Day 1 Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Panda House, Beijing Hutongs

After breakfast, your Beijing local guide and driver will pick you up and take you to Summer Palace first. Being the largest and most well-preserved royal park in China, the Summer Palace has greatly influenced Chinese horticulture and landscape with its famous natural views and cultural interests. The arched bridges, pretty promenades, decorated corridors, and “breezeways” (a hallway that allows the passage of a breeze between structures) lead visitors through ever-changing views and scenery. We recommend you take a boat on the Kunming Lake to enjoy the picturesque scenery on the bank.

Afterwards, you will head for the Lama Temple, aka Yonghe Palace, one of the few imperial temples of Tibetan Buddhism. It used to be the residence for Emperor Yongzheng when he was a prince and the birthplace of Emperor Qianlong. Therefore, the temple was very popular until now. Many locals come here for wishes. Meanwhile, the temple is also a wonderful representative of Tibetan and Han architectural styles and the integration of Han and Tibetan Buddhism. You will see the statues of both the Maitreya from Chinese Buddhism and the Tsongkhapa from Tibetan Buddhism. In addition, the temple has collected a lot of relics like Buddhist statues, Thangka, sandalwood carvings, etc.

By now, your morning tour draws a conclusion. Have some traditional Beijing delicacies as lunch.

Your afternoon tour is more about fun and firstly let’s go to Panda House. It’s the earliest zoo in China and the one host the most diversified animal species in China. Besides the common animals either domestically or from overseas, importantly, you will see Giant Pandas. It has a special house particularly built for panda breeding program. You will have a chance see those furry bears without going to Chengdu.

Lastly, you will get a real sense of Beijing life in Shichahai Hutongs. A few decades ago, almost all people in Beiijng lived in Siheyuan in Hutongs. There may be a couple of families in one yard who have been living together for a long time and they know each other well. You can imagine the hustle and bustle of old times. Nowadays, there are still some people living there, but most Hutongs are vacant. There are several ways to visit these crisscrossing alleys, but the most popular way is to ride rickshaws. Try if you like.




At the tour end, your guide and driver will take you back to your Beijing hotel.