All Beijing Tours & Excursions in 2026 - page 81

This was an amazing all-inclusive experience across three major historical landmarks. May Day celebrations were in full swing, so special thanks to our guide, Sally, and driver for navigating us through masses of people both on foot and on the road! First stop was Tiananmen Square. Mao's image was unmistakable. My best guess on the "other guy" pictured in the distance was Zhou Enlai. However, Sally informed us it's the image of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen along with his signicance to Chinese people and overall world history. We had no idea that Tiananmen Square borders the Forbidden City, which was so vast and full of wonderment. Thank you, Sally, for taking the time to stage beautiful photos of everyone in the group at Tiananmen Sqaure, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall. At the Forbidden City, Sally was also a wealth of information about the various dynasties, and detailed accounts of Empress Dowager Cixi, Puyi, the last emperor of China, and the signicances of the various architectural elements and layouts. Rain hit hard just as we were leaving the Forbidden City, and we were ushered into the lobby of a nearby hotel to dry off as the driver soon pulled up. Then it was off for the two-hour drive to the Great Wall. The greenery that unfolds as you travel to the Great Wall is just beautiful. We stopped for a great buffet lunch. Then it was off to a bus transfer that gets the many visitors closer to the Great Wall and the cable cars for the final ascent! Thank you again to Sally for ushering some of us, who were feeling a little worn down, to an elevator to bypass the last stair climbs before boarding the cable cars to the Great Wall. Again, likely due in no small part to the May Day celebrations, there were so many people up on the Great Wall. Still, it was an epic and wonderful experience to be there. And thank you again to Sally for framing some sweet pictures of us up there. This is an action-packed day, so be ready. I think it's billed as an 11-hour day, but it ended up easily exceeding 12 hours. Thank you again, Sally for an amazing day!!

Shane was an outstanding guide for our Great Wall tour. He was knowledgeable, engaging, and made the entire experience smooth and enjoyable. He shared fascinating history without making it feel overwhelming, and his pacing was perfect, never rushed, but we covered everything we wanted to see. You can tell he genuinely cares about giving guests a great experience. Highly recommend Shane if you want a memorable and well-organized visit!

Good tour with Julia. Longer than usual as it was the May holidays. (If at all possible, avoid the major holidays in China.). Lots of walking, and stopping for explanations. Coffee stop was included, which was appreciated, as was the dumpling stop later in the afternoon. Would recommend tour with Julia.