2-Day Beijing Small-Group Tour with Great Wall & Forbidden City

Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City

Day 1 begins at Tiananmen Square, one of the largest public squares in the world, framed by the Gate of Heavenly Peace and grand monuments. From there you walk north into the Forbidden City, the imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties, built between 1406 and 1420. For almost five centuries it was the residence of the emperors and closed to ordinary people, which gave it its name.

Today the Palace Museum covers about 72 hectares, with hundreds of halls, courtyards and gates roofed in golden tiles, and it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Your guide leads you through the Meridian Gate, the Hall of Supreme Harmony and the inner courts to the imperial garden. Forbidden City tickets are linked to your passport and often sell out, so booking early matters, and the museum is normally closed on Mondays.

Mutianyu Great Wall

In the afternoon you drive about 70 kilometres north-east of the city to the Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the best-preserved and most scenic sections near Beijing. Rebuilt in the Ming dynasty on older foundations, it runs along steep forested ridges, with closely spaced watchtowers and crenellated walls that look spectacular in every season, especially in autumn colours.

Instead of a long climb, you ride a two-way cable car, or take the chairlift up and a toboggan down for a fun descent. On the wall you have time to walk between watchtowers and enjoy views over the mountains. Mutianyu is less crowded than other sections, which is why many travellers choose it for a Great Wall day trip from Beijing. Comfortable shoes and water are essential here.

Temple of Heaven

Day 2 starts at the Temple of Heaven, where emperors came each year to pray for good harvests. Built in 1420 and listed by UNESCO, the complex sits in a large park full of ancient cypress trees. Its symbol is the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a round triple-roofed hall of blue tiles and red columns, built entirely of wood without nails.

Your guide also takes you to the Circular Mound Altar, where emperors performed rites on a white marble terrace, and to the Echo Wall, famous for carrying whispers around its curved surface. In the mornings the park is alive with locals doing exercises, dancing and playing cards, a lovely glimpse of daily life. The Temple of Heaven is among the most photographed places in Beijing, and early visits are the most atmospheric.

Hutong rickshaw ride and a family courtyard

Next you explore Beijing’s hutongs, the narrow lanes of grey-brick courtyard houses that once covered the old city. Many of these neighbourhoods date back centuries, and they still hold small shops, local eateries and family homes. You board a traditional rickshaw and glide through willow-shaded alleys, past carved doorways and busy corners.

The highlight is a visit inside a private courtyard house, known as a siheyuan, where a local family welcomes you and shares stories of life in the hutong. It is a rare chance to see how Beijing families have lived for generations. Afterwards there is free time for lunch on your own, and your guide will suggest local places to suit your taste. A hutong tour is one of the best ways to understand the city beyond its monuments.

Lama Temple

The Lama Temple, also called Yonghe Temple, is Beijing’s largest and best-preserved Tibetan Buddhist monastery. Built in 1694 as a prince’s residence, it was turned into a lamasery in 1744, and its halls show a striking blend of Han Chinese and Tibetan architecture, with red walls, golden roofs and colourful painted beams.

As you walk through its courtyards, incense drifts from the burners and worshippers pray before the statues. The final hall holds a giant standing Buddha about 18 metres tall, carved from a single trunk of sandalwood. The temple is still active, so dress modestly and keep your voice low. Many visitors find it the most atmospheric stop of the tour, and your guide explains its symbols and history.

Summer Palace

The tour ends at the Summer Palace, a vast imperial garden in the north-west of Beijing, where the court escaped the summer heat. Kunming Lake covers most of its area, with Longevity Hill rising above it, crowned by temples and towers. The palace was rebuilt in the late nineteenth century and is listed by UNESCO as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape design.

You stroll beneath the Long Corridor, a covered walkway of about 728 metres decorated with thousands of painted scenes, and see the Marble Boat and the bridges across the lake. It is a peaceful finale after two busy days. The best time to visit the Summer Palace is spring or autumn, when the gardens are at their most beautiful. After the visit, the driver returns you to your hotel.