Beijing Four-day Private Tour

TOUR ITINERARY Tour code: GWA-BJ-401 Day 1: We will meet you at Peking International Airport, and from there drive by private mini bus to the Summer Palace. Having the largest royal park and being well preserved, the Summer Palace is ranked amongst the most noted and classical gardens of the world. In 1998, UNESCO listed it as one of the World Heritage Sites. Like most of the gardens of Beijing, it could not elude the rampages of the Anglo-French allied force of 1860 and was destroyed by fire. In 1888, Empress Dowager Cixi embezzled navy funds to reconstruct it for her own benefit, changing its name to Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). She spent most of her later years there, dealing with state affairs and entertaining. Highlights not to be missed are climbing Longevity Hill, viewing the Empress Dowager Cixi’s extravagant Marble Boat, and talking a walk down Suzhou jie, a canal meant to resemble the beautiful river city of Suzhou. After a refreshing lunch we will head to Tian’anmen Square. The largest public square in the world at 440,000 square meters, Tian’anmen Square has been the site of the most important developments in China’s modern political and cultural history. It was the stage for the May 4th movement (where in 1919 Chinese students protested the transfer of Shandong province from Germany to Japan), the protests following the death of premier Zhou Enlai in 1976, and of course the political turmoil of 1989. The Monument to the People’s Heroes marks the center of the square, a ten-story obelisk built in dedication to those who died fighting for Chinese Revolution. The square is flanked on the east by the National Museum of China (set to reopen in late 2010), on the west by the Great Hall of People (home of china’s legislative bodies), to the south by the Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (where his body lies in a crystal coffin), and of course to the north by the Gate of Heavenly Peace, with its distinctive portrait of Mao Zedong. The Gate of Heavenly Peace is the official symbol of the People’s Republic of China. After walking across the square we will enter the Forbidden City, the world’s largest surviving palace complex and the former home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty. The Forbidden City is one of the greatest attractions in the world, and once you enter its confines it is easy to see why. Built by the third Ming emperor between 1406-1422, the Forbidden City served as the official residence to the Emperor of China until the last emperor, Puyi, was forced to evacuate in 1924. Afterwards, the Forbidden City was officially known as the Palace Museum. The Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or the Outer Court, was where the emperor exercised his supreme power over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where he lived with his royal family. Consisting of 980 buildings with 8,707 bays of rooms, the Forbidden City is the best example of classical Chinese architecture in the world, and is one of the greatest wonders of the world. After exploring the Forbidden City we will take you to your hotel. Get a good night sleep, because you will need it for tomorrow!

Day 2: After meeting you at your hotel in the morning we will drive to the Great Wall at Badaling. Badaling was the first section of the Great Wall to be opened to the public in 1957, and is therefore the best known among visitors. Badaling was the site of U.S. President’s Richard Nixon’s visit to the Great Wall on his historic trip to China, and is a popular choice for celebrities, foreign dignitaries and leaders (U.S. President Obama visited Badaling in November of 2009). Badaling also offers incredible views of the wall winding and twisting along the hills. After a delicious lunch we will make the short journey by minibus to the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs, about 50 km/31 miles from Beijing, are where 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are buried. This site was carefully chosen for its feng shui principles by the third Ming emperor Yongle (who also moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and began construction on the Forbidden City). The tomb we will visit, Dingling, is the tomb of the Wanli Emperor. It is the only one of the Ming Dynasty Tombs to have been excavated. It also remains the only imperial tomb to have been excavated since the founding of the People's Republic of China, After viewing the tombs, we will head to the “Shenlu”, or the Spirit Way. The Spirit Way leads into the complex, lined with statues of guardian animals and officials, with a front gate consisting of a three-arches, painted red, and called the "Great Red Gate". The Sacred Way, starts with a huge stone memorial archway lying at the front of the area. Constructed in 1540, during the Ming Dynasty, this archway is one of the biggest stone archways in China today. After walking the Spirit Way we will take you back to your hotel, completing the day’s travels. Note: Because Badaling is so well known, it often gets very crowded. If you wish, we can go instead to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, which, like Badaling is in good condition, but much more peaceful. Please let us know which you prefer before booking.

Day 3: We hoe you are ready for another full day of seeing the wonders of Beijing! After meeting you at your hotel in the morning, we will make our way by bus to the Temple of Heaven park. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. The Temple of Heaven park is best known for the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, an iconic building famed for its magnificent triple-gabled circular roof. You will also have an opportunity to walk the same imperial walkway that the same emperors walked hundreds of years ago to fulfill their holy rites. You will also see Beijing’s senior citizens using the park grounds for everything from tai chi and ballroom dancing to bullwhip practice! We will then drive a little bit north to the Lhama Temple. Other than the temples in Tibet this is the best Buddhist temple in China. Work on the Lhama Temple originally began in 1694 during the Qing dynasty. It served as an official residence for the court eunuchs. It was then converted into the home of the Prince Yong, a son of the Kangxi Emperor and himself the future Yongzheng Emperor. It was converted into a lamasery after his ascension to the throne in 1722. Today the Lhama Temple still functions as a monastery and temple of the Geluk School of Tibetan Buddhism. You will see many active Tibetan monks and Buddhists at the temple today. Walking through the temple your senses will be enveloped by the incenses and the chanting of the visiting monks and other followers. The rear Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happinesses features a 26m tall statue of the Maitreya Buddha cared from a single piece of white sandalwood. It is one of three artworks in the Lhama Temple that were included in the Guiness Book of World Records, and it is not to be missed on your visit. After a filling Chinese lunch we will conclude your tour today by going on a hutong tour of old Beijing. You will go on this tour by rickshaw. Hutongs are courtyard homes grouped together around narrow alleys, and served as the lifeline and center of everyday life in old Beijing. The hutongs were a critical component in the development and evolution of Beijing folklore and culture. While there are still hutong houses in the city, they are quickly disappearing due to the demands of a rapidly modernizing Beijing, so see the hutongs while you still can. On this tour we will also visit the Bell Tower, which with its large copper bell was used to tell the time in old Beijing, and Prince Gong’s Mansion, a large luxurious mansion used by an official of the Qing Dynasty. After the hutong tour we will drop you off back at your hotel.

Day 4: While over the last three days you have seen the sites associated with old Beijing, today you will view the symbol of Beijing’s (and China’s) promising and bright future, the Olympic Green. The Olympic Green was the center of the event that captivated the world for two weeks in August of 2008. After picking you up from your hotel we will head over to this modern spectacle. The highlights include the Bird’s Nest (officially known as the Beijing National stadium) and the Water Cube (the Beijing National Aquatics Center). The Bird’s Nest gets its nickname from its outward design, which originated from the study of Chinese ceramics, implementing steel beams in order to hide supports for the retractable roof, thus giving the stadium the appearance of a "Bird's nest". The Bird’s Nest hosted the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football final of the 2008 Summer Olympics, from 8 August to 24 August 2008. Since the Olympic end, the Bird’s Nest has been used to host events ranging from opera to a ski park. The site of Michael Phelps’ Olympic triumph, the Water Cube design combines modern technologies with Chinese traditional values. In tradition, Chinese conceptualized a square Earth and a round Heaven, and this formed the design’s central theme. Moreover, the cube shape dominates ancient urban buildings. The National Aquatics Center's design is of traditional style to meet all its functional requirements. The National Aquatics Center looks like a huge blue box, from which it takes its nickname: the Water Cube. The Water Cube is blue in order to reflect sunlight. The National Aquatics Center shines in the sunlight like a pearl in water. From the inside of the National Aquatics Center, you may discover that the pneumatic cushions of all sizes are just like sea bubbles. After the Olympic Green we will drive you to the Peking International Airport, ending your stay with us. After your 4 days on our tour you will know what it is like to experience the magic and mystery of China.

Tour Inclusions：

1. Professional local guide & driver;
4. Private air-conditioned car or van for transportation;
5. Admission of the first gate.

 
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