The best walking tours and tour companies in Beijing

Photo: Unsplash.com

Discover the best of Beijing by foot with the city's most trusted tour operators

Whether you're a tourist or resident alike in Beijing, the city's tour operators have something for everyone. Here we picked some of the best bunches, all of whom are committed to providing memorable experiences with no hidden costs, hidden agendas or hidden trips to their friend's shop. 

From exploring the hutongs, uncovering the bizarre and fascinating lifestyles of locals, to taking in major city lights, these tours will leave you feeling informed, intrigued, and maybe even inspired.

Best for food

UnTour are the bunch to help you start the day the old Beijing way. Their Hutong Breakfast tour, a four-stop eating expedition takes in more than ten different morning snacks, including silky tofu and Chinese-style crêpes (jianbing). Their guides also take groups out for an Old Beijing Dinner, sampling hotpot, dumplings, donkey burgers and more in one evening's degustation, and all in the delightfully charming setting of Beijing's hutongs.

Breakfast tours 350RMB per person; Dinner tours 400RMB per person; private tours start at 2,100RMB for groups of up to six people. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for exploring hutongs

Founded by Beijing-based historian, writer and all-round China Hand, Jeremiah Jenne, the expert knowledge of his experienced team of guides at Beijing by Foot is indispensable in these sprawling networks of narrow streets, and a fantastic insight into the construction, history and future of the hutongs. They also offer a variety of other historian-led tours across the city.

Public tours are 260RMB per person; private tours start at 1400RMB for up to five people. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for architectural tours

For those looking to learn about their conception and construction, e-architect is the standout choice. The group offers guided architectural tours in 76 cities across the world, and what sets them apart is that all tours are conducted by practicing architects or architecturally trained guides, offering an unparalleled level of expertise and in-depth knowledge. Tours are private and tailored to your interests and requests, and should be booked at least two weeks in advance.

Prices vary. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for bookworms

Following the success of Paul French's New York Times Bestseller murder mystery Midnight in Peking, premium tour company Bespoke has teamed up with Penguin Books China to offer the official Midnight in Peking Tour. Guided by French's account of the brutal 1937 murder of British teenager Pamela Werner, in-depth historical study and newly released police reports, this gritty walking tour explores the key crime scenes and mysterious circumstances in this tragic case. Led by Beijing Postcards' Lars Ulrik Thom, the tour now packs in even more than before, from a whole raft of recently uncovered new material about the case that even French hadn't seen, including original Chinese police reports.

450RMB/person. Next group tour: August. Contact 151 0167 9082 for details.

Best for art

In the often bewildering world of modern art, an expert guide can help bridge the gap between abstraction and understanding. Bespoke's 798 Art District and Studio tour is led by a Beijing-born art specialist who has curated exhibitions both here in the capital and in New York and Germany, and is sure to give valuable insight into the dynamic and developing Chinese art world.

Starting from 5,000RMB for a 3-hour tour for up to 8 people. Contact 151 0167 9082 for details.

Best for history buffs

For those who are in search of the Old Peking, Beijing By Foot hosts regular walking tours through Beijing’s former legation quarter. Over the two-hour walk, uncover the history of the capital's former international settlement, including the Anglo-French invasion of 1860, the Boxer War, and the Japanese Occupation. Meet some of the people who lived there alone the way, search for what remains of the architectural legacy left by the pre-revolutionary foreign community, and dish on some of the dark secrets, strange tales, and unsolved mysteries which still haunt the streets and lanes of the Legation Quarter and its environs.

300RMB/person (260RMB for members of The Hutong). Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for religions

Photo: Newmantours

Newman's Religion and Ritual Tour takes you through Beijing’s most iconic Buddhism and Taoism sites – the Temple of Confucius, the Imperial Academy and the Lama Temple, among others. Hear fascinating stories about feminist Buddhas, the most quoted (and sometimes the most misquoted) Confucian sayings and how they came to be, and at last, give it a go writing a famous Confucian saying and see if you got it right.

Private tours (two hours) start from 330RMB; VIP tours (two and half hours) start from 390RMB. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for something totally different

Whether you're visiting during the frightening festivities of Halloween or not, the Newman Beijing Ghost Tour is perfect for all the chill-seekers out there. Get into the spooky spirit over the two-hour tour, as guides take you on an eerie trail around haunted hutongs, telling tales of hangings, ghouls, vampires and, er, drug-smuggling Chinese zombies.

Private tours start from 290RMB/person; VIP tours start from 390RMB/person. Discounts for children under 14. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best on wheels

Jump into the sidecar, or hop on the back of a vintage motorcycle and experience Beijing in a totally unique way. The petrolheads at Beijing Sideways offer two-hour, four-hour and full-day city tours, night rides, as well day trips and overnight stays at the Great Wall. Trips are customisable, allowing you to take in the sights you want, and their experienced driver-guides come from around the world, though all are fluent in English and have lived in Beijing for at least two years.

Price starts from 1,100RMB for one passenger, 600RMB for the second. Contact 139 1133 4947 for details.

Best for traditional Chinese medicine

Newman’s Beijing Chinese Medicine Tour gives a crash course on the origin, history and common uses of Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Visit Beijing Traditional Chinese Medicine Museum and the Ancient Yushengtang Pharmacy, a TCM clinic and you’ll leave with a newfound understanding of the ancient medical practice. Learn about TCM herbal remedies, experiment with different mind and body practices, and better yet, experience receiving and practice giving a traditional Chinese massage in the end. 

Pricing and private tours are available on request. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for tea

There are plenty of ways to learn about China’s rich and distinguished tea culture here in Beijing, among them the notorious tea scam, but for a safer and more consensual experience, The Hutong's Maliandao Tea City tour is a proven palate-pleaser. Sampling a whole host of green, Pu'er, Oolong, herbal and fermented teas, participants will hear from shopkeepers, experts and connoisseurs for a crash-course in Chinese leafy refreshment.

Scheduled public tours start from 300RMB/person (260RMB for members). Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best for unrestored Great Wall

For those seeking a wilder experience away from the crowds of Badaling and Mutianyu, a trip with Beijing Hikers is a safe and trusted way to get out to the hard-to-reach unrestored portions of the Wall. The Hikers have over 15 years' experience beating path and blazing trail through Beijing's wilderness, and their various treks at sections such as Gubeikou, Jiankou and Huanghuacheng are graded in difficulty, so there's a hike out there for everyone.

Scheduled public hikes start at 400RMB; private tours start at 550RMB/ person depending on group size. Contact [e-mail] for details.

Best on major city lights

If you're looking for more of an in-depth insight into each particular site, local culture hub The Hutong is a trusted fountain of knowledge among tourists and residents alike, offering dedicated tours of Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Lama Temple, among others.

Scheduled public tours 300RMB/person (260RMB for members). Contact [e-mail] for details.

See the full list of our picks, click 'read more' below

You might have missed

More from Time Out Beijing