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Airport Layover Tours - Did you know?


Don Raad in China

Those traveling across the globe have an opportunity to see even more of the world instead of suffering through long airport layovers in distant countries. Why look out the window for 4-8 hours when you could be navigating through the country?

A friend of mine recently booked an Asia trip through our office, and became interested in doing something during her eight-hour layover in Beijing.

Have you ever heard of a layover tour?

Well, welcome to the wonderful world of travel.

In her case, she’ll have the opportunity to explore near Beijing International Airport. Our friends at Viator put together a list of Beijing-area tours. Here are a few examples of the local attractions and landmarks:

  • Great Wall

  • Forbidden City

  • Tiananmen Square & Forbidden City

  • Old Hutong Experience

  • Summer Palace & Olympic Sites

  • Silk Alley Market

Most of the tours available do include different combinations of the above opportunities. Prices range from $25-$165 (to upwards of $400) per person, but some of the tours include lower rates with bigger groups.

The tours also range from 4-8 hours on average, making it extremely accommodating if you have a long while between flights. For instance, Beijing Old Hutoung, only a four-hour tour, includes a walking tour of the Drum and Bell Towers, ancient ‘hutong’ alleyways, and scenic bridges. On the long-end of the spectrum, the 10-hour tour to the Juyonguan Great Wall also includes the Sacred Way and Forbidden City with a private guide.

Please contact the local vendors for information regarding passports, luggage information, and meals.

It’s an amazing idea for those who have plenty of time (maybe too much!) to hang around the airport. The above info is the Beijing theme, but there are countless airports across the world with these capabilities. Actually, a few airports have FREE layover tours, like Singapore Changi Airport and Tokyo Narita Airport in Japan. Search away!

Play around with our Viator Platform or call our offices for more information if you’re interested, we’ll be happy to help on one condition…you tell us how it went!

-- Don


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