Henri Leroux

Beijing · experience

Forbidden City, Summer Palace & Temple of Heaven: private day tour

A private guided day across Beijing’s three best-known imperial sites, with a local lunch included between stops.

8 hours (approx.)From €87

The experience

Three of Beijing’s imperial-era landmarks in one guided day.

A full day with a private guide across the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven — the ceremonial and residential core of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the imperial retreat built to escape Beijing’s summer heat, and the raised altar complex where emperors once performed rites for the harvest.

The day includes a lunch stop at a local restaurant between sites, covering roughly 500 years of imperial history across the Forbidden City’s Outer and Inner Courts, the Summer Palace’s lakes and pavilions, and the Temple of Heaven’s grounds, now a public park.

Duration

8 hours (approx.)

Group

Group size confirmed with the option

Languages

Confirmed with the option

Format

Private transfer or public transport between sites, depending on the option chosen.

Meeting point

Grand Hotel Beijing, 35 East Chang’an Avenue, Dongcheng District (hotel pickup available depending on the option chosen).

Pickup and drop-off

Confirmed with the option

Who this suits

A good choice when it matches the way you want to use the city.

  • A first full day in Beijing covering its three best-known imperial sites without arranging each separately.
  • Travellers who want a private guide’s context rather than a self-guided visit.
  • A single, well-paced day rather than splitting these three sites across a stay.

Itinerary

The route at a glance.

The guide and exact sequence are confirmed on the day. Times below are a useful indication of how this visit is normally structured.

  1. 1

    Hotel pickup

    Morning
  2. 2

    Forbidden City

    Guided walk from the South Meridian Gate through the Outer and Inner Courts.

    ~3 hours
  3. 3

    Lunch

    A local restaurant.

    40 minutes
  4. 4

    Summer Palace

    Guided visit of the lakes, pavilions and imperial retreat.

    ~2 hours
  5. 5

    Temple of Heaven

    Guided visit of the altar complex and surrounding park.

    ~1 hour

What the visit includes

The practical detail before you choose a date.

Highlights

  • The Forbidden City’s Outer and Inner Courts, home to Ming and Qing emperors for close to 500 years
  • The Summer Palace’s lakes, pavilions and bridges
  • The Temple of Heaven, the emperors’ former religious retreat
  • A local lunch included between sites

Included

  • ✓ Private guide
  • ✓ Forbidden City, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven entrance tickets
  • ✓ Local lunch
  • ✓ Transportation (depending on the option chosen)

Not included

  • • Dinner
  • • Gratuities (recommended)
  • • Tiananmen Square (not part of the standard route)

Before you go

A few essentials for the day.

  • Bring a passport or ID card; details are required in advance for site ticketing.
  • The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are both closed on Mondays.
  • Security checks at every site entrance can add waiting time beyond the ticket queue.