Beijing. O/N Beijing

Beijing - At 9:00 am, the guide will meet the operator at the hotel lobby in Beijing to commence a one-day tour of the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.

Forbidden City-The Palace Museum - The tour begins with a visit to the Forbidden City, also known as the Palace Museum, or Gu Gong in Chinese. Located at the heart of Beijing, it served as the imperial palace for 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911). Construction began during Emperor Chengzu’s reign in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and took 14 years to complete. Ancient Chinese astronomers believed the Purple Star (Polaris) was at the center of heaven, where the Heavenly Emperor resided in the Purple Palace. Thus, the emperor’s earthly palace was called the Purple City, and entry was forbidden without the emperor’s permission, hence the name ‘The Purple Forbidden City’, commonly known as ‘The Forbidden City’.

Jingshan Park (Jingshan Gongyuan) - Next, the tour proceeds to Jingshan Park, a stunning royal landscape garden covering 57 acres (about 230,000 square meters). Situated on the central point of the city’s south-north axis, it faces the Forbidden City’s north gate. Located on Jingshan Hill, originally named Wansui Hill (Long Live Hill), Zhen Hill, or Meishan Hill (Coal Hill), the hill’s mid-summit is the highest point in Beijing, offering a full and clear view of the Forbidden City.

Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - The tour continues to Tiananmen Square, a large plaza near Beijing’s center, named after the Tiananmen (meaning “Gate of Heavenly Peace”). It lies north of the city, separating it from the Forbidden City. The square holds significant cultural importance, having been the site of several key events in Chinese history.

Temple of Heaven - After lunch, the tour visits the Temple of Heaven, a complex of Taoist buildings in southeastern urban Beijing, known as the Xuanwu District. Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties visited the complex for annual ceremonies to pray for good harvests. Although considered a Taoist temple, the Chinese Heaven worship by the reigning monarch predates Taoism. The Temple of Heaven is a must-see attraction in Beijing!

Beijing. O/N Beijing

Beijing - In the morning, the tour guide will meet the operator at the hotel lobby at 9:00 am and transfer to the Mutianyu Great Wall, a 90-minute drive covering 80 km.

Mutianyu Great Wall - Upon arrival at the scenic area’s parking lot, an electric car will take the operator to the entry, followed by a chairlift ride to the 14th watchtower. Enjoy a leisurely two-hour hike on the wall, ending with a toboggan ride down. The Great Wall at Mutianyu, built and restored in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), is one of the most renowned sections of the Wall. Mutianyu is celebrated for its unique charm, “Out of all the Great Walls, Mutianyu stands apart”. Explore the ancient structure and learn about its history and significance. The professional guide will answer questions and share exclusive stories and facts about the Mutianyu Great Wall.

Ming Tombs (Ming Shishan Ling) - At 1:00 pm, enjoy lunch at a local countryside restaurant before heading to the Ming Tombs. Located in Changping County, about 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing’s urban area, the site is a tomb cluster from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), including 13 emperor’s mausoleums, seven tombs for concubines, and one grave for eunuchs. Situated at the foot of Mount Yan, the surrounding area is exceptionally beautiful.

Beijing - At the end of the day, the guide will escort the operator back to the hotel in Beijing.

Beijing - Zhangjiajie by flight. O/N Zhangjiajie.

Beijing - The tour guide and driver will meet the operator at the hotel in Beijing at 9:00 am and drive to the Beijing Lama Temple, an 18-minute drive covering 6 km.

Lama Temple (Yonghegong) - Discover the best of Beijing on this one-day private sightseeing tour. Start the day at the serene Lama Temple and learn about its fascinating history. The Yonghe Temple, also known as the Yonghe Lamasery or Lama Temple, is a temple and monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism located in Dongcheng District, Beijing, China. The temple’s architecture and artwork blend Han Chinese and Tibetan styles.

Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) - Afterwards, head to the expansive Summer Palace, covering an area of 2.9 square kilometers, three-quarters of which is water: Kunming Lake. This artificial lake was created by extending an existing body of water to mimic the West Lake in Hangzhou. Situated in the Haidian District northwest of Beijing, the Summer Palace is 15 kilometers (9 miles) from the downtown area. As the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China, it greatly influences Chinese horticulture and landscape with its renowned natural views and cultural interests, earning it the title ‘The Museum of Royal Gardens’.

Back Lakes (Hou Hai) - Then, take a private car to the Hou Hai lake area for a rickshaw hutong tour. A Hutong tour offers a chance to mingle with local residents and experience a unique travel adventure in the intricate winding Hutongs. These maze-like, deep alleys remain unchanged from long ago, preserving the city’s history. Many residents are still reluctant to leave their beloved Hutongs. Visit a local family’s house to experience authentic Beijing life and pause occasionally to take pictures.

Nanluoguxiang - Next, visit Nanluoguxiang. For those interested in shopping, Nanluoguxiang in the Gulou, or Drum and Bell Tower district, is a must-see hutong. It features several kilometers of shops, galleries, and cafés ranging from chic to kitschy. Discover cool T-shirts (Plastered offers a great selection) with creative images of everything from Mao Zedong to garden gnomes.

Beijing Capital International Airport - After the tour, the operator will be driven to Beijing Capital International Airport for a flight to Zhangjiajie (ZH1539 18:35–21:30). The flight takes approximately 3 hours.

Airport Road - Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, the operator will be picked up and transferred to the Zhangjiajie hotel (driver only, no guide).

Zhangjiajie. O/N Zhangjiajie.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - On this full-day tour, the guide will meet the operator at 9:00 am at the hotel lobby in Zhangjiajie city center or Wulingyuan hotel. The tour includes visits to various mountain areas such as Tianzi Mountain, where the world’s longest cable car ride takes visitors to the mountain’s peak, and the unique platform-shaped Yuanjiajie Mountain.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is home to over 500 species of wildlife and vegetation, including rare monkeys, gingko trees, and thousands of colorful birds. The park’s most notable geographic features are its hundreds of towering sandstone pillars. Fans of Hollywood blockbusters will recognize the stunning landscape as the inspiration for Pandora’s scenery in James Cameron’s hit movie Avatar.

Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area of Zhangjiajie - The Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area boasts natural beauty where mountains, valleys, forests, caves, lakes, and waterfalls exist in harmony. Over 560 attraction sites can be found here. The uniquely-shaped peaks, peculiar stones, hidden valleys, wonderful waters, and limestone caves form the ‘Five Wonders’ of Wulingyuan, making them truly worth seeing.

Covering an area of 690 square kilometers (266 square miles), Wulingyuan Scenic Area consists of four parts: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, Suoxi Valley Nature Reserve, Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, and the newly added Yangjiajie Scenic Area.

Today’s tour will visit the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park and Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve area.

Tianzi Mountain - After purchasing the main park entrance tickets, a shuttle bus (20-minute drive) will take visitors to the Tianzi Mountain cable station, followed by a 200-step walk to reach the station.

Tianzi Mountain Clouds - After a 20-minute cable car ride, visitors will reach the top of Tianzi Mountain and take another shuttle bus (5-minute drive) to the Tianzi Mountain central area, offering stunning views of peaks rising one after another. Known as ‘the Monarch of the Peak Forest’, the top of the mountain provides a full view of the Wulingyuan Scenic Area. Beautiful scenes greet visitors in different seasons, with four wonders: the Sea of Clouds, the Radiance of the Moonlight, Rays of Sunshine, and Snow in winter.

BaiLong Elevator - After visiting Yuanjiajie (Avatar mountain), a shuttle (15-minute drive) will take visitors to the Bailong Elevator. The Bailong Elevator is magnificent, with a total height of 335 meters (1099 feet), of which 326 meters (1069 feet) is the running height. 154 meters (505 feet) of the total height is in the mountain wells, and the remaining 172 meters (564 feet) consists of steel derrick and other components. The elevator includes three parallel sightseeing elevators, each accommodating 50 passengers at a speed of 3 m/s (accelerated to 5 m/s since 2013). If all three elevators run simultaneously, the one-way passenger capacity reaches 4,000 per hour.

Golden Whip Brook - Enjoy a one-hour hike along the Golden Whip Stream, then take a shuttle to exit the park and return to the hotel. Golden Whip Stream (Jinbian Stream) is renowned for its pristine water, verdant mountains, steep cliffs, and serene valley. As a “paradise” for plants, its pathways are adorned with an abundance of flowers, trees, and grasses. It is also a kingdom of animals. Golden Whip Stream is named after Golden Whip Crag, its landmark spot, and runs from Laomo Bay to Shui Rao Si Men (water-surrounded gates).

Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge - After lunch, transfer to the Glass Bridge. The local expert guide will lead an adventure trip in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, famous among explorers and nature lovers worldwide, featuring typical Zhangjiajie landforms, breathtaking cliffs, lush forests, ancient caves, colorful ponds, and a river running through the canyon. Walk on the world’s longest and highest Glass Bridge in Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon. Hanging over a valley, the glass bridge offers a superb panorama of the entire grand canyon. Enjoy a scenic walk with waterfalls and wonderful views on each side. Standing on it feels like floating in the air.

Zhangjiajie - At the end of the day, the guide will escort the operator to the hotel in Zhangjiajie or Wulingyuan.

Zhangjiajie. The tour ends.

Zhangjiajie - At 9:00 am, the tour guide will meet the operator at the hotel lobby and transfer to Zhangjiajie Tianmen Park. If the operator wishes to be dropped off at Zhangjiajie airport/train station today, please inform the guide of the flight/train departure time on the first day. The guide will provide the exact pick-up time this morning.

Tianmen Mountain National Forest Park - Spend 3-4 hours at Tianmen Mountain Park. Use the cable car or shuttle bus to ascend the hill, depending on traffic. Tianmen Mountain, known as the “New Legend Of Zhangjiajie”, is the highest point (1500m) in Zhangjiajie, offering thrilling cliff-path and glass walkway experiences with panoramic views of the city and beautiful countryside. The landscape is distinct yet comparable to the ZJJ National Park, both offering world-class scenery. It’s a must-visit highlight of the city. Remarkably, this single mountain holds four World Guinness Records, each overwhelmingly impressive. An amazing experience awaits.

Zhangjiajie - At the end of the tour, the guide will escort the operator to the hotel/airport/train station, concluding the 5-day tour services.

• Economy class flight tickets (Beijing to Zhangjiajie)
• Lunch included
• Air-conditioned vehicles
• Private car and guide
• Entrance tickets included

• The hotel and dinner

• Can add more days if you want

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.