TEMPLES & SHRINES · CHINA TEMPLE TOURS

The 15 Best Temple Tours in China

23 tours  ·  from $7 a head

The 15 best temple tours you can book today, with what each costs, how long it runs and what you have to wear to get in. Number one is first for a reason; start there.

Mini Group Xian Day Tour to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Pagoda and Muslim Bazaar - Seeing the Terracotta Army in three burial pits
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Mini Group Xian Day Tour to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Pagoda and Muslim Bazaar

1.Mini Group Xian Day Tour to Terracotta Army, City Wall, Pagoda and Muslim Bazaar

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,320 reviews · from $49Our pick

Spend about 9 to 10 hours exploring Xi’an with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, transport, entrance tickets, lunch, bottled water, and headsets. Guides such as Lily, Roger, Rita, and Tracy are praised for clear explanations and crowd control. Expect a full day with walking and busy sites.

“Good tour! The tour guide Rita was really good, very funny, knowledgeable, helpful and on time! Everything went smoothly and she made sure we could keep up with the schedule. She gave us information on key moments, making it easy to follow. The terracota Warriors were SUPER crowded and apparently thats the norm, but it is still super impressive to see such site.”

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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket - Why the Summer Palace deserves several hours
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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

2.The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,286 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $7Best value

Choose a self-guided ticket for Beijing’s Summer Palace or Temple of Heaven, then enter with a supplier-issued QR code. The Summer Palace package adds four sightseeing areas, while Temple of Heaven options vary. WhatsApp support helps with delivery, directions, and last-minute questions.

“go buy your Tickets from andy, best price / value and service. also it is more easy to buy from him, than on chinese websites yourselves, somtimes it is not even possible to fill out the documents”

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Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven - Inside the Forbidden City
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Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

3.Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 610 reviews · from $99

Spend about nine hours visiting Beijing’s grandest imperial sights with an English-speaking guide such as Jenny, Mary, Lee or Michael. Hotel pickup, transport, admission tickets and a Chinese lunch are included. Expect long walks, crowds, a fast pace and possible shopping stops.

“Amazing tour! The guide Jenny is extremely knowledgeable and always giving very interesting insight on the local culture. On the logistic side the tour was managed by Jenny effortlessly, without unnecessary waiting and queues at the sites. Very nice stop at the pearl shop were there was the possibility to get to know the local business better, as well as the tea ceremony. Overall very nice experience and highly recommended. Shoutout to Jenny for her superlative performance also on the tour the day after!”

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Temple of Heaven Ticket - The message exchange before you go
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Temple of Heaven Ticket

4.Temple of Heaven Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 482 reviews · from $8

Visit Beijing’s Temple of Heaven at your own pace with one QR ticket covering the park, Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest, and Circular Mound Altar. You enter independently, with no guide or transport. Li provides the QR code and clear WhatsApp directions before your visit.

“Great service and help from the seller who answered quickly and delivered the tickets in time and with a lot of tips on how to get around there and navigate efficiently threw the place”

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Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour - Three very different sides of Beijing in eight hours
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Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour

5.Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 377 reviews · from $56

Spend about eight hours touring three of Beijing’s finest imperial and religious sites, with admission, air-conditioned transport, an English-speaking guide, and Peking duck lunch included. Guides such as Jason, Jimmy, Jay, Sean, and Yan have been especially praised for clear explanations and helpful local advice. Expect long walks and a finish at the Summer Palace.

“Our guide, Yan, was fantastic. She was attentive, kept things interesting, and energetic. She was incredibly helpful at the end of the tour with helping us get back to the hotel. Great experience overall! Highly recommend!”

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Best of Shanghai Day Tour, including Jade Buddha Temple & Bund & Yuyuan Garden - Finding calm at Jade Buddha Temple
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Best of Shanghai Day Tour, including Jade Buddha Temple & Bund & Yuyuan Garden

6.Best of Shanghai Day Tour, including Jade Buddha Temple & Bund & Yuyuan Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 338 reviews · from $79

Spend about eight hours seeing Shanghai Museum, People’s Square, Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, Yuyuan Garden, Yuyuan Old Street, and Xintiandi. Hotel pickup, lunch, admissions, and an English-speaking guide are included. Guides such as Tom and Elena are praised for clear explanations, though the pace can be brisk.

“Very nice trip. Seen al the highlights of Shanghai. Elena our guide, can tell a lot about all the sights”

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Hong Kong: Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Tai O & Big Buddha Tour - Starting at Tung Chung and reaching Ngong Ping
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Hong Kong: Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Tai O & Big Buddha Tour

7.Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car, Tai O & Big Buddha Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 326 reviews · 5 hours · from $67

Take the Ngong Ping 360 cable car with priority boarding, then explore Tai O by coach and boat, visit a traditional stilt house, and tour the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery with an English or Chinese guide. Crystal cabin upgrades add glass-bottom views.

“Our guide was able to help us the whole day. He was informative and was great.”

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Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour - Temple of Heaven: imperial ritual on a grand scale
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Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour

8.Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 319 reviews · from $58

Spend a full day visiting Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, Yonghe Lama Temple, old hutongs, and the Summer Palace. English-speaking guides such as Joy, Jimmy, Shannon, and Andy lead the visits, while bus transport links the sites. The day ends near the Bird’s Nest, with an optional Summer Palace waterway cruise.

“The guide Joy from Mubus is super energetic. She gives detailed instructions on where to meet, with back up plan in case we wandered off. Even thou we are a big group of 30 - you still get the personal attention. The stories shared in each place takes you back to how people lives during that period. We ended up visiting 6 places as we ended the tour at The Birds Nest. I especially like the waterway cruise from Purple Bamboo Park to Summer Palace.”

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Beijing: Entry to Temple of Heaven Park - Choosing between the five options
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Beijing: Entry to Temple of Heaven Park

9.Entry to Temple of Heaven Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 314 reviews · from $7

Choose a Temple of Heaven park ticket, full-access daytime entry, Friday or Saturday night viewing, or a guided Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace tour. You receive ticket details and a PDF guide by email, WhatsApp, WeChat, iMessage, or SMS, with entry times clearly stated.

“Good service, I received my ticket on WhatsApp with useful tips and recommendations after booking”

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Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours - Temple of Heaven: blue roofs and imperial ritual
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Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours

10.Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 311 reviews · from $99

Spend 10 to 11 hours exploring Beijing with an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned van, and included admission. Visit the Temple of Heaven, ride a rickshaw through hutong lanes, see Lama Temple, and finish at the Summer Palace. Pickup is available from hotels within the Third Ring Road.

“Helen is such a trooper!! Our group had a couple of mishaps but thanks to her, we were able to complete the itinerary and have a wonderful time! The tour is fast-paced and no-nonsense, ideal for those who want to see the essentials and not waste time.”

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Beijing: Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) Admission Ticket - From the archways to Yonghe Gate
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Beijing: Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) Admission Ticket

11.Lama Temple (Yonghe Temple) Admission Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 297 reviews · 1 day · from $10

Enter Beijing’s Yonghe Temple with a reserved $10 ticket and explore its courtyards, Buddhist halls, exhibitions, and 18-meter sandalwood Buddha at your own pace. PANDA144 sends confirmation by email or WhatsApp, but you still need your passport for real-name entry and security screening.

“The temple is beautiful. An amazing experience where you can see the beautiful areas of prayer and people praying as they use the temple in their day to day worship. One of the best things to do in Beijing”

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Temple of Heaven Ticket - The message exchange before you go
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Temple of Heaven Ticket

12.Temple of Heaven Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 271 reviews · 4 hours · from $8

Book a self-guided Temple of Heaven visit for $8, then receive your entry QR code and route advice from Li at Sunflower Tours China by WhatsApp. Enter at the East Gate, visit the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and Circular Mound Altar, and leave through the South Gate at your own pace.

“Another trip with the same tour guide and another amazing experience. we received all necessary information on WhatsApp with the map etc. I really highly recommend this company. reservation was smooth and easy less than 24 h before the visit. Best regards Rob”

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All Inclusive Private Day Tour: Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace - Tiananmen Square in about 30 minutes
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All Inclusive Private Day Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace

13.All Inclusive Private Day Tour: Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 190 reviews · from $138

Spend one packed day with a private guide and car at Beijing’s four major imperial sights. Guides such as Maggie, Wendy, Linda, and Lucy are praised for clear English, local food help, and flexible pacing. Hotel pickup, entry fees, bottled water, lunch, and transport are included.

“I had a great day, my guide was good talyored the tour at my pace which not easy as I wanted maximum sightseeing and photos. I learnt alot as we visited temples Tian'ammen Square, definitely if I did alone I would missed many things and not lean much. Even the optional boat trip offered unexpected views. A tour I would recommend as private so much better pace and details”

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Hong Kong: Lantau VIP Priority Cable Car, Big Buddha & Tai O - Riding Ngong Ping 360 Above Lantau Island
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Hong Kong: Lantau VIP Priority Cable Car, Big Buddha & Tai O

14.Lantau VIP Priority Cable Car, Big Buddha & Tai O

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 189 reviews · 7 hours · from $97

Spend seven hours exploring Lantau Island with a guide such as Anna, Ricky, Simon, or Jackie. Ride the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, visit Tai O’s stilt houses, see the Big Buddha and Po Lin Monastery, and choose a vegetarian lunch. Bring cash for Tai O’s optional boat ride.

“Excellent- cable car return, vsitng a monastery, big Buddha and a boat trip in an old fishing village. Everything worked like clockwork and tour guide Pearlne very knowledgeable and lots of fun - she did a superb job. Very blessed with perfect sunny weather.”

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Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden - Lama Temple and the 18-meter sandalwood Buddha
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Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

15.Beijing Historical Tour II including Summer Palace, Lama Temple & Panda Garden

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 187 reviews · from $93

See Beijing’s Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Panda Garden with hotel pickup, lunch, admission and an English-speaking guide. Guides such as William, Mary and Cathy have earned strong praise, but extra shopping stops and a possible boat fee can change the pace and cost.

“It was nice and fun. Explored some highlights of Beijing with an informative tourguide. I really enjoyed it”

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Temples by kind

Sunrise, sunset, on foot or by tuk-tuk.

The big ones

Angkor WatBorobudur & PrambananUluwatu & Tanah LotGrand Palace & Wat PhoFushimi Inari

Time of day

Sunrise ToursSunset ToursKecak Fire DanceTemple WalksTuk-Tuk Circuits

How you go

Private GuidesHotel PickupTemples & WaterfallsMonkey ForestWater Temples

Beyond Asia

Karnak & the KingsAbu Simbel & PhilaeAcropolisMeteoraRila Monastery