Tour Code: bj-1
Departure Date: Daily
Features: Private Tour Guide Private Car & Driver Authentic Local Restaurants
See the highlights of 5,000 years of Chinese culture and history. In four days you will see many man-made wonders like the Great Wall - the most famous image of China throughout the world. The Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven will show even more of the incredible history that makes Beijing unique.
Welcome to China! When you arrive into Beijing international airport, our representative will meet you right after the customs gate and help take you to your hotel well located in the city.
The rest of the day will be at your leisure as the rest of your group arrives. Feel free to ask your guide for suggestions!
There are few more fitting starts to a journey in China than at Tiananmen Square. This is China's most premier public square, home to many episodes in history, and still a common gathering place for locals. This is a place to absorb the past, watch the people go about their daily lives, and jump start your experiences in the country. The Gate of Heavenly Peace which leads to the Forbidden City lies to the north of Tiananmen Square. All around the square are also important establishments such as Chairman Mao's Mausoleum and the National Museum.
The natural continuation of your tour will be the Forbidden City of course. Home to 24 emperors and their courts between 1368 (the beginning of the Ming Dynasty) and 1911 (the end of the Qing Dynasty), the Forbidden City is a lasting examples of Chinese history, art, and culture with abuandance of its fine Qing imperial collection of ceramics, paintings, jades, timepieces, and so much more. There is an Inner Court and Outer Court to explore, and many halls, corridors, galleries, and exhibitions to discover in between. The Hall of Clocks and Watches is the exceptional one to explore east of the Inner Court. There are over 200 grand pieces of timekeeping relics in this exhibition that hail from the imperial collection. Many were made in Europe while others were crafted in the USA, Japan, and of course throughout China.
Discover a bit of local culture in the afternoon after lunch. A stroll through a hutong in the Xicheng District will give you some insight into what daily life is like in the eyes of a Beijing resident. A hutong is a distinctly Beijing residential area set in a historic style, drafted with winding alleyways and single story homes with courtyard. These hutongs are rapidly disappearing due to modern constructions and city planning. Take a rickshaw ride with us and visit a local family, then walk along Silver Ingot Bridge to learn more about the architectural style of the countless courtyards.
Begin your day with a jaunt to the Temple of Heaven, a staple on the Beijing tour circuit. This complex of Taoist buildings was where Ming and Qing Dynasty emperors would come pray during annual ceremonies in hopes of a bountiful harvest for their lands; during imperial times the complex was not open to common citizens. It wasn’t until 1918 that Yuan Shikai, then President of the Republic of China, declared it open to the public, today a very popular place to exercise. Overall, the Temple of Heaven dates back to 1420 at earliest and covers 273 hectares. Be sure to stop by the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest at this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Next on your itinerary is the Great Wall, particularly the Mutianyu Great Wall section. Constructed in the mid-6th century, the Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the oldest sections on the whole, with a higher density of watchtowers than many other parts. Take a cable car ride up to the top where you can begin to walk and explore. You can also descend via cable car, or by foot as you wish.
Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant near the Great Wall and you will have the chance to a Cloisonne Factory to learn about this classic type of Chinese art.
On your last day with us in Beijing, you will visit the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is a large classical Chinese garden complex with lakes, palaces, temples, and much more. Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake are the two highlights here, with the former created with the soil excavated to create the manmade latter. Enjoy a fine lunch afterwards.
At a time of convenience, we will take you back to Beijing airport of your outbound journey. We thank you for traveling with us!
We use different hotels for different tour classes while the itinerary is the same. Deluxe Class is usually staying at a 5-star hotel, Superior Class at a 4-star hotel and Tourist Class at a 3-star level hotel. The prices for one person are based on sharing twin hotel rooms with another guest. A supplement is necessary if you want to book single rooms. And the prices may rise during national holidays, such as the National Day (September 30th to October 6th) and Chinese New Year (late January or early February)
Sally Guo
Travel Advisor