4 Days Beijing Tour: City Highlights, Great Wall Night Views & Gubei Water Tour

Nihao! Welcome to Beijing, the capital city of China! Upon your arrival at the airport/train station in Beijing, the tour guide and driver will meet and greet you at the exit, and then escort you to the well-selected hotel in downtown Beijing. The rest of the day is free on your own so you can have a good rest for the jet lag or explore by yourself around your hotel.

Arrival Ideas:
Beijing is well connected by air and high speed rail. There are two airports - Beijing Daxing International Airport and Beijing Capital International Airport operating many international and domestic airlines. Travelers can go to Beijing by air from most cities of China, like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xian, Guilin, Hangzhou, Kunming, Wuhan, Xiamen, Guiyang, Chongqing, and Lanzhou. In addition, travelers can take the high speed train to Beijing from Xian (4-5 hours), Shanghai (4.5-6 hours), Zhengzhou (2.5-3 hours), Wuhan (4-5 hours), Harbin (5-5.5 hours), etc.

Free Time Ideas:
You are welcome to ask your tour guide for some useful tips to spend your free time based on your time and interest.

After breakfast, your tour guide and driver will meet you at your hotel in downtown Beijing. Then, you will spend the whole day exploring the ancient citadel Beijing through China’s famous landmarks, epic imperial grandeur and royal gardens.

You will head to Tian’anmen Square first, which is the world’s largest public square and also the symbol of China. It has witnessed many big events in China over the past decades and from here you can take good pictures of Tiananmen Gate showing on CCTV News every day.

Walk across the square and you will visit the might and splendor of the awe-inspiring Forbidden City (World Heritage), the world’s largest palace complex and one-time home to 24 emperors of China. With about 500 years’ history, Forbidden City served as the political and ritual center of China during the Ming (1368-1644) and the Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. With 9,999 rooms, the Forbidden City is not only China’s largest and best-preserved collection of ancient buildings, but also a city within the city, like the Vatican in Rome. Enter through Meridian Gate and visit along the central axis to ensure you won’t miss any highlighted palaces. You can admire its brilliant architecture and numerous ancient art treasures while listening to your guide and learning more about the emperors’ stories hidden inside the Imperial Palace. Later, take another 15-minute walk up to Jingshan Park, where you can have a magnificent panorama of modern Beijing and princely views over the russet roofs of the Forbidden City.

In this afternoon, you will enjoy a relaxing time exploring the ordinary local life through the Beijing Old Hutong. Stroll along the Yandaixiejie Steet, the oldest commercial street (about 800 years) and one of the oldest and top 10 popular hutongs in Beijing. Yandaixie Street, which means Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street in Chinese, is a 232-meter-long Hutong. During the Qing Dynasty, people were fond of smoking and carried tobacco pouches (Yandai) with them wherever they went. As a result, many tobacco shops (selling smoking sets) opened on this skewed (xie) street, giving rise to its name. Now you can still purchase tobacco pouches of various sizes and shapes there, including porcelain ones, jade ones, wooden ones, and bronze ones. Located close to the Shichahai Park and Nanluoguxiang Hutong, Yandaixiejie is also a cultural street, where many quadrangle dwellings (Si He Yuan) are dotted, attracting millions of visitors each year. Don't forget to try the Hutong food and take a Rickshaw Tour around the Hutongs and the Shichahai Area.

After the tour, be escorted to your hotel in Beijing.

Get ready for an extraordinary day as you journey through two sections of the Great Wall, from the breathtaking beauty of Jinshanling during daylight hours to the enchanting ambiance of Simatai as night falls.

Your private guide will meet you at your hotel in the morning and it will be a 2.5 hours drive to Jinshanling Great Wall. The Jinshanling Great Wall is one of the most photogenic parts of the Great Wall. It was named after the Greater and Lesser Jinshan Ranges, also known as the "paradise of photographers."

Your exploration starts at the Zhuanduokou Pass, from where we will traverse the eastern section of the Jinshanling Great Wall, passing through iconic watchtowers such as the General Tower, Lesser Jinshan Tower, Larger Jinshan Tower, each with its unique charm and historical significance and excellent photo opportunities. Afterward, you can either opt for a cable car ride from Small Jinshan Tower down the mountain or continue walking to the East Tower with Five Holes to descend. ( The cable car is optional. If you want to take it, please tell your guide who will be very happy to arrange it for you.)

Next, you'll transfer to the Simatai Great Wall. Your guide will accompany you on the cable car up to the Simatai Great Wall to see the sunset. As the sun begins to descend, your adventure takes an intriguing turn. The captivating allure of Simatai beckons you to explore its mystical ambiance under the night sky. As darkness blankets the landscape, the Great Wall undergoes a stunning transformation, adorned by the soft glow of lights. After the night tour, take a cable car down the wall and go to check in at your hotel at Gubei Water Town.

Start your day with a hearty breakfast at your hotel. Today's itinerary begins with exploring Gubei Water Town, a charming ancient town that's nestled against the Simatai Great Wall. Gubei Water Town is a rare combo of the Great Wall, mountains, lakes, and ancient Villages.

Spend your morning wandering through the narrow, cobbled lanes of Gubei Watertown, soaking in the picturesque views with the majestic Great Wall as your backdrop. Step into a scene straight out of a Chinese painting. Gubei Water Town showcases classical courtyard-style architecture, stone bridges, cobbled alleys, and the serene Mandarin Duck Lake, all evoking the elegance of southern water towns—but with a distinctive northern soul. If you're a food enthusiast, don't miss the chance to savor local delicacies at the many traditional eateries dotted throughout the town.

Optional Activities: (additional fees apply)

1. If you're interested, the scenic area offers a variety of cultural workshops, such as tie-dyeing, kite making, lantern crafting, and shadow puppetry.
2. Or take a leisurely rowboat ride through the canals for a taste of the “Northern Jiangnan” water town.

In the afternoon, make a 2-hour transfer back to your hotel in downtown Beijing. Your guide will ensure you have a comfortable and relaxing journey, allowing you to reflect on the unforgettable experiences you've had during your Great Wall exploration and your visit to Gubei Water Town.