Beijing Lama Temple & Summer Palace Private 8-Hour Tour

Three of Beijing's most layered sites in a single morning and afternoon, with a guide who knows what each one meant.

This private 8-hour guided tour visits three of Beijing's most significant sites: the Lama Temple, the Summer Palace and Jingshan Park. An English-speaking guide and driver pick you up from your hotel at 8am, handle all entrance fees, and include a Chinese lunch at a local restaurant. The tour moves through Buddhist heritage, imperial gardens spanning 291 hectares, and a vantage point over the Forbidden City—each stop built into a single day without the planning.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Lama Temple, Summer Palace, and Jingshan Park

• Meet guide and driver at hotel 8:00am
• Visit Lama Temple
• Have lunch at local restaurant
• Visit silk factory
• Explore Summer Palace
• Enjoy tea at Chinese tea house
• Visit Jingshan Park
• Return to hotel

The Experience

Your guide and driver meet you in the hotel lobby at 8am and head first to the Lama Temple, the highest Buddhist temple in China during the middle and late Qing Dynasty and later designated a national key Buddhist temple by the State Council. The temple's layout—three exquisite memorials and five magnificent halls—takes time to read, and a guide who knows the history makes the difference between walking through rooms and understanding what you're standing in. After the temple, you break for lunch at a local restaurant.

The afternoon splits between two very different kinds of space. The silk factory gives you a close look at ancient Chinese silk culture and how it was made, then the Summer Palace opens up: 291 hectares of gardens, lakes and palace buildings divided into three zones for administration, life and leisure. More than 3,100 structures sit across Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, so the scale alone would overwhelm without someone pointing out what matters. Before heading back, you stop at a Chinese tea house for several cups of tea, then finish at Jingshan Park, a high point that frames the Forbidden City and the city's layout below it.

The van is private, so the pace stays yours—no waiting for other groups to finish a stop, no schedule built around strangers' questions. Entrance to all three sites and lunch are included, which means the day holds together without side negotiations or surprises at ticket windows. Hotel pickup and drop-off are part of it, so you don't arrange transport on arrival or spend time finding the first meeting point.

What’s included

• Private van and English-speaking guide for the full day.
• entrance fees to the Lama Temple, Summer Palace and Jingshan Park.
• lunch at a local restaurant.
• tea service at a Chinese tea house.
• hotel pickup and drop-off.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by ToursbyChina

Is this one for you?Choose this if you need a private van to control your own pace at each site, rather than moving with a group schedule.

Top questions

What is the Lama Temple and why does it matter in Beijing?

The Lama Temple was the highest Buddhist temple in China during the middle and late Qing Dynasty and was later designated a national key Buddhist temple by the State Council. It's composed of three exquisite memorials and five magnificent halls, each with its own history and purpose within Beijing's religious landscape.

How big is the Summer Palace and what will I actually see there?

The Summer Palace covers 291 hectares and contains more than 3,100 palace garden buildings arranged across Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake. The structures divide into three zones—administration, life and leisure—so you move through imperial residences, gardens and waterfront pavilions designed for different purposes.

What happens at Jingshan Park at the end of the tour?

Jingshan Park is the final stop and sits on high ground overlooking the Forbidden City and Beijing's layout. It's where the tour closes, giving you a vantage point over the city before heading back to your hotel.

Does the tour include meals, and what kind of lunch will I eat?

Yes, lunch at a local restaurant is included in the tour price. The tour also includes several cups of tea at a Chinese tea house in the afternoon, so you're not arranging or paying separately for either.

What's included in the price, and what do I need to pay for separately?

The tour price covers entrance fees to all three sites, lunch, tea, the private van, driver and English-speaking guide. Tips for the guide and driver are separate, and you arrange those at the end of the day.

When does the tour start and how long does it run?

Your guide and driver pick you up from your hotel lobby at 8am. The full tour runs 8 hours, so you're back at your hotel in the late afternoon.