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The Forbidden City
The Forbidden City
An UNESCO World Heritage Site

FCT08-Small Group Guided Forbidden City Tour (3hours)

Meeting Time；10:30 am; please make your own way to the meeting point at least 10 minutes earlier; it’s difficult to wait for your late arrival as a group tour. Please bring your passports.

Meeting point: In front of Hotel Kapok 木棉花酒店. The closest subway station is Jinyuhutong金鱼胡同 station on Subway Line 8. 

Small group: Small group of maximum 12 people                              

Price:

USD 49.9/per adult (19+)
USD 44.9/ per teenager (7-18) 
Free for kid (under 6)
Children under 6 are free to take this tour. Please make sure your kids are under 6 when traveling. However passport information is needed when booking. 
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Trip Notes:

Trip name: Small Group guided Forbidden City tour 
Trip code: FCT08 
Trip length: 3 hours, Finishing time: 13:30 
Finishing point: The north gate of the Forbidden City 
Tour duration: 3 hours/10:30-13:30 
Highlights: 
Skip the tricky Forbidden City entry tickets booking on your own 
Exclusive entry passage for travel company instead of individual reservation 
Live English commentary by our expert knowledgable local guide on site 
Bucket-list experience to the most massive imperial architectures and buildings in the world 
Small group of maximum 12 people
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Know before you go:

  • Passport is required on the tour. You will get rejection to the Forbidden City without a 
    passport. Please submit your information including: Passport number, Date of birth, 
    Nationality. Please note that passport number is the actually ticket code, it has to be 
    accurate. Please clarify if there’re possible confusion between letters and digits. We will
    copy your passport number into the tickets booking system. We’re not responsible for any rejection or loss of wrong numbers. 
  • There’re mandatory security checks at all entry points on site. There may be a queue at peak season and is separate from the ticket-line.
  • Almost no flexibility of changing your date. As all tickets have to be reserved 7 days in advance, and the tickets run out quickly once released. You will get no chance to buy the tickets if you change or cancel the tour within 7 days prior to departure. 

Detailed Itinerary:

After meeting up, our guide will lead you walking through the Tian’anmen Tower into the Forbidden City. A brief introduction of Tian’anmen Square and its surrounding buildings is provided. You will check in with your passports at the Meridian Gate. There’re three sections: Outer Court, Inner Court and the imperial garden. You will mainly walk along the central axis of the palace, and our guide will present you the history, culture, and stories of important buildings and royal family life in the past. You’re free to ask any questions of interested topics along the walking. The tour will finish at the north gate, the gate of Divine Prowess. You can spend more time to explore the palaces on your own, or our guide can advise where to catch a taxi to your next destination.

The Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, tops the abundant cultural and historical heritages in Beijing. It is a remarkable architectural masterpiece and a symbol of China's rich history and culture. The Forbidden City served as the imperial palace and political center of China for over 500 years. It was home to 24 emperors, from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. The architecture of the Forbidden City represents the traditional Chinese style, characterized by grandeur, symmetry, and intricate details. The buildings are adorned with colorful palace roofs, elaborate carvings, and exquisite paintings. Apart from its architectural beauty, the Forbidden City also houses an extensive collection of cultural relics and artifacts. The Palace Museum showcases over 1.8 million treasures, including imperial robes, furniture, ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings. These artifacts provide insights into the lavish lifestyle and artistic achievements of the imperial court. Throughout the centuries, the Forbidden City has witnessed numerous historical events and dramatic stories that have shaped China's history. Its walls have seen power struggles, political intrigues, and even romantic tales of palace life. The Forbidden City is a captivating destination that offers visitors an immersive experience into China's imperial past.
Included
Not Included
What to take
Cancellation Policy
Included
  • Entry tickets to the Forbidden City
  • Expert English-speaking local guide 
Not Included
  • hotel pick-up and drop-off
  • personal expenses
  • tipping 
What to take
  • passports, comfortable shoes 
Cancellation Policy
  • A cancellation fee of 100% applies for cancellations made less than 24 hours in advance, or in case of no-show
  • A cancellation fee of 20% applies for cancellations made less than 3 days in advance.
  • A cancellation fee of 10% applies for cancellations made less than 7 days in advance.
  • Free Cancellation applies for cancellations made 7 or more days in advance.

Frequent asked questions:

Why not the meeting point is or close to Tian’anmen Square?
The metro stations at Tian’anmen Square are occasionally closed due to political events without notice. Moreover, it’s required reservation to Tian’anmen Square, and there’re long queues at check-in. You’re easily following a wrong queue to enter Tian’anmen Square instead of the passage to the Forbidden City. In short, it’s easily confused and lost to meet you there. 
Why does the tour start at 10:30 instead of 8:30? I prefer to start early in the morning, and have something else to do on the day. I have a tight schedule.
As we all know now, it’s very difficult to organize the morning tickets which are very popular and ran out immediately once it’s released. The late tickets are relatively easy to book. The tour starts at 10:30 and you will check in at 11:00 to enter the Forbidden City. 
Can you guarantee the tickets? I heard it’s very difficult to organize the tickets.
Unfortunately, we’re not able to fully guarantee the tickets. It’s very difficult to grab the tickets and we will try our best to secure the tickets once it’s released. In the past, we failed for some 5% of the tickets. We will refund full payment immediately for failure. 
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