Visit the most famous attractions in Beijing in two days with private car and guide
D1 Beijing
Private tour to Mutianyu Great wall
The Mutianyu Great Wall, located in Mutianyu Village, Bohai Town, Huairou District, Beijing, is a remarkable section of the Great Wall with a long - standing history and unique charm. the Mutianyu Great Wall is a must - visit destination for those who want to experience the grandeur of the Great Wall, learn about Chinese history, and enjoy the beautiful natural scenery. It truly deserves its reputation as one of the most spectacular and well - preserved sections of the Great Wall in China.
Historical Background
It was initially built on the ruins of the Northern Qi Dynasty Great Wall (550 - 557) and later rebuilt in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) under the command of General Xu Da. Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, two famous patriotic generals, also made great contributions to its reconstruction to strengthen its defensive potential. It has served as an important northern protective screen, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations.
Architectural Features
- Unique Layout: It is connected to Gubeikou in the east and Huanghuacheng and Badaling in the west, taking in the three passes of Juyongguan and Daomaguan. The Zhengguan Pass, with three enemy towers standing side by side, is a rare sight on the Great Wall.
- Dense Watchtowers: There are 22 watchtowers distributed along the wall, with one every 100 meters on average, much denser than the norm of about one every 500 meters on other sections. The Dajiaolou (No. 1 Watchtower) at the highest point on the east side is one of the famous landscapes. It was the boundary between Jizhen Great Wall and Changzhen Great Wall in ancient times and has significant military importance.
- Double - sided Parapets: Unlike most sections, the Mutianyu Great Wall has battlements on both sides of the wall, enabling soldiers to fire at enemies from both directions. Some parapets are saw - tooth shaped instead of the regular rectangular form.
Tourist Activities
- Hiking: Visitors can choose different hiking routes, such as the challenging Jiankou section or the cable - car - accessible routes. When reaching the No. 23 defensive tower, one can have a better view of the Great Wall's features.
- Cycling: There is a 20 - kilometer cycling route around Mutianyu, which departs from the Mutianyu Great Wall parking lot, passes through Xinghai Square and Chestnut Blossom Valley, and finally returns to the Mutianyu Visitor Center. It usually takes about 2 hours for most riders.
- Toboggan Ride: The Shibide toboggan is a thrilling way to descend from Mutianyu, with a length of 1,580 meters.
D2 Beijing
Tiananmen Square
Tiananmen Square is the largest public square in the world. It has long been a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. On the north side of the square is Tiananmen Gate (the Rostrum). It was from the balcony of the Rostrum on October 1, 1949 where Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party, proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China. Mao gazes south from a huge portrait on the south side of the gate onto Tiananmen Square. Behind the Rostrum lies the Forbidden City, also known as the Imperial Palace.
Directly behind the Rostrum, was home to 24 emperors beginning with its creation by Emperor Yongle in 1420 until the last Qing emperor, Puyi, left in 1924. The entire complex consists of 8,706 rooms in which an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people lived including 3,000 eunuchs, as well as maids and concubines, all within 170 acres. Behind walls more than 30 feet high and within the 160-foot moat, complex rules and rituals dictated life in the Imperial Palace. Strictly off-limits to Chinese ordinary people (hence the name) the gates today lead to a fascinating display of Chinese history in what is probably the best-preserved site of Classical Chinese architecture.
Jingshan Park was a part of the Forbidden City until the early 1900's when the walls were pulled down and a road cut through it destroying several gates and buildings between the park and the rear entrance of the palace. The hill in Jingshan Park was made with the earth removed to create the palace moat. It is well worth the climb on a clear day for spectacular views of the Forbidden City and Beijing.
Ten kilometers northwest of Beijing City, the Summer Palace of 290 hectares is one of China’s largest and best-preserved imperial gardens. It consists mainly of Kunming Lake of 210 hectares and Longevity Hill dotted with halls and pavilions. Places of interest in the garden include the Long Corridor of 728 meters, the Pavilion of Buddha’s Fragrance on top of Longevity Hill, the Marble Boat mooring forever by the lakeshore, a boat ride on the Kunming Lake by a private dragon boat with drinks and tea served.
For those who are willing to discover the way the Chinese live, a jaunt down the intricate maze of Beijing's hutongs is essential. Organized tours of Beijing hutongs are available. You will be taken by pedicab (a tricycle cab), which was very popular in the old days, to visit the hutong area. If sightseeing at the Imperial Palace, Ming Tombs and the Summer Palace is helpful in learning about the lives of China's emperors, the hutongs of Beijing reflect in turn the history of Beijing as a whole.
