Trip Summary
The classic first taste of China. Three full days cover the Forbidden City's golden axis, a full day on the Great Wall at Badaling with the Ming Tombs, the Temple of Heaven's morning rituals, and the Summer Palace lakes — with evenings for Peking duck and hutong lanes.
Trip Highlights
- Walk the Forbidden City's 2-km central axis of 9,000 rooms
- Stand on the Great Wall at Badaling and ride the cable car down
- Join morning tai chi under the Temple of Heaven's Echo Wall
- Boat across the Summer Palace's Kunming Lake
- Peking duck dinner and a hutong rickshaw evening
Day by Day
Day 1 — Arrive Beijing
Arrive at Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX) airport. Airport Express to the city (30–40 min). Evening stroll along Wangfujing Street and an early night.
Flight in · Beijinginternational flights, destination pre-filledBook → Stay · Wangfujingsleep by the Forbidden City east gate — courtyard hotels in renovated hutongsBook → Car rental · Beijingpick up at Beijing Capital International Airport on arrivalBook → 
Day 2 — Forbidden City & Jingshan
Enter the palace at 08:30 with a pre-booked ticket and walk the full axis to the Imperial Garden. Climb Jingshan Hill for the rooftop panorama, then explore the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang by rickshaw.
Stay · Wangfujingsleep by the Forbidden City east gate — courtyard hotels in renovated hutongsBook → Tickets · The Palace Museumskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 3 — Great Wall & Ming Tombs
Coach or private car 90 min to Badaling. Cable car up, walk the restored battlements between watchtowers. Stop at the Sacred Way of the Ming Tombs on the return. Peking duck dinner.
Stay · Wangfujingsleep by the Forbidden City east gate — courtyard hotels in renovated hutongsBook → Tickets · Badaling-Mutianyu Great Wallskip-the-line entryBook → Tickets · Ming Tombsskip-the-line entryBook → 
Day 4 — Temple of Heaven & Summer Palace
Morning with the locals at the Temple of Heaven, then the marble boat and Long Corridor of the Summer Palace. Evening acrobatics or Peking-opera taster show.
Stay · Wangfujingsleep by the Forbidden City east gate — courtyard hotels in renovated hutongsBook → Tickets · Temple of Heaven Parkskip-the-line entryBook → Tickets · The Summer Palaceskip-the-line entryBook → Day 5 — Departure
Free morning for the Panjiayuan flea market or last souvenirs, then airport express out.
Flight out · Beijingdeparture flights from Beijing, destination openBook → 
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