How to book a tour
Great Wall trekking and Chengde Summer Ressort tour
Tour code: AT012
Duration: 6 days
Route: Beijing, Chengde
Attractions: The great wall is one of the man-made Wonders of the World, explore it on foot with your own guide to bring it's history to life. Summer Resort is an ideal place to escape from the heat of summers and characterized by the remnants of the largest regal gardens in China.
Itinerary:
Day 1 Arrival / Beijing
Upon arrival at Beijing airport, you will be met by our English speaking tour guide and transferred to hotel. Leisure on your own for the rest of the day.
Day 2 Beijing To Chengde (B, L, D)
Transfer via: Train T711(7:20/11:18)
Take the tourist train to Chengde; Full day trip to Imperial Summer Resort.
Chengde: An 18th century imperial resort; 255km from Beijing; ideal place to escape from the heat of summers and characterized by the remnants of the largest regal gardens in China.
Imperial Summer Resort: it has nine courntry yarks. It is not as plaltial as Beijing's Summer Palace, but it is worth seeing. The building to the right inside the second gate has a painting of the Macartney visit and a hunting scene with officials wearing animal head masks and imitating mating calls to attract the animals. You may hiking aroung the mountains in this huge resort, among the mountains.
Day 3 Chengde (B, L)
Full day trip to Puling Temple, Putongzhongcheng Temple.
Puling Temple:a stele about Qianlong's suppression of a rebellion of the minorities. The temple contains a copy of the spectacular 1,000-headed and 1,000-armed Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which should not be missed.
Putongzhongcheng Temple:was named as Small Potala Palace, home of the Dalia Lama, in Lhasa. It was built from 1767 to 1771 for the 60th birthday of Qianlong and for the 80th birtheday of his mother. The five pagodas on several of the buildings symbolize the five schools of the Buddhism.
Day 4 Chengdu/Jinshanling to Simatai/Beijing (B, L, D)
One day Great Wall hiking, from Jingshanling to Shimatai(140km from Beijing), the hiking last about 6 hours, you should have to take the lunch box, having the lunch meal on the Great Wall. After arriving Shimatai in the afternoon, transferred to Beijing.
The Jinshanling section is virtually a museum of the architectural styles of Ming-era towers. As many as 67 are found within a distance of only 10 km. The towers are built in a surprising variety of shapes, the largest of which is the impressive Storehouse Tower, so named because of the storehouse on its southern terrace. This tower was used as a garrison headquarters and is protected by special defensive barriers and an extra wall 60 meters downhill.
Day 5 Beijing (Join-in Tour) (B, L)
Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven
Depart from your hotel in the morning to have city tours to visit the TianAnMen Square, the symbolical heart of China and gathering place for the masses. It is the biggest public square in the world, which can hold one million people. Having a free walk there, imagining the great historic events of the 20th century took place there. You will also see legendary landmarks including the Great Hall of the People and the towering 125 foot granite obelisk, Monument to the Peoples Heroes, honoring those who died in revolution.
Walking across the Golden River Bridge, enter the Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled their world. It has 9000-room maze of courtyards, places, and ceremonial halls, where 24 emperors used to live. Forbidden City was indeed a forbidden place, where commoners were kept out for nearly 500 years in the past. Tour the palace and imagine the mystery, intrigue and incredible power that reigned here.
After having lunch at the local restaurant, visit the Temple of Heaven. It was built in the 15th century, a sacred site for ancient Beijing, where the emperor and his 1000 member entourage would retreat twice a year for religious ritual. Surrounded by enormous grounds designed in accordance with fengshshui, the Temple complex consists of the Celebrated Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a unique wooden and blue-tiled structure built without a nail. It is considered the supreme achievement of traditional Chinese architecture.
Day 6 Beijing (Join-in Tour) / Departure (B, L)
Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Panda House. Transfer to the airport by own arrangement.
The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China with a history of over 800 years. With its cool features - water, gardens and hills, it was the palace of choice for vacationing emperors and Dowager Empresses. It was badly damaged by Anglo-French troops during the Second Opium War (1860) and its restoration became a pet project of Empress Dowager Cixi, the last of the Qing dynasty rulers.
A visit to Lhama Temple (Yonghegong). It is a renowned lama (Lhama) temple of the Yellow Hat Sect of Lamaism, is situated in the northeast part of Beijing city. Lama Temple, or Yanghegong, has a long and varied history. It was originally built in 1694 and originally used as official residence for court eunuchs of the Ming dynasty and was converted to the royal court of Prince Yongzheng(Yin Zhen) a son of Emperor Kang Xi of the Qing Dynasty.
The busiest area of the Beijing Zoo is the famous Panda House, home to giant and lesser pandas of China. It is located in the northwest area of Beijing. Don't miss the small Red Pandas in the trees as you exit. Lakes and gardens abound in the zoo complex which is a weekend destination for families. During the week for school groups make the zoo a very busy place. If you have never seen a Panda don't miss the opportunity.
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