Where to Go: 4 Private Palace Tours in Beijing

1.Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 816 reviews · from $124Our pick

Spend 8 to 9 hours visiting Beijing’s Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with a private guide, lunch, hotel pickup, and air-conditioned transport. Choose the cable car or ski lift and toboggan. Guides such as Cindy, Lucy, Sherry, and Aurora are praised for clear history, thoughtful pacing, and family-friendly help.

“Summer is patient in explaining. She is professional and provided great service. She made sure we are comfortable and and enjoy our trip.”

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2.Mutianyu & Summer Palace Tour–Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 423 reviews · 8 - 9 hours · from $131

Spend 8 to 9 hours visiting Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace with an English-speaking guide such as Susan, Lily, or Cindy. Choose a small group of up to eight or a private car and guide. Expect hotel pickup, lunch, entrance fees, and cable car access, with room for an earlier start or a more relaxed pace on private tours.

“The operator was super flexible and arranged for an early pick up, so that we could beat the heat on the hot day. Our guide Lucia was such a kind person who showed us all the beautiful spots while explaining so much about the sites and their history. She was so accommodating and helpful, considering that we were traveling with our 3 year old toddler. Highly recommended!”

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3.Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 272 reviews · from $130

Spend about eight hours with a private guide exploring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. Your guide handles tickets, security routes, transport, and lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. Choose private vehicle service or subway travel, and ask for guides such as May, Peter, Jenny, or James when available.

“We booked with Catherine Lu tours. Jenny was our tour guide. We were trying to get the most out of our brief time in Beijing and they were very flexible and made some great recommendations. The Forbidden City was magnificent and mRead more”

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4.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Private Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $185

Spend a full day with a private guide and driver at two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Walk the restored Mutianyu Great Wall, ride a cable car or chairlift, and return by toboggan before lunch and an afternoon at the Summer Palace. Guides may include Kelly, Violet, or Pietro, and hotel pickup is included.

“My tour started off rocky but it finished good. I booked my trip and called the night before to confirm the tour. However, the company said that it was canceled due to the limit amount of people. The person on the other end said he will rebooRead more”

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