Lonely Planet Experiences: Beijing Insight
Beijing, China
From USD 73.00
Office phone number: +86 10 6528 8951
Lonely Planet Experiences: Beijing Insight
Beijing, China
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
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Tour snapshot
See the historical icons that you can’t miss in this majestic capital. Blend in local’s morning exercise in Temple of Heaven Park. Feel standing in the symbolic power centre of China on Tian’anmen Square and reminisce the “no longer royals” in Forbidden City. This is Beijing 101, suitable for newbies and returning travellers.
Note: The Forbidden City requires visitors' full name and passport number. Please provide this information when you book and bring your passport with you on the tour.
Experience the best travel stories for yourself. Join a local expert and uncover hidden gems on this city adventure hand-picked by the world's leading travel publisher. Lonely Planet Experiences powered by Urban Adventures bring stories to life in the best-loved cities around the globe.
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Highlights
- Blend in with the locals by taking part in their morning exercises in Temple of Heaven Park
- Admire the magnificence of Temple of Heaven and learn the royal ritual sacrifice to heaven
- Explore the iconic Tiananmen Square and understand its local significance
- Tour the Forbidden City and discover its secrets
- Indulge in a tasty, typical local lunch
- Ride a Beijing public transportation and experience how locals travel around the city
- Climb to the top of Jingshan Park for great views over ancient Beijing
- Each Lonely Planet Experience comes with six-months free access to Lonely Planet’s Guides App which includes over 8,000 destinations guides and unbeatable discounts to Lonely Planet Guidebooks.
Local Impact: How you will help the local community by joining this tour:
- Your tour includes entrance fees to Temple of Heaven Park and the Forbidden City, fees that help preserve these sites of cultural significance.
- You will have lunch at a local restaurant that supports a family from a nearby village.
- The food you'll enjoy at lunch is made up of all local dishes using ingredients right from Beijing.
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Schedule details
- Duration: 6-7 hours
- Meeting point:
Outside East Gate of the Temple of Heaven. 天坛东门 Take Metro Line 5 to Tiantandongmen Station Exit A and East gate will be right hand side. 天坛东门A口5号线
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 8.00 AM
- Ending point:
Jingshan Park.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, entry to Temple of Heaven Park and historical sites inside, entry to Forbidden City, entry to Jingshan Park, subway or bus fare, lunch.
Exclusions: Drinks, items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for guide.
Looking for the ultimate Beijing city tour? This just might be it. Hit the icons, partake in local activities, ride the subway, and gain insight into life as a local right here on this Beijing city tour.
Meet your local guide at the east gate of Temple of Heaven metro station, and start your Beijing tour with a bit of morning exercise with locals in one of the city’s most popular parks and historical sites, Temple of Heaven Park. It is full of people of all ages taking part in traditional pastimes such as tai chi, fan dancing, diablo, kite flying, water calligraphy, and more.
Join in some of the activities, soaking up the park’s relaxed atmosphere. Visit the temple and ritual sites inside, where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties would offer sacrifices to heaven and pray for good harvests.
From there, jump on Beijing's subway or bus to travel to the very heart of the city for a visit to one of Beijing's icons: Tiananmen Square.
As we wander through this immense square your local guide will enlighten you as to why Tiananmen is so special to the Chinese people. From there, we'll pass through the Gate of Heavenly Peace (adorned with its famous Mao portrait) to enter the famed Forbidden City. Off-limits to most of the world for 500 years, this ‘city’ houses the best preserved cluster of ancient buildings in China, and is a must-see spot in Beijing. Discover some of its secrets and learn about some of the legends while enjoying a tour through its many buildings.
After leaving the Forbidden City, we’ll grab a simple lunch at a local restaurant to devour tasty authentic Chinese food. Then we will continue to gain a new perspective of the immensity of the Forbidden City from the top of the pagoda in Jingshan Park. High on a hill overlooking the city, this is the best place to take in stunning views of not only the Forbidden City, but the ancient heart of Beijing.
Our ultimate Beijing tour will end in Jingshan Park, where you are free to spend more time exploring or head back into the heart of Beijing to take in more of the city’s sights.
If you would like to continue to experience what real grass root like is like in the hutong areas and sample some of the most popular snacks in Beijing, feel free to join us in the afternoon Beijing food tour which starts at 4pm. Your local guide can give you more information if you are interested.
IMPORTANT: Chinese law requires that all travellers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and birthdate to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in a traveller not being able to join their tour, or for the entire group to be denied access to sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. When you book this tour, please be sure to fill out all fields at checkout. Please also enter your passport number into the 'Additional Information' box and bring your passport with you on the tour.
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Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, entry to Temple of Heaven Park and historical sites inside, entry to Forbidden City, entry to Jingshan Park, subway or bus fare, lunch.
Exclusions: Drinks, items of a personal nature, tips / gratuities for guide.
Dress standard: We will be on our feet exploring for most of the day so please make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: During national holidays and on weekend sights in Beijing can be extremely crowded. If you wish to avoid the busiest times we recommend visiting Beijing outside of these periods or taking your Urban Adventures tour on a weekday. IMPORTANT: Chinese law requires that all travellers must provide their name, gender, nationality, passport number and birthdate to their tour operator upon booking a tour. Failure to do so could result in a traveller not being able to join their tour, or for the entire group to be denied access to sites such as the Great Wall and the Forbidden City. When you book this tour, please be sure to fill out all fields at checkout. Please also enter your passport number into the 'Additional Information' box and bring your passport with you on the tour.
Closure of sites: On occasion, Tiananmen Square may be closed without notice for official visits, events, or security reasons. Should this occur please note that you may not be able to visit Tiananmen Square on your Beijing Urban Adventures tour, and we may need to enter or exit the Forbidden City through an alternative gate. Forbidden City is closed every Monday.
Child Policy: Children between the ages of 6 and 11 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children below the age of 6 are not permitted on this tour.
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Local contact
Office phone number: +86 10 6528 8951
Email address: info@beijingurbanadventures.com
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