How to book a tour
Beijing Hutong Alley Bike Tour
Tour code: CY-004
Duration: 3 hours
Route: Jingshan Park, Houhai Hutong Alley
Attractions: The hundred years old small alley-Hutong and the traditional courtyard houses, will shatter all western illusions, give you a live demonstration of the real old Beijing.
Itinerary:
Meeting Time: 14:00 pm (Jun-Aug)
Meeting Site: east gate of Jingshan park
The Beijing By Bicycle Tour, by far the best way to explore the heart of Beijing, is a great combination of adventure and culture.
The hundred years old small alley-Hutong and the traditional courtyard houses, will shatter all western illusions, give you a live demonstration of the real old Beijing.
This bicycle tours will take you to places tourists hardly can get to, small backstreets, concession, old brothel, tea house, markets, temples and even the ordinary Beijing family. This gives a true picture of daily life for a lot of people in the city.
Route:
Get on bicycle, join locals, cycle down to Tiananmen Square, one of the worlds largest squares, spacious enough to accommodate a million people. Watch the magnificent People Heroes Monument and five-stated Red Flag waves on the seat of bike.
then get to the legation quarter, locally called Dongjiaomin Lane, since the Eight Power Allied Forces occupied Beijing in 1900, this beautiful district turn into a a foreign compound off limits to the Chinese. Bike along this peaceful street in heart of Beijing, the city seems very far away, take a look of the old American embassy and British barracks.
Pedal through the winding narrow old streets of Bejing of Qianmen(Front Gate), locally called Hutong, listen to the guide elaborating Beijing history, Hutongers life, custom, architecture, pay a visit to a normal Beijing family, who lives in the traditional courtyard house, also called quadrangles(siheyuan)--a building complex formed by four houses around a quadrangular courtyard. Take the chance to see the lives of ordinary Beijing people, you will find hospitality like you have never seen.
Later on the way, we will pass an old brothel, teahouse, market, and opium house, see local people in their pajama at public, kids playing in pants with open crotch, piles of coal and cabbage stored in front of the house, with the interesting stories and guidance from our experienced local guides, you will picture the life of the real Beijing which ordinary tourist will never do.
Later cycle around the exterior of the Forbidden city, at a leisure pace, the red tall walls guarded Forbidden City, and the peaceful moat will make a good picture stop.
We will go further north to the beautiful Houhai lake, sit in the heart of the old city, providing locals a peaceful place to walk, chat, dance, playing Taichi... with lots of new stylish bars around, its definitely a scenic ride.
Return to Cycle Chinas Office at the gorgeous Jingshan Park where tour ends and on the way stop over at Chairman Maos humble former residence.
This bike ride will take around 3 hours at a leisure pace, cover a distance of 21 km, all the roads are specifically chosen with thorough scouting, very quiet and safe. This tour has very little physical requirements, friendly for old people and family. We provide helmet for everyone, and child seats for children, to enable a unique family adventure.