Beijing Great Wall Hiking And Countryside Tour

Day 1

Place & Transport: Arrive in Beijing, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Airport Transfer (Beijing)

Day 2

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Treasure Houses, Hutong Tour in Xicheng District, Li Heng Tang Pearl Store
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Tiananmen Square (50 minutes): Tian'anmen Square is the largest city square in the centre of Beijing, named after the Tiananmen (literally, Gate of Heavenly Peace) which sits to its north, separating it from the Forbidden City. It has great cultural significance as it was the site of several key events in Chinese history. As the world's largest city square and enduring symbol of China's national pride, it is surrounded by many imposing buildings including the Heavenly Gate (entry to the Forbidden City), Museums, government buildings and Chairman Mao's Mausoleum.
- The Forbidden City (2.5 hours): The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors between 1368 and 1911.This "city within a city" is a World Heritage Site, and is the largest and the best preserved ancient imperial architecture complex in the world, with great square, halls and gates contrast with intricate halls, gardens, courtyards and quarters. The exhibitions, both permanent and temporary, are all important treasures of ancient China.
- Treasure Houses (30 minutes): Treasure house has undergone 4 time renovations, the present one takes up almost 220 square metres, more than 440 treasures on display belonged to Qing dynasty royalty, half of which have not never been on display in the old one. It's worthy of visiting.
- Hutong Tour in Xicheng District (1 hour): Hutong is a maze of historic alleyways with old single storey traditional courtyard houses, which are now fast disappearing. In this one hour tour, you can hop on a rickshaw to ride through the narrow alleys as well as visit a local family then walk on the Silver Ingot Bridge (Yinding Bridge) and find out about the different thresholds of the courtyards.
- Beijing Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant: Ba Guo Bu Yi Restaurant is located near Summer Palace in Haidian District. It serves authentic Sichuan cuisine with its traditional Chinese style decor. Recommended dishes include sweet and sour fish, fried pork with celery and Kungpao Chicken.
- Li Heng Tang Pearl Store: Lihengtang Pearl Store is a state-run enterprise that cultivates processes, manufactures and sells all type of fresh water and sea pearls. China is the largest fresh water pearl producer in the world with the main base being in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces. Famous varieties of seawater pearls include: The Tahitian Black Pearl and Nanyang Golden pearl. The Lihengtang Pearl Store offer pearls of all types and quality pearls and caters to all price ranges. China Highlights customers will see the seeds being planted in the live mussel and also how learn how to differentiate real pearls from fake. This is a great opportunity to buy genuine pearls, with that come with a guarantee, for your family and friends but there is absolutely no pressure to buy.
Tel: 010-88467845
Address: No.2 North Gate Kongjunzhihuixueyuan

Day 3

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Hiking from the Jinshanling Great Wall to Simatai Great Wall
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Hiking from the Jinshanling Great Wall to Simatai Great Wall (4 hours): Jinshanling Great Wall section is an ideal place for hiking enthusiasts to test themselves against its steep gradients and to enjoy the landscape. Jinshanling to Simatai section is a distance of about 10 km. Only partly restored, it's less crowded, and provides a unique view of the Wall, watchtowers and magnificent scenery. A flying fox (optional) operates at the end of the hike to take hikers to the bottom. This provides a spectacular view of the scenery around and the reservoir under the cable car. Comfortable walking shoes and protection from the weather are a necessity.

Day 4

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Cuandixia Village
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch at Flower Restaurant

- Cuandixia Village (2 hours): Cuandixia Village is located in the west area of Mengtougou District about 100 kilometers away from downtown Beijing. It's a well preserved place over 600 years old Ming and Qing dynasty-style houses.(Around 3 hours' drive from hotel to the village)
- Flower Restaurant : Flower Restaurant is located at the foot of Lingshan mountain on the way to Chuandixia village. Its unique house style and rusticity will give you a sense of nature.

Day 5

Place & Transport: Beijing
Today's Activities: Temple of Heaven, Xiushui Street, Summer Palace with boat Cruise and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony
Meals: Breakfast, Chinese Lunch

- Temple of Heaven (1.5 hours): Built in 1420 during the Ming Dynasty, Temple of Heaven is a complex of Taoist buildings where emperors of Ming and Qing dynasties visited for annual ceremonies of pray for good harvests. Located in the south of Central Beijing, it covers an area of 273 hectares. Temple of Heaven was enrolled as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1998.
- Xiushui Street: Xiushui Street (Silk Market) has a variety of goods: silk, cashmere, clothes, leather goods, garment, hats, shoes, carpet, souvenir, jewelry, almost anything imaginable can be found in this glitzy mall. Many fake versions of world famous brands are available despite the government making efforts to stamp out the trade. Most of the vendors in Xiushui can speak a little English and they usually show the price on a calculator. You need to be good at bargaining.
- Summer Palace with boat Cruise and the Garden of Virtue and Harmony (2 hours): The palace is about 12 kilometers northwest of the city center and is equally as famous as the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace is called 'Yiheyuan'(Garden of Nurtured Harmony) in Chinese. It is the best preserved and the largest imperial gardens in China and one of Beijing's premier attractions. It is also possible to cruise on the lake which takes 10 minutes by the ferry boat.
- Jing Mian Da Wang Restaurant(Chong Wen Men Branch): Jing Mian Da Wang specializes in its traditional decoration of old city with archaistic red lanterns & bridal sedan chair, it mainly caters wheaten food to diners from local and different regions, creating a cozy atmosphere of festival and household.

Day 6

Place & Transport: Depart Beijing, Flight not included
Today's Activities: Hotel to airport Transfer (Beijing)
Meals: Breakfast