Beijing 2-Day Tours: Great Wall, Forbidden City & Top Highlights
Overview
Available languages
2 days
Mobile ticket
This all-inclusive small-group tour is the ultimate way to experience all of Beijing’s highlights, even with a limited schedule. Over two days, see the most iconic Tiananmen Square, the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, and Summer Palace, as well as enjoy a rickshaw ride through the old Hutong alleys bustling with local life.
- Mini group with more personalized service
- Seamless, door-to-door hotel transfers
- All-inclusive and no hidden charges
Additional Info
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Free pickup and drop-off are included at your downtown hotel. If your hotel is located outside this area, an additional mileage fee will apply, or you may join us at a designated meeting point. Please be ready 5 minutes before the pickup time confirmed on the previous day. No-shows will not be refunded.
The Forbidden City requires a real-name reservation 7 days in advance and tickets are easily sold out. We highly recommend booking your tour as early as possible; otherwise, international travelers may need to line up to buy tickets on site.
Please provide your accurate passport information for real-name ticket bookings, and make sure to carry the same valid ID on the tour day; otherwise, the scenic area will deny entry.
Chinese nationals, including guests from Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, need to provide their official Chinese names and book at least 7 days in advance.
Your expert guide will help you breeze through security checks at Tiananmen Square. Leave your bag in the car and carry only your passport and bottled water to speed up the progress.
Great Wall Toboggan: For safety, it is not available for guests over 60, pregnant women, and children under 3. Children aged 3 to 10 may ride when accompanied by an adult. Don’t worry if the toboggan isn’t for you – the round-trip cable car or chairlift is suitable for everyone.
This tour is not recommended for guests aged 85 and above.
What To Expect
Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall
Food and Drinks
LUNCH
Lunch
Buffet lunch
Tiananmen Square
In the morning, your guide and driver will greet you in your hotel lobby, and escort you on a day of seamless, worry-free transfers. Walk around this large square and shoot photos of the brilliant landmark buildings. Note: To pass through the security check quickly, especially during holidays, we suggest you leave your bag in the car and carry only your passport and bottled water to go through the no-bag passage.
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (Maozhuxi Jiniantang)
Pass by
Monument of the People's Heroes
Pass by
Great Hall of the People (Renmin Dahuitang)
Pass by
National Museum Of China
Pass by
The Palace Museum
Walk through the Gate of Heavenly Peace, and you’ll reach the Forbidden City/ Palace Museum, the home to 24 emperors from 1368 to 1911 AD. Visit the most essential palaces on the central axis and chambers on the two wings among its 9,999 rooms, with in-depth explanations and expert photography guidance. Note: If your travel date falls on a Monday when the Forbidden City is closed, we’ll visit the royal resort Summer Palace instead.
Meridian Gate (Wu Men)
This was not an execution site as rumored, but the stage for imperial ceremonies, much like the White House lawn. Here, the emperor issued decrees and welcomed home victorious armies.
Hall of Great Harmony (Taihe Dian)
Visit the three main halls of the Outer Court where ancient emperors held state ceremonies.
Palace of Heavenly Purity
Visit the three main palaces of the Inner Court - the emperor’s sleeping quarters and the place for him to handle daily affairs.
The Imperial Garden of The Palace Museum
Visit the entertainment venue for the emperor and the imperial harem.
Mutianyu Great Wall
After 1.5 hours’ driving, you’ll arrive at Mutianyu, the best-preserved and most popular section of the Great Wall of China. A Chinese buffet lunch with soft drinks will be prepared for you to refuel before the afternoon. After lunch, enjoy your hike and take nice photos on the Great Wall for at least 2.5 hours. The round-way cable car rides, or a chairlift up and toboggan down are included, and you can make your own choice. Notice for Toboggan: Children under 10 need to be escorted by an adult; travelers aged 60 and above, or those with hypertension or heart disease, are not permitted to take it.
Thereafter, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.
Temple of Heaven, Hutong Alleys, Lama Temple & Summer Palace
Temple of Heaven
In the morning, your guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel and escort you to the Temple of Heaven, where the emperors worshiped the God of Heaven for good harvest in ancient times. Note: If your travel date falls on Monday when the main sights of the Temple of Heaven are closed, we’ll arrange Beihai Park instead.
Hall of Prayer for Good Harvest
A large circular palace with a roof covered in three layers of blue glazed tiles for the emperors to hold sacrificial ceremonies.
Yuanqiutan
Open-air altar where the emperor offered sacrifices to heaven on the Winter Solstice.
Hutong Tour
Continue your tour to Beijing Hutong area, where you can take a rickshaw through the old alleys and visit a traditional courtyard to see how the old Beijingers live.
Follow your guide to visit the beautiful old Lama Temple, which is known as the largest and most perfectly-preserved lamasery in Beijing.
Summer Palace
Here’s the last stop. Mainly consisting of the Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake, this imperial resort is reputed as the ‘museum of ancient Chinese royal gardens’. In the end, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.
Options
Great Wall & Forbidden City
Classic Route: 1 Day Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City/Palace Museum, Buffet Lunch, Mutianyu Great Wall. Duration: 11 hours All-inclusive: Hotel pickup & drop-off, tickets, Great Wall 2-way cable car or chairlift+toboggan, buffet lunch, guide & driver's services. Best Value Mini Group: Skip the crowded big groups and connect with like-minded travelers, while enjoying an intimate experience with personal care. Pickup included
2-Day Beijing Mini Group Tour
Trip Highlights: Tick off all Beijing’s must-sees in one go, saving with group pricing while enjoying mini-group flexibility. Classic Route: Day 1: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall. Day 2: Temple of Heaven, Hutong, Lama Temple, Summer Palace. All-inclusive: Hotel pickup & drop-off, tickets, Great Wall 2-way cable car or chairlift+toboggan, buffet lunch on Day 1, guide & driver. Pickup included
What‘s Included
Highway tolls, parking fees, and local taxes
A premium buffet lunch with soft drinks for Day 1
Complimentary unlimited bottled water in your van
Great Wall facilities: a scenic round-way cable car, or a fun chairlift up & toboggan down
All entrance fees
Lunch
Pickup & drop-off at your downtown hotel lobby
Free child seat upon request
Free earphones
Professional guide, dedicated driver, and air-conditioned vehicle
Gratuities
Souvenirs and personal expenses
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
848 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great 2 day tour with Helen
juliaaE1698DE,Jun 5, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We chose China Travel Guide Agency for our tours in Beijing and Xian based on reviews from Trip Advisor. Our tour guide in Beijing was Helen. She is eager to help, very pleasant and knowledgeable. We had 2 days with her, as one day was the Great Wall and the other was exploring the historic areas of Beijing including the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace. The agency communicates efficiently, tours are on time and I find it to be reliable. We thoroughly enjoyed our tours with Helen and highly recommend the agency if your travels bring you to Beijing.
Great tour and guide, unfortunate van AC malfunction
Mark T,Jun 1, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00On the plus side, Helen was a wonderful guide and took great care of us and our small group. The tour was well organized and moved along well and Helen balanced her information with appropriate free time for us to explore on our own which we really appreciated. The Great Wall experience was a particular highlight for us and the tea ceremony was a very pleasant positive surprise which we enjoyed immensely. On the downside, the AC in the van stopped working about halfway thru the tour which made for very uncomfortable conditions given the 95 degree weather and the almost 2 hour drive to and from The Great Wall. If not for this unfortunate situation, we would have rated this tour as 5 stars.
2 day Beijing tour
Steve R,May 31, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Great tour, very enjoyable. Murphy was an excellent tour guide. Extremely friendly and knowledgeable.
Great way to see the must-sees of Beijing in one day
yvanvw,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A very nice and long day at the tianmen square, forbidden city and great wall. Pick up on time at the hotel, group of 11 people, lunch included and tea ceremony Our guide Helen was very knowledgeable and shared some funny anecdotes with us.
Great visit to Beijing highlights
Valda C,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great experience from the beginning, while booking the trip, receiving updated information and always having someone to talk with. In Beijing, with Helen as our guide, and we truly couldn’t have asked for better. She guided us through the city, Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall, and every moment felt special thanks to her. Helen was incredibly kind, warm, and thoughtful throughout the entire experience. She was always attentive to our interests, our pace, and our comfort, which made us feel really cared for from start to finish, as well was always available to answer our questions, explain everything with so much knowledge and enthusiasm, and make sure we were comfortable and enjoying ourselves. Beyond being an excellent guide, Helen is genuinely a lovely person, sweet, caring, and incredibly easy to be around. She made our time in Beijing even more memorable, and we are so grateful we had her with us. We would recommend Helen 1000% to anyone visiting Beijing. If you’re looking for someone knowledgeable, professional, and truly kind-hearted, she is the perfect guide. Thank you, Helen, for making our trip so special! And a big thank you Travel China Guide 🙂
Fun day out visiting temples!
georgiacrump,May 31, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great day at the Summer Palace, Lama Temple and Temple of Heaven. Our guide is Jim and he looked after us really well! If you're a history junkie you will absolutely adore him, he had so much knowledge of China which we ate up! All the little tales and folklore of China is really interesting, every place we visited he had a wide range of knowledge about. This is such a convenient tour and a must do if you want to see the culture in China! Thanks Travel China 😎🇨🇳
Amazing time at the Wall.
jessiem0n,May 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour was amazing! Helen went above and beyond to ensure our admission to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City was smooth and hassle-free. She was incredibly knowledgeable and explained the history of each site in a clear and engaging way. Thanks to her, the entire trip including The Great Wall was stress-free, enjoyable, and memorable.
Wonderful full day trip to the Great wall of China, Tiananmen square and forbidden City
Global23441710870,May 30, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Helen has been excellent. She is full of energy, very informative and caring person. Overall experience has been great and I recommend viator.
Excellent mini tour of Beijing
lankalass,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent mini tour lead by a great guide Helen. She was passionate, knowledgeable and interesting with her explanations and stories. She was also very kind and helpful to all in the group. I learnt a lot about China and Beijing. It was a fast paced tour but still enjoyable.
Recommend this tour if your short of time to see as much of Beijing as possible
Mark W,May 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Helen our tour guide was first class, friendly informative and extremely efficient
Related Experiences
Operated by Travel China Guide