Collision of Ancient and Modern Civilization | Beijing + Forbidden City + Hutongs + Great Wall + Olympic Park + Beijing Central Business District 5-Day Tour

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. Our guide will meet you at the exit of the airport/train station and take you to a downtown Beijing hotel for check-in and rest. After that, you will have free time. You can rest at the hotel to relieve jet lag, or take a stroll around the area. Suggested ways to arrive 1. By plane: Beijing has two airports, namely Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. Both airports have numerous international and domestic routes. You can fly to Beijing from countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the United States, Australia, Canada, Japan, and Cambodia, and also from most cities in China, such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, and Wuhan. 2. By train: Beijing's rail transit is extremely developed. You can take high-speed rail to Beijing from cities such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, and Harbin.

After breakfast, you will head to visit the world-renowned Tiananmen Square. [Tiananmen Square] is located on Beijing's central axis and is the largest city-center square in the world. It holds an important place in Chinese history and has witnessed countless major historical events. Here you can view the majestic and solemn Tiananmen Gate Tower and learn about China's long-standing culture. Afterwards, cross the square and proceed to visit the Beijing Palace Museum. [The Forbidden City], also known as the Purple Forbidden City, is located at the center of Beijing's central axis. It was the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties and is the world's largest and best-preserved wooden-structure palace complex of the Forbidden City. Here you can visit the important halls one by one along the central axis, admiring the splendid and exquisite ancient palace architecture while following the guide's commentary to further understand the historical stories of the Forbidden City. After finishing, you can also go to the nearby [Jingshan Park] (about a 15-minute walk) to overlook the panoramic view of the Forbidden City and the magnificent scenery of Beijing. In the afternoon, you will take a car to visit the famous imperial garden, the Summer Palace. [The Summer Palace] is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden existing in China, and one of China's four great gardens. It is known as the Museum of Imperial Gardens, with beautiful scenery inside, and its pavilions, towers, lakes, bridges, and other views are simply breathtaking.

This morning, you will visit the Temple of Heaven. [The Temple of Heaven], originally named the Altar of Heaven and Earth, was the place where ancient emperors worshipped heaven, prayed for good harvests, and prayed for rain. It is also the largest existing ancient sacrificial architectural complex in China, famous for its peculiar and magnificent architecture and its long, fascinating culture. Here you can learn about the ancient sacrificial rituals and visit structures such as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall, and the Three Echo Stones. Afterwards, you will take a car 73 kilometers (about 1.5–2 hours) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the Great Wall of China, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. [Mutianyu Great Wall] is the longest and best-restored section of China's Great Wall, and enjoys the reputation of being "the most outstanding section of the Great Wall at Mutianyu." You can first take the cable car to Watchtower No. 14, then hike westward, enjoying the magnificent mountain scenery and the winding, majestic views of the Great Wall along the way, and finally reach the highest point at Watchtower No. 20 to complete your Great Wall journey. After touring the Great Wall, return to downtown Beijing and, along the way, view the exteriors of the [Bird's Nest] (Beijing National Stadium) and the [Water Cube] (Beijing National Aquatics Center), and take photos with them.

This morning, you will visit the Yonghe Temple. [The Yonghe Temple], also known as the "Yongkang Palace," was first built during the Yongle period of the Ming dynasty. It is a magnificent architectural complex integrating palaces, Buddhist temples, and gardens. It was once the birthplace of Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Qianlong, and is also considered a blessed place where dragons reside. At the same time, it is the largest Tibetan Buddhist temple in Beijing. Its Five Hundred Arhats Mountain, sandalwood Buddha, and nanmu Buddhist shrine are not to be missed. Afterwards, you will visit the richly literary [Confucius Temple and Guozijian Museum]. This museum consists of the Confucius Temple and the Guozijian. The Confucius Temple was first built in 1302 AD and was a place where people in the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties paid homage to the ancient sage Confucius, while the Guozijian was first built in 1287 AD and was once the highest institution of learning in ancient China, as well as the only academy founded by ancient Chinese emperors. Here you can learn about China's traditional education system. At lunchtime, you can also go to the [Wudaoying Hutong] near the museum to spend a leisurely afternoon, experience the local people's way of life, stroll through the hutong alleys, chat with locals, and listen to them tell stories about the hutongs—that is also a great experience. In the afternoon, you can go to the [Drum Tower] to overlook the hutong scenery. If the timing is right, you may also have the chance to see the drum performance at the Drum Tower. Afterwards, you can walk through Yandai Xiejie. [Yandai Xiejie] is Beijing's oldest commercial street, with a history of about more than 800 years, and is also one of Beijing's oldest and most popular hutongs. Here you can see all kinds of pipes made of porcelain, jade, and wood, taste local specialty hutong food, and also take a rickshaw to tour the hutongs and Shichahai. Afterwards, you will take a car back to the hotel, with a brief stop along the way in the Beijing Central Business District, where you can appreciate Beijing's modern urban style and photograph the famous Beijing landmark, the [CCTV Headquarters Building] (locally jokingly called "Big Pants"). Then return to the hotel and have a good rest.

After breakfast, we will conclude this unforgettable 5-day ancient and modern culture tour of Beijing. Our guide will take you to the airport or train station for your next destination. If you would like to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Xi'an, Shanghai, Chengdu, Tibet, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you.