2-Day Beijing Tour: Forbidden City, Great Wall & Hutongs
Forbidden City, Great Wall and ancient hutongs in one itinerary
A 2-day guided tour of Beijing covering Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Summer Palace, old Hutongs and Temple of Heaven, with all entrance tickets, air-conditioned transport and an English-speaking guide. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the shared and private options. The group-tour option meets at a central hotel. Lunch is included on day two in the all-inclusive private option. On day one and in other options, lunch is at your own expense or arranged for you to choose from local vendors.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall
- Hotel lobby pickup or meet at point
- Visit Tiananmen Square and landmarks
- Explore Forbidden City at own pace
- Enjoy authentic Chinese buffet lunch
- Travel to Mutianyu Great Wall
- Explore Great Wall with chairlift and toboggan
- Return to hotel or meeting point
Day 2: Pandas, Summer Palace, Hutongs, Temple of Heaven
- Meet guide at hotel or meeting point
- Visit Panda House and watch pandas eat
- Tour Summer Palace with guide
- Walk through old Beijing Hutongs
- Lunch in Hutong area (own expense)
- Visit Temple of Heaven and watch local activities
What’s included
- All entrance tickets to Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall, Summer Palace, Panda House and Temple of Heaven.
- lunch on day one (authentic Chinese buffet).
- air-conditioned vehicle transport throughout the 2 days.
- English-speaking licensed guide.
- bottle water.
- round-trip chairlift or cable car to the Great Wall, with the option of a toboggan slide on descent (chairlift only for guests over 60).
- hotel pickup and drop-off in the mini-group and all-inclusive private options.
Times
- Monday and Sunday 07:30 08:00 08:30 09:00
- Tuesday to Saturday 07:00 07:30 07:40 08:00 08:30 09:00
Options for this experience
3 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated today
Operated by Lily's Tour Company
The experience
Day one starts with morning pickup from your hotel (or you can meet the group at the designated point), and heads straight to Tiananmen Square, the ceremonial heart of Beijing. You'll see the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum from the outside, then move into the Forbidden City itself. This 600-year-old imperial palace complex, home to 24 Ming and Qing emperors, opens up at your own pace: you walk through magnificent halls and courtyards without a rigid schedule, soaking in the scale and detail of ancient royal architecture. After lunch at an authentic Chinese buffet, a 1.5-hour drive takes you to Mutianyu Great Wall, a less crowded section of the wall set in mountain scenery. You'll spend around two hours exploring here, with the option to take a chairlift uphill for a relaxed ascent. On the way down, you can ride the chairlift again or, if you're under 60 and want the thrill, take the toboggan slide.
Day two begins at your hotel or meeting point and heads to the Panda House, where you'll watch giant pandas at breakfast and get close to these creatures. From there, the Summer Palace unfolds as a masterpiece of imperial gardens: pavilions, bridges, winding corridors and historic temples scattered across the grounds. Your guide shares stories of imperial history and local legends as you wander. The afternoon shifts to old Beijing's Hutongs, a walking tour through narrow lanes lined with traditional courtyard homes. Your guide explains the genuine lifestyle and century-old traditions of these alleys, giving you an intimate look at how locals actually live. Lunch here is a selection of local delicacies and traditional snacks; in the all-inclusive option, it's covered; otherwise, you choose and pay for what you eat. The tour ends at the Temple of Heaven, a sacred shrine where emperors once prayed for good harvests. You'll see locals practicing tai chi, singing and relaxing in the peaceful park before returning to your hotel.
The tour runs with a professional, English-speaking local guide and air-conditioned transport throughout. All entrance tickets to the Forbidden City, Great Wall, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and Panda House are covered. Bottle water is provided. If the Forbidden City falls on a Monday (when it's closed), the itinerary swaps so you see day two's sites on day one instead. The toboggan at Mutianyu is not available for guests over 60, pregnant women or children under 3. Those travelers use the round-trip chairlift instead. You'll need your passport details at booking, and Chinese nationals must reserve Forbidden City tickets seven days in advance.
Is this one for you?Book the mini-group option if you want hotel pickup without the cost of a fully private tour, or the all-inclusive private tour if you're traveling as a group and want lunch on day two covered and no shared transport. The group-tour option suits travelers happy to meet at a central point and share the experience with others, keeping the price lower.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 14 years); Infant (under 4).
What exactly is inside the Forbidden City that I'll see on this tour?
The Forbidden City is the world's largest imperial palace complex, with 600 years of history as the royal residence of 24 Ming and Qing emperors. You'll walk through magnificent imperial halls and time-honored courtyards at your own pace, exploring the ancient royal architecture without a fixed schedule.
Can I choose between the chairlift and toboggan at the Great Wall, or is one included?
Both the chairlift and toboggan are included in the tour price. You take the chairlift uphill for a relaxed ride, then choose either the chairlift or the toboggan slide for the descent, unless you're over 60, pregnant, or under 3, in which case you use the round-trip chairlift instead.
Is lunch included in this 2-day tour?
Lunch on day one, an authentic Chinese buffet, is included for all options. On day two in the Hutongs, lunch is at your own expense in the group and mini-group options, where you choose from local delicacies and traditional snacks. The all-inclusive private option covers day-two lunch as well.
What happens if I arrive in Beijing on a Monday and the Forbidden City is closed?
If your first day falls on a Monday, when the Forbidden City is closed, the itinerary reverses: you'll see day two's sites (Panda House, Summer Palace, Hutongs, Temple of Heaven) on day one, and day one's sites (Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall) on day two.
Do I need to arrange my own hotel pickup, or is it included?
Hotel pickup and drop-off are included in the mini-group (your hotel pickup) and all-inclusive private tour options. The group-tour option meets at a central hotel instead, so you arrange your own way there.
What's the difference between the three tour options available?
The group tour meets at a central hotel and shares transport with other travelers. The mini-group option includes pickup from your own hotel and smaller group size. The all-inclusive private tour is a private vehicle and guide for your group, with lunch on day two covered. All three options include the same attractions, entrance tickets and English-speaking guide.
2-Day Beijing Tour: Forbidden City, Great Wall & Hutongs
2d · EN
from US$ 176 per person