Tour in Beijing & Shanxi

• The Great Wall--Bird Nest

• 4+ star hotels

• Breakfast

We will drive about 70 kilometers to the Mutianyu section of the world-famous Great Wall. This section of the Great Wall is well-preserved and relatively unvisited, and it will surely live up to your expectations. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is one of the "longest Great Walls in China" and impresses visitors with its rich vegetation and magnificent natural scenery. 

You will take an easy cable car up to the Great Wall. Next you will climb up to the city tower overlooking the majestic Great Wall, which will surely make your stay unforgettable. After the Great Wall tour, we will take the cable car down the mountain.

(Note: If you are physically fit, you can also choose to hike up and down the mountain to feel the sense of accomplishment of climbing to the top).

Afterwards, we will return to Beijing, stopping on the way to visit the Bird's Nest and the Water Cube from the outside in the Olympic Village.

Recommended Dinner

You can go to Quanjude and enjoy a meal of the famous Peking duck.

• Temple of Heaven--Hutongs--Yonghegong Temple--National Centre for the Performing Arts

• 4+ stars hotels

• Breakfast&Lunch

After Breakfast, we will visit the Temple of Heaven, a sacred site used in ancient times to worship the heavens and offer prayers for a bountiful harvest. Nowadays, it has become a lively place where locals perform traditional activities such as Tai Chi, dancing, kite flying and calligraphy. Stroll among the halls of the Temple of Heaven and feel the solemnity and mystery of ancient royalty.

Next, we will visit the Hutongs and take a rickshaw ride through Beijing's hutongs. These alleys, made up of courtyards, epitomize life in old Beijing. During lunch, you will learn to make and eat dumplings in the hutongs for an in-depth experience of the old Beijing way of life.

After the tour, we will take a high speed train to Datong, Shanxi.

• Yungang Grottoes-Hanging Temple-Mount Wutai
  

• 4+ star hotels

• Breakfast

Today, you will explore the Yungang Grottoes, one of the Four Great Caves of China and a World Heritage Site. Preserved to the present in the Grottoes are 53 caves and over 51 000 statues. It not only shows the exquisite carving skills of ancient craftsmen, but also contains rich Buddhist culture and historical value.

We will visit Cave 5, the largest of the Yungang Grottoes and the most representative. The central seated statue of the Third Buddha in the cave is 17 meters high, which is the tallest statue of Buddha in the Yungang Grottoes.

You will then arrive at the Hanging Temple, an ancient temple that was built in 491 and has endured for more than 1,500 years. The whole temple was built on the rock face of a sheer cliff, and the highest place in the temple is about 50 meters above ground,like suspending on the cliff face.

After visiting the Xuankong Temple, you will travel to Mount Wutai where you will check into your hotel to refresh yourself for tomorrow's trip.

• Mount Wutai-Taihuai Town-Tayuan Temple-Shuxiang Temple-Xiantong Temple-Bodhisattva's Peak

• 4+ star hotels

• Breakfast

After breakfast, you will proceed to explore Mount Wutai.

First you'll come to Tayuan Temple, which is rumored to hold the stupa of Shakyamuni's relics built by King Ashoka of ancient India and the precious hair of Manjushri.

Next, you will visit Shuxiang Temple (Temple of the Statue of Manjushri). It is famous for its huge statue of Manjushri, which is nearly 10 meters high. Many historical emperors and empresses have visited this temple.

You will then arrive at Xiantong Temple, one of the largest and oldest temples in Wutai Mountain. Most major Buddhist events and ceremonies are held here.

Finally, you will ascend to Bodhisattva Peak, which is said to be the true abode of Manjushri. The emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties chose to stop here during their pilgrimages to Mount Wutai.

• Qiao Family Courtyard-Pingyao Ancient City-Mingqing Street-Town God Temple

• 4+ star hotels

• Breakfast

After breakfast, you will depart for the Qiao Family Courtyard, where you will delve into its history, culture and folklore.

Afterwards, you will visit Pingyao Ancient City, which is known as the "Museum of Ming and Qing Dynasty Architecture". Pingyao Ancient City, with a history of more than 2,700 years, is not only one of the best-preserved ancient cities in China, but also honored to be listed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List for its rich cultural connotations and unique architectural styles.

You can climb the Pingyao Ancient City Wall to get a full view of this ancient town. Then, you will visit the Rishengchang Old Bank to experience the financial landscape of that era and learn about the operation of banks in ancient times.

You can stroll through the MingQing Streets, have a snack and buy handicrafts. At the end of the tour, we will go to the Town God Temple(Cheng Huang Temple), an ancient temple full of mysterious colors, in which the wood carvings, paintings and sculptures are even more exquisite.

• Zhangbi Ancient Fortress-Wang Family Courtyard-Shanxi Departure

• Breakfast

In the morning you will travel to Zhangbi Ancient Fortress. This ancient fortress originated from a series of tunnels and tunnels that were dug to escape from the war during the war time more than 1380 years ago.

Next, we will go to the Wang Family Courtyard, which is not only one of the largest residential buildings in China, but also the largest well-preserved architectural complex in Shanxi, and is known as "the first residence of Chinese residential buildings", "China's folk Forbidden City" and "Shanxi's Forbidden City". "Forbidden City of Shanxi".

The Wang Family Courtyard is not only a magnificent architectural complex, but also a heavy historical scroll. It records the glorious history of the Wang family and also witnesses the changes in all aspects of Chinese feudal society, including politics, economy and culture.

After the tour, according to your schedule, you can choose to return to Beijing by high speed train, or we will directly transfer you to the airport or train station in Shanxi.