Meet your guide at a downtown subway station, then explore the Forbidden City with vivid stories from your English-speaking guide.
Travel north by comfortable coach to Mutianyu Great Wall, where you'll have free time to walk the ancient battlements. End the day near Olympic Park's glowing lights.
In the early morning, make your way to Exit C of Jinyuhutong Station on Subway Line 8, where your guide will be waiting. Once the group has gathered, walk together to the Forbidden City – the once-forbidden imperial palace.
Over the next few hours, your English-speaking guide will lead you along the central axis, passing the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hall of Central Harmony, and Hall of Preserving Harmony, sharing stories of power, intrigue, and imperial life. Marvel at golden roofs, intricate stone carvings, and bronze lions – silent witnesses to centuries of Chinese history.
Leave the Forbidden City behind at midday, board a comfortable, air-conditioned coach, and head northeast toward the mountainous Huairou district. As the city skyline gives way to rolling green hills, arrive at Mutianyu Great Wall. Here, have plenty of free time to explore at your own pace.
This section of the Great Wall is known for its excellent preservation and breathtaking scenery. Climb the stone steps or take a cable car (at your own expense) to reach the higher towers. From the top, the wall stretches like a dragon across the ridgeline, offering sweeping views that change with the seasons – a truly unforgettable sight.
As the sun begins to set, board the coach for the return journey to downtown Beijing. The tour ends near the Olympic Park, where the Bird's Nest and Water Cube begin to light up the evening sky. You are free to stay and take photos or make your own way back to your hotel, carrying with you a day filled with imperial history and natural wonder.