Beijing One-day Private Tour with Lunch

Beijing Zoo, Lhama Temple, Hutong, Lotus Market (Houhai)

TOUR ITINERARY Tour code: GWA-BJ-103 After picking you up at your hotel at about 8:00am, we will head straight to the Beijing Zoo. Unlike other zoos in China, the Beijing Zoo has the distinct look of a classical Chinese garden. Initially an imperial manor during the Ming Dynasty, the grounds was converted into a zoo in 1908 with the original name being The Ten Thousand Animal Garden. The Beijing Zoo exhibits the wild and rare animals of China. Outside of traveling to Sichuan, Beijing zoo is the best place in China to view the Giant Panda. The Beijing Zoo also includes a monkey hall, lion hall, and tiger hall. Altogether there are more than 30 large halls. After visiting the zoo we will go to visit the Lhama Temple. Other than the ones in Tibet this is the best Buddhist temple in Beijingand in China. Work on the Lhama Temple originally began in 1694 during the Qing dynasty. It served as an official residence for 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. 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 visiting the Lhama Temple we will embark on a rickshaw tour of Beijing hutongs. Hutongs are courtyard homes groupedtogether 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. Going on this hutong tour, you will feel like you have traveled back in time to a far different China, one where there was still an emperor sitting in the Forbidden City, and where there was still enough time to enjoy the simple pleasures of common life. After exploring the hutongs we will conclude our tour with a visit to the Lotus Market of Beijinjg. The Lotus Market is a pleasant pedestrian-only street on Houhai (the back lakes), which features traditional crafts, bars, restaurants, and entertainment for all ages. Rambling along the back lakes is a perfect way to top off your tour, and the gentle breezes off the lakes will soothe you after the long day. Afterward, we will drive you back to your hotel, with your tour with us coming to an end.

Tour Inclusions：

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

4. Gourmet lunch.