➤ Arrival Beijing - Transfer to your hotel and meet your guide:

➤ Itinerary: We will be greeting you at the airport from where you will be transferred by private car and English speaking guide to your hotel. The approximately 1 hour journey to your hotel is a perfect opportunity to ask the guide any initial questions you might have. The guide will provide assisstance with checking in to the hotel. The rest of the day is free to relax from the long flight or start to explore the city with the help of your personalised Trip Guidebook we send you before the trip. The area around your hotel is perfect for an introductory walk to soak up the local atmosphere.

➤ Overnight at the Bamboo Garden Hotel 4*. Built in the Chinese traditional style this long time favourite is located in lovely grounds in a quiet Hutong area near the popular Ho Hai Lake.

➤ Meals included: None.

➤ Beijing - Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace:

➤ Itinerary: Today you will see the main highlights of Beijing delving deeply into the city’s imperial past. We start with the vast Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the world. The square is home to the Mao Mausoleum and monument to the People’s Heroes and is flanked by the Great Hall of the People (China’s parliament building) and the National Museum of China both built in the early 1960’s with help from the Soviet Union which shows in the architecture.

To the north of the square is the equally vast palace complex of the Forbidden City reached by passing under the Gate of Heavenly Peace (Tiananmen in Chinese). Built from 1406 to 1420 by up to 1 million workers it contains 980 buildings with 8,707 rooms and was the former home of the Emperors and their court. We’ll walk up the middle axis from South to North taking in the splendour of the most important central buildings before finishing in the relatively small garden by the north gate.
 
The much smaller Temple of Heaven is next but size doesn’t matter and this building is considered by many (including us) to be the most beautiful building in China. Perfectly symmetrical it was constructed at the same time as the Forbidden City and its primary purpose was as a prayer hall the Emperors visited to ask for good harvests. The temple is set inside a vast park giving a wonderful feeling of space in such a packed city.

The last stop today is at the Summer Palace to the west of Beijing built in 1750 by Emperor Qianlong. It is dominated by the Kunming lake which was hand dug. The lake is dotted with peaceful pavilions and gardens and is as popular escape from the city for todays Beijingers as it was for the Imperial court. From here we return to your hotel and you have a free evening.

➤ Overnight at the Bamboo Garden Hotel 4*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Beijing - Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs - evening Peking Duck dinner:

➤ Itinerary: Today we will be showing you one of China’s most famous sights - the Great Wall. At over 4,000 miles long there is a lot of Wall to see but we will be taking you to one of the better and less touristed sections at Mutianyu 70km from Beijing. The drive to the wall averages 2 hours and will take you from your hotel in the centre of Beijing through the rapidly expanding suburbs and on into the beautiful mountainous countryside to the north east of the city. The Mutianyu section dates back to the 6th century but was largely rebuilt in the 16th century during the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the best preserved sections of the wall largely due to the high standard of construction. The views from on top of the wall are spectacular and helped by Mutianyu having a high density of watchtowers which give a good idea of the scale of this section as it passes over the mountain ridges. Lunch will be in a restaurant close to Mutianyu village.

On the way back to Beijing we will stop at the Ming Tombs, the burial place of 13 Ming Dynasty Emperors between 1368 to 1644AD some of whom oversaw the construction the Great Wall section you saw earlier today. The tombs are approached along the Sacred Way lined with giant marble figures and animals who guard the tomb area. After you will be driven back to your hotel.

In the evening enjoy a traditional Peking Duck dinner - Beijing’s world famous signature dish and cooked to perfection in one of Beijing’s best restaurants specialised in this classic cuisine. After the meal a transfer back to your hotel with the rest of the evening free.

➤ Overnight at the Bamboo Garden Hotel 4*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner.

➤ Beijing - 2008 Olympic venues and ancient Hutongs by Rickshaw. Evening visit the the Acrobats:

➤ Itinerary: A day of contrasts awaits you starting in the morning with two contemporary icons of modern Beijing, the 2008 Olympic sites of the Bird’s Nest Stadium and the aquatics centre known as the Water Cube. Both are located in the vast Olympic Green to the north of the city. The stadium is an architectural wonder best seen from the outside and close up so you can appreciate its vast steel lattice work - all 110,000 tons of it! It is an awe inspiring design. If there are no events in progress you will be able to go inside the stadium as well (entrance fee to be paid locally - about RMB 50). Next to the stadium is the “Water Cube” aquatics centre with its unusual bubble like cladding. Much of the centre has now been turned over to use as a water park.

In the afternoon old Beijing takes precedence as you step back in time with a trip by rickshaw around some of Beijing’s ancient residential Hutongs - the heart and soul of the city. The term "hutongs" original meaning is "water wells", and appeared during the Yuan Dynasty when the Mongolians ran China. Later in the Ming Dynasty (early 15th century) the center of the city was the Forbidden City and this was surrounded in concentric circles by the Inner City and Outer City. Citizens of higher social status lived closer to the center and aristocrats lived to the east and west of the imperial palace. Today the Hutongs are preserved in the centre of Beijing and provide a fascinating insight into traditional Chinese city life. By far the best way to navigate the narrow lanes and alleys is by cycle rickshaw. You will also get the chance to visit a traditional courtyard building which make up the Hutongs with one or more families per courtyard.

In the evening you will be entertained at the world famous Chinese acrobats show full of colour, noise and amazing feats of balance. After the show you will be transferred back to your hotel.

➤ Overnight at the Bamboo Garden Hotel 4*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast and Lunch.

➤ Beijing - Up to 10 hours with your own private guide:

➤ Itinerary: Today you have the chance to really get to know Beijing through the eyes of a local Beijinger! Your guide will meet you after breakfast at your hotel where you can discuss your ideas for the day or ask the guide for suggestions. This is a fantastic opportunity to explore the city as a local Beijinger either on foot, by local buses, metro or taxi. You can ask the guide to take you to the major sights or you can choose to visit areas off the usual tourist routes. This is also a fantastic opportunity to sample the deliciously varied local cuisine on offer in China’s capital - just let the guide know what you would like to eat (or not like to eat!).

Note that you will need to pay any entrance fees, transport costs, meals as you go today as this will very much depend on what you choose to do.

➤ Overnight at the Bamboo Garden Hotel 4*.

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

➤ Beijing - Free time until your departure from China:

➤ Itinerary: Free time for any final sightseeing or last minute shopping for souvenirs before a transfer to the airport for your flight out of China. We sincerely hope that you have had a fantastic China experience with us full of all the memories which make China such a fascinating destination that continues to inspire us!

➤ Meals included: Breakfast.

 ✘ International flight tickets are not included in this itinerary. We can arrange these for you if you wish.

 ✔ 5 nights Beijing - Bamboo Garden Hotel 4* (standard room with breakfast)

 ✔ Beijing - Airport to Hotel / Hotel to Airport

 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs.
 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Summer Palace.
 ✔ Beijing - Evening Peking Duck dinner including transfers.
 ✔ Beijing - Full day private tour to the Beijing Olympic Venues and the city’s ancient Hutongs by Rickshaw.
 ✔ Beijing - Evening trip to the world famous Chinese Acrobats including transfers.
 ✔ Beijing - Full day use of a private guide to assist in exploring the city further.

 ✔ Meals - As indicated in the itinerary.
 ✔ Support - Emergency numbers and contacts for each destination.
 ✔ Guidebook - Our exclusive Trip Guidebook personalised to your trip.
 ✔ Financial Peace of Mind - All monies paid to us are legally protected under UK law.

✘ International Airfare to and from China (we can book these flights on request).
✘ The Chinese visa (we can advise as to how best obtain this visa).
✘ Travel insurance to cover medical treatment in China.
✘ Discretionary gratuities to drivers and guides.