Beijing & the Great Wall of China

Depart for Beijing

Depart for Beijing and begin this trip of a lifetime.

Arrive in Beijing

Upon arrival in Beijing, you will be met by our local representative before being transferred to your hotel.

Welcome Dinner

Evening

In the evening there will be an opportunity to join your fellow travellers for your evening meal.

Full Day Excursion to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Qianmen Street

Full Day

Kick start your holiday with a full day excursion to Tiananmen Square and the Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City. Though it was a gathering place in the imperial days, Tiananmen Square was Chairman Mao's creation, and major rallies took place here during the Cultural Revolution. This vast square is home to many important buildings and monuments, so don't forget your camera! Off limits to most of the world for 500 years, the Forbidden City is the best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China, and stepping into this magnificent palace is like stepping back in time. The old world of beautiful concubines and emperors, eunuchs and conspicuous wealth still hovers around the lush gardens, courtyards, pavilions and the great halls of the palace. Finish your day with a stroll down Qianmen Street, Beijing's favourite shopping district.

Explore The Great Wall, Jade Factory & Sacred Way

Full Day

Enjoy a full day excursion to the Great Wall of China, a Jade Factory and the Sacred Way leading to the Ming Tombs. The ‘pièce de résistance’ of this holiday, the Great Wall, dates back to the 7th century BC in certain sections, and is more than 20,000 miles long. Snaking along lush mountains, this wall was employed by Emperor Qin to protect the first unified kingdom of China. In the afternoon, enjoy a visit to a Jade Factory, where you will see jewellery and sculptures with jade stones being carved, before finishing your day at the Sacred Way. Home to the Ming Dynasty Tombs, thirteen emperors are buried here, and you will begin this tour by walking through a magnificent gateway.

Free Time in Beijing

Full Day

You will have a free day for shopping, sightseeing or relaxing. Your local guide will be happy to offer suggestions for places to see and things to do.

Full Day Guided Tour of the Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo & Olympic Village

Full Day

Enjoy a full day excursion to see the Summer Palace, Beijing Zoo and the Olympic Village. Featuring extensive gardens, the Summer Palace is a magnificent building perched on the edge of a lake, and was once the holiday destination of choice for emperors and dowager empresses. You will also enjoy a visit to Beijing Zoo to see an impressive collection of animals, including the famous pandas, before continuing to the park that hosted the 2008 Olympics.

Free Time in Beijing

Full Day

A free day in Beijing. Take advantage of your hotel's leisure facilities and enjoy some more sightseeing, at your own pace.

Guided Tour of the Lama Temple & Hutong Rickshaw Ride

Morning

In the morning you will take a trip to the Lama or Yonghe Temple, which is a monastery of Tibetan Buddhism. It contains a 26 metre tall wooden statue of the Maitreya Buddha and unique bronze statues of the Buddhas of the Three Ages. After you will be taken on a rickshaw tour of an old town hutong area, which contains narrow streets and ornate houses and gardens.

Visit Sanlitun Village & Temple of Heaven

Afternoon

After lunch you will have time for shopping at the Sanlitun Village shopping centre, which is a huge complex of shops and restaurants. After you will visit the Temple of Heaven, which is a complex of religious buildings symbolising the relationship between earth and heaven. Originally, it functioned as a vast stage for solemn rites and rituals. All of the buildings in the park, including the Round Altar, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, and the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, represent conversations between the gods and mortals.

At Leisure in Beijing

Morning & Afternoon

Enjoy a final day at leisure in Beijing. Your guide can advise on activities and further sightseeing in the city.

Return Home

Evening

Transfer with guide assistance to Beijing Airport and check in for your flight home. Note: For flights with a night time departure from Beijing, a late check out and evening meal will be provided on departure day.

Arrive home from your holiday of a lifetime.