4 Days Private Beijing Tour from Shanghai

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel lobby. Begin today’s city exploration from Tiananmen Square. Strolling through the vast square bustling with a sea of visitors, admire iconic buildings around, such as the Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, National Museum, and Tiananmen Tower.

Next, head to the day’s highlight, the Forbidden City, standing majestically at the heart of Beijing's central axis. Completed in 1420 AD, the giant wooden complex featuring ornate yellow roofs and red walls had served as the residence and political center for 24 emperors, bearing witness to nearly five centuries of Chinese imperial history! Walk your way down the axis to explore the Three Great Halls, the heart of the Outer Court for glorious ceremonies, among which the Hall of Supreme Harmony perched atop a three-tiered white marble platform is the most magnificent, and step into the Inner Court to observe the place where emperors resided and reviewed memorials from officials. The Six Eastern & Western Palaces, once home to imperial concubines, held countless court secrets, while the small but intricate Imperial Garden, with pavilions, ancient trees, and unique rocks, offered a poetic haven for the cloistered concubines within the solemn palace walls, who could hardly step out of the palace in their lifetimes.

★ Special Experience: Take a Rickshaw through Hutongs & Visit a Local Family!

Afterward, hop on a red-canopied rickshaw, pedaled by a local driver in traditional clothing, to grasp the essence of old Beijing Hutong alleys. Along the way, you’ll watch a bygone world go by, comprising quaint courtyards with red doors and green tiles, old locust trees, small stone lions on the doorsteps, and vibrant street food signs. We’ll stop to visit a local family, revealing the most authentic life hidden within low-rise, densely packed traditional courtyards. One single courtyard actually houses several families, and that can be observed from the number of electricity meters at the entrance - one for each household. You’ll be amazed to find three or even four generations crammed into a space of just 30 to 40 square meters. Do you think they are poor? Not exactly, these cramped, small houses are incredibly expensive, costing around USD 20,000 per square meter! In the end, your guide will escort you back to your hotel. 

► Dining Suggestion: (at your own expense)
How can one visit Beijing without trying its culinary icon, Peking Duck? Boasting its bright-red crispy skin and juicy, tender meat, Peking Duck is traditionally roasted in a fruitwood-fired oven. Served with thin pancakes, sweet bean sauce, scallions, and cucumber strips, it offers a rich and layered flavor experience. Enjoy this delicacy at time-honored brands like Quanjude or Bianyifang, while up-and-coming restaurants like Siji Minfu and Liqun are also worth trying. Queues are common, so book your seats in advance.

Meal: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Mercure Beijing Downtown Hotel (4 stars) or Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars).

Today, an outdoorsy delight is ready for you, as your private guide will accompany you to one of the most iconic attractions of China, the Mutianyu Great Wall, in the suburbs of Beijing. Don’t worry about the physical exertion, as a round-trip cable car will be arranged for you. With a forest coverage of up to 90%, the beautiful Great Wall winds through a sea of green, with 22 watchtowers embedded along the 5.4-kilometer-long (3.4-mi) mountain ridge. Despite enduring many wars, it has never been breached from the front in history, thanks to a dense network of watchtowers. Touch the marks of arrowheads left by Oirat cavalry in the 15th century at No. 12 Watchtower while observing the rare three hollow-core watchtowers standing side by side on a single base at No. 4 Watchtower. It is said that these hollow towers were not only used to store food and ammunition, but also garrisoned about 200 soldiers. Some well-preserved bamboo slips have been found in the cracks of the bottom walls, which record the intelligence transmission logs kept by the soldiers. 

► Tip: While many prefer the round-trip enclosed cable car, you can choose a more adventurous alternative: an open-air chairlift up and an exhilarating toboggan slide down. The 1,580-meter (5,184-foot) toboggan run reaches speeds of up to 30 km/h (18.6 mph).

After descending from the Great Wall, enjoy a buffet lunch, and then we’ll go back to the Beijing urban area. On the way, we’ll stop at the Olympic National Stadium, aka Bird's Nest, and the National Aquatics Center for photos.

Later, we’ll head to another imperial complex, the Temple of Heaven, a sacred venue for emperors to worship Heaven. Admire the landmark of the temple, the symmetrical Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, which stands upon a square base and showcases the pinnacle of Eastern architectural aesthetics. It is said that the hall’s three-tiered eaves were originally covered with three colored tiles: blue on top, yellow in the middle, and green on the bottom. However, Emperor Qianlong (1711-1799 AD) later unified them into the present classic blue, for a more solemn sense. After the visit, your guide will escort you back to your hotel.

► FYI: The best photo time is between 4:30 and 5:00 pm., when the soft sunlight is not so glaring, enveloping the hall in a golden veil.

Meal: Western buffet breakfast, Buffet lunch
Accommodation: Mercure Beijing Downtown Hotel (4 stars) or Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong (5 stars)

Your private Beijing tour from Shanghai to Great Wall comes to an end today! Your guide and the driver will escort you to the airport or railway station according to your schedule. If you’d like to return to Shanghai, please let us know in advance, so we can help book your return train ticket. Wish you a pleasant journey! If you crave to pursue other popular destinations such as historical Xi’an, chic Chengdu, or epic Zhangjiajie, we can also tailor it based on your interests!  

► Free-time Suggestion: (at your own expense)
If time permits, pop into the Hongqiao Market if you’re looking for some ideal souvenirs or accessories before jetting home. The market boasts one of the world’s three major pearl trading markets on the 3rd floor, offering a diverse range of pearl jewelry, as well as creative cultural products, clothing, electronics, and special experiences in traditional crafts. The Xiushui Street, aka Silk Market, is also a popular destination for silk products, bags, clothing, jewelry, and handicrafts. However, please be aware to verify authenticity when purchasing some valuables like jewelry and bargain hard for a good price.

Meal: Western buffet breakfast