China · HISTORICAL TOURS
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 historical tours justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part of planning.
Explore Hong Kong’s colonial past, politics, feng shui rivalries, and street food on a lively two-hour Central walking tour.
“Excellent tour. Short but thorough and helpful towards the rest of our stay in HK. “Wingman” was terrific, especially sharing her personal story.”
Review of Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Panda Garden tour, with practical advice on timing, lunch, shopping stops and overall value.
“This tour was really packed with experiences. Not only did we have a boat ride on the canal to the Summer palace, this was extra though, we saw the Pandas at the Beijing Zoo, a pearl factory for freshwater pearls, the Lama Temple and also a Tea ceremony to sample some of the varieties of Chinese tea. Alice our guide was excellent. Well worth the money!”
Review of Beijing’s 7-hour tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, and Temple of Heaven, with guide, lunch, transport, costs, and key drawbacks.
“The sights were worth it, lunch was great, however the emphasis on shopping was really annoying. I would have given more stars if it was not for the shopping.”
Explore Jewish Shanghai with a history expert, from the Bund and Ohel Moishe Synagogue to the former Hongkou ghetto.
“Dvir, our guide, is extremely knowledgeable and gave us an insight to the background of the Jewish community. Definitely take this tour when visiting Shanghai.”
Review of Beijing’s 3.5-hour historic walking tour, from hutongs and Liulichang to Qianmen, with calligraphy, food, and local stories.
“Very knowledgeable and interesting stories of life past and present of Chinese lifestyle. We sampled street food and enjoyed the hustle of Qianmen pedestrian street a must if time is limited”
Brew tea, write Chinese calligraphy, and play the Guqin in a small, thoughtful Beijing workshop led by cultural masters.
“Unlike museums where you just look at artifacts, here you touch the culture. You write with a brush, drink the tea you brew, and feel the strings of a thousand-year-old instrument. Totally unforgettable.”
See Beijing’s Forbidden City with a private English-speaking guide, flexible timing, hotel pickup options, and focused access in about two hours.
“Learning the history of China Dynasties and Emporers. Their customs and way of life and how they have changed through time.”
Explore Guangzhou’s royal tombs, temples, colonial streets, Cantonese lunch, and markets on an eight-hour private city tour.
“The tour was fun. Our guide did a good job and the lunch was delicious.”
Explore Beijing’s Bell and Drum Towers, see ancient timekeeping in action, and catch a five-minute drum show with entry and an English guide.
“Una torre de tambores frente a un campanario. No está mal si ya has hecho todo lo que podías hacer en Pekín y te apetece saber cómo daban la hora en la ciudad antigua. Sin más”
Reserve Tiananmen Square entry in advance, receive an English visual guide, and plan around security lines and a possible half-day visit.
“I had no idea of the time it takes to visit this place. Standing in line for 2 hours is minimum, so it takes at least half the day, if you rush it. In the end I missed it because I had to leave for another tour, so I stayed in line 1h for nothing. I believe the preparation of time should be listed loud and clear. Because if I knew it, I would have planned accordingly.”
Explore Kaiping’s UNESCO watchtowers, ancestral villages, Li Garden, and Chikan Old Town on a private day trip from Guangzhou.
“It was a nice trip to visit beautiful historical old town & village. Location is not too far from Guangzhou city, we only spent 8 hours in total for this trip. It was also very quiet in weekdays.”
Compare six private Beijing tour options covering the Forbidden City, Hutongs, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, or Mutianyu Great Wall.
“Alice did a wonderful job and made the tour memorable and insightful.”
Explore Guangzhou’s Cantonese heritage through herbal markets, Bruce Lee’s ancestral home, historic streets, and Cantonese opera.
“Tony was an amazing guide. His passion for his country’s history and culture really came through, and he shared it with me in such an engaging way. I had an absolutely wonderful time!”
Explore Guilin’s Elephant Trunk Hill, Reed Flute Cave, Daxu Ancient Town, and cormorant fishing with a private English-speaking guide.
“Mo Li was a very friendly and caring guide who showed us Guilin and the surrounding area. The day trip was absolutely worth it and a very good opportunity to see the best spots around Guilin.”
Review of Beijing’s 3-hour hutong walk, covering temples, old lanes, architecture, local life, guides, value, logistics, and who should book.
“Lori was a great guide through the Hutongs explaining how they were laid out and significance of the doors. It was a fun sight seeing day and got me more familiar with the city.”
Pick the day out first. The city usually sorts itself out after that.
