2 Days Beijing Short Trip

After breakfast, you can begin exploring the historical essence of Beijing with a quick visit to Tian’anmen Square – the largest city plaza in the world. On the north side of the square you’ll see Tian’anmen Gate, atop which Chairman Mao announced the establishment of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Upon entrance into Tian’anmen Square itself you will see one of the world’s five most important imperial palaces – The Forbidden City, a massive palace complex containing more than 9,000 rooms where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties lived and ruled over China. Inside the palace we will pass through many doorways to admire the magnificent and very well preserved buildings that are decorated with the yellow glazed roof tiles that were reserved solely for imperial use, as well as white marble floors and numerous splendid and colorful paintings.

After exploring the very core of Beijing and China, we’ll take you outside of the city, driving about 70 kilometers over 90 minutes to see one of the great wonders of the world – the Great Wall of China. We will take you to the less crowded section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which is a well-preserved and less crowded section of the Wall that was built during the Ming Dynasty. We will take you on the cable car to reach the foot of the Great Wall and then hike along the most beautiful and scenic part of Mutianyu. It’s an incredible feeling to actually be walking along the famous Great Wall of China, climbing up through numerous watch towers and seeing the Wall stretch out like a dragon across the low mountain ridges. After a couple hours of hiking, you can get back down from the Great Wall by cable car. (Note for Mutianyu: if you would prefer more hiking, you can hike up or down to or from the Great Wall, with the hike taking about 40 minutes to climb up the steps. Please let your travel consultant know which would work best for you.)

On the way back to the city, we will have a short stop at the Beijing Olympic Village to take in the views of the magnificent Bird’s Nest stadium and the Water Cube from the 2008 Beijing Olympics, with the opportunity to get some great photos of the outside of the venues.

Recommended optional activities:
1) Enjoy a safe but exciting toboggan ride down a chute at the Mutianyu Great Wall (the ride lasts about 2 – 3 minutes);
2) Take in a wonderful Legend of Kung Fu Show at the Red Theater (Hong Ju Chang), with the usual showtime at 19:30 (7:30 p.m.)

Accommodation: None

This morning after breakfast, we will take you to the sacred imperial site known as the Temple of Heaven. This temple was originally used by the emperors to pay homage to Heaven and pray for good harvests, but it is now used as a bustling place for local Beijingers to take part in traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying, water calligraphy, playing mah jong, etc.

After your visit to the Temple of Heaven we’ll return to the very center of Beijing to hop on a rickshaw to experience the ancient alleyways of Beijing (called “hutong” in the local language). The hutong are small alleys made up of neighboring quadrangle dwellings that grew organically beginning during the Yuan Dynasty centuries ago. You will ride around different hutongs to get a feel for the old Beijing lifestyle, see various antique shops and small boutiques and compare and contrast ancient Beijing with the ultra-modern buildings that have been built up around these ancient alleyways. You will also have the opportunity to be welcomed into a local hutong family’s home to get an up-close look at what it’s like to live in a hutong home.

That afternoon we will drive about 40 minutes to the northwest outskirts of Beijing for an enjoyable time at the Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved royal garden in all of China. You’ll have time for a leisurely stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, and bridges. Feast your eyes on the vast lotus growing in Kunming Lake and walk under the intricately painted colors of the Long Corridor as you experience the life of the royal family at their summer retreat.

After visiting the Summer Palace, we will take you back to your hotel.

Recommended optional activities:
1) After the full-day tour, treat yourself to an imperial-style dinner with the famous Peking Roast Duck at Quanjude;
2) Enjoy the classic Chinese art performance of the Beijing (Peking) Opera at the Liyuan Theater from 19:30 to 21:00 (7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.)

Accommodation: None