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Top Things to Do in Northern China

We compared all 248 experiences in Northern China so you can choose in minutes — real prices, verified reviews and our editorial picks.

4.8 248 experiences from US$ 3 Free cancellation on most experiences
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Forbidden City Beijing: Pre-Booked Ticket & Fast Entry
Forbidden City Beijing: Pre-Booked Ticket & Fast Entry★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (141)3hYou pre-book online with your passport details, skip the Beijing ticket queue, and enter the Forbidden City by showing your passport at the Meridian Gate. Choose morning (enter before noon) or afternoon entry, then explore at your own pace with no guide or time limit inside. The whole entrance process takes minutes instead of hours, and you avoid carrying cash.Is it for me?Right for independent travelers with a valid overseas passport who want to skip Beijing's long ticket queues and explore the Forbidden City on their own schedule—the pre-booking removes the cash transaction and the wait, which is what makes a same-day visit stress-free. Not suitable if you have mobility challenges, cardiovascular concerns, or are traveling on a Chinese passport.Free cancellationTravelers' pickMost bookedfromUS$ 12.90View ›
Beijing: Walking Food Tour with 10+ Tastings & Private Guide
Beijing: Walking Food Tour with 10+ Tastings & Private Guide★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (139)3hYou walk through Beijing's local food neighborhoods with a private guide who knows the vendors, stopping at 10+ stalls to taste soup dumplings, noodles, potstickers, crepes, and street snacks. Beer and water are included; your guide handles ordering and gets you back to the subway or your hotel when the tour ends.Is it for me?Book this if you want to eat what Beijing residents actually eat without arranging your own stops, ordering in Chinese, or navigating unfamiliar neighborhoods alone—the private guide removes all three obstacles and keeps the pace slow enough to taste things properly.Free cancellationTravelers' pickInfants freefromUS$ 55View ›
Beijing Summer Palace: Skip-Line Ticket & Optional Guided Tour
Beijing Summer Palace: Skip-Line Ticket & Optional Guided Tour★★★★★★★★★★ 4.49 (138)1h–4hYou book a ticket online, receive a QR code by email five to seven days ahead, and scan it at the gate to skip the queue. Choose between a regular ticket for the main garden areas or a combination ticket that unlocks the museums and Suzhou Street. Add a 2-hour guided tour, private round-trip transfers from your hotel, or both. You explore at your own pace after the tour ends, and the whole experience takes as long as you want it to.Is it for me?Pick this if you want to skip the entry-gate queue and avoid arranging your own transport to a palace that's a distance from downtown—the QR code and optional transfers handle both, leaving you free to focus on the gardens themselves.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −17%fromUS$ 7.88View ›
Beijing to Jinshanling or Simatai Great Wall: Private Transfer & Flexible Pickup
Beijing to Jinshanling or Simatai Great Wall: Private Transfer & Flexible Pickup★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (136)8h–9hYou’ll ride from your Beijing hotel straight out to either Jinshanling or Simatai Great Wall—no fuss over buses or crowds—with bottled water waiting and an easy ticket handoff at arrival. Hike ancient battlements at your own pace (or bring a guide for stories), then relax on your private ride back while city lights return outside your window.Free cancellationTravelers' pick-33%fromUS$ 65View ›
Mutianyu Great Wall Private Tour from Beijing: Skip the Crowds
Mutianyu Great Wall Private Tour from Beijing: Skip the Crowds★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (135)6h–9hA private day tour from Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall with English-speaking guide, hotel pickup, entrance ticket, VIP pass and cable car or chairlift included. The Mutianyu section draws far fewer visitors than Badaling, so you move freely along the wall without the crush of crowds. The guide explains the history and architecture as you walk, helps you find the best photo angles, and solves any problems that come up during the day.Is it for me?Choose Mutianyu if you prefer fewer visitors on the wall itself—the section stays less crowded than Badaling, so you move at your own pace rather than in dense groups.Free cancellationTop ratedKids −18%fromUS$ 188View ›
Beijing: Private Night Tour with Great Wall & Ice Lanterns
Beijing: Private Night Tour with Great Wall & Ice Lanterns★★★★★★★★★★ 4.88 (132)3h–8hYou choose from eight night packages in Beijing: customizable downtown tours hitting Tiananmen, Houhai, and the Olympic landmarks; summer Great Wall climbs under stars; or winter ice lantern festivals. Hotel pickup, guide, and entry tickets are included; you control the pace and which zones to linger in, and the private vehicle means no group schedule to follow.Is it for me?Right for travelers staying in central Beijing who want to see the city's lit landmarks without arranging transport or tickets themselves. The 4-hour downtown tours fit an evening; the Great Wall and ice lantern trips take a full half-day, which is what makes reaching those sites and spending real time there possible.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −18%fromUS$ 90View ›
Beijing: 2-Day Small Group Tour Great Wall, Forbidden City & Summer Palace
Beijing: 2-Day Small Group Tour Great Wall, Forbidden City & Summer Palace★★★★★★★★★★ 4.72 (131)2dYou’ll walk through Beijing’s history—from Tiananmen Square to secret corners in the Forbidden City—with a small group and local guide who actually knows shortcuts. Hike quieter sections of Mutianyu Great Wall, try real Chinese food at lunch, glide down on a toboggan if you want (trust me). End wandering imperial gardens with lake views that stick in your mind.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 179View ›
Beijing: Forbidden City & Mutianyu Great Wall Day Trip
Beijing: Forbidden City & Mutianyu Great Wall Day Trip★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (130)10hYou’ll walk through centuries-old palace gates in Beijing’s Forbidden City with a local guide sharing stories as you go, then climb or ride up to the quieter Mutianyu Great Wall for sweeping mountain views. Includes pre-booked entry tickets, round-trip transport (pickup if private), and space to pause between history and hills.Free cancellationfromUS$ 17View ›
Mutianyu Great Wall: Private Day Trip & English Driver Pickup
Mutianyu Great Wall: Private Day Trip & English Driver Pickup★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (129)8hYou’ll step onto Mutianyu’s ancient stones after an easy pickup in Beijing with an English-speaking driver who handles all logistics. Hike along quieter stretches of the wall, soak in forest views, and get local tips for lunch nearby before heading back—leaving you with that odd mix of tired legs and wide-open wonder.Free cancellationfromUS$ 78View ›
Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall Layover Tour with Airport Pickup
Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall Layover Tour with Airport Pickup★★★★★★★★★★ 4.94 (126)4h–6hYou’ll step straight from your Beijing airport layover into fresh mountain air at Mutianyu Great Wall—with a private guide handling visas, tickets, and all transport. Feel ancient stones under your hands, taste street snacks with locals, and return safely for your next flight. It’s a short escape that lingers long after you’re gone.Free cancellationInfants freefromUS$ 145View ›
Beijing: Pandas, Summer Palace & Hutong with Temple of Heaven
Beijing: Pandas, Summer Palace & Hutong with Temple of Heaven★★★★★★★★★★ 4.99 (123)8h–9hYou 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.Is it for me?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.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 98View ›
Beijing: Private Day Tour Temple of Heaven, Pandas & Summer Palace
Beijing: Private Day Tour Temple of Heaven, Pandas & Summer Palace★★★★★★★★★★ 4.93 (122)8hYou’ll start your day face-to-face with giant pandas in Beijing’s Panda House before wandering willow-lined paths at the Summer Palace and tracing ancient footsteps inside the Temple of Heaven. A local guide handles every detail (including ordering lunch), so you can focus on small moments—like laughter echoing off marble or spicy noodles shared around a table.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −17%fromUS$ 166View ›
Beijing: Temple of Heaven Ticket & Self-Guided Entry
Beijing: Temple of Heaven Ticket & Self-Guided Entry★★★★★★★★★★ 4.98 (122)3hYou get entry to the Temple of Heaven's three main sections—the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest and Circular Mound Altar included—with a QR code that skips the ticket counter. Explore on your own schedule, morning or afternoon, without a guide or transport arranged. Send your passport details and WhatsApp number to the supplier immediately after booking.Is it for me?Right for travelers who want to see the Temple of Heaven without the hassle of buying tickets on-site or hiring a guide. Plan for at least two hours of walking through the grounds; the self-paced format means you control the rhythm, but it also means you're navigating on your own.Free cancellationBest valueKids −25%fromUS$ 8.80View ›
Private Mutianyu Great Wall Half-Day Tour: Cable car & hiking included
Private Mutianyu Great Wall Half-Day Tour: Cable car & hiking included★★★★★★★★★★ 4.94 (121)5hYou hike thirty minutes through forest, then walk the Mutianyu Great Wall section — less crowded than Badaling, with restored stone and ridge views. Your private guide is English-speaking, and the descent is your choice: cable car or toboggan. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, so you leave Beijing in the morning and return by afternoon.Is it for me?Book this if you want the main Mutianyu Great Wall experience without arranging your own transport, tickets, or timing — the private guide and hotel pickup mean you leave Beijing knowing exactly when you'll return, and the smaller crowds here make the walk feel less like a tourist gauntlet.Free cancellationTravelers' pickInfants freefromUS$ 180View ›
Beijing Summer Palace: Private Half Day Tour with Pickup
Beijing Summer Palace: Private Half Day Tour with Pickup★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (117)4hYou’ll slip past entry lines for a private half-day tour of Beijing’s Summer Palace—walk Suzhou Street’s colorful canal shops, climb Longevity Hill for lake views, and hear local stories from your guide. Taste candied hawthorn if you’re brave enough. You might leave with more questions than answers—and that’s part of the magic.Free cancellationTravelers' pickfromUS$ 86View ›
Private Beijing Day Trip: Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tombs
Private Beijing Day Trip: Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tombs★★★★★★★★★★ 4.94 (116)9hA private day trip from Beijing to the Mutianyu Great Wall and Ming Tombs, with a professional guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch and entrance fees included. The tour runs about nine hours, starting at 8am from your hotel and taking roughly 90 minutes to reach the Wall. You choose which Ming Tomb section to visit — the Sacred Way with its stone sculptures, the largest Changling Tomb, or the only excavated underground palace at Dingling — and a guide in your chosen language leads both stops. Comfortable walking shoes are essential; the Wall involves moderate climbing, and dietary requirements can be arranged ahead of time.Is it for me?Book this if your first days are tight on time: a private guide and included transport mean you skip arranging pickups and tickets, while Mutianyu's location keeps you away from the heaviest crowds at Badaling.Free cancellationKids −40%fromUS$ 208View ›
Beijing: Jinshanling & Simatai Night Wall Tour with Gubei Water Town
Beijing: Jinshanling & Simatai Night Wall Tour with Gubei Water Town★★★★★★★★★★ 5.00 (114)8h–10hYou’ll start your journey at Jinshanling Great Wall, where peaceful trails replace crowds and every step feels personal. Wander lantern-lit streets in Gubei Water Town before riding up to Simatai for rare night views over glowing rooftops. Includes hotel pickup, private guide, local meal, and cable car—leaving you free to soak it all in.Free cancellationTravelers' pickKids −23%fromUS$ 278View ›
Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Layover Tour with Airport Pickup
Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Layover Tour with Airport Pickup★★★★★★★★★★ 4.97 (113)5h–8hYou’ll swap airport boredom for real air on this Mutianyu Great Wall layover tour: private car from Beijing airport, friendly English-speaking driver who helps with tickets and timing, plus options for cable car or even a toboggan ride down. The quiet on top of the wall is something you’ll remember long after your flight boards.Free cancellationInfants freefromUS$ 100View ›
Huanghuacheng Great Wall tour from Beijing: Hike, boat & raft
Huanghuacheng Great Wall tour from Beijing: Hike, boat & raft★★★★★★★★★★ 4.96 (112)9hThis full-day tour from Beijing combines hiking, boating and optional rafting at Huanghuacheng Great Wall, where the ancient ramparts descend into a reservoir. The itinerary includes round-trip bus transport from downtown Beijing, park admission, an English-speaking guide on the bus, and a boat ride along the water-bound sections of the Wall. You'll have five hours at the site to move at your own pace between the hiking trails and the water, with glass-bottom rafting available for an additional 140 RMB if you want the adrenaline element.Is it for me?This tour suits small groups and solo travelers who want structure for getting to the site but freedom once they arrive. The five unscheduled hours mean you can hike as much or as little as you want, linger on the water, and add rafting only if the adrenaline appeals to you—no preset itinerary forcing you through stops.Free cancellationKids −100%fromUS$ 50View ›
Chinese Calligraphy Class in Beijing: Learn Brush Techniques
Chinese Calligraphy Class in Beijing: Learn Brush Techniques★★★★★★★★★★ 4.95 (111)1hA small-group Chinese calligraphy class in Beijing where you learn brush techniques, posture and stroke foundations from an art teacher, then practice on traditional paper to create your own finished piece. Classes run 30 minutes to two hours depending on the option you choose at checkout, with sessions available morning, afternoon and evening to fit your schedule. The class meets at the Hilton Beijing Wangfujing Hotel Lobby and includes all calligraphy supplies.Is it for me?Pick the 30-minute or 45-minute option if you're fitting this between other sightseeing and want a focused introduction to the technique. Choose 90 minutes or two hours if you prefer a slower pace and want time to practice multiple pieces before you leave—the longer sessions let you move from simple strokes to more complex characters without rushing.Free cancellationKids −20%fromUS$ 20View ›
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