Beijing Must-See Sites Private 2-Day Tour

Day 1 - Tiananmen Square - Forbidden City - Great Wall at Mutianyu

Meet your guide in your hotel lobby at 8 a.m. to get your tour started. First up on your agenda is Tiananmen Square, one of the world's biggest city-center squares. See some of the iconic buildings in Beijing, such as the Front Gate, Chairman Mao's Mausoleum, Monument to the People's heroes, Great Hall of the People, Tiananmen Gate, and the National Museum of China.

Proceed north to see the Forbidden City, the place where the Ming and Qing Emperors resided for more than 500 years. It is one of the largest and best-preserved Imperial palaces in the world.

After a lunch break, head over to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu. Here you'll go on a 1.5-to-3-hour hike along the less crowded portion of the wall. You could choose to take the cable car for both ways, or take the chairlift up and toboggan down. 

Day 2 - Temple of Heaven - Hutong - Summer Palace

Pick up at 8 a.m. at your hotel to see the Temple of Heaven where the Ming and Qing emperors performed their ritual ceremonies. Morning is the best time to see the local senior doing exercise, practicing Taichi, playing Shuttlecock, doing ground calligraphy, as well as singing and dancing. 

Continue on to explore a hutong, an old and narrow city alleyway. Take a rickshaw, and visit a local family. Learn more about Beijing locals from both the family and your guide.

After lunch, drive to see one of the largest and best preserved imperial gardens in China, the Summer Palace. Inside, you will take a boat to see the Suzhou Street, where the eunuch and concubine used to disguise as sellers for the emperor to enjoy shopping as a commoner.