Beijing Private Tour: Temple of Heaven, Pandas & Summer Palace

Walk three of Beijing's greatest imperial sites in a single day with your own guide and driver.

A private day tour of Beijing with a professional English-speaking guide and dedicated car service, covering the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Panda House, and Summer Palace with all entrance fees and a local lunch included. The tour runs eight hours from hotel pickup, and you move at your own pace between sites: no group schedule, no hidden charges, no separate payments for any of the main attractions.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Temple of Heaven2h · entry included
2. Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest30m · entry included
3. Pearl Market1h

Beijing private tour highlights

• Hotel pickup by private guide and driver
• Visit Beijing Panda House to see pandas
• Drive to Summer Palace
• Enter through East Palace Gate
• Explore Hall of Benevolence and Longevity
• Visit Hall of Happiness and Longevity
• Walk along the Long Corridor
• See the Marble Boat
• Admire Kunming Lake views
• Lunch at local Beijing restaurant
• Drive to Temple of Heaven
• Visit Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests
• Explore Imperial Vault of Heaven and Echo Wall
• See Circular Mound Altar
• Shop at Hongqiao Market
• Return to hotel

The experience

Your guide and driver pick you up from your hotel in the morning and stay with you for the full day. You start at the Beijing Panda House while the pandas are most active, watching them eat bamboo and play before heading to the Summer Palace for a 20-minute drive. There you walk through the East Palace Gate into one of China's greatest imperial gardens, moving on foot through the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity (where Empress Dowager Cixi once held court), and the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, her personal residence during visits. Your guide explains the history and architecture as you go, pointing out the imperial furniture and carvings that survive from the Qing Dynasty.

The Long Corridor, a covered walkway stretching over 700 meters, is decorated with thousands of painted scenes on its beams and ceilings. Your guide will walk you through some of the famous paintings and their stories. You'll see the Marble Boat, a stone structure built as a symbol of permanence, and Kunming Lake itself, which was designed to mirror the West Lake in Hangzhou and was used for imperial boat parades during the Qing Dynasty. If you want a boat ride across the lake to see the Seventeen-Arch Bridge up close, you can arrange that separately at the site.

After lunch at a local Beijing restaurant, you travel 30 minutes by private car to the Temple of Heaven, the sacred venue where Ming and Qing emperors performed sacrificial rituals and prayed for harvests. You approach the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the circular building with a blue-tiled roof that is the temple's most recognizable symbol, standing on a three-tiered white marble terrace. Inside, the wooden columns are arranged to represent the seasons, months and days of the Chinese lunar calendar. Next is the Imperial Vault of Heaven, a circular building with a conical roof surrounded by the Echo Wall: a smooth stone wall about 193 meters around that carries whispered sound across its length, a feature designed by ancient architects using principles of sound reflection. Finally, you reach the Circular Mound Altar, a three-tiered stone terrace where emperors performed the most sacred sacrifices. The number of steps and stones follow multiples of nine, considered the most auspicious number in Chinese cosmology. Before returning to your hotel, you spend an hour or two at Hongqiao Market, where you can browse traditional Chinese handicrafts, pearls and silk products and bargain with vendors.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide for the full day.
• private car and dedicated driver.
• hotel pickup and drop-off within Beijing's 4th ring road.
• entrance fees to the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Panda House, and Summer Palace.
• lunch at a local Beijing restaurant.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tourGuide in English, Chinese or Chinese · 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00Your English-speaking guide will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel at 8:30 am, holding a sign with your name. Pickup is included.

Monday-July-AugustGuide in English, Chinese or Chinese · Available from 12 Jul 2027Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

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

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday to SundayDepartures at 08:00, 09:00 and 10:00

AgesAdult (11 to 90 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 7 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Discover Beijing Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a private car and guide for the full day so you can linger at each site (the Temple of Heaven, Panda House, and Summer Palace) without switching between group schedules or waiting for others.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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 time does the Beijing private tour start and how long does it take?

The tour runs eight hours from hotel pickup in the morning. Your guide and driver collect you from your hotel and return you at the end of the day.

Are entrance fees to the Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace included in the price?

Yes. All entrance fees to the main attractions (the Temple of Heaven, Beijing Panda House, and Summer Palace) are included in your tour price. There are no hidden charges or separate payments required for entry.

What is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and why is it important?

The Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is the most recognizable building at the Temple of Heaven, a circular structure with a blue-tiled roof standing on a three-tiered white marble terrace. Ming and Qing emperors came here to pray for bountiful harvests and the nation's well-being. Inside, the wooden columns are arranged to represent the seasons, months and days of the Chinese lunar calendar according to ancient cosmological beliefs.

Can I take a boat ride on Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace?

Kunming Lake is a central feature of the Summer Palace, designed to mimic the West Lake in Hangzhou. A boat ride across the lake to see the Seventeen-Arch Bridge is available, but it is not included in the tour price and you can arrange it separately at the site if you wish.

What is the Echo Wall at the Temple of Heaven?

The Echo Wall is a smooth circular stone wall about 193 meters in circumference that surrounds the Imperial Vault of Heaven. It has a unique acoustic property: if you stand at one end and whisper, a person standing at the other end can hear you clearly. Ancient Chinese architects designed this feature using principles of sound reflection, and it added mystery and wonder to the religious ceremonies held there.

Is lunch included, and what kind of food will I eat?

Yes, lunch is included at a local Beijing restaurant that is popular with residents. Your guide will take you there after the Summer Palace visit. If you have specific dietary requirements, let the operator know at the time of booking.