The Great Wall of China: Badaling and Juyong Pass sections

The Great Wall at Badaling - China’s Great Wall is the longest wall in the world. It is one of China’s most iconic symbols and is also included in UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as in the new Seven Wonders Of The World of the world.
The portion of the wall running through the site (Badaling) was built in 1504 during the Ming Dynasty, along with a military outpost reflecting the location’s strategic importance. On this stretch of battlements, restored in the mid-1950s and again in 1987, Nixon, Thatcher, Reagan, Gorbachev and even Queen Elizabeth II have posed for the cameras.

Juyong Pass of Great Wall - Juyong pass was built here in the year 1342. The present pass route was built in the Ming Dynasty and received much renovation later. It was a very important strategic place connecting the inner land and the area near the northern border of China. It was also used to defend the ancient city of Beijing. This section of great wall have less tourists, it’s the most convenient place to hike on the Great Wall of China.

Tiananmen Square– The Forbidden City & the Imperial Palace – Beihai Park

Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang) - Today you wil go to visit Tian’anmen Square. It’s a city square in the city center of Beijing, China, named after the eponymous Tiananmen (“Gate of Heavenly Peace”) located to its north.
It’s the great starting point for a day of sightseeing in the area.

Tian’anmen - Tian’anmen is a monumental gate in the centre of Beijing, widely used as a national symbol of China. First built during the Ming dynasty in 1420, Tiananmen was the entrance to the Imperial City, within which the Forbidden City was located.

Forbidden City-The Palace Museum - The magnificent Forbidden City is the largest Imperial Palace in the world. You’ll spend several hours wandering around this amazing example of Imperial architecture and learning about the history of the palace.
English audio guide devices will be provided in Forbidden City for better understanding the rich history and stories about the imperial families hidden behand the grand architectural buildings.

Meridian Gate (Wu Men) - It’s the southern and largest gate of the Forbidden City. Unlike the other gates of the Forbidden City, the Meridian Gate has two protruding arms on either side. The gate has five arches. The centre arch was formerly reserved for the Emperor alone. All other officials and servants had to use the four side arches.

Hall of Great Harmony (Taihe Dian) - It is located in the center of the Forbidden City, along its central axis. It is the largest and grandest hall in the Forbidden City. The Hall of Supreme Harmony is one of the largest wooden structures within China. It was the location where the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties hosted their enthronement and wedding ceremonies.

The Nine Dragon Screen of The Palace Museum - It’s one of three such screens in China. It’s a spectacular composition of coiling dragons picked out in coloured glazed tiles, built in 1773. It’s a type of screen wall with reliefs of nine different Chinese dragons. Such walls are typically found in imperial Chinese palaces and gardens.

The Antiquarium of The Palace Museum - There are a lot of beautiful displays here including gold ornaments, royal furniture, outfits, and all sorts of beautiful stuff. It’s a mini museum within a museum. It houses many Royal items.

The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum - There are some nice rock formations, vines, greenery, ancient trees and pavilions here. It is supposed to be a sacred place for the emperors within the forbidden city.

Turret of The Palace Museum - The turrets on the corners of the forbidden city are a photographers delight. The best places to see the turrets are from the outside of the Forbidden city. The moat in front of the Turrets gives it an added beauty.

Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan) - Beihai Park also known as the Winter Palace, is a public park and former imperial garden located in the northwestern part of the Imperial City, Beijing. First built in the 11th century, it is among the largest of all Chinese gardens and contains numerous historically important structures, palaces, and temples. Since 1925, the place has been open to the public as a park.

Jingshan Park (Jingshan Gongyuan) - You will climb to the top pavilion to get a fabulous panoramic view of Forbidden City.

Temple Of Heaven – Lama Temple – 798 Art Zone

Temple of Heaven - It’s the largest Imperial place of worship from ancient times. This special place becomes a park where the local community utilizes this beautiful and enormous space for social activities such as singing, dancing, and Taiji practice.

Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest - It’s a magnificent triple-gabled circular building, 36 m (118 ft) in diameter and 38 m (125 ft) tall, where the Emperor prayed for good harvests. The building is completely wooden, with no nails.

Lama Temple (Yonghegong) - Lama Temple also known as Yonghe Temple, Harmony and Peace Palace Lamasery, Yonghe Lamasery is located at the northeast corner of Beijing City, considered as the largest and most perfectly preserved lamasery in present day China.

798 Art Zone - It’s China’s most progressive artistic precinct. It’s a hotspot of modern art, culture and design.

The Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace

Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) - In the morning, you will go to visit Summer Palace, a summer resort for Imperial Family Members, considered the best preserved Imperial Park.
Summer Palace has been listed in the World Heritage Sites, originally named Qingyi Yuan or the Garden of Clear Ripples, was the first constructed in 1750. It was razed to the group by the Anglo-French Allied Forces in 1860. The Government of Qing Dynasty rebuilt it in 1886 with funds that it had misappropriated from the Imperial Navy and other sources then 2 years later, renamed as Yihe Yuan or the Garden of Health and Harmony, it was ravaged by the Allied Forces of the Eight Powers that invaded China in 1900.
You can visit the court area, lake area, long corridor etc.

Long Corridor at the Summer Palace - It’s a covered walkway in the Summer Palace. First erected in the middle of the 18th century, it is famous for its 728 m (2,388 ft) length in conjunction with its rich painted decoration. One can imagine Cixi talking a stroll, enjoying the cool breeze off the lake, and admiring the many thousands of artworks painted on the crossbeams, ceiling and pillars, depicting scenic views from around China, famous myths, folktales and Buddhist scenes.

Tower of Buddhist Incense(Summer Palace) - The tower was originally meant to be a nine-storey Buddhist pagoda built to resemble the Yellow Crane Tower. The Qianlong Emperor ordered the construction to be stopped just after the eighth storey was built. The tower was built on a 20 m (66 ft) tall stone base, measures three stories and 41 metres (135 ft) in height, and is supported by eight ironwood pillars. Empress Dowager Cixi visited the tower to offer incense and pray.

Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan) - Widely perceived as the pinnacle work of Chinese imperial garden and palace design, the Old Summer Palace was known for its extensive collection of gardens, its building architecture and numerous art and historical treasures. Shattered ruins are all that remain of the ‘Garden of Perfection and Light’, once known as the ‘Versailles of the East’ for its profound beauty, even surpassing Cixi’s 19th century reboot. During the Second Opium War, French and British troops captured the palace, then looted and destroyed this place in 1860.

Mutianyu Great Wall – Great Wall at Huanghuacheng

Mutianyu Great Wall - In the morning, drive 1.5hours to Mutianyu Great Wall. This place is the most famous and ideal section of the Great Wall. You will take a cable car up to the breathtaking wall and spend a leisurely 1 to 2 hours hiking up and down the various sections exploring the Watch Towers and marveling at the construction and beauty of the renown and legendary Wall. You then will take an exhilarating toboggan ride back down from the top of the Great Wall.

Great Wall at Huanghuacheng - Huanghuacheng Section of the Great Wall is a resort with mountains, lakes and the ancient Great Wall. There is a lake and a reservoir nearby. And the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall into three segments naturally. Part of the wall is under water and becomes submerged at high tide. So the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is nicknamed “Water Great Wall”. This section of Great Wall has exceptional views of the surrounding valleys and unique water scenery that makes it stand apart from other sections.
At the end of the tour drop you off at your hotel in Beijing.

• Entry/Admission - Trolley car ride down from the top of Badaling Great Wall
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Private tour with private transfers
• Lunch
• Entry/Admission - Cable car ride up to Badaling Great Wall
• Entry/Admission - Toboggan ride at Mutianyu Great Wall
• Private tour guide
• Entry/Admission - Cable car ride at Mutianyu Great Wall

• Accommodations
• Meals (except lunches)
• Gratuities
• Insurances