A KL city tour with a private driver needs about four hours for the city-centre sights, or eight to nine if you add Batu Caves and a proper lunch. Grandpride books a car and chauffeur by the hour, from RM 150 an hour with a three-hour minimum, and you choose the stops. The car waits at each one, so the day runs at your pace.
The four-hour version: 2 pm to 6 pm
This covers the centre without rushing, and every hour starts before 7 pm, so all four are at the normal rate: four times the hourly rate of your car.
- 2.00 pm. Pickup at your hotel, or any other address.
- 2.20 pm. Merdeka Square, the old Padang, where the Union flag came down and the Malayan flag went up at midnight as Malaya became independent in 1957. A 95-metre flagpole stands at the southern end. Beside the square is the colonial-era Sultan Abdul Samad Building, with the Royal Selangor Club, founded in 1884, facing it across the grass.
- 3.00 pm. Walk a few minutes to Masjid Jamek. The Gombak river joins the Klang just behind the mosque, and that meeting of rivers gave the city its name: Kuala Lumpur is usually translated as "muddy estuary". The car meets you on the other side.
- 3.45 pm. A short drive south to Thean Hou Temple, six tiers on Robson Heights, dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu, with views back over the city.
- 5.00 pm. The Petronas Twin Towers in the late afternoon: 451.9 metres, 88 storeys, with a two-storey skybridge between the 41st and 42nd floors. The view from the park at their foot is good even if you don't go up.
- 6.00 pm. Back to the hotel, or on to dinner.
The full day: 8 am to 5 pm
Do Batu Caves first, while it's cooler for the 272 steps up to the main cave temple. The golden statue of Lord Murugan at the foot of the stairs is about 140 feet (43 m) tall.
- 8.00 am. Pickup, then north to Batu Caves.
- 10.30 am. Back into the city for Merdeka Square and Masjid Jamek.
- 12.30 pm. Lunch. The car waits, or drops you and comes back at a set time.
- 2.30 pm. Thean Hou Temple.
- 4.00 pm. The Twin Towers, then shopping or a rest.
- 5.00 pm. Drop-off.
Nine hours, all at the normal rate. If it runs into the evening, hours that start from 7 pm cost 30% more, and a booking over 12 hours gets 10% off the total. The booking page prices your exact hours for every free car before you reserve.
Before you set the times
The towers' skybridge needs its own ticket. Book that first and plan the car around your slot.
Mosques and temples expect modest dress, so keep a scarf or sarong in the car.
Your chauffeur handles the parking while you're inside CHECK: are parking charges during a by-the-hour booking included in the price, or paid by the passenger.
Online bookings need at least two days' notice. You can book from overseas: a RM 50 booking fee is paid online and comes off the total, and the rest is paid in store or in person.
Private car or the hop-on hop-off bus?
Kuala Lumpur has a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus, and for one person on a budget it's a fair way to see the centre. A private car costs more than a seat, but the gap per person narrows with a family or small group.
| Hop-on hop-off bus | Private car with chauffeur | |
|---|---|---|
| Route | Fixed loop and stops | Yours, Batu Caves and Thean Hou included |
| Pace | You wait for the next bus | The car waits for you |
| Company | Other passengers | Your party only |
| Start and end | A bus stop | Your hotel door |
| Suits | One or two people with time to spare | Families, older travellers, short visits |
For a family of five, or anyone who finds heat and stairs hard going, being dropped at the door of every stop is the reason to book the car.
Which car
For families and groups of up to seven, the Toyota Alphard or Toyota Vellfire. Sliding doors on both sides make a dozen stops in a day much easier. For a couple, the Mercedes-Benz S-Class or BMW i7 is quieter and more formal. Our guide to the six chauffeur cars compares seats, luggage and comfort.
If you live in KL and you're showing visitors around in your own car, Grandpride's personal driver for your own car is RM 385 for an 8-hour day.
Lawatan bandar KL dengan pemandu: kereta dan pemandu ditempah mengikut jam, bermula RM 150 sejam untuk Toyota Vellfire, minimum 3 jam. Lawatan separuh hari mengambil kira-kira empat jam.
Got a second day? Pair the city with a Putrajaya day trip with a driver, or go up to the highlands with a private car from KL to Genting. Hours and cars are on the chauffeur page.
