Northern Landscapes | 6-Day Ice and Snow Tour of Beijing Tiananmen Square + Forbidden City + Mutianyu Great Wall + Harbin Ice and Snow World + Saint Sophia Cathedral + Central Street

Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. Our guide will meet you at the airport/train station exit and take you to a hotel in downtown Beijing for check-in and rest. After that, you can arrange your time freely. You can rest at the hotel to relieve jet lag or take a stroll nearby. Suggested Ways to Arrive 1. By plane: Beijing has two airports, namely Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport. Both airports have many 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, and Wuhan.

After breakfast, you will visit the world-famous 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 see the towering and solemn Tiananmen Gate Tower and learn about China's long history and culture. Then cross the square 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 complex of wooden palace architecture. 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 explanations to learn more about the historical stories of the Forbidden City. Afterwards, 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. Finally, 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 surviving ancient sacrificial architectural complex in China, famous for its peculiar and magnificent architecture and long, fascinating culture. Here, you can learn about the ancient sacrificial rituals and visit buildings such as the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Echo Wall, and the Triple-Sound Stone.

Today, you will drive 73 kilometers (about 1.5–2 hours) to visit the Mutianyu Great Wall, part of the Great Wall—one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Mutianyu Great Wall is the longest and best-restored section of the Chinese Great Wall, and enjoys the reputation of being "the most outstanding section of the Great Wall." You can first take the cable car up to Watchtower No. 14, then hike westward, enjoying the magnificent mountain scenery and the winding, majestic views of the Great Wall along the way, before reaching the highest point at Watchtower No. 20 to complete your Great Wall journey. After visiting the Great Wall, you will drive to the famous royal garden, the Summer Palace. The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China and one of China's four great gardens. Known as the Royal Garden Museum, it features beautiful scenery, with pavilions, towers, lakes, and bridges offering breathtaking views.

This morning, we will escort you to Beijing Railway Station to take a high-speed train to Harbin. The journey takes about 5–6.5 hours, and the scenery along the way is endless, allowing you to enjoy the magnificent scenery of the North from a different perspective. Welcome to the Ice City—Harbin. Our guide will greet you at the Harbin Railway Station exit and escort you to a downtown hotel for check-in. You are free to arrange the rest of your time. If you are tired, you can rest at the hotel to recharge; if it is still early, you can explore the surrounding area. You may refer to the free-time suggestions below or ask the guide for travel advice. Free-time Suggestions 1. City walk: Stroll around the area, enjoy the dreamlike ice and snow scenery along the way, admire the exquisite and lifelike ice sculptures in the streets and alleys, visit the diverse city architecture, and immerse yourself in Harbin's surreal and charming views. You can also head to the Songhua River and enjoy popular winter activities like ice skating and ice fishing just like the locals. 2. Taste the food: Wander through the snack streets, taste the most authentic Harbin cuisine, and experience the local lifestyle and unique food culture. 3. Zhaolin Park: Zhaolin Park hosts a free Harbin Ice Lantern Garden Party, the birthplace of Chinese ice lantern art. Here you can admire ice sculptures in all kinds of forms, experience making ice lanterns, and watch wonderful ice sculpture performances—it is great fun.

After breakfast, you will head to the Siberian Tiger Park, known as "China's Tiger Town." This is one of the world's largest breeding and reproduction bases for Siberian tigers. Here, you can observe the majestic purebred Siberian tigers up close, capture images of the wildest power, and even take a specially designed sightseeing bus to feed the Siberian tigers yourself (at your own expense), experiencing the thrilling excitement of coming face to face with fierce beasts under the protection of safety measures. You can also admire the adorable cubs in the cub park. In addition, there are other rare animals to see in the park, such as African lions, leopards, and Bengal tigers. Then, head to Sun Island, known as the "Little Switzerland of the East," to begin a magical ice and snow journey. The "International Snow Sculpture Art Expo" held on Sun Island is a highlight of the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival and a must-visit place for winter tourism in Harbin. Here, you can admire snow sculpture artworks of various themes, among which Mr. Snowman, Return of Wukong, Legendary Sacred Flame, and Snowy Spring are so vividly depicted that people marvel endlessly. Optional Activity (at your own expense): If you are interested in polar animals, you can visit Harbin Polarland, China's first original theme park featuring polar animal entertainment performances and the world's first polar performance amusement park. Here, you can watch performances by polar animals such as penguins, sea lions, and polar bears up close, which is highly entertaining. After the tour, you will head to the world's largest ice and snow theme park—Ice and Snow World. This is Harbin's top tourist destination, famous worldwide for its magnificent scale, grand designs, and breathtakingly beautiful ice and snow landscapes, allowing you to deeply appreciate the charm of ice and snow art. In this ice and snow kingdom carefully created by the world's top artists, you can not only see distinctive ice sculptures such as the Ice Terracotta Warriors, giant dragons, morning fishing, and giant diamonds, but also enjoy food and drinks in the ice restaurant for a unique experience. In addition, popular winter activities in Ice and Snow World, such as the super-long ice slide, snowflake Ferris wheel, mass snow disco, and fireworks show, allow you to experience the ultimate joy of Ice and Snow World from multiple angles and in all aspects. Travel Tips 1. Keep warm: Harbin is very cold in winter. Long down jackets, thermal underwear, sweaters, long johns, fleece-lined cotton pants, hats, gloves, scarves, waterproof and anti-slip boots, and other warm items are essential. 2. Protect your eyes: Sunlight reflected off the snow is quite strong. It is recommended to wear sunglasses for protection. If you are nearsighted, consider switching to contact lenses, because the heat you generate will fog up glasses and obstruct your vision, which is not very safe. 3. Protect electronic devices: In cold weather, electronic devices consume battery faster. It is recommended to carry a portable power bank or keep them in a warmer place. 4. Best times to visit: There are fewer tourists in the morning, so you can freely explore and take photos and enjoy the quiet ice and snow world; the afternoon has plenty of sunlight and is the best time to admire ice and snow sculptures; in the evening, you can enjoy the stunning night views and various brilliant light shows.

In the morning, you will head to the [Hongzhuan Street Morning Market], known as a "foodie's paradise," to taste the most authentic Northeast snacks and experience the daily life and local customs of the residents. Among the specialties worth trying are the aromatic red sausages, steaming hot Northeast flatbread, fragrant tofu pudding, golden crispy fried cakes, and rich pork stewed with vermicelli. In addition, you can chat with the stall owners or locals and feel the humor and wit of the people of Northeast China. Afterwards, head to the [Bund Snowman Wharf], hailed as a "dreamy ice-and-snow fairy-tale snow amusement park," to watch the thrilling winter swimming performance. These winter swimming enthusiasts leap into the icy water with graceful postures, their fancy swimming techniques sending up splashes wherever they go and drawing cheers from the crowd. The winter swimmers in the water form a striking contrast with the warmly dressed spectators around them, bringing you tremendous visual impact. Optional activities (at your own expense): The Bund Snowman Wharf also offers many ice activities, such as ice slides, rotating snow slides, hovercraft, snow speedsters, snow go-karts, and more than 30 other activities, suitable for people of all ages. You can choose according to your preferences. After the tour, you will visit Harbin's landmark [Saint Sophia Cathedral], the only surviving Byzantine-style Orthodox church in China. Its architectural style is unique, blending Chinese and Russian flavors, both magnificent and elegantly refined, with its giant green "onion dome" as a major highlight. You can stroll around Saint Sophia Cathedral, admire the grand and solemn architecture, learn about its long history, and capture the most magical and dreamy images. Then, you will continue to the [Central Street], known as "Asia's No. 1 Street." This is the longest pedestrian street in Asia and the earliest in China, as well as Harbin's busiest shopping and entertainment center and the city's calling card. Strolling along it, you can admire diverse architectural styles such as Baroque and Renaissance, browse various handicrafts and international brands, watch interesting street performances, and taste specialty foods blending Chinese and Russian flavors, such as Harbin red sausage, Modern ice pops, and sweet and sour pork. Afterwards, you can continue to [Stalin Park] to admire the elegant and simple Russian-style buildings, view exquisite sculptures such as the Swan Spreading Its Wings, Three Youths, Sword Dance, and Diving, and experience activities such as ice skating, sledding, and snowmobiling. Finally, you will head to China's largest "Chinese Baroque" architectural complex — the [Old Daowai District]. Strolling along this Chinese Baroque-style street, you can admire century-old buildings that blend Eastern and Western architectural styles, browse quaint old shops, and taste authentic Harbin delicacies. After the visit, this unforgettable Beijing to Harbin winter ice-and-snow tour will come to an end. Our guide will take you back to your accommodation or to the airport/train station. If you wish to extend this trip and explore more destinations in China, such as Shanghai, Yunnan, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu, Tibet, Xinjiang, Guilin, etc., you can also contact our customer service to arrange it for you.