3-Day Qufu & Mt. Taishan Tour from Beijing by Bullet Train

Confucius Temple, a farmer's kitchen, Mt. Taishan's summit view, and Baotu Spring in three days

A private 3-day tour from Beijing to Qufu, Mt. Taishan and Jinan by bullet train, with guide, hotel stays and dinner. You'll walk the Confucius Temple and family tombs in the walled old city, spend an afternoon in Buyangzhuang village with a local family and kindergarten children, ride cable car and shuttle bus up Mt. Taishan, and explore Jinan's springs and lakeside gardens before returning to Beijing by train.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Beijing to Qufu and cultural tour

• Travel bullet train Beijing to Qufu
• Meet guide and transfer to hotel
• Walking tour of Confucius Temple, Mansion, Tombs

Day 2: Village visit and Mt. Taishan tour

• Visit Buyangzhuang village and kindergarten
• Enjoy tea, fire water, and home-cooked meal
• Visit Mt. Taishan with shuttle and cable car

Day 3: Jinan springs and city exploration

• Visit Baotu Spring park and watch local activities
• Explore Daming Lake gardens and pavilions
• Lunch hotpot and transfer to Jinan West Station

The experience

The bullet train leaves Beijing South Railway Station and covers 300 km in 2.5 hours to Qufu East, where your guide meets you for the half-hour transfer to the hotel. That afternoon you walk the Confucius Temple (the largest temple in China built to honor the sage) along with the adjoining Confucius Mansion and Family tombs, all three enclosed within the Ming dynasty city wall. These sites became UNESCO World Cultural Heritage in 1994, and the guide unpacks the philosophy and customs woven through each courtyard and stone carving.

Day two splits between countryside and mountain. In Buyangzhuang, one of China's earliest villages to open to Western visitors in 1978, you visit a kindergarten where children sing and dance, then sit down to a home-cooked meal with a farmer's family: tea, locally made spirits, and food cooked over fire. Afterward you travel to Mt. Taishan, the highest peak in eastern China at 1,545 meters and one of five sacred mountains. Shuttle buses and cable cars carry you up to see the views and cultural relics. The mountain itself holds both natural and cultural UNESCO status. You overnight in Jinan, a city built around hundreds of natural springs.

The final morning centers on Baotu Spring, called the First Spring under Heaven, where water flows day and night in a public park where locals watch traditional opera, play chess and mahjong. You'll also walk the City Square and moat nearby, then visit Daming Lake to the south: 120 hectares of gardens, plantations and pavilions where all the city's springs converge. After lunch, your guide takes you to Jinan railway station for the return bullet train to Beijing.

What’s included

• Two nights in 4-star hotels (Queli Hotel in Qufu and Grand Metropark Hotel Jinan).
• high-speed train tickets in 2nd class from Beijing to Qufu and return from Jinan to Beijing.
• private tour guide in your choice of English, Spanish, French, German or other languages.
• dinner on both evenings.
• private transfers between the train stations and hotels.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to Friday23 departure times: the first at 08:30, the last at 19:30

AgesAdult (18 to 70 years) · Senior (71 to 80 years) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 12 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Chinese, Japanese and Korean

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by 3 Days Cultural Tour -Confucius hometown/Mt. Taishan & Chinese Village/Spring Water in Jinan

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're staying in Beijing without a rental car. The bullet train is your transport between cities, and the guide handles all movement once you arrive in Qufu. The 3-day span lets you move through Confucius philosophy, village life and mountain landscape without rushing any of them, and the fixed itinerary means you don't plan the day yourself.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (5 to 12 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is the Confucius Temple like when you walk through it?

The Confucius Temple sits in the center of walled old Qufu and is the largest temple in China built in memory of Confucius. You tour it together with the adjoining Confucius Mansion and Family tombs, all three part of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site since 1994, and the guide explains the philosophy and customs embedded in the layout and carvings.

Do I need to arrange my own way to Beijing South Railway Station, or is that included?

You make your own way to Beijing South Railway Station to board the bullet train. The tour includes the train ticket in 2nd class from Beijing to Qufu and the return journey from Jinan to Beijing, plus the half-hour transfer from Qufu East station to your hotel.

What happens during the village visit in Buyangzhuang?

Buyangzhuang is one of China's earliest villages to open to Western visitors. You visit a kindergarten where children perform and welcome you to join in, bring small gifts for them, then visit a farmer's house to try tea or local spirits and eat a freshly cooked home meal, experiencing the family's hospitality firsthand.

How do you get up Mt. Taishan, and what's the view like?

Mt. Taishan is the highest mountain in eastern China at 1,545 meters and one of five sacred mountains in China. Shuttle buses and cable cars are available in the scenic area to carry you up, where you see the magnificent views and countless cultural relics scattered across the slopes.

What is Baotu Spring, and why is it called the First Spring under Heaven?

Baotu Spring is Jinan's most famous spring, reputed as the First Spring under Heaven because water flows from it day and night. The spring sits in a public park where locals gather to watch traditional opera, play chess and mahjong, and you'll explore the park, City Square and nearby moat.

Are meals included, or do I pay for them separately?

Dinner is included on both nights of the tour. The home-cooked meal in the village is part of the family visit experience. Other meals are your own cost.