China · WALKING TOURS

The 15 Best Walking Tours in China, City by City

39 tours  ·  from $3

Old towns here are lanes, courtyards and staircases, hostile to anything with wheels. These 15 cover Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an and Hong Kong on foot, priced by length, with the hilly ones flagged.

Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants - Walking through Beijing’s old residential lanes
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Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants

1.Beijing Hutong Walking Food and Beer Tour at Hidden Restaurants

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,132 reviews · from $80Our pick

Follow an English-speaking guide through Beijing’s old hutongs for about 3.5 hours, stopping at family-run restaurants and a private home for hotpot, noodles, beef buns, and spring pancakes. Groups stay under 12, drinks are included, and guides such as Winnie, Yoyo, Janice, and Haitao add local food and history along the way.

“Our local guide Haitao was passionate about his city and made the tour come alive with stories and enthusiasm. The food and beer were plentiful and delicious — a perfect mix of local favorites. Even better, the group was fantastic and really brightened up my long day. Highly recommend this experience if you want to taste the real Beijing!”

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Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options - Entering through the Meridian Gate
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Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options

2.Private Beijing Walking Tour of the Forbidden City with 7 Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 675 reviews · from $75

Meet a private guide at your central Beijing hotel and walk through Tiananmen Square before entering the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate. You can focus on imperial buildings, palace museums, gardens, or add the Temple of Heaven and a hutong meal. Guides such as Lily, Cindy, Jason, and May are noted for clear English and flexible pacing.

“The guided tour was very interesting and our guide Jack explained a lot about history and architecture of the forbidden city! Highly recommend!”

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Dark Side of Hong Kong - Kowloon Caged Homes Walking Tour - Cedar Street and the mathematics of a tiny home
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Dark Side of Hong Kong – Kowloon Caged Homes Walking Tour

3.Dark Side of Hong Kong – Kowloon Caged Homes Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 418 reviews · from $32

Starting near Prince Edward at 11:00 am, this two-hour walk with Hong Kong Free Tours follows Sham Shui Po’s markets and lower-income streets. Guides such as Alice, Isaac, Grace, Summer, and Wind explain subdivided flats, caged homes, housing policy, and wealth gaps. You will see a staged 100-square-foot unit, not an occupied home.

“Very insightful to a different side of Hong Kong. Really opened our eyes on some issues that are happening in the country. Our guide was very nice and informative.”

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Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights - Entering the Forbidden City through the Palace Museum
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Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights

4.Forbidden City Private Walking Tour with Optional Sights

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 400 reviews · from $90

Walk through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with a private guide for about four hours. Guides such as Peter, Jenny, May, and Michael are praised for clear stories and flexibility. Add the Temple of Heaven for a longer visit, but confirm transport, tickets, and pickup details before booking.

“The tour was very nice. Our guide, Adam, was very knowledgeable and could provide a lot of information.”

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Beijing Private Hutong Food Walking Tour - Dongsi Hutong, where food comes with a neighborhood walk
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Beijing Private Hutong Food Walking Tour

5.Beijing Private Hutong Food Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 299 reviews · from $82

Spend four hours with a private guide such as Allen, Lucy, Jay, Miko, or Anson, tasting 20-plus Beijing dishes in Dongsi Hutong and around LongFuSi Jie. Visit markets, bakeries, small restaurants, and family-run shops, with vegetarian options available if requested in advance. Pickup can be added.

“Very good tour. Highly recommended. Kevin was good guide - very responsive, friendly and helpful. Good communication and no problems.”

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Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour - Court of Final Appeal: law made visible
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Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour

6.Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 202 reviews · from $2Best value

Start at Central MTR Station at 11:00 am and walk through Hong Kong’s financial core and Old Town Central. Local guides such as Andy and Stephen explain colonial rule, One Country, Two Systems, rental pressure, Feng Shui, local food, and temple customs. The route ends at Man Mo Temple after about two hours. The low booking price is tip-based, and food is not included.

“Great tour! Andy is a very intelligent and helpful guide. Highly recommend! Totally worth its time and money. Next time in Hong Kong I will definitely go to Andy.”

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Beijing: Hutong Culinary Walking Tour with 15+ Tastings - The first bites: sesame cakes, ma hua, and jianbing
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Beijing: Hutong Culinary Walking Tour with 15+ Tastings

7.Hutong Culinary Walking Tour with 15+ Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 162 reviews · 3 - 4 hours · from $76

Meet at Dongsi Subway Station Exit B for a three-hour walk through quiet hutong lanes and local eateries. Guides such as Jimmy, Lucy, Anson, Mike, and Andy explain Beijing food, customs, and daily life while you try dumplings, jianbing, hot pot, lamb skewers, desserts, and optional adventurous bites. Hotel pickup is available.

“our guide Jimmy was fantastic. he brought us to an area of Beijing we never would have found on our own and tried authentic food that was definitely outside our comfort zone but was delicious. would highly recommend this tour to anyone who is visiting Beijing”

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Shanghai Highlights Walking Tour With A Real Local - Meeting near East Nanjing Road
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Shanghai Highlights Walking Tour With A Real Local

8.Shanghai Highlights Walking Tour With A Real Local

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 153 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $34

Join a local Shanghainese guide, often Bill, for a 2.5-hour walk through Shanghai's biggest landmarks and oldest streets. Starting near East Nanjing Road, you visit the Bund, Old Town, Yuyuan Bazaar, a traditional food street, People's Square, and People's Park. Expect clear English, personal stories, photo stops, and useful dining advice.

“Amazing! It gave me a broader perspective of the city with historical insights experienced directly by th guide (Bill). Super recommended, you will not regret it!”

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Beijing City Walk: Explore Hutongs Life and Old Beijing - Qianmen, Dashilan, and the quieter turn into Sanlihe
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Beijing City Walk: Explore Hutongs Life and Old Beijing

9.Beijing City Walk: Explore Hutongs Life and Old Beijing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 146 reviews · from $15

Spend about 2.5 hours exploring Beijing’s old neighborhoods with an English-speaking guide. Depending on your departure, you may walk Qianmen and Dashilan, Sanlihe Hutong, Nanluoguxiang, the Drum and Bell Towers, or Houhai. Guides such as Kevin, Yang, Eevee, and Summer Wang add local stories, food stops, calligraphy, and cultural details.

“Highly recommend the tour we did with Yang. Well balanced with knowledge and fun, from bits of history to trying your hand at calligraphy, having local snacks to trying Peking Opera outfits, hutongs, local shops and even shoe museum... you name it.. Totally recommend the guide and the tour.”

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Shanghai Breakfast Walking Tour of Former French Concession - Noodles, tea, and the everyday French Concession
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Shanghai Breakfast Walking Tour of Former French Concession

10.Shanghai Breakfast Walking Tour of Former French Concession

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 139 reviews · from $77

Meet at 9am near Xintiandi for a three-hour small-group walk through Shanghai’s former French Concession. Guides such as Jim, Jade, Jian, and Yu lead you to pot stickers, noodles, tea, curry beef soup, and other local favorites, while sharing food traditions, neighborhood history, and daily life.

“Fantastic start to the day! Our guide, Jim, was extremely knowledgeable, professional, and personable. I went with my two retired parents and it was a great leisure walk (filled with LOTS of food) and a great way to really get to see the city oRead more”

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Private Shanghai Evening Street Food Walking and Cruise Tour - Walking through the Old Town Bazaar toward the Bund
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Private Shanghai Evening Street Food Walking and Cruise Tour

11.Private Shanghai Evening Street Food Walking and Cruise Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 123 reviews · from $133

Meet a private English-speaking guide such as Annie, Shirley, Roy, or Linda for a 3 to 4-hour evening of Shanghai snacks, old-town streets, and a one-hour Huangpu River cruise. Expect soup dumplings, lamb skewers, scallion pancakes, local sweets, and enough food for dinner.

“Annie our guide was great and really made it a memorable experience for us! She listened to what we each liked and chose places that catered to our tastes. Even helped us find MSG in a local grocery store we walked by when we said were struggling to find it.”

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Shanghai: Evening Walking Food Tour - Starting with Shanghai’s famous soup dumplings
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Shanghai: Evening Walking Food Tour

12.Evening Walking Food Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 115 reviews · 3.5 hours · from $69

Start at Jiashan Road Subway Station for a 3.5-hour evening food walk through the French Concession. Your English-speaking guide leads you to local dumplings, noodles, pan-fried buns, pork belly, fresh mango sago dessert, and a small craft beer taphouse. Guides such as Emma, Max, Cathy, and Joy are praised for their warmth and clear local tips.

“We really enjoyed our experience. Samantha was a great guide and had excellent English which made learning about local life very informative. Enjoyed the local selections of different foods and also enjoyed having different people on the tour to interact with.”

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Full-Day Private Customized Walking Tour of Hong Kong - Victoria Peak and the harbor view
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Full-Day Private Customized Walking Tour of Hong Kong

13.Full-Day Private Customized Walking Tour of Hong Kong

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 106 reviews · from $306

Meet your English-speaking guide at your Hong Kong hotel and build a private day around your interests. Use public transport, walk local streets, ride the Star Ferry, and choose from sights such as Victoria Peak, Sheung Wan, Mong Kok, Aberdeen, or Stanley. Guides including Richard, Nicole, and Jess have adapted routes and pacing for individual groups.

“My wife and I had 72 hours on our first visit to Hong Kong. Nicole was surprised at our ambition to see as much Of the city as we could and this tour delivered just that. By combining public transport, taxis and walking Nicole’s tour made for an unforgettable day.”

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Hong Kong: Kowloon Street Market & Food Culture Walking Tour - Kiu Ming Mansion and the long journey of Hong Kong fruit
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Hong Kong: Kowloon Street Market & Food Culture Walking Tour

14.Kowloon Street Market & Food Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · from $32

Start at Prince Edward Station at 3:00 pm and walk through Kowloon with a local guide such as Stephen, Alice, Summer, Michael, or Isaac. Taste bakery treats, preserved foods, fruit, and other local specialties while visiting markets, shops, and cultural landmarks. Groups are capped at six people.

“We loved the tasting tour! Alice was very friendly and enthusiastic about her city. Really feels like we understand Hong Kong more :)”

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Beijing: Highlights of Forbidden City Private Walking Tour - Entering through Tian’anmen Square
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Beijing: Highlights of Forbidden City Private Walking Tour

15.Highlights of Forbidden City Private Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 104 reviews · 4 - 8 hours · from $67

Join a private 4 to 8-hour Beijing tour led in English, Spanish, or French. Your guide handles Forbidden City entry and, if selected, Tian’anmen Square reservations. Choose a focused palace visit or add the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, hutong rickshaw ride, or Mutianyu Great Wall with private transport and lunch.

“Lisa was great! Friendly, promptly on time at the meeting spot and she made the tour very informative. It was 4 people on the tour and she looked after each and everyone. I think we all booked it because tickets for the forbidden city were unavaliable. And I must say having someone explaining the sights in this significant place was a great addition...”

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New in Walking Tours

★ 4.8Summer Palace Highlight Walking TourFrom $4125 reviews
★ 5.0Peking University Campus Guided Walking TourFrom $399 reviews
★ 5.0Hutong Private Culinary Walking TourFrom $7916 reviews
★ 5.0Beijing Hutong Dinner and Beer Walking Private TourFrom $999 reviews
★ 4.1Forbidden City Walking Guided Tour w/ Entry TicketsFrom $416 reviews
★ 3.8Hutongs & Food & Culture Walking TourFrom $26 reviews
★ 5.0Changsha Walking Food Tour with Private GuideFrom $1206 reviews
★ 4.5Tianjin Private Walking Tour Guided by a Lady Worked in EuropeFrom $2153 reviews
★ 4.3A Perfect Day in Macau: A Walking Tour from Ruins to CasinosFrom $7015 reviews
★ 5.0Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food TourFrom $5828 reviews
★ 4.5Terracotta Army Museum Walking Tour with Entry TicketsFrom $2617 reviews
★ 4.2Xi’an Muslim Quarter Night Market Foodie Walking TourFrom $6622 reviews
★ 4.2Private Big Wild Goose Pagoda Buddhism Walking TourFrom $5412 reviews
★ 5.03-Hour Xi’an Muslim Street Food Walking TourFrom $12217 reviews
★ 5.0Half-Day Private Beijing Hutong Walking Tour with Dim SumFrom $14848 reviews

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Where to go in China

Pick a dynasty, a mountain or a kitchen.

Imperial

Forbidden CitySummer PalaceTemple of HeavenMing TombsMuseums

Walls and mountains

Great Wall DaysTianmen MountainGlass BridgesCable CarsHikes

Food and tea

Food ToursCooking ClassesStreet FoodTea CeremoniesPeking Duck

On the water

River CruisesLi RiverWater TownsYangtze CruisesPearl River