a small wooden boat, visit Kezhi Garden, Fangsheng Bridge, and the old post office. Guides such as Tom, David, and Vicky have earned praise for clear English and flexible local advice.

“Bit of a drive but good thing to do and see something than just Shanghai proper”

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All Inclusive Private Half-day tour to the Terracotta Warriors - Pit 1: the army in battle formation
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All Inclusive Private Half-day tour to the Terracotta Warriors

9.All Inclusive Private Half-day tour to the Terracotta Warriors

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 117 reviews · from $125

Spend about five hours visiting Xi’an’s Terracotta Warriors with a private vehicle and English-speaking guide. Wendy, Becky, Rocky, Agnes, and other local guides have led highly personal visits through all three pits, pointing out small details and adjusting the pace for families and guests with limited mobility.

“At the last minute my friends and I decided to fly to Xian to see the Terra Cotta Warriors. It is a must see if you are ever in China and Wang, our guide, was terrific. The company went above and beyond and arranged for an airport pick up and drop off , extra sites to see the wall and the Muslim quarter and mosque. Highly recommended!!”

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Private Half-Day Mutianyu Great Wall Tour including Round Way Cable Car or Toboggan - The 1.5-hour ride from Beijing
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Private Half-Day Mutianyu Great Wall Tour including Round Way Cable Car or Toboggan

10.Private Half-Day Mutianyu Great Wall Tour including Round Way Cable Car or Toboggan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 115 reviews · from $180

Travel privately from your Beijing hotel to Mutianyu with an English-speaking guide and about two hours on the wall. Choose a cable car or chair lift up, then walk or ride the toboggan down. Guides such as Jenny, Andy, Angela, and Jack are praised for clear explanations and helpful photos.

“Our guide, Jack, was very enthusiastic and helpful - a really nice guy. We had a great time, walked on the wall, saw some fantastic views and enjoyed the cable car both ways”

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Private Half-Day Tour to the Terracotta Army in Xi'an - Inside all three Terracotta Army pits
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Private Half-Day Tour to the Terracotta Army in Xi’an

11.Private Half-Day Tour to the Terracotta Army in Xi’an

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 76 reviews · from $99

See all three Terracotta Army excavation pits with a private English-speaking guide, then return to central Xi’an by private vehicle. Guides such as Linda, Steven, Lisa, and Eddy have helped visitors understand the figures, Qin history, and museum displays.

“Linda our guide made the whole experience brilliant , she couldn’t do enough for us. Linda was helpful , very knowledgeable and her English was very good. The warriors tour was amazing.”

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Private Half-Day Real Hong Kong Walking Tour - Riding the Mid-Levels Escalator for 15 minutes
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Private Half-Day Real Hong Kong Walking Tour

12.Private Half-Day Real Hong Kong Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 70 reviews · from $213

Walk Hong Kong with a private English-speaking guide from Statue Square through Central, SoHo, Graham Street Market, Man Mo Temple, Cat Street, and the Western District. Ask for Maggie if available. Expect about 4 kilometers, steep slopes, local markets, temple incense, and practical insight into daily life.

“Maggie was a wonderful patient guide we CB learned much about Zhong alongside history and todays traditions was the best 4 hours of our visit”

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Peaks to Piers, Half-Day Private Customised Tour In Hong Kong - Victoria Peak and the view that explains Hong Kong
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Peaks to Piers, Half-Day Private Customised Tour In Hong Kong

13.Peaks to Piers, Half-Day Private Customised Tour In Hong Kong

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $268

Build a four to eight-hour Hong Kong tour around your interests with a private guide such as Amy, Agnes, Nadia, Angel, or Jami. Expect hotel, airport, or port pickup, Victoria Peak, the Star Ferry, Wong Tai Sin Temple, markets, and help using local transport.

“Amy is the best. Her tour was amazing. She was so patient and helpful. We all loved it. Would highly recommend”

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Xi'an: Private Half-Day Terracotta Warriors Tour with Pickup - From your hotel to the emperor’s army
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Xi’an: Private Half-Day Terracotta Warriors Tour with Pickup

14.Private Half-Day Terracotta Warriors Tour with Pickup

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 60 reviews · 5 - 10 hours · from $85

Spend about five hours at the Terracotta Army with a private English-speaking guide such as Linda, Tina, Cindy, or Rosa. Your guide handles the route through the crowded pits, explains Qin history, and arranges hotel, airport, or train station transfers without shopping stops.

“What a fantastic day visiting the Terracotta Warriers site. Our guide Rosa was wonderful, extremely knowledgeable about the history of the Warriers and China's past. We also saw the Silk Road play per Rosa's suggestion which we really enjoyed. It was a fantastic day, highly recommend this tour and Rosa!!”

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Half-Day Chengdu Back Alley Foodie Tour - Tea, preparation, and guidance from the chef
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Half-Day Chengdu Back Alley Foodie Tour

15.Half-Day Chengdu Back Alley Foodie Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $80

Spend four hours exploring a Chengdu market and preparing Sichuan hotpot with a local guide and professional chef. You’ll learn to make both spicy red pot and mild white pot, taste local ingredients, and enjoy unlimited local beer and soft drinks. Guides may include Lance, Jerry, or Winter.

“This tour came with a great guide that picks you up from the hotel and takes you to different areas around the city. It is a great way to taste Szechuan food!”

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New in Half-Day

★ 5.0Half-day Private Hong Kong Island Tour: Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, AberdeenFrom $2493 reviews
★ 5.0Unveil the Charm of Hangzhou – Half-Day Sightseeing TourFrom $12013 reviews
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★ 5.0Full/Half-Day Yangshuo Xianggong Mountain Sunrise Private TourFrom $7710 reviews
★ 5.0Half-day Xingping photographic Sunrise tour with the FishermanFrom $1577 reviews
★ 5.0Full/Half-day Xingping Photographic Sunset tour with the FishermanFrom $11016 reviews
★ 5.0Private Half-Day Guangzhou City Tour with PickupFrom $1774 reviews
★ 5.0Mini Group: Half-Day Chengdu Pandas Guided TourFrom $1223 reviews
★ 4.5Private Half-Day Tour in Sichuan Culture Show with Hot Pot Dinner in ChengduFrom $10015 reviews
★ 5.0Half-Day Walking Tour with a Vegetarian Lunch at a NunneryFrom $506 reviews
★ 5.0Half-day Private Panda Tour with Vegetarian Lunch in NunneryFrom $808 reviews
★ 5.0Half-day Private Mahjong course in Local Tea HouseFrom $6016 reviews
★ 4.0Half-Day Tour at Chengdu Panda Breeding Research BaseFrom $955 reviews
★ 5.0Half-Day Professional Mapo Tofu Cooking with a Local Market VisitFrom $6919 reviews

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Great Wall Tours442Forbidden City Tours174Terracotta Warriors Tours49Food & Drink68Water Town Tours51Walking Tours84
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Explore China

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The Wall

Great Wall DaysMutianyuBadalingJinshanlingThe Ming Tombs

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Further out

The Terracotta ArmyThe Panda BaseThe Glass BridgeRice TerracesThe Leshan Buddha