ITINERARY
Day 01
SINGAPORE – BEIJING (TIANANMEN, FORBIDDEN CITY, JINGSHAN PARK)
Upon arrival at Beijing International Airport, you will be picked up by our friendly guide to Tiananmen Square (天安门广场) where you can visit Tiananmen Tower, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall and see the national flag lowering ceremony. Thereafter you will proceed to the Forbidden City (紫禁城) – the largest ancient palatial structure in the world and an epitome of China imperial past. The guided tour will bring you through the central axis of the Forbidden City from the Meridian Gate (Wu Men, 午门) in the south to the Divine Military Genius Gate (Shen Wu Men, 神武门) in the north. The main attractions include Gate of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Men, 太和門), Hall of Supreme Harmony (Tai He Dian, 太和殿), Hall of Middle Harmony (Zhong He Dian, 中和殿), Hall of Preserving Harmony (Bao He Dian; 保和殿), Kunninggong (Palace of Earthly Tranquility, 坤宁宫), Imperial Garden (Yuhuayuan), etc. Conclude your tour of the imperial city with a hike up the hill in nearby Jingshan Park (景山) for a panoramic view over Beijing city and the Forbidden City. The park used to be an imperial garden for the monarchs of the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. In the evening, visit WangFujing (王府井), the most famous shopping district in Beijing.
Overnight: Hotel in Beijing
Day 02
BEIJING (TEMPLE OF HEAVEN, MUTIANYU GREAT WALL)
In the morning, you will visit the Temple of Heaven (天坛), a sacrificial temple used by both Ming and Qing emperors to appease the heavens, bring prosperity to the empire and ensure good crops for the coming year. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolizes the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God’s world – which stands at the heart of Chinese cosmogony, and also the special role played by the emperors within that relationship. Thereafter you will proceed to Mutianyu Great Wall (慕田峪), one of the best preserved and most authentic sections of the UNESCO-listed wall. Being further away from Beijing (approx. 80km, 1.5 hrs. drive), it is less crowded compared to the over-hyped Badaling. The granite wall which was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557 AD) and further enhanced during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) measures 7 to 8 meters high and 4 to 5 meters wide. It is a 45 minutes uphill climb via 4000 steps from the visitor center to the top of the wall. You can also choose a leisure way up via cable car or life chair. At the top, you will be rewarded with endless views of lush rolling hills that extends north to the Mongolian steppe. Feel a sense of history as you stroll pass the watchtowers and peep through the crenellated parapets that were once launching pads for arrows against invading nomadic tribes. A fun and adrenaline way to bid goodbye to the Great Wall is to slide down from it via Toboggan.
Overnight: Hotel in Beijing
Day 03
BEIJING (SUMMER PALACE, LAMA TEMPLE, CONFUSION TEMPLE)
After hotel breakfast, you will proceed to Summer Palace (颐和园), a vast ensemble of lakes, imperial gardens and palaces. The incredibly scenic location used to be the summer resort for the Qing’s dynasty royal family. In the beginning of the 20th century, the park defaced by foreign invaders of the Eight-Nation Alliance. It was later restored and rumour suggests that the Dowager Empress Cixi reallocated navy funds to restore the palace and park to their former glory. Thereafter you will visit Yonghe Lamasery (雍和宫) used to be a very important monastery of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism. Expect to spend at least an hour wandering the halls and courtyards, admiring the architecture, statues, wall-mounted mandalas and temple relics on show throughout. You will also visit the nearby Beijing Temple of Confucius (孔庙), the second largest Confucian temple in China, after the one in Confucius’s hometown of Qufu. In the evening, you will be treated to a traditional Beijing Opera at the famous Liyuan Theatre.
Overnight: Hotel in Beijing
Day 04
BEIJING (GUBEI WATER TOWN, SIMATAI)
Today, you will travel beyond the outskirt of Beijing (approx. 2 hrs drive away) to visit Gubei Water Town, an ancient canal village nestled in the shadows of the Simatai Great Wall. Starting in Gubei Water Town, you’ll see the famous Mandarin Duck Lake Reservoir that holds the water flowing through the town itself. Admire the northern architectural style of its carefully preserved old buildings, standing in elegance and full of street shows, before proceeding to the next destination close by. Against Gubei Water Town’s lake is the Simatai area of the iconic Great Wall of China. This UNESCO World Heritage site has been partially restored, allowing you to climb up upon the battlements to take in the marvelous views of the jagged mountains and their greenery.
Overnight: Hotel in Beijing
Day 05
BEIJING – SINGAPORE
Free and easy at your own leisure till airport transfer for your flight home.
Package includes:
- All local land transport including airport transfers
- English tour guide and driver (separate person)
- All meals and lodging for tour guide and driver
- All accommodations
- Entrance fees to all places of interest mentioned in the itinerary
Package excludes:
- Return international air tickets
- Travel insurance
- Chinese VISA
- All meals not indicated
- Tips for guide and driver
- Cable car, lift chair or Toboggan ride at Mutianyu Great Wall
- All expenses of a personal nature
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Contact us today to find out more!
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