Beijing Highlights: Top 10 Must-See Attractions Tour

Explore the top 10 must-see attractions in Beijing over three full days, including the Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, and enjoy a fun Hutong rickshaw ride. Savor famous Peking duck and local hot pot, all with the guidance of a professional expert. Embark on an incredible three-day tour of Beijing.

Duration: 3 days
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City (Treasure Gallery) + Temple of Heaven

Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - Discover the largest city center square, Tiananmen Square, which spans an area equivalent to 61 football fields and can accommodate 1 million people simultaneously. Located in the heart of Beijing, you’ll see Tiananmen Gate with Chairman Mao’s portrait, the National Flag, the National Museum of China, the Great Hall of the People, and the Monument to the People’s Heroes. Your guide will share stories from both the past and present.

Forbidden City - The Palace Museum - Explore the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, a 600-year-old royal palace where 24 emperors once resided. With your professional guide, learn about the lives of ancient emperors and the secret tales of their concubines. Discover lesser-known areas, such as the missing half-room from the 9999.5 rooms in the Forbidden City. You’ll also have the unique opportunity to visit the Treasure Hall, a site often missed by regular tours.

Temple of Heaven - Visit the iconic Temple of Heaven, the largest worship structure in the world, and experience the daily life of Beijing’s retired residents.

Hutong Tour - Explore the best Hutong alley area, an old city with authentic vibes. Enjoy a rickshaw ride through the Hou Hai lake area, see old Beijing, and visit a local courtyard family to learn about their life, including birdcages, pomegranate trees, fish ponds, and tea tables, all rich with Chinese culture. Pass by Houhai Lake, visit Yin-ding Bridge, and take a pleasant walk. It will be a fantastic experience!

Mutianyu Great Wall (Round Trip Cable Car/Chairlift Up, Toboggan Down)

Mutianyu Great Wall - Meet your guide and driver at your hotel lobby at 8:30 am for the Great Wall tour. Skip the lines and visit the less crowded section of the wall, Mutianyu Great Wall, known for its magnificent views. You’ll have the chance to take a chairlift to the top and then slide down on a toboggan for a fun experience. In 1972, President Nixon climbed this part of the wall during his first visit to China. Your guide will share detailed historical stories and accompany you on the climb.

Summer Palace + National Arts Museum + Lama Temple + Confucius Temple

Lama Temple (Yonghegong) - Explore the renowned Tibetan-style Lama Temple in Beijing, built in 1694 by Emperor Kang Xi for his fourth son, Yin Zhen. Since Emperor Qian Long was also born here, the Lama Temple is known as a “blessed land for two emperors.” Admire the three wonders: the Five Hundred Arhats Mountain, the 26-meter-high sandalwood Buddha listed in the Guinness World Records in 1900, and the exquisite nanmu Buddha niches. Benefit from your guide’s insider knowledge and take your time to appreciate each stop.

Temple of Confucius and Guozijian Museum - After visiting the Lama Temple, cross the street to see the Confucius Temple, built in 1302 during the Yuan Dynasty for worshipping Confucius through the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. This is a less crowded scenic spot. Then, visit the Guozijian Museum, also known as the Imperial College, the highest institution for managing education during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties from 1287. Explore the only preserved and complete site of the highest institution in ancient China and spend a leisurely hour here.

Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) - In the afternoon, visit the best-preserved imperial garden, the Summer Palace. Built in 1750, burnt in 1860, and rebuilt in 1888, learn from your expert guide why the famous Empress Dowager Cixi loved this place so much and spent a fortune to rebuild it. Discover her extravagant life, the secret stories behind it, and admire her opera house, birthday celebration rooms, the longest painted corridor, and the beautiful Kunming Lake.

National Arts and Crafts Museum (Zhongguo Gongyi Meishuguan) - Enter the Intangible Cultural Heritage Museum to experience the charm of Chinese culture and art. The museum showcases numerous works of carvings, including the four national treasures, as well as exquisite wood carvings, ivory carvings, Silk Road murals, Chinese operas, and a total of 1,298 pieces.

What's Included
  • All sights entrance tickets (Round trip cable car at Great Wall)
  • Lunch
  • Mineral water
  • Professional English/French/Spanish speaking guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Air-conditioned car with driver
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities ( Recommended )
Additional Information
  • A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
  • Passport name, number, date of birth and country is required at time of booking for all participants ( for getting your Forbidden City entrance ticket in advance )
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
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Drmdhumayunk
Jun 19, 2023
My trip to Greatwall, Tienanmen square, Forbidden city, Summer palace & other places of China with Cathy. - Cathy, a very gentle, enthusiastic, energetic tour operator. In fact, she is an excellent one. She is a very knowledgeable and fun loving person too. We learned a lot about China & its history during our tour with her. I've been eagerly waiting towards my next trip to China with her.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rongc7804
Jun 19, 2023
Amazing trip - we had amazing three days tours with Cathy at beijing, from begin ing organizing the tour, the hotel booking, ticket booking for all attractions, Cathy did very professional jobs. on the three days tour of all the places, Cathy gives huge historic information for each sights, great character, really cheerful to be with. great food arrange, can't be better. if you want to come to being., go with cathy, book with this company.
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Riekoo21
Sep 25, 2018
Amazing Guide! - Cathy is amazing! I rate her 6 stars!!! She organized a special tour for my parents with two wheelchairs. I can't believe that she took us even to the Great Wall all the way sitting! She organized a very gentle and safe driver and hard-working gentlemen to push wheelchairs. Cathy is a very clever, hard-working, and honest person, and she always solves the problem immediately. Thanks Cathy for our wonderful memory.
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Sherry
May 12, 2018
Fun, Informative & Memorable - My husband and I honeymooned in Beijing and Cathy made it a trip to remember! She is extremely knowledgeable, energetic, and kind. We felt comfortable with her from the very start and by the end it felt as if we were old friends. The car service picked us up promptly. It was very clean and the drivers were also very pleasant. We saw everything we wanted to see in the four days, and walked away with a better understanding Beijing's culture and history. If you're on the fence, I highly recommend booking a tour with Cathy!
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