beijing tour to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven

This day Beijing tour begins at 09:00am and ends at around 5:00pm. Please get everything ready before our English-speaking guide meets you in the lobby of the hotel where you stay. It’s about 20 minutes driving to the first stop of the main attractions.  

The first stop is Tiananmen Square, which is one of the biggest city center squares in the world. Tiananmen Square stretches 880 meters from north to south and 500 meters from east to west, for a total area of 440,000 square meters. At about 09:30am you can reach Tiananmen Square. So here a 30-minute walking tour is necessary for having some pictures taken as mementos. At 10:00am, the guide will lead you to the Forbidden City, which is also called Imperial Palace, through “Gate of Heavenly Peace”. Tiananmen Square actually gets its name from the huge gate that stands on the north side of the square. The Chinese of Tiananmen can be translated into English as “Gate of Heavenly Peace”.  

The Purple Forbidden City contains the imperial palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. Twenty-four emperors, fourteen in the Ming and ten in the Qing Dynasties, ruled here. It covers an area of 72 hectares. It is rectangular in shape, 961 meters long from north to south and 753 meters wide from east to west. There are 9999.5 rooms in the whole ancient Chinese architecture complex. There are 9999.5 rooms because Chinese used to believe that only the palace for the ruler in the heaven could have ten thousand rooms. But not all of the rooms are open to the public. For visiting the public parts, 2 or 2.5 hours are needed. 

12:30pm, It is time for lunch when you finish seeing the Forbidden City. We would like to offer Beijing day tour with lunch in a local restaurant, which is included in the given price. We also consider that in this way you can learn a lot more about Chinese cuisines during your stay in China. 2 hours are needed for having lunch and driving to the next stop, the Temple of Heaven.

The Temple of Heaven was built in 1420 during a time when many other important structures were constructed in Beijing. Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties visited the Temple of Heaven to worship heaven and pray for an abundant harvest. This temple was for imperial use only, however, it is a public park today. The park spans 1,700 meters from east to west, 1,600 meters from north to south, and covers about 273 hectares. It is one of the largest parks in Beijing. All day long, you can see a lot of local folks in the park doing exercises, singing, dancing or something like that.

This day tour ends with the transfer back to your hotel at around 5:00pm. We hope that this day tour arrangement just fits your need. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Join us beijing day tour to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City and Temple Heaven

Beijing Zoo,Beijing Zoo tour,the Best Beijing Zoo tour

Beijing zoo is famous, naturally, for its large selection of pandas.  However, for some strange reason, the panda display is an additional price on top of the price of admission.  Is anyone not interested in the pandas I wonder ??   Having said that, there are scores of other animals here, comparable to any zoo in the world.

One could argue that, apart from the pandas, who have a fairly luxurious pad, every other animal here is getting a rough deal in terms of accommodation.  Most of the enclosures are concrete and not too imaginative.  If you really like animals and do the whole zoo you can spend a lot of time here.  It does get pretty cold in the winter however

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The Beijing Zoo is located in the north west of Beijing not too far from the center.  A taxi from the center might cost you somewhere from 20 RMB to 25 RMB.  Taxi is your best bet for getting there, but you do have the option of taking the subway to Xi Zhi Men station (201) on Line 2 followed by walking 15 to 20 mins or taking a short bus ride.

The following is the name of the Beijing Zoo in Chinese, you can print and hand to the taxi driver.

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beijing tour:beijing to chengde to tianjin to beijing tour:Take time 6days 7night

Chengde is best known as the home of the Imperial Mountain Resort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where the emperors of China would go to enjoy cooler weather in the summer, and the Eight Outer Temples (also known as the Lesser Potala Palace), which were modeled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa, Tibet. Located 140 miles (230km) northeast of Beijing, this interesting and historical city is in the process of building a very nice riverwalk alongside the river that runs through the main part of the city. Chengde is a bit off the beaten path for most visitors to China and it provides a nice alternative to the overcrowded, touristy sites of nearby Beijing. Chengde is part of our Beijing-Chengde-Tianjin-Beijing tour, or we can add it into any itinerary that fits your schedule.

6days 7nights Beijing to chengde to tianjin --Beijing tour

Includes airport transfers, your personal English-speaking tour guide, hotels, 2nd, 3rd and 4th day breakfast and lunch, 5th day breakfast, all entrance fees and tickets, transportation. Not included: dinners, tips for the tour guide and driver (a tip is customary, depending upon the service of course!)

Day 1: Airport Pickup

Upon your arrival in Beijing, your English-speaking tour guide will greet you and transport you to a 4-star hotel where you can rest and relax at night from your adventures during the day in Beijing. This evening you will have the opportunity to rest up from your long journey to Beijing, or your tour guide can assist you with plans for the evening, maybe an evening out on the colorful Beijing bar streets of Houhai or Sanlitun, or a visit to the night food market?

Day 2: Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City - Temple of Heaven - Acrobatics (or Kung Fu or Beijing Opera) Show

A full and busy day to help you make the most of your time in Beijing. We will pick you up at 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. (your choice) to visit some of the “must-see” sites in the city. Wrap up the evening with the incredible acrobatics show (or you can substitute the Kung Fu show or the Beijing Opera show for the same price), then back to your hotel to rest up for another big day tomorrow. Breakfast at the hotel, lunch, all entrance fees and private transportation are included.

Day 3: Badaling Great Wall of China - The Summer Palace

An early start with a hotel pickup at 8 a.m. for a trip to the outskirts of Beijing to see the legendary Great Wall of China. After lunch (included) it is off to see the beautiful Summer Palace park (Yiheyuan) with its Longevity Hill, Kunming Lake, Stone Boat and numerous other historical structures - this place is included on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Breakfast at the hotel, lunch, all entrance fees and private transportation are included.

Day 4: Beijing to Chengde - The Imperial Summer Resort

We will help you check out of your hotel around 8 a.m. for an interesting 4-hour drive to Chengde, home of the Imperial Summer Resort. After checking into your 4-star hotel and a nice lunch, you will visit the enormous resort, built in 1703 and later enlarged to be bigger than the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace in Beijing combined - this place is big! You will be back at your hotel around 5:30 p.m. in time to find a nice place for dinner (not included).

Day 5: Lesser Potala Palace (Potaraka Doctrine Temple) - Chengde to Beijing

We will help you check out of your hotel at around 8:30 a.m. for a visit to the Temple of Potaraka, which was modeled on the Potala Palace in Lhasa and built between 1767 and 1771. After a nice lunch (included), we will drive you back to Beijing and help you check into your hotel room. You will have the evening free for dinner on your own or we can recommend some other activities for you.

Day 6: Beijing - Tianjin - Beijing

Hotel pickup at around 8:30 a.m. for the 90-mile, 2-hour drive to Tianjin. Tianjin is famous for its Food Street, featuring just about every type of cuisine from all over China. After lunch (included), you will have the opportunity to visit Culture Street, which is basically a rebuilt area that offers a plethora of souvenirs for sale - be sure to bargain hard! We will have you back to your hotel in Beijing in time for dinner for your last night here (not included) - we can take you to a fantastic and reasonably priced Beijing Duck restaurant if you would like.

Day 7: Hotel Checkout/Depart from Beijing

Your tour guide can help you check out from your hotel to transfer you to the Beijing airport or train station by private vehicle to ensure that you make it to your next destination. Depending upon your departure time, you may have a chance to do some shopping or explore another of Beijing’s interesting sites.

Beijing to Guilin and Yangshuo back Beijing,7 Nights, 8 Days Beijing - Guilin - Yangshuo - Beijing

Located in Guangxi Province in southern China, these are two very popular travel destinations with much to see and do. Guilin is the starting point for a trip down the Li River to Yangshuo, a journey on which you will see some absolutely spectacular scenery - this is where you will see the karst mountains that are so often pictured in images of China. The private tour below is just a sample itinerary for your reference - we can tailor a private Guilin - Yangshuo tour for you that fitsyour time schedule

includes English-speaking tour guide, breakfasts and lunches, all entrance fees and tickets, private ground transportation and domestic roundtrip airfare between Beijing and Guilin. Not included: hotel, dinners, tips for the tour guide and driver. (A tip is customary, depending upon the service of course!)

Day 1: Beijing Airport Pickup

Upon your arrival in Beijing, our English-speaking tour guide will greet you and transport you to your hotel. This evening you will have the opportunity to rest up from your long journey to Beijing, or our tour guide can assist you with plans for the evening, maybe an evening out on the colorful Houhai or Sanlitun bar street?

Day 2: Tiananmen Square - The Forbidden City - The Temple of Heaven - The Summer Palace

An early start to a busy day to help you make the most of your time in Beijing. We will pick you up around 8 a.m. for a full day of visiting some of the “must-see” sites of this amazing city. Wrap up your evening with an incredible show - your choice of the Acrobatics Show, the Kung Fu Show, or Beijing Opera. Today includes breakfast at your hotel, lunch, all entrance tickets and transportation. Afterwards we will take you back to your hotel to rest up for Day 3.

Day 3: The Sacred Way, Ming Tombs and The Great Wall of China at Juyongguan

Another early start to maximize your time in Beijing. Today you will visit the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs, one of the Ming Tombs, and then a beautiful section of the Great Wall at Juyongguan. You will finish off the day with a traditional Beijing Duck dinner. Includes breakfast at your hotel, lunch, all entrance tickets and transportation and your Beijing Duck dinner.

Day 4: Beijing Rickshaw Hutongs Tour - Flight to Guilin

After breakfast, we will take you on a tour of the ancient alleyways (hutongs) of Beijing by rickshaw. These hutongs have been home to Beijing residents for centuries, and you will have the opportunity to visit a local home and have tea with a hutong family, visit a local school, and see many historic sites. After a local lunch, we will transport you to the Beijing airport in time for your afternoon flight to Guilin, where you will be greeted by an English-speaking tour guide and transported to your 4-star hotel. Breakfast at your hotel, lunch, rickshaw tour, all ground transportation, hotels and airfare are included.

Day 5: Li River Cruise to Yangshuo

This morning you will travel by boat along the Li River for one of the most beautiful river cruises in the world. The karst mountains of southern China, famous throughout the world as a recognized symbol of the Middle Kingdom, provide amazing scenery throughout the trip on your leisurely cruise to Yangshuo, where you will spend two nights and two fun-filled days. You will have the opportunity to fully explore this charming small town either on foot or by bicycle - this is a great place for biking to check out the extraordinary natural beauty of the surrounding countryside. Breakfast at your hotel, the river cruise, lunches, bike rentals and your hotel are all included.

Day 6: Exploring Yangshuo County

You will have this day to explore Yangshuo County and all of its sights - Moon Hill, with its interesting hole through the middle, cormorant fishing (fishing with birds), visiting a water (more appropriately, a mud) cave (prepare to get as dirty as you have ever been in your life though) or just riding your bicycles around to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and the fantastic beauty of one of the most beautiful places on earth. Breakfast, lunch and bike rentals are included.

Day 7: Yangshuo - Guilin - Beijing

Today you will return to Guilin for some sightseeing before your evening flight back to Beijing. Sites that you will have the opportunity to visit include the Elephant Trunk Hill (shown at left), Fubo Hill and the Reed Flute Cave. An English-speaking tour guide will greet you at the airport in Beijing to take you back to your hotel for the night, where you will have time to rest up for your departing flight the next day.

Day 8: Beijing Airport Dropoff

We will pick you up at your hotel in time to make your flight out of Beijing. Depending on your flight schedule, you may have time for some last minute shopping at Hong Qiao (Pearl Market) or the Silk Factory, or maybe even some quick sightseeing. Transportation to the Beijing airport is included.

Summer Palace-Beijing Summer Palace tour tips

The summer palace is located in the north west corner of Beijing right next to Beijing University.  Constructed as a place of rest and recreation for the emperor of old, it is now open as a public park and is one of the most impressive places to visit in Beijing. 

The focus of the Summer Palace is a huge lake with a long walkway circling it.  To the one end is built a series of towers, halls and temples climbing the hillside.  From the buildings towards the top of the hill you can see the entire lake and its surroundings.  The picture on the right was taken in mid winter and those are not boats on the lake but rather people walking on the ice. 

The park is accented by many small architectural features such as the beautiful 17 arch bridge which leads to a small island, and the pagoda on the hill of the far shore.  There is also a large boat built from stone to look out for.  In the summer you can go boating on the lake. You can go with a group on one of the large dragon boats, or you can rent your own electric powered boat by the hour.

It will take about 50 minutes to just over an hour to reach the summer palace by taxi from the center of Beijing.  If you want to take the bus it could take an hour and a half or more.  The taxi cost should be no more than 50 RMB.  The bus fare if you're willing to brave it would be less than 7 RMB.  The summer palace entrance fee is around 30RMB.  Boat rental stops early at around 4.30pm so get there early if you want to rent a boat.

When you leave the summer palace, getting a taxi back can often be a problem, and so can traffic on the small roads leading out.  Be very careful about taxis parked near the Summer Palace, they are often fake or have adjusted meters.  Try to find a taxi which has just pulled up, or one which is cruising by.  Another option is to take a tour from your hotel.  Most hotels can get you on some kind of tour which will give you a coach there and back.

This is the Chinese name of the Summer Palace.  Directions are hardly necessary as every Beijing taxi driver should know exactly where it is.

beijing vacation，beijing hotel

Tourist Trail - CCTV Tower tour in beijing

The CCTV tower is one of the modern wonders of Beijing.  If this were any less of a city, with fewer attractions, the tower would feature heavily in any tourist promotions.  As it is, there are so many things to see in Beijing, especially of historical and cultural interest, the poor old tower tends to get overlooked.  We however, do think it is worth a visit, especially if you're stuck in Beijing and not particularly interested in all things ancient.

The CCTV tower not surprisingly is the home of many TV and Radio station broadcasts, including CCTV1 thru CCTV9.  From the top you can see a wide view of the western area of Beijing.  The tower is not near the center so practically all major Beijing landmarks are not usually visible.  There are two levels to the tower.  One is for observation, another is a revolving restaurant which is not too expensive, but not too fancy either.

At the base of the tower and across the main road you will find a rather pretty little park.  Here you can rent boats or just stroll along the shore.  From the park you can get a great view, and picture of the tower in all its glory.  At night it is illuminated to some degree.

The tower is in the western suburbs of Beijing and can be reached by subway by getting off at the Gong Zhu Fen (110) Line 1 station and walking north 15 to 20 minutes.  Alternatively you can get a taxi.  From the center of Beijing to the tower will cost you from 20 RMB to 25 RMB.

Below is the name and address of the tower in Chinese.  You can print and hand to your taxi driver.

Beijing day tours ，Beijing travel , 

Top 5 Places Where Groups Gorge

Beijing Tour, beijing tavel

P.K.14 axeman and epicure Xu Bo

P.K.14: Still Thoughts Vegetarian Restaurant
“Our favorite place as a band is this vegetarian joint behind the Meishuguan. It's quiet (!) and nothing cleans the gut like a good veggie meal. Plus it's run by our ex-bassist Ren Jie's cousin, so it's got a nice family vibe to it. We often take our friends and musicians passing through town.”

Still Thoughts Vegetarian Restaurant 18A Dafosi Dongjie, Yuqun Hutong (turn right onto Yuqun from Dafosi, which continues from Meishuguan Dongjie), Dongcheng District (6400 8941) 静思素食坊, 东城区大佛寺东街甲18号育群胡同(美术馆东街往北)

 

Arrows Made of Desire: Xinjiang Fengwei Canguan
“Small and unfussy about cleanliness, this place is not all that different from other Xinjiang restaurants, but we often come here because it’s within walking distance of our rehearsal space. The food is standard, which is good enough for us; it’s cheap, which is also pretty important for us musicians; and chuan’r are the best accompaniment to serious discussions on band matters.”

Xinjiang Fengwei Canguan 11-1 Gulou Dongdajie, Dongcheng District (no tel) 新疆风味餐馆, 东城区鼓楼东大街11-1

 

Beijing Live Hip Hop Experience: Xinwen Shouganmian
“As far as our band is concerned, the most important qualities in an eatery are that it be: 1) cheap; 2) tasty; 3) open late; 4) easy to get to. We come for noodles: cold ones in the summertime, and hot ones in the winter.”

(One band member pipes up: “But if it were only up to me, we’d hit the GL Cafe in Guomao. It’s a step up on the price scale, but the French toast, a deep-fried version of the American classic, is the bomb!”)

Xinwen Shouganmian 231-1 Dongzhimennei Dajie, Dongcheng District (6407 6831) 新文手擀面, 东城区东直门内大街231-1号

 

Black Cat Bone: Purple Haze Bistro
“It just so happens that our bassist, Tobi, runs the joint with his future wife, but it also just so happens that their food kicks ass. They mix a mean cocktail. And the live jazz twice a week doesn’t hurt either. But at gig time, we tend to squeeze in meals between soundcheck and showtime by either scarfing down nang and chuan’r from the Xinjiang joint near Yugong Yishan or else chilling in the grassy area at the North African BBQ joint beside 2 Kolegas.”

Purple Haze Bistro Rm 201, Bldg 3, China View (corner of Gongti Dong and Beilu), Chaoyang District  (6501 9345) 紫苏庭, 朝阳区工体东路丙2号中国红街3号楼201室

 

The Gar: Mandehai Mongolian Restaurant
“Most of the dishes served here are starchy and filling, with lots of beef, mutton and potatoes but few leafy greens. Try the great Mongolian pies and baozi, sausage, lentil stew with noodles, braised spareribs with sour cabbage, mashed potatoes and stir-fried er’dao (vermicelli, haricot beans and meat). Portions are big, too. Alcohol is pricey, though, so it’s not a place to get drunk on the cheap.”

Mandehai Mongolian Restaurant 10 Minyuan Beilu, Weigongcun, Haidian District (8842 0854) 满德海蒙古食府, 海淀区魏公村民院北路10号