All-Inclusive Forbidden City & Great Wall Day Tour

Let’s start this Beijing tour package from Tiananmen Square, the venue for major national ceremonies and celebrations. Take a walk on this large square that can accommodate one million people at a time, and shoot photos of the landmarks around, including the Tiananmen Tower, Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, and National Museum.

Go straight north, and we’ll come to the 600-year-old Forbidden City. Due to its immense popularity, please anticipate a substantial entry queue during peak season, even with our securing reservations 7 days in advance. You are about to enter the world’s largest and most magnificent imperial palace, without any equal, dwarfing counterparts such as the Nymphenburg Palace of Munich, the Royal Alcazar of Seville, the Topkapi Palace in Istanbul, and the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Prepare to be astounded as you discover its sheer scale, which includes a remarkable total of 9,999 rooms! This reveals the concentration of power and extravagant life of Chinese feudal rulers, sustained by the continuous brutal exploitation of the common people.

With your veteran guide, probe into the essential palaces on the central axis and some special chambers on the two wings, including the highest-ranking Hall of Supreme Harmony, the inner living area for the harem, and the Imperial Garden for leisure and relaxation. When reaching the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the emperor’s primary residence, look up and notice the plaque of ‘Integrity and Brightness’ hanging high inside, which conceals a piece of secret lore - In 1723 AD, an emperor’s decision to abolish the primogeniture system ignited a fierce rivalry among the princes. To end the infighting, he devised a plan: the successor’s name would be sealed in a hidden box, placed behind the plaque. Only after the emperor's death was his will retrieved and announced, revealing the new emperor.

● Notes:
1. Tickets for the Forbidden City need to be booked online with passport names 7 days in advance and often sell out within seconds of release. To ensure your smooth entry, we strongly advise you to book this tour at least 8 days in advance. For ticket booking, please provide the exact passport information that matches the physical ID you’ll carry on the tour day. Otherwise, entry will be refused by the scenic area. We appreciate your understanding that this is a strict policy set by the Forbidden City, and no Beijing travel agency has an exception.
2. The Forbidden City visit does not include entry to its Treasure Gallery, the Gallery of Timepieces, or any temporary exhibitions.
3. If your travel plan falls on Mondays when the Forbidden City is closed, we’ll replace your visit to Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City with the Summer Palace, a renowned imperial garden.
4. To efficiently navigate the security checkpoints at Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City, especially during holidays, we strongly recommend you minimize your carry items. Carry only your passport, water, and a sunhat. Remember not to bring drones, selfie sticks, or flammable items such as sprays. If you are particularly sensitive to rigorous security checks, we sincerely advise you to reconsider before booking. The security procedures and potential waiting times are beyond the control of any tour operator. Thank you for your understanding!

Afterward, your guide will accompany you in our air-conditioned vehicle for 1.5 hours to the Mutianyu Great Wall, the longest and most beautiful section in Beijing, featuring dense, distinctive watchtowers and a core strategic pass used for command and combat. Compared to another well-known section, Badaling, it is less crowded, more popular with international visitors, and offers more primitive scenery and complete facilities.

Time to refuel before the challenging afternoon hike on the Great Wall! Your guide will invite you to a buffet restaurant close to the Wall. Feast on a variety of authentic local dishes that satisfy both your appetite and palate, along with unlimited supplies of fruit, iced water, and soft drinks.

Seeing the Mutianyu winding along the steep ridges, you would now turn the scenes on postcards into reality. The Great Wall stood as a defensive barrier against northern nomadic tribes throughout its 2,200-year history. Even the invincible Genghis Khan (1162-1227 AD) struggled against this fortification. His grandson, Kublai Khan (1215-1294 AD), later breached the Wall, defeated the central Chinese Southern Song Dynasty in 1279 AD, launching the frenzied expansion of the Mongol Empire that is widely known. A century later, the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) reclaimed power. The Ming Army analyzed previous gains and losses, fortified key sections of the Great Wall, including the Mutianyu you see today. This allowed them to finally defeat the Mongol Empire and completely destroy the then Mongol capital, Karakoram.

★ Round-trip cable car, or chairlift up & toboggan down valued at US$20 included

Conquering this bucket-list landmark is now effortless! Our all-inclusive tour provides the round-trip cable car to Watchtower No. 14 high on the Great Wall, which is perfect for visitors of all ages. For a more thrilling and fun experience, you can also choose to ascend to the lower Watchtower No. 6 by chairlift and descend on a fast, exhilarating toboggan ride. Just confirm your choice with your guide on the spot. For safety reasons, Children under 10 without an adult’s company, visitors aged 60 and above, or those with acrophobia, hypertension, or heart disease, are not permitted to take the toboggan. Instead, you can take the chairlift down.

These facilities help you bypass the first 800 strenuous steps, save one hour of your valuable time, and quickly reach the core section for a truly exciting Great Wall hike. Once on it, let the sheer scale and spectacular scenery fuel your wild spirit as you set your own pace to hike along the watchtowers. Younger, energetic hikers can take the ultimate 2-hour round-trip challenge from Watchtower No. 14 to the highest Watchtower No. 23. In ancient times, soldiers used fire and cannon signals on the towers to transmit information: one of each signaled fewer than 100 enemies; three of each meant 1,000 to 5,000; and five indicated over 10,000 attackers. Now, stand on the towers, feel history’s echoes, and snap photos to memorize your Beijing day trips to Great Wall.

Let’s celebrate your accomplishment with a refreshing tea break! Relax in a traditional tea room to observe a professional tea artist demonstrate the intricate process of selecting leaves, preparing tea set, and brewing tea. The elegant artist will then teach you, hand-by-hand, the proper etiquette for smelling the aroma and tasting the tea. During this immersive experience, you can replenish while enjoying free tastings of 5 different flavors of tea, featuring lingering aftertaste and some even having special herbal values. This is a delightful opportunity to absorb fascinating trivia about Chinese tea culture.

After a fulfilling day, we’ll now begin the 1.5-hour journey back to downtown. Your guide and the driver will ensure a comfortable return to your hotel. Traffic congestion happens as we approach the late rush hour, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. 

Thank you for choosing our Beijing day trips to Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City. Looking for more? Discover our other Beijing small group tour packages to the Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, and Summer Palace, or contact us to spark your travel ideas for a customizable private tour!