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Three days around Beijing, with the Great Wall at Mutianyu walked in the early morning. The yellow roofs of the Forbidden City, tai chi in the Temple of Heaven’s park, and the hutongs by the Drum Tower.
Trip Experience Guide
An imperial capital trip with one day out in the mountains. Each morning starts early, while the courtyards and watchtowers are empty; afternoons slow down in the lanes.
Day 1
The Forbidden City: Palaces & Jingshan Hill
Enter the Forbidden City through the Meridian Gate on timed tickets, booked ahead with your passport, and cross courtyard after courtyard to the imperial garden. Climb Jingshan Park’s hill afterwards for the whole palace in a sea of yellow tiles.
Day 2
Mutianyu: Watchtowers & the Great Wall
Leave Beijing early for the ninety-minute drive to Mutianyu, and ride the cable car to the ridge as the wall opens. Walk the restored watchtowers through chestnut woods, then descend by toboggan and eat trout by the stream.
Day 3
The Temple of Heaven: Tai Chi, Hutongs & Return
Join the park at dawn, when locals practise tai chi and sing beside the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests. A rickshaw through the hutongs around Houhai, then Peking duck at lunch before your flight.
We keep in mind that the palace closes on Mondays and book every timed ticket in advance. If you have a fourth day, the wilder wall at Jinshanling is about two and a half hours north.
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Make This Experience Yours
This trip is a starting point, not a script. Tell us how you like your days to feel, and we will adjust the rest.
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Guilin & Yangshuo: Li River & Karst Peaks
