Who's Who in the World of Beijing Walking Tours

Getting out and about in the capital – be it over a weekend, holiday, or any other time – is the best way to get up close and personal with the city’s history all while getting in a bit of exercise.

Thankfully, Beijing is blessed with more than one group dedicated to providing guided walks on a myriad of historical and cultural topics. And not just walks, but runs, bike rides, and e-bike tours as well.

Beijing Postcards

Started as a shop selling postcards made from old photographs of the capital, Beijing Postcards now hosts a variety of walks, talks, and even runs focusing on key moments in the city’s past. The tours and talks are led by Lars Ulrich Thom, whose enthusiasm for Beijing and its history is both contagious and inspiring.

Upcoming tours include one focusing on the Boxer Rebellion this Saturday and a Crash Course to the Forbidden City on Sunday. For more details and signup, scan the QR code below or follow Beijing Poscards on WeChat (ID: beijingpostcards).

Bizarre Beijing

Founded by American expat Jim Nobles, Bizarre Beijing bills itself as “purveyors of haunted walking tours, unusual lectures, and macabre events.” In other words, it takes the idea of the historical walking tour and turns it on its head, focusing on the ghostly and ghastly stories of the capital. Along with walks, Bizarre Beijing likes to keep it fun with other activities like zombie apocalypse-themed airsoft nights.

Upcoming escapades include a “haunted walking tour” of the old Caishikou execution grounds on May 20, plus the aforementioned zombie airsoft event in June. Also, stay tuned for an all-new haunted dinner and wine tasting – aka “Dinner with Spirits” – at a haunted hotel right here in Beijing. For more info and sign up, contact them via their official WeChat (ID: BizarreBeijing) or contact Nobles directly (WeChat ID: jimnobles).

Bespoke Travel Company

For something a little more tailored, there’s Bespoke. They quite literally provide customized tours but also offer experiences with experts based in the capital. Besides doing in-depth tours with Beijing-based historians, they also do special tours with Great Wall explorer William Lindesay, and even Beijing Postcards – with whom they organize a walk that ties in with the renowned Paul French book Midnight in Peking. Find out more via their website bespoketravelcompany.com.

Our Beijing

This company is for those who want a little more than just walking. Want to forgo using your feet and opt for an e-bike instead? Our Beijing has you covered, with hutong and foodie tours focusing around Dongcheng and Xicheng Districts. They also mix it up further with activities like jianzi golf and mahjong and jianbing workshops. To find out more about upcoming activities, follow Our Beijing on WeChat (ourbeijing).

The Hutong

Situated in a quaint converted courtyard house in a hutong near Beixinqiao Subway Station, The Hutong’s main focus is cooking classes carried out in the confines of the courtyard. That being said, they also offer regular walking tours with a more food-oriented bent, with current walks like their “Chi Le Ma?” tour of Beijing’s food markets and culinary tour of Niujie being popular.

The Hutong is hosting the aforementioned Chi Le Ma? walk in the coming weeks, as well as a special breakfast tour, the Beijing Breakfast Stroll, this Saturday, May 11. Check the links above or add The Hutong on WeChat (ID: TheHutong or TheHutongEducation) for more information and to sign up.

UnTour Food Tours

Another food-focused venture, UnTour has two regular Beijing food tours: the Beijing Hutong Breakfast Tour and the Old Beijing Dinner Tour. The names are a giveaway, with the former being more of an out-and-about walking affair with stops to try various capital breakfast specials, and the latter showcasing everything from chuanr, Beijing-style hot pot, and, most importantly, donkey burgers, all deep in the hutongs. Should you want to explore more, UnTour also does private tours as well.

For more info on upcoming breakfast and dinner tours, find UnTour on WeChat (ID: UnTourFoodTours) or check out their website at untourfoodtours.com.

Lost Plate Food Tours

Much like UnTour, Lost Plate offers both morning and evening tours in the hutongs, for breakfast and dinner respectively. What differentiates the two is what foods you'll try and stops you'll make on the way. For breakfast with Lost Plate, you can expect beef pie, mutton soup, youtiao, and sweets; whereas for dinner, after getting a welcome beer, you'll be whisked off to savor everything from classic Beijing stir-fries to DIY Mongolian barbecue before ending for more beer at a local craft brewery. For more details and signup, check this link here on Lost Plate's official WeChat.

Foreigners in China Network

Going beyond walks in Beijing, the Foreigners in China Network – aka FCN – does day-long and weekend-long excursions, with trips to other cities and provinces as far away as northwestern China. Find them via WeChat (ID: foreignerandchina).

Beijing Hash House Harriers

The final entry on this list isn’t so much of a walking tour group as it is a group of folks who like running around the capital and having drinks along the way. Founded way back in 1979, the Hash House Harriers is a “drinking club with a running problem” that follows designated running – or “hash” – routes around the city before meeting at a specific bar or restaurant (usually Paddy O'Shea's) for beers, dinner, and a whole lot of sweaty merriment. To find out how to take part, find them online at hash.cn or on WeChat (ID: BeijingHash).

READ: Beijing Curry Run Enters Third Year, Still Doesn't Involve Running

Images courtesy of the organizers and venues