2 Days Group Tour including Jinshanling Great Wall

Meet at the Grand Hotel Beijing（北京贵宾楼饭店) at 8:00 AM

Welcome to join our Beijing day tour to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven.

Your guide will meet you at the archway in front of the Grand Hotel Beijing (北京贵宾楼饭店拱门处) at 8:00 AM this morning.  

Good to know:

Please arrivat at the point 10 minutes in advance to find the tour guide holding a sign with “ Catherine Lu Tours” logo on it.

How to Get to the Meeting Point:

• By taxi: If you take a taxi, please show the driver “请带我去北京贵宾楼饭店”. You can also hail a car with Didi App by confirming your pickup location and entering your destination (北京贵宾楼饭店入口).

• By subway: Take subway line 1 and get off at Wangfujing Station. Use Exit C1 walk east along East Chang'an Avenue for approximately 400 meters.

  
  

Guided Tour at Tiananmen Square (about 1 hour)

After meeting up, your guide will accompany you to walk to the Tiananmen Square to start your Beijing cultural exploration tour today. The square boasts the largest public urban square in the world, serving as an important venue for major celebrations and ceremonies.

Surrounding the square, you will see the National Museum to the east, the Great Hall of the People to the west, the Monument to the People's Heroes in the center, and the Chairman Mao's Memorial Hall to the south.

Standing to the north of Tiananmen Square is the monumental Tiananmen (aka the Gate of Heavenly Peace), which is recognized as a national symbol of China.

Note:

• Please bring your original passport for the security check at Tiananmen Square. You'll need to account for some waiting time during this process.

• You will use the Travel Agency Pass to enter the square quickly.

Cultural Exploration at the Forbidden City (about 2-2.5 hours)

From the Tiananmen Gate, you can walk north, passing over the Golden Water Bridge, untile you arrive at the Meridian Gate (aka Wu Men) which searves as the main entrance of Forbidden City (aka the Palace Museum).

As the living place for emperors in the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City is largest and best-preserved imperial palace in the world, boasting over 70 palaces and 8,707 rooms. It is an unmissable place to look into emperors' life and royal culture in ancient China.

For an efficient visit, we will focus on the most iconic places and buliding complexes in both Outer Court and Inner Court.

The Outer Court is centered on the "three great halls", namely Taihe Dian (Hall of Supreme Harmony), Zhonghe Dian (Hall of Central Harmony), Baohe Dian (Hall of Preserving Harmony), which mainly served as venues and stages for majjor state ceremonies. The Inner Court was the living quarters for the emperors and his family.

Your guide's in-depth introduction to the architecture features and stories about the royal family will further enrich your understanding about this cultural window of China's emperor culture and history.

Temple of Heaven (about 1 hour's guided tour)

After about 30 minutes of driving time, you will reach the Temple of Heaven. In the Ming and Qing Dynasty, emperors performed rituals to worship Heaven and pray for a good harvest here. Now, it is not only a beautiful park rich in local life but also a unique place to experience the deep connection between imperial power and religion in ancient times.

Main buildings in the Temple of Heaven, such as Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, Circular Mound Altar and the Imperial Vault of Heaven, are dominated by circular and square shapes. This is a tribute to the ancient belief that "Heaven is round and Earth is square."

To appreciate these buildings up close, you will can't help to be attracted by their exquisite wood carvings, vibrant paintings, and unique structural designs. These are testaments to the charm of ancient Chinese architecture.

The rest of the day is free for you to get back to your hotel or visit more highlights of Beijing yourself. Feel free to ask your guide for some insider's advise.

Meeting at SWISSOTEL BEIJING HONG KONG MACAU CENTER at 8:00 AM

Please arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes before departure (by 7:45 AM). After checking that everyone is ready and providing necessary information, we will depart on time at 8:00 AM.

Meeting point information:

• SWISSOTEL BEIJING HONG KONG MACAU CENTER (北京港澳中心瑞士酒店)

• Address: No. 2 Chaoyangmen North Street, Dongcheng District, Beijing (北京市东城区朝阳门北大街2号)

• How to get there:

Option 1: By taxi

Show the following Chinese name to the driver: 

“请带我去北京港澳中心瑞士酒店”

Option 2: By subway

Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Dongsi Shitiao Station (东四十条站). Exit from Exit C, then walk about 500 meters to the hotel.

Jinshanling Great Wall: A Less-Crowded Section with Unique Ming Dynasty Defenses

After driving about 2 hours, you will reach Jinshangling Great Wall. Often praised as “the most beautiful section of the Great Wall,” Jinshanling perfectly combines dramatic curves, rolling mountains and open views with rare military structures. Along its 10-kilometer section, there are 67 watchtowers, built close together with different designs and layouts. The frequent watchtowers create continuous viewpoints and photography spots.

Some military structures on Jinshanling are rare to see in many other sections. Among them, Jinshanling is especially famous for its “Three Wonders”:

• Barrier Walls (Zhangqiang): short transverse walls built across the walkway of the Great Wall, used as secondary defensive positions.

• Anti-Cavalry Walls (Dangma Walls): built along the outer slopes of the Great Wall, and formed an additional defensive line outside the main wall.

• Inscribed Bricks: Many bricks in this section are stamped with information about production dates and military units. These inscriptions are valuable historical records.

Below is a recommended route to explore the highlights of Jinshanling:

Visitor Center → Shuttle bus (optional) → Ticket Gate → Zhuanduo Pass (starting point, inscribed bricks, Qi Jiguang statue) → General's Tower (one of the most iconic landmarks) → Shaling Pass → Small & Big Jinshan Towers (sit on open mountain ridges, with wide, unobstructed views)→ Descend at Houchuankou.  

The entire hiking route is relatively gentle, allowing plenty of great opportunities to take photos and appreciate the panoramic views.

Good to know:

• The guide may adjust the route slightly based on your energy level and interests.

• Your guide will hike all the way with you. He/she will help you take photos, tell you the best location for photos, and give you information about the wall.

• Food and drinks: Supply points on the wall are limited, so it is recommended to bring some water and energy snacks.

• Restrooms at the foot of the mountain are better equipped. At Zhuanduo Pass and Shaling Pass, there are also restrooms with basic facilities. watchtowers do not have toilets inside.

Duration: 8 - 10 hours