3-Day Beijing Tour: Forbidden City, Mutianyu Great Wall & Gubei Water Town

Hotel pickup (time confirmed the previous evening). Visit UNESCO Temple of Heaven, the Ming & Qing imperial worship site with iconic Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and famous acoustic Echo Wall. Self-paid lunch near the scenic area, with included 1 chosen Chinese handcraft experience (paper cutting, dumpling making, Peking Opera mask painting or Chinese knot making, your works can be kept as souvenirs). Afternoon visit UNESCO Forbidden City, the world's largest intact ancient wooden imperial palace, exploring grand ceremony halls and quiet inner imperial quarters. Then climb Jingshan Park for the best panoramic view of the entire Forbidden City. Return to hotel in the evening, with recommended local dinner options.

Hotel pickup, transfer to Mutianyu Great Wall (UNESCO World Heritage), the best-preserved Ming Great Wall section with 96% forest coverage and fewer crowds, walk along ancient stone ramparts and visit well-preserved watchtowers (optional cable car/toboggan available). Self-paid farm lunch near the wall, then transfer to Gubei Water Town at the foot of Simatai Great Wall, a picturesque northern water town with stone lanes, canals and traditional courtyards, watch folk performances and visit old craft workshops. Check in to Gubei Water Town hotel in the evening, with recommended local dinner options with lit Great Wall night views.

Hotel pickup, visit UNESCO Summer Palace, the world's largest intact imperial garden, walk the 728m painted Long Corridor, see the iconic Seventeen-Arch Bridge, climb Longevity Hill for panoramic Kunming Lake views (optional boat ride available). Self-paid lunch near the Summer Palace, then visit Beijing Zoo (China's oldest public zoo) to see giant pandas, golden snub-nosed monkeys, red pandas and other rare animals. Return to downtown hotel in the afternoon, marking the end of the 3-day Beijing private tour, with recommended local dinner options.