2024 In-depth Forbidden City Tour With Royal Icehouse Lunch - Beijing

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Tour Information

Key Details

  • Mobile Voucher Accepted
  • Hotel pickup Available
  • Duration: 6 Hrs
  • Language:
    English
  • Departure Time :
    8:30 AM
  • Return Details :
    Guide will contact you by calling your room or leave a message the night prior to the tour, to confirm the departure time A current valid passport is required on the day of travel (For the Forbidden .. read more
  • Cancellation Policy :
    This activity is non-refundable Tours booked using discount coupon codes will be non refundable.

Overview

The Forbidden City is listed as the number one must-see in Beijing, which served as the residence of Chinese Ming and Qing emperors for almost 500 years. Go beyond the typical attractions within the City on this comprehensive 6-hour guided tour, which includes access to the Clock Room,Treasure House, living and working places of emperors. In this tour, you will actually get inside some of the buildings in the Forbidden City. Lunch will served in the former Imperial Icehouse inside Forbidden City.

Know More about this tour


Meet your guide at selected time and start to explore the largest Imperial Palace in the world thoroughly. During this tour, you will also have a very unique lunch experience at one of the Imperial Ice Houses of the Emperor. Those are some of the important places you will see:
Part of the defensive construction of the Forbidden city at each corner of the Wall. You will get inside one of them if the Wall is open.
South gate and main entrance to the Forbidden City. The emperor used to believe the Meridian Line went right through it.
The the most important building in the Forbidden City and the largest wooden structure in the world, where the Emperor used to work and hold important ceremonies.
Used for banquets and later for imperial examinations. The exam was under the supervision of the emperor, which tested candidates’ understanding of classical and Confucian literature. Then they were either assigned to the provinces or selected to work in the central government ministries.
It was the place where the emperor used to handle daily affairs and the living quarter for the emperor, empress and imperial concubines.
The largest building in the Inner Court, the residence of the Emperor.
Also known as Treasure Hall, it is actually made of several buildings which were built for the abdicated Emperor Qianlong. Now they are exhibition rooms with several theme halls and the largest imperial theatre in the Forbidden City.
Just nearby the entrance of Treasure Hall, it is one of the three Nine Dargon Screens in China, the other two are in Beihai Park and Datong respectively. The nine dragons engraved on the screen are different in color and posture. No matter where you start to count the nine dragons, from left or right, the first one and fifth one and ninth one would be a yellow color dragon which represents the supreme power of the emperor.
Rectangular in shape, containing more than 20 different types of buildings, pavilions, terraces, towers and rockeries. Also, there are four pavilions in the garden, symbolizing the four seasons in a year.

Itinerary:


Meet your guide at selected time and start to explore the largest Imperial Palace in the world thoroughly. During this tour, you will also have a very unique lunch experience at one of the Imperial Ice Houses of the Emperor. Those are some of the important places you will see:
Part of the defensive construction of the Forbidden city at each corner of the Wall. You will get inside one of them if the Wall is open.
South gate and main entrance to the Forbidden City. The emperor used to believe the Meridian Line went right through it.
The the most important building in the Forbidden City and the largest wooden structure in the world, where the Emperor used to work and hold important ceremonies.
Used for banquets and later for imperial examinations. The exam was under the supervision of the emperor, which tested candidates’ understanding of classical and Confucian literature. Then they were either assigned to the provinces or selected to work in the central government ministries.
It was the place where the emperor used to handle daily affairs and the living quarter for the emperor, empress and imperial concubines.
The largest building in the Inner Court, the residence of the Emperor.
Also known as Treasure Hall, it is actually made of several buildings which were built for the abdicated Emperor Qianlong. Now they are exhibition rooms with several theme halls and the largest imperial theatre in the Forbidden City.
Just nearby the entrance of Treasure Hall, it is one of the three Nine Dargon Screens in China, the other two are in Beihai Park and Datong respectively. The nine dragons engraved on the screen are different in color and posture. No matter where you start to count the nine dragons, from left or right, the first one and fifth one and ninth one would be a yellow color dragon which represents the supreme power of the emperor.
Rectangular in shape, containing more than 20 different types of buildings, pavilions, terraces, towers and rockeries. Also, there are four pavilions in the garden, symbolizing the four seasons in a year.

Inclusions

  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Skip-the-line ticket of the Forbidden City
  • Mineral water
  • Lunch with soft drinks/beer
  • Experienced English-speaking guide

Exclusions

  • Gratuities (Optional)

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Passport name, number, is required at time of booking for all participants

Please book this tour at least 7 days in advance, so we could compete for your Forbidden City tickets

Traveler Reviews

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  • 08-Oct-2019

    We took the above tour with Angie today. As soon as we booked, communication was thorough, clear and easy to understand. Angie was prompt, and gave us a few tips before we left the Hotel, including to make sure we had appropriate clothing and our passports. Angie took us on the scenic route from our Hotel, to make sure we had seen a few of the city’s most important areas. Angie’s knowledge is extremely comprehensive and is not limited to the subject of the tour itself. Lunch on the tour was a little underwhelming for our Australian tastes, but it was nice to sit down and have a refresher all the same. Afterward, Angie went above and beyond, helping us arrange additional transport for our transfer to the Airport and has even offered to help us “Like an old friend” if we need her help in the future. We would definitely recommend her as a guide!! Thank you Angie!!

  • 01-Oct-2019

    I was impressed with the follow up and punctuality of our guide Angie. She contacted us the day before to make sure we were on time and ready for our tour. We visited the Forbidden City and had dinner in a local restaurant. Angie did a very good job explaining us all the details about the Forbidden City. Instead of having dinner at the Icehouse, we went to a local restaurant, It was grate to have Angie there to helped us with the order, excellent dinner, very nice local restaurant and very good conversation. Al lot of food and very good variety of local dishes.

  • 30-Sep-2019

    I was impressed with the follow up and punctuality of our guide Angie. She contacted us the day before to make sure we were on time and ready for our tour. We visited the Forbidden City and had dinner in a local restaurant. Angie did a very good job explaining us all the details about the Forbidden City. Instead of having dinner at the Icehouse, we went to a local restaurant, It was grate to have Angie there to helped us with the order, excellent dinner, very nice local restaurant and very good conversation. Al lot of food and very good variety of local dishes.

  • 19-Sep-2019

    We booked this private tour as we have an elderly lady who need more attention touring this Forbidden city.
    We are extremely glad to have Lily as our guide as she was very accommodating and patiently pacing us thru out the entire tour.
    Lily took extra care of the elderly in our group and at the same time explaining in details of the history of this large palace.
    Lunch at the Royal Ice House was a disappointment. food was not unique and service not up to mark.
    Overall a great experience.

  • 19-Sep-2019

    We booked this private tour as we have an elderly lady who need more attention touring this Forbidden city. We are extremely glad to have Lily as our guide as she was very accommodating and patiently pacing us thru out the entire tour. Lily took extra care of the elderly in our group and at the same time explaining in details of the history of this large palace. Lunch at the Royal Ice House was a disappointment. food was not unique and service not up to mark. Overall a great experience.

  • 17-Sep-2019

    Angie picked us up at the hotel on time. When we arrived at Forbidden City we left our things in the car, and she was really helpful to take it back to our hotel. I was very impressed with her knowledge about the history and she make it interactive with asking some questions. Since the Thien An Men was closed that day, she gladly take us to the shopping mall where we want to go. Maybe on the tour description should be clearer and exact, like inclusive of mineral water and snuff bottle. Overall it’s a great experience to have her to guide us.

  • 09-May-2019

    Excelente tour, totalmente recomendable para quienes quieran conocer más a fondo la ciudad prohibida, con calma y con una excelente guía!! Con un muy buen nivel de inglés :)

  • 07-May-2019

    the forbidden city is amazing and I learnt so much with Shanshan. She was an amazing guide! Plenty of time to see everything. Lovely tour. I highly recommend it!!

  • 06-May-2019

    the forbidden city is amazing and I learnt so much with Shanshan. She was an amazing guide! Plenty of time to see everything. Lovely tour. I highly recommend it!!

  • 26-Nov-2018

    今回、中国のビジネスマンと中国の画家先生 と一緒に「貸し切り氷レストラン」で食事を しましたが、北京ダックや水餃子、蒸し魚等 を美味しく頂きました。 普通は入れない「貸し切りスペース」という ことで、一丸テーブルしかありませんでした 。 通常はこのような「観光地」にあるレストラ ンは美味しくありませんが、VIPが食べる レストランだけあって、味・サービスともほ ぼ完ぺきでした。

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