• China

Beijing & Great Wall (4D3N)

At a Glance

• Day 01, Arrival in Beijing 
• Day 02, Beijing
• Day 03, Beijing & Great Wall
• Day 04, Departure from Beijing

Day 1. Arrival in Beijing

Welcome to China!

China is a land with a long and varied history, from the times of the dynasties to the emerging giant of today. There are a myriad of contrasts and mysteries waiting to be discovered.

The third-largest country in the world by size, China is bounded to the north by the deserts of Mongolia, to the west by the Tibetan plateau and the Himalayas, and to the east by the East and South China Seas. China’s 22 provinces and five autonomous regions are governed from Beijing, along with some 5000 islands. China isn’t just a country – it’s the old and the new world.

Upon arrival in Beijing, you’ll be welcomed by the local guide and transferred to the hotel. Time for leisure.

Overnight in Beijing

Meal(s): –

Day 2. Beijing 

In the morning (09:45) we’ll head to the Temple of Heaven. The Chinese flock here to do Tai Qi, Kung Fu, sabre practice, meditation, tango and gymnastics. Some practice calligraphy on the park’s flagstones using giant brushes and water.

Our next visit is to the Forbidden City. According to ancient beliefs it faces south, towards Tiananmen Square. The construction of the City finished in 1420 and served as the Imperial administrative centre throughout the Ming and Qing Dynasties until the fall of the Empire in 1911. According to legend the Forbidden City is made up of 9999 different rooms. Restored in 2008 for the Beijing Olympics, the Forbidden City has since regained its youthful, vivid colours. 

From here, we’ll make our way to the famed hutongs – the narrow alleys and streets of Beijing, located near Houhai Lake. We’ll visit the Gulou – the Drum Tower where during the Ming Dynasty, the city marked the hours of the day with the rumbling of drums. The tower faces the Zhonglou, the Bell Tower, and gives us a glimpse of ancient Beijing.

Overnight in Beijing

Meal(s): Breakfast

Day 3. Beijing – Jinshanling Great Wall – Beijing 

Get ready to walk the Great Wall! We’ll visit the Jinshanling Section where we’ll retrace our steps back to the Qin Dynasty (more than 2,000 years ago) to find the first traces of the defensive walls. During the Ming Dynasty, workers restored and expanded the Wall to the height, width and length we recognize today. 

With the lookout towers placed on the highest ridges, the guards could watch out for alarm fires down the wall in case of barbarian intruders. The wall slowed down Mongolian cavalry by forcing them to dismount from their horses before attacking.

At its peak, the wall extended over more than 6.000 kilometres across ancient Manchuria to the fort of Jiayuguan, where the Gobi Desert begins. 

We’ll then drive back to the city and top off the day with an evening performance of an Acrobatic Kung Fu show (middle class seat) in the Red theater! The Red Theater is originally known as Chongwen Worker’s Cultural Palace Theater.

Your dinner will be with the iconic Beijing roast duck! The hot, roast duck will be brought to the table by the chef where he will slice it into hundreds of flakes, each having pieces of crispy skin. Learn how to eat this delicacy with small, thin pancakes, plum sauce, and slices of spring onions. 

Overnight in Beijing

Meal(s): Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner 

Day 4. Departure from Beijing

Breakfast at the hotel and time for leisure until your transfer to the airport for your onward flight. 

Meal(s): Breakfast