Beijing: Pandas, Summer Palace & Hutong with Temple of Heaven

Four Beijing landmarks in one day, starting with pandas at breakfast time

You get picked up from your hotel and spend the day with a private guide moving between four of Beijing's most visited landmarks: pandas at feeding time, the sprawling Summer Palace with its imperial gardens, narrow Hutong alleys where locals live, and the Temple of Heaven (or Lama Temple if Monday). Lunch is included if you book all-inclusive. Otherwise you eat on your own in the Hutong. The driver returns you to your hotel at the end.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Summer Palace2h · entry included
2. Temple of Heaven1h 30m · entry included

Beijing iconic landmarks tour

• Meet guide at hotel or meeting point
• Visit Panda House and watch pandas eat
• Tour the Summer Palace with guide
• Walk through ancient Hutongs and explore
• Have lunch in Hutong area (own expense)
• Visit Temple of Heaven or Lama Temple
• Transfer back to hotel or departure point

The experience

Your guide meets you at the hotel while the Panda House is still quiet, which is the only time you'll actually see them eating instead of sleeping. The giant pandas in Xicheng District move slowly, deliberately, and they don't perform. They just exist in front of you, chewing bamboo with the kind of focus that makes you stop talking. After that, the day opens up into the Summer Palace, where your guide walks you through over 3,000 rooms of pavilions, bridges and long corridors that once belonged to the imperial family. The scale is hard to hold in your head until you're standing in it.

Then comes the Hutong walking tour, which is where Beijing stops feeling like a capital city and starts feeling like a neighborhood. Your guide takes you down narrow lanes lined with traditional courtyard houses, and you see people actually living there: hanging laundry, sitting outside, moving through their day. Lunch happens in the Hutong area itself, and you choose from local snacks and dishes at your own pace. If you book the all-inclusive option, it's covered. The streets are tight enough that you notice things: the color of the tiles, the sound of a radio from inside a home, the way the light falls between buildings.

The Temple of Heaven comes last, and it's the biggest, oldest thing you'll see. Emperors used to stand here to pray for harvests, and now locals practice tai chi in the surrounding park while you walk the grounds. One note: the Temple closes on Mondays, so if your date lands there, you'll visit Yonghegong (Lama Temple) instead, which is a Tibetan Buddhist temple with its own weight and history. Either way, you're standing in front of something that has held meaning for centuries.

The driver brings you back to your hotel or wherever you need to be downtown. The whole thing runs 8 to 9 hours, and you're moving between four very different spaces, not rushed, but not slow either.

What’s included

• Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off, a professional private guide, air-conditioned vehicle transportation, and bottled water. Lunch is covered only on the all-inclusive option.
• on the standard tour, you eat at your own expense in the Hutong area. Entry fees to all four attractions are included. If the Temple of Heaven is closed on your date, entry to Yonghegong (Lama Temple) is substituted at no extra cost.

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide plus Didi taxi, lunch not includedGuide in English · 08:00, 08:30, 09:00 and 09:30Affordable private tour: this price option does not include lunch; your private guide will get around by Didi taxi. Duration: 8 hours. Please note: the Temple of Heaven is closed on Mondays, so the visit will be switched to Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) instead. Pickup is included.

Group meeting at Regent HotelGuide in English · 08:00Group tour for around 12 people: please make your own way to the meeting point. You do not need to give your hotel details for this option. Meeting time: 8:00 am. Please arrive 5 minutes early. By taxi: Regent Beijing Hotel, 99 Jinbao Street, near Wangfujing. By subway: take Line 5 to Dengshikou Station (Exit C), then walk 50 m (1 min) to the hotel entrance. Note: the Temple of Heaven is closed every Monday, and on those days we will arrange a visit to Yonghegong Lama Temple instead. Included: entrance tickets, a professional tour guide, and private driver and van service (lunch not included).

Small group tour that includes pickup from your hotelGuide in English · 07:30Group of about 8 people: pickup and drop-off at your downtown hotel, tickets, guide and driver are provided. Lunch is not included, but it can be bought during the tour. Duration: 8 hours; the tour length may vary slightly due to traffic. Pickup time: 7:30–8:00 am, according to your hotel. Premium mini group tour: offered at a better price, with a friendly group where you can meet fellow travelers. Note: the Temple of Heaven is closed every Monday, and on those days we will arrange a visit to Yonghegong Lama Temple instead. Pickup is included.

Guide+Private Driver+LunchGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 09:30All-inclusive private tour: includes a private tour, a local food lunch, a private driver with car service, and an entrance ticket. Duration: 8 hours. Please note: the Temple of Heaven is closed on Mondays, so the visit will be switched to Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) instead. Pickup is included.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day5 departure times: the first at 07:30, the last at 09:30

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (3 to 13 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lily's Tour Company

Is this one for you?Book this if you want Beijing's four biggest landmarks in a single day without arranging transport, tickets, or timing yourself: the fixed itinerary and private guide handle all of that, leaving you to move between pandas, palaces, alleys and temples without planning the gaps.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 13 years); Infant (under 3).

What time does the tour start?

Your guide meets you at your hotel at the scheduled departure time. The exact hour depends on your booking, but morning departures are standard to catch the pandas during breakfast.

Is lunch included?

Lunch is included only with the all-inclusive private option. On the standard tour, lunch is at your own expense, though your guide takes you to the Hutong area where you can choose from local dishes and snacks.

What if the Temple of Heaven is closed?

The Temple of Heaven closes every Monday. If your tour falls on a Monday, you'll visit Yonghegong (Lama Temple) instead, a Tibetan Buddhist temple with historical significance.

How long is the tour?

The full day tour runs 8 to 9 hours, including all four attractions, walking time, and lunch.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes, hotel pickup and drop-off are included (except for the group meet-at-hotel option). You'll be returned to your hotel or a downtown location of your choice.

Can I book this as a private tour?

Yes. Private tours are available with an experienced local guide. Group options also exist, with a minimum of 3 people required for the group tour to run.

Are vegetarian meals available?

Yes. If you need a vegetarian option, let the operator know at the time of booking.