A special private trip to marvel at the grandeur of Beijing from the Great Wall to the great Palace. Take a rickshaw ride along narrow allies to visit the diminishing community of Hutong and get the authentic taste of the Peking duck.

Minimum 2 persons traveling together.

Destination:	Beijing, China
Activity:	Arts & Culture
Price:	start from $545 per person
Duration:	5 Days / 4 Nights

Tour Rates* (Price/Person) in U.S. Dollars
Period	Single	Double	Triple	Group 4-6	Single Supplement
Harmony Hotel – (3 stars)
1 Apr 2010 – 31 Aug 2010	940	565	565	N/A	N/A
1 Sep 2010 – 15 Nov 2010	950	570	570	N/A	N/A
16 Nov 2010 – 15 Mar 2011	900	545	545	N/A	N/A
Courtyard by Marriot (4 stars)
1 Apr 2010 – 31 May 2010	1,130	645	631	N/A	N/A
1 Jun 2010 – 31 Aug 2010	1,075	620	615	N/A	N/A
1 Sep 2010 – 15 Nov 2010	1,170	665	650	N/A	N/A
16 Nov 2010 – 30 Nov 2010	1,075	620	615	N/A	N/A
1 Dec 2010 – 15 Mar 2011	1,010	585	595	N/A	N/A
16 Mar 2011 – 31 Mar 2011	1,075	620	615	N/A	N/A
The Regent Hotel (5 stars)
1 Apr 2010 – 31 May 2010	1,505	835	785	N/A	N/A
1 Jun 2010 – 31 Aug 2010	1,360	760	735	N/A	N/A
1 Sep 2010 – 24 Sep 2010	1,505	835	785	N/A	N/A
25 Sep 2010 – 3 Oct 2010	1,220	690	690	N/A	N/A
4 Oct 2010 – 30 Nov 2010	1,505	835	785	N/A	N/A
1 Dec 2010 – 1 Feb 2011	1,220	690	690	N/A	N/A

Rates include 7% VAT tax and 10% hotel service charge. Major credit cards accepted. No extra charge, no minimum

Note: Booking should be made at least 14 days in advance. The Triple rates are based on a twin sharing room with an extra bed for the third person.

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Beijing

Meet at the airport and transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Beijing at your selected hotel.

Day 2 Beijing (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

This morning you will have a walk in the biggest square in the world– Tiananmen Square and then continue to the Forbidden City. Next stop is Beijing Zoo to see the lovely pandas.

In the afternoon visit Summer Palace, the biggest royal garden and summer resort of the Qing emperors, including a lake cruise.

In the evening, you will enjoy the local specialty Peking Duck dinner.

Overnight in Beijing at your selected hotel.

Day 3 Beijing (Breakfast, Lunch)

Full day excursion to the Great Wall and Ming Tombs.

** For young energetic people there are 2 other choices:

A. The ruins of the Wall rebuilt in 16th century are seldom visited as its more difficult to climb with little renovation like other parts for regular tours. The ruins with some parts collapsed and some covered with weed remains. Then continue to the Ming Tombs as planned.

B. Keen trekkers can spend 4 hours on the ruins of the wall. We prepare some cookies and bottled water as lunch and the guide from the management will take you to the other end where our guide and driver will meet you. Early afternoon transfer back to the city. En-route visit one of the Ming Tombs if time permits.

Day 4 Beijing (Breakfast, Lunch)

In the morning, on a rickshaw ride, visit the traditional area of the local Hutong where you will get to see the daily life of the locals. Then visit the Temple of Heaven, where the emperor worshiped the god of heaven for good harvest. Late afternoon at leisure.

Overnight in Beijing at your selected hotel.

Day 5 Beijing Departure (Breakfast)

Transfer to the airport for departure flight to onward destination.

Price Includes:

4 night accommodation at your selected hotel with daily breakfasts

Tours and transfers as mentioned in the program in private vehicle with an English speaking guide

Meals as indicated in the program

Price Excludes:

• International air ticket from / to Beijing
• Any airport taxes
• Any gratuity to local guide and driver
• Any meals that not mentioned in the program
• Drinks and beverages during the journey
• Visa fees (All visitors to China and Tibet, including those of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, need to apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy or consulate in or near your country. Passports must be valid for at least six months before your travel to china. Visa application should be lodged at least 3 weeks before your entry.)

Note:

All visitors to China and Tibet, including those of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, need to apply for a visa at the Chinese Embassy or consulate in or near your country. Passports must be valid for at least six months before your travel to china. Visa application should be lodged at least 3 weeks before your entry.

About the Package

The mind boggling Forbidden City is the quintessence of ancient Chinese architectural art. Other attractions in and around the city include Tian’anmen Square, The Tanzhe Temple, the Summer Palace and the emperors’ tombs. However, something from the past that is becoming less visible is Chinese people in Mao suits, bicycles rolling the streets and old residential areas of Hutong. Beijing is now a modern city and its modernity is expanding at rapid pace.

Forbidden City

Covering an area of 720,000 square metres with more than 9,000 rooms, this is the Palace Museum. It is also known as the Purple Forbidden City. It is the largest and most well preserved imperial residence in China today. Under Ming Emperor Yongle, construction began in 1406. It took 14 years to build the Forbidden City. The first ruler who actually lived here was Ming Emperor Zhudi. For five centuries thereafter, it continued to be the residence of 23 successive emperors until 1911 when Qing Emperor Puyi was forced to abdicate the throne. In 1987, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization recognized the Forbidden City as a world cultural legacy.

The Great Wall

The Great Wall, symbolizing China’s ancient civilization, is one of the world’s most renowned projects. It is a distance of 75 kilometres northwest of Beijing. Its highest point at Badaling is some 800 metres above sea level.

Construction of the Wall first began during the period of the Warring States (476 – 221 BC). Formerly, walls were built at strategic points by different kingdoms to protect their northern territories. In 221 BC after the first Emperor of the Qin Dynasty unified China, he decided to have the walls linked up and extended.

The Wall traverses mountains and gullies. It was extremely difficult to build along steep slopes under harsh conditions. Some of the slabs of rock were as long as two metres and weighed as much as one ton. All the rocks, bricks and lime had to be carried up the mountains at the cost of backbreaking labour. The earth and bricks were passed up from hand to hand or carried in baskets by donkeys and goats. The large slabs were moved up slopes by means of rolling rods and hoisting bars. According to rough calculation, the amount of bricks and rock used to build the Wall would have been enough to build a wall five metres high and one metre thick around the world.

The Summer Palace

Emperor Yongle of the Ming Dynasty was aware that a peaceful northern frontier was of great importance to the Ming Palace, he chose this valley to build his tomb. All his successors followed his example and had their tombs built here, except one who was dethroned and buried in the western suburb. Out of the sixteen emperors, thirteen lie here with their empresses and concubines. The summer Palace, located approximately twelve kilometers to the northwest of Beijing’s city proper, was first built in 1750 and rebuilt in 1886. An outstanding example of imperial gardens in classical Chinese style, the Summer Palace spreads on an area of 2.9 million square metres, three fourths of which are water surfaces. Its major attractions are the Wanshou (longevity) Hill and the Kunming (Jade Spring) Lake. The garden is a showcase of pavilions in diversified, exotic designs which are strung together by a corridor more than seven hundred metres in length and a seemingly unending chain of balustrades of snow-white marble.

The Ming Tombs

The site was chosen with the greatest care, with geomancy taken into account. The tombs are located about 50 kilometres to the north of Beijing. They are scattered over a basin approximately 40 square kilometres in area, screened by mountains on three sides and open to the Beijing Plain in the south. The road leading to the tombs is guarded by the Tiger Hill on the left and the Dragon Hill on the right. It was a forbidden ground except for those who were officially in charge of its upkeep. It was not allowed to cultivate land, cut wood or to take stones from here. No one could enter it on horseback, even the emperor himself had to dismount at the gate.