Highlights
- Get Tiananmen Square reservation assistance
- Explore hidden palace areas beyond the tourist route
- Visit the Furniture Gallery and secluded Ningshou Palace
- Discover imperial gardens and the private opera theater
- Enjoy Forbidden City tickets with an expert English-speaking guide
Description
We can help you make reservations for Tiananmen Square and send confirmation with clear self-guided entry instructions. Bring your original passport and allow extra time for security checks. Not a guided tour.
Begin your journey at Donghua Gate and enjoy a peaceful walk along the historic moat and ancient city walls of the Forbidden City before entering through the magnificent Meridian Gate.
Unlike standard routes that focus only on the crowded central axis, this immersive experience takes you beyond the typical tourist path and into hidden palace areas rarely explored by ordinary visitors.
Our first stop is the exclusive Palace Furniture Gallery, one of the Forbidden City’s best-kept secrets. Featuring more than 6,200 precious pieces of Ming and Qing royal furniture displayed within carefully restored palace interiors, the gallery offers a fascinating glimpse into the daily life of emperors, empresses, and the imperial family.
We then continue into the grand Outer Court to visit the three most important ceremonial halls of imperial China — the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony — where emperors once conducted major state ceremonies, coronations, and royal celebrations.
Passing through Jingyun Gate, we arrive at the famous Nine-Dragon Wall before entering the renowned Treasure Gallery of the Palace Museum. Here you will admire exquisite imperial collections including royal jade carvings, gold artifacts, ceremonial objects, Buddhist treasures, and priceless antiques from China’s imperial past.
The journey continues into the elegant Qianlong Garden, a secluded imperial retreat designed for Emperor Qianlong’s retirement. Hidden courtyards, refined pavilions, rockeries, and delicate garden architecture reveal the sophistication and artistic beauty of royal life inside the palace.
Next, visit the Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies, the largest ancient opera stage within the Forbidden City, once used exclusively for imperial performances and royal entertainment during the Qing Dynasty.
We then explore the Hall of Joyful Longevity in the peaceful Ningshou Palace area, home to remarkable royal collections including the famous Giant Jade of Dayu Flood Control, considered one of the greatest masterpieces of ancient Chinese jade craftsmanship.
Finally, uncover one of the Forbidden City’s most legendary stories at Consort Zhen’s Well before walking through the mysterious East Corridor Path, also known as the “Yin-Yang Alley,” a quiet hidden passage filled with stories of palace intrigue, imperial power, and forgotten history.
This immersive hidden-route experience combines iconic landmarks, imperial treasures, secret gardens, hidden corridors, and fascinating royal stories, offering travelers a deeper understanding of China’s imperial history far beyond the standard Forbidden City tour.
Includes
Tiananmen Square real-name reservation assistance
Self-guided Tiananmen Square entry instructions
Forbidden City / Palace Museum entry ticket
Treasure Gallery entry ticket
Professional English-speaking guide
Earpiece to hear the guide clearly
Free rescheduling support when possible
Online support for late arrivals
Fully guided hidden route inside the Forbidden City
Fully guided exclusive route -
Donghua Gate - Forbidden City moat walk - Meridian Gate - Palace Furniture Gallery - Gate of Supreme Harmony - Hall of Supreme Harmony - Hall of Central Harmony - Hall of Preserving Harmony - Nine-Dragon Wall - Treasure Gallery - Qianlong Garden - Pavilion of Cheerful Melodies - Hall of Joyful Longevity - Consort Zhen’s Well - East Corridor Path / Yin-Yang Alley
If the provider reschedules or cannot operate, travelers can choose a full refund as a guaranteed option.
Excludes
Guided tour inside Tiananmen Square
Transportation: Full walking tour
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Important Information
- Forbidden City tickets are very limited and often sell out in advance
- Foreign passports and overseas-issued Chinese passports: reservations must be made at least 1 day in advance
- Mainland China IDs, Mainland-issued Chinese passports, Hong Kong/Macau Home Return Permits, and Taiwan Compatriot Permits: reservations must be made at least 7 days in advance
- We do not accept bookings within 7 days for Chinese ID/travel permit holders
- All tickets require real-name registration
- Early booking is highly recommended during holidays and peak season
- Tour End Instructions
- The 3–3.5 hour guided tour ends near the North Gate area
- Guests may continue exploring the Forbidden City freely after the tour
- Exit is available via Shenwu Men (North Gate)
Easy cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
