Top Northern China How to Get Around in 2026

Discover the stories behind Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City during a small-group walking tour in Beijing. Explore all the key sites including the Imperial Garden, and discover fun facts about the Ming and Qing dynasties from your guide. Alternatively, explore Jingshan Park, where you can enjoy panoramic views of Beijing's cityscape, including an unparalleled view of the Forbidden City, instead of Tiananmen Square.

Eat your way around Beijing’s old "hutong" alleyways and courtyards on a small-group tour. Enjoy several food stops at tucked-away restaurants and homes you wouldn’t find by yourself. Sample staples such as Beijing hotpot, noodles, beef buns, and spring pancakes. Learn about local cuisine over unlimited beers and soda, and enjoy a stop at a local brewery, with a pint of craft beer included. Make sure to bring your appetite.

Enjoy a hassle-free visit to Beijing’s Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square on this half-day group guided tour. Navigate crowds with a guide who organizes your tickets and shows you the best ways to explore each site. The tour is offered in English with a smaller group size allowing plenty of attention and time for questions.

See the best of Beijing plus the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu on a small-group tour that focuses on the attractions and avoids common sightseeing traps and the crowds of large tours. With a guide providing in-depth commentary and the best photo op locations, you'll visit Tiananmen Square, skip the line at the Forbidden City, and hike the Great Wall. Private tour, 2-day tour, and ticket only options also available.

Getting to the Great Wall at Mutianyu by public transport involves two buses and a metro, while group tours are often rushed. Experience one of the world’s true seven wonders in style on a private door-to-door tour that’s tailor-made for families. Ride the cable car up, then hike with your guide and capture timeless pictures. Race to the bottom on the toboggan slide.

The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of China’s most popular stretches of wall, but getting there independently is tough. Skip the stress and enjoy ample time to explore at your own pace when you book this group tour, which leaves Beijing earlier than many trips. Book transportation only, or upgrade to add tickets: You can also include an authentic local lunch.

Discover the beauty of the Summer Palace with ease, thanks to this convenient admission package. Instead of waiting in long ticket lines, you can save time and get in quicker. Also, if you’re keen to learn more about the palace’s history, you can upgrade to a package with a tour included as well as transportation options if you need them.

It can be easy to get lost in Beijing—especially if exploring its narrow maze-like hutongs—so make life easy for yourself with this small-group walking tour. The guide takes care of navigating, so there’s no need for maps, and along the way, you can see historical hutongs, ancient landmarks, and hidden places that you’d likely miss on solo explorations.

Buy your ticket in advance to The Forbidden City and Tiananmen square in Beijing and guarantee your admission on your chosen day and time without the risk of the tickets being sold out.

Skip the stress of navigating public transport, and enjoy an easy and enriching visit to the Great Wall of China on this private day tour from Beijing. After hotel pickup, head directly to the Mutianyu Great Wall, known for its watchtowers, natural scenery, and fewer crowds. Explore at your own pace, with optional cable car and toboggan rides. Return to your hotel at the end of the tour.

Skip the expense of private transfers and the stress of negotiating public transit and enjoy a comfortable visit to the Mutianyu Great Wall. Get a first-hand peek at parapets and watchtowers set into a rugged landscape—without any time-wasting shopping stops. Tours include return bus fares, entry fees, and shuttle bus but exclude cable car or toboggan tickets; upgrade for a buffet lunch, guided trek, or the Summer Palace.

Go off the beaten path in Beijing to visit a hutong (traditional-style neighborhood) with a private guide for an authentic experience of local Chinese cuisine and the rich culture of old Beijing. Sample more than 20 different dishes at small eateries including locally owned shops, bakeries, and restaurants. Meet the owners and learn about Chinese culinary customs on this half-day tour including all food tastings.

The Great Wall of China is must-see attraction when in Beijing. But getting there on your own can be difficult, especially if you’re short on time. Simplify your day on this private tour with VIP access. Choose from the Mutianyu or Badaling section of the Great Wall, and enjoy convenient hotel pickup, transfers, entrance fees, VIP fast access for the shuttle bus, cable car tickets, and a guide to provide enriching commentary.

See three of Beijing's top attractions on this full-day private tour to Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall. Private transportation with hotel pickup and drop-off, entrance fees, lunch, and round-trip cable car or chairlift and toboggan tickets at the Great Wall are included.

Leave the crowds and tour buses behind, and visit Mutianyu Great Wall on a self-guided tour, with private transfers from Beijing. Explore and hike along the wall at your own pace, with entrance fees included. Afterwards, enjoy a meal at one of Mutianyu’s many restaurants (own expense). Then stop at the Beijing Olympic Village for excellent photo opportunities of the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.

Save time and avoid the hassle of figuring out public transportation with this budget-friendly bus tour to the Mutianuyi section of the Great Wall from Beijing. Ride the shuttle up to the wall when you get there, and enjoy plenty of time to sightsee on the wall by yourself at your own pace. Upgrade to include lunch, an architectural mini tour, guided hike, or a visit to the Summer Palace.

The soul of Beijing lies in its hutong, a web of narrow alleyways and single-story courtyard houses. Get a perspective that’s impossible to achieve independently on this private walking tour, which includes a meet-and-greet with a local family in their home. Along the way, visit the Bell Tower, Drum Tower, Nanluoguxiang, Yandai Xie Street, and Shichahai: your private guide will accompany you to and from your hotel.

Combine pandas and a UNESCO World Heritage site in one experience, without having to book separate outings, on this private or small-group half-day tour in Beijing. Go see giant panda bears at the Panda House in the Beijing Zoo.Then tour the Summer Palace, an original royal garden, and enjoy a pleasant boat ride (fee extra) on scenic Kunming Lake, all in just a few hours.

Tick off two of China's most iconic sights during this private tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Your guide will greet you at your downtown hotel and accompany you to the center, either on foot or by metro or rideshare (at your expense). Listen to detailed commentary as you tour one of the world’s best-preserved imperial palaces and the largest public square in the world.

With this private walking tour, you can discover many Beijing food specialties that tourists usually miss out on. Rather than having language barriers, enjoy having a private guide to show you around and recommend the best dishes to eat. Best of all, to keep the experience as effortless as possible, food and drink tastings are included, such as noodles, beer, and soup dumplings.

Get acquainted with the magnificent Great Wall of China on this private evening tour from Beijing. Choose a departure time that works best for you, and meet your driver at your Beijing hotel. Leave the big city behind and head to the Simatai Great Wall, famed for its dramatic scenery. Entry and cable car tickets are included, so you can explore the Wonder of the World at your own pace. Then, discover the Gubei Water Town, a resort town that features scenic canals and numerous shops and restaurants.

Escape the crowds at other sections of the Great Wall and soak in the scenery and history at Jinshanling during a small-group self-guided day hike from Beijing. Walk a 3.7-mile (6-kilometer) section from East Five Window Tower to Brick Crenel, with the option to enjoy daytime or sunset views With water, admission tickets, and round-trip transit from Beijing included, logistics are made simple.

The Beijing subway system can redefine crowded—and is often confusing if you’re new to the country. Skip the angst and avoid the taxi stress when you book this convenient Universal Beijing Resort package which includes both 1-day tickets and private round-trip transfers from your hotel. From Harry Potter to Transformers, you’re free to explore the attractions at the pace that suits your group.