Beijing Temple Tour with Dim Sum: Lama Temple & Confucius Temple

Two temples, one guide, no crowds—then the meal Beijingers actually eat

A 4-hour private Beijing temple tour with an English-speaking guide covers the Lama Temple, the Confucius Temple, and the ancient Imperial College (Guozijian), ending with dim sum lunch or dinner at a neighborhood spot. You choose between private air-conditioned transport included or guide-only (you arrange your own subway or taxi). Bottled water and all entrance fees are covered.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore temples and enjoy dim sum

• Meet guide at Beijing hotel
• Travel to Lama Temple
• Visit Lama Temple and see Buddha statue
• Head to Confucius Temple
• Explore Confucius Temple grounds
• Visit Imperial College (Guozijian)
• Enjoy dim sum lunch or dinner

The Experience

The Lama Temple opens the morning or afternoon. It was once an imperial residence and now stands as Beijing's largest and best-preserved lamasery—a working temple and Tibetan Buddhism museum at once. The centerpiece is the Buddha Maitreya statue, carved from a single sandalwood log shipped from Nepal, the world's largest wooden Buddha. The architecture blends Han and Tibetan styles across multiple halls, each holding different religious artifacts. Your guide walks you through the layout and the history, and the incense smoke fills the air as you move through.

From there, you head to the Confucius Temple, a complex dedicated to the philosopher whose teachings shaped Chinese society for millennia. The temple is lined with cypress trees and dotted with ancient steles—stone tablets inscribed with historical and educational texts. The most striking detail: 700-year-old tablets carved with the names of 50,000 scholars who passed the imperial exams here. After the Confucius Temple, you visit the Imperial College (Guozijian), China's highest ancient educational institution, where an imperial performance on the grounds gives you a sense of the era's grandeur.

The tour wraps with dim sum—lunch if you started in the morning, dinner if you chose the afternoon slot. It's a local favorite, the kind of place Beijingers go, not a tourist spot built around the meal. If you booked the private transfer option, the driver takes you back to your hotel afterward. If you chose guide-only, your guide will accompany you on the subway or taxi to the temples (at your own cost), then to the restaurant.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• entrance fees to all three temples.
• dim sum lunch or dinner at a local restaurant.
• bottled water throughout the tour.
• private air-conditioned transfer (if you choose that option) with pickup and return to your hotel.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Unique Beijing Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the private transfer if you're arriving without a car or want door-to-door transport between temples; choose guide-only if you'll use Beijing's subway and taxis yourself and prefer a lower cost.

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Top questions

What exactly is the Lama Temple and why is the Buddha statue there so significant?

The Lama Temple is Beijing's largest lamasery, originally built as an imperial residence and now an active temple and Tibetan Buddhism museum combined. Its most famous object is the Buddha Maitreya statue, carved from a single sandalwood log from Nepal—it's the world's largest wooden Buddha and dominates the main hall.

Can I see the names of scholars on the Confucius Temple tablets?

Yes. The Confucius Temple displays ancient steles inscribed with the names of 50,000 scholars who passed the imperial exams over 700 years. You walk past rows of cypress trees and can read the inscriptions as your guide explains their significance to Chinese education and culture.

Do I have to arrange my own transport if I don't book the private transfer?

If you choose the guide-only option, your English-speaking guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you on the subway or in a taxi to each site—the transportation cost is yours. For the private transfer option, an air-conditioned vehicle picks you up and takes you between all three temples and the restaurant, then back to your hotel.

When does the dim sum happen, and what if I have dietary restrictions?

Dim sum is served at the end of the tour: lunch if you booked the morning slot, dinner for the afternoon. Let the operator know any dietary requirements when you book, and they'll arrange it with the restaurant. Bottled water is included throughout the tour.

How long does the whole tour actually take?

The tour runs 4 hours from start to finish, including the three temple stops and the dim sum meal at the end.