2 Days Mini Group Beijing Tour, No Shopping

This morning, your guide and driver will pick you up at the hotel you’ve booked yourself, at the time agreed upon with you one day in advance, approximately between 7:00 and 8:00, and then accompany you to set off for this 2 days Beijing mini group tour. To ensure sufficient sightseeing time, the specific pick-up time may be advanced in the peak season to avoid crowds and busy traffic on the day.


Our first stop will be Tiananmen Square, the important center of Chinese national activities. As you stroll here, behold those symmetrically distributed erections, including the towering Monument to the People's Heroes, the National Museum - the top historical, cultural and artistic mecca, as well as the solemn Tiananmen Tower - the symbol of China. 

After around 30 minutes' photo time on this large square, let’s head north to visit a world cultural heritage site, Forbidden City, which has endured the test of time for over 600 years. With more than 9,000 rooms in some 70 palaces lined along its north-south central axis, it is the largest wooden royal palace complex in the world. Once you enter the Meridian Gate, pretend to be a feudal emperor from the 15th to the early 20th century in Chinese history, and then commence your highly anticipated imperial journey. When reaching the Outer Court with three main halls, ready to discuss state affairs with your ministers at the most essential Hall of Supreme Harmony. Time to rest? Then keep walking forward to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the core building in the Inner Court. In your sleep, the scene of the wedding to the empress flickers in the mind; thereupon when you wake up, you want to go immediately to see your beloved one in the Palace of Earthly Tranquility behind, the former wedding room, which retains original furnishings. Finally, invite your empress and concubines to relax and admire the beautiful scenery in the picturesque Imperial Garden.

► Notes:
1. Our visit to the Forbidden City will focus on the major palaces along the central axis and some special chambers on the two wings, excluding the Treasure Gallery, Gallery of Timepieces, and other temporary exhibitions.
2. Please nail down this tour with us at least 8 days in advance, as the tickets for the Forbidden City go on sale online 7 days before and could be out of stock within one hour, and need to be purchased with your passport names. Otherwise, you may have to wait in long lines at the Ticket Office on the tour day, which can sometimes waste an hour or more.
2. For a faster entry into Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, you are advised to only take your passport and bottled water. Drones, selfie sticks, and sprays are strictly prohibited. Items like these need to be discarded before entry. We appreciate your understanding that we cannot control the rules and waiting time at the security checkpoints.
Next, let’s take a 1.5-hour drive in our comfortable vehicle to Mutianyu, the most beautiful Great Wall section in Beijing, for an exciting 3-hour hike. 

Lunch today is not included. Upon your arrival at the scenic area, we’ll leave you 30 minutes to enjoy a lunch break. Here, you can find the Burger King, Subway, and Pizza Hut, and if needed, the guide will be willing to help you locate them. We’d suggest skipping the Chinese buffet restaurants here for their inconsistent quality.


Your Great Wall hiking adventure begins. Skip the cable car and slideway requiring additional charge, and we strongly encourage you to tread on this World Heritage Site on foot - a truly rare opportunity! Looking up, the colossal “stone dragon” winding up and down the mountain ridges will instantly ignite your spirit of challenge. Don’t be deterred by the initial climb. The 800+ steps are manageable for anyone with average fitness, and you can reach the Great Wall and fulfil your life dream in just 25 minutes. Inhale deeply in the 90% vegetation coverage sprawling along the Great Wall, and feel your young heart beat with excitement. Here from the Watchtower No. 10, you can hike either east or west to conquer all or part of the watchtowers according to your interest and physical comfort. Our Mutianyu Great Wall group tour package ensures that physically fit guests can complete the 2.5- to 3-hour round-trip hike to the highest tower without feeling rushed. Only by our no-shopping policy can we schedule significantly more time than other Beijing tour companies, some of which involve disguised shopping venues like jade factories or tea ceremonies.

As you stand on this well-preserved 14th-century military fortification, the weight of history will be palpable. Take photos before the iconic Watchtower No.4, aka Zhengguan Terrace. Unique in design, it is composed of three hollow towers and has two floors, each with massive arrow windows and lookouts, allowing soldiers to observe and shoot the enemies in full range.
At around 16:30, finish the visit and drive back to downtown Beijing. During the ride, take a break for physical recovery or interact with the guide for something you might be interested in China.

After a warm greeting at your hotel, let’s embark on an immersive cultural exploration of Beijing.


We’ll first head to the Temple of Heaven, the largest royal ceremonial building group in China, where emperors used to hold the sacrificial activities in ancient times. With your guide, get close to appreciate the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the landmark structure here, featuring a distinctive three-layer circular blue roof. The lines formed by the edges of each layer intersect in the air to create a perfect equilateral triangle, fully demonstrating the beauty of Chinese symmetry. Looking inside, the dragon and phoenix patterns carved on the ceiling and naturally formed on the circular marble in the center of the floor also present you with a perfect blend of craftsmanship and nature. As you continue to stroll through this sacred compound, you can also see locals doing exercises and recreational activities.

► Note:
If your travel date happens to be a Monday when the main historical sites of the Temple of Heaven are closed, we’ll arrange for you a visit to the scenic Beihai Park, highlighted by a double-sided colored glazed Nine-Dragon Screen, instead.
Next, you’ll be welcomed by a classic rickshaw tour in the Shichahai Area, where a lake is rippling and the hutongs alleys are dense, with mansions and former residences of celebrities scattered among traditional quadrangle dwellings of ordinary people. Sitting in a rickshaw and weaving through the narrow lanes, you can occasionally see old Beijingers chatting or playing chess, which makes you feel the slow pace of Beijing life. The wheels roll over the bluestone paths, making a creaking sound, as if old time is whispering to you. Also, we won’t let you miss a family visit in a courtyard to get a deeper insight into the residential culture of locals - there might not just be a family of several generations living inside, but rather a mixture of people from different backgrounds and income levels. 

Lunch is on your own. There are many popular local-flavored restaurants and snack bars for you to have a light meal at your own expense. If you like, the guide will offer you some suggestions according to your taste.


After a short break, let’s make our way to the Lama Temple, originally the mansion of a prince and later transformed into the largest Buddhist temple in Beijing. When paying homage to the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses at the very end, you’ll surely be amazed by the gilded standing Buddha enshrined inside, which is sculpted from a complete 70-meter-long (230-feet-long) sandalwood, so huge that two people can play chess in one of its ears or lie side by side on its instep.
Relax in a 30-minute drive to the Summer Palace, a birthday gift by an emperor to his mother in 1750 AD. Mainly consisting of the Longevity Hill scattered with quaint pavilions and the shimmering Kunming Lake, this resort is reputed as the museum of ancient Chinese royal gardens. Take your time to wander along the Long Corridor, which ranks No.1 in length among its kind in China, and look up to admire over 14,000 colored drawings. It is interesting to know that at that time, the empress dowager loved to take in the scenery here while listening to myths, legends, as well as historical allusions told by maids and eunuchs. And to avoid repetition, since these servants might gradually forget what they had told as time went by, a clever maid suggested painting the stories on the beams and lintels of the corridor, resulting in the magnificent scale you see today.


Here comes the end of your 2 days Mutianyu Great Wall small group tour with Forbidden City, and your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. Hope you had an enjoyable trip with us! Apart from the classic mini group tours, we also offer in-depth private tours to more Beijing highlights, such as the Badaling Great Wall, Ming Tombs, and National Museum. Inquiries are welcome at any time!