Beijing's Imperial Wonders Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Explore Tian'anmen Square's vast expanse
- Discover the Forbidden City's imperial treasures
- Marvel at the Temple of Heaven's architectural beauty
- Stroll through the Summer Palace's serene gardens
- Enjoy a traditional Chinese lunch
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Private guided tour of Tian'anmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, and Summer Palace
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch at a local restaurant
- Gratuities for the guide and driver
Itinerary
Your friendly guide will meet you at your Beijing hotel in the morning. During peak periods: April spring break, July–August summer vacation, Chinese Labor Day (May 1–7), National Day (October 1–7) and Spring Festival (mid-February), we will enjoy a hassle-free drive-by view of Tiananmen Square to avoid long security lines that often take 1–3 hours to enter. You’ll still get great views of all landmarks: the Chairman Mao Zedong Memorial Hall, Monument to the People’s Heroes, Tiananmen Rostrum, Great Hall of the People, and National Museum of China. We provide free reservation codes for the evening session at Tiananmen Square. Simply ask your guide for the code to visit independently after the tour. On all other off-peak dates, we will enter Tiananmen Square for a walking tour.
Then we will proceed to the Imperial Palace (Forbidden City) — the world’s largest and best-preserved ancient imperial complex, with over 500 years of history. Constructed between 1406 and 1420, the palace has been damaged, looted, rebuilt and restored numerous times. As a result, most of the existing architecture dates from the 18th century onward.
After lunch, we will proceed to the Summer Palace — one of China’s largest imperial gardens. Originally built as a royal retreat and temporary residence for Qing Dynasty emperors, you will stroll through the garden to admire its stunning scenery.
Lastly, we will visit the **Temple of Heaven** — where ancient emperors prayed for national peace and abundant harvests. Located in southern Beijing, it has been one of China’s most sacred sites for over five centuries. This magnificent complex served as the main sacrificial altar for the Ming and Qing emperors.
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Important information
Know before you book
- The tour is not wheelchair accessible; consider this when booking.
- Infants must sit on laps during the tour.
- The tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes as the tour involves significant walking.
- Bring a hat and sunscreen for sun protection during outdoor visits.
- Carry a bottle of water to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Good to know
- The Forbidden City is closed every Monday. In that case, we will visit Tiananmen Square, Lama Temple , Summer Palace and the Templer of Heaven instead.
- Forbidden City tickets require real-name reservation 168 hours (7 days) in advance and often sell out quickly. We highly recommend you book your tour as early as possible. Otherwise, international visitors may need to queue at the entrance to purchase tickets on site.
- Please wear comfortable shoes
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Passport name and number is required at time of booking for all participants for getting your Skip The Line Forbidden City entrance ticket
- This experience is weather-dependent. If canceled due to severe weather conditions, you may choose an alternative travel date or tour, or receive a full refund.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
Traveler reviews
Private tour Forbidden city, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Tiananmen Square
Our guide, Nancy, was very friendly, took many pictures and spoke excellent English. The day was planned well and was very enjoyable. Our driver, Mr Sun, was also very pleasant and had bottled water for us. I would highly recommend them both.
Beijing highlights in one day
Great all inclusive tour. Lucy was an excellent tour guide. She was very knowledgeable about the history of China. Her English was excellent. She kept us entertained throughout the tour with very interesting stories about Chinese history. She really took good care of us and kept the group together in the very crowded areas. She ensured that we were able to see and do everything as advertised. I would highly recommend this tour.
Best tour of the 4 top cultural sites in Beijing!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Exceptional Guide for a Large Family Group!Our group of 14 (7 adults and 7 teenagers) had an absolutely incredible time exploring Beijing, all thanks to our amazing guide, Lucy! Managing a large group with such a wide age gap is no easy task, but Lucy handled it flawlessly with her high energy, patience, and perfect organization.She took us to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven. At every single stop, Lucy brought the history to life with fascinating stories that kept both the adults deeply engaged and the teenagers genuinely interested the entire time. She navigated the crowds smoothly, kept us all together, and ensured we didn't miss a thing.If you are visiting Beijing—especially with a large group or family—we cannot recommend Lucy highly enough. She truly made our trip unforgettable!
A 100% wonderful day tour with Rita!
Rita is the best guide for Beijing ever! She has great professionalism and a wonderful heart! She took us on a wonderful tour of the entire city and not only gave us the history of each place, but interesting stories of the events and people that made each sight memorable. She loves children, and found a pharmacy and medicine for our son on her own time, after her tour already ended. You will love Beijing even better than ever after hiring Lily’s Tours and experiencing the wonder of Beijing with Rita! Thank you so much!
China ey with guide Lucy
We are a youth choir group that travelled to China. We had 39 people and Vader was able to provide us with a very nice Bus Driver and guide for the tours. Lucy was our guide and she was truly phenomenal! Her knowledge of the history of the places we visited was incredible. Her English was outstanding, and she even taught us some Chinese words.! She arranged an impromptu dinner for us for Pecking Duck! Definitely recommend Lucy and the bus driver Hao, and will request them again if we have the need!