Tour Overview
The ultimate ancient capitals combo: imperial Beijing and merchant Pingyao. This 6-day journey connects China's two best-preserved historical cities — Beijing, the 600-year-old imperial capital of the Ming and Qing dynasties, and Pingyao, the 2,800-year-old walled city that once controlled China's entire financial system. Bullet trains bridge the two in just 4 hours. Experience the Forbidden City's 9,999 rooms, walk the Great Wall at Mutianyu, then step back further in time to Pingyao's car-free Ming-Qing streets where bank drafts, not emperors, ruled China.
Highlights
- Mutianyu Great Wall — less crowded, fully restored section with toboggan ride down
- Forbidden City (UNESCO) — the world's largest imperial palace complex
- Temple of Heaven (UNESCO) — Ming Dynasty masterpiece of sacred architecture
- Pingyao Ancient City (UNESCO) — China's best-preserved walled city
- Wang Family Grand Courtyard — the largest residential compound in China
What's Included
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Hotel accommodation with breakfast
- All entrance tickets & listed activities
- Private vehicle transfers
- Airport/train station transfers
What's Excluded
- Flights/trains to/from Shanxi
- Lunches & dinners (unless specified)
- Optional activities
- Personal expenses & tips
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1: Beijing Arrival & Temple of Heaven
Arrive in Beijing. Afternoon: visit the Temple of Heaven, a Ming Dynasty (1420) masterpiece of sacred architecture where emperors performed annual rites to ensure good harvests. Walk through the Long Corridor where locals practice tai chi, play cards, and sing opera. Stand at the Echo Wall and experience its acoustic marvel. Visit the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests — the iconic triple-eaved circular building on the Beijing skyline. Evening: welcome dinner featuring Peking duck at a traditional restaurant. Overnight in Beijing.
Day 2: Great Wall at Mutianyu
Full day at the Great Wall. Drive 1.5 hours to Mutianyu — a fully restored section with 22 watchtowers amid dense forest, far less crowded than Badaling. Take the cable car up and walk the ramparts as they snake dramatically along mountain ridges. The views in every direction are breathtaking — the Wall disappearing into the horizon. Optional: take the thrilling toboggan slide down from the Wall (a wooden sled on a metal track — safe and exhilarating). Afternoon: visit a jade carving workshop to see this traditional craft. Overnight in Beijing.
Day 3: Forbidden City & Hutong Rickshaw
Morning: explore the Forbidden City, the world's largest palace complex with 980 buildings. Enter through Tiananmen Gate and walk the central axis — from the Meridian Gate to the Gate of Divine Might — passing the Hall of Supreme Harmony (the emperor's throne room), the Hall of Central Harmony, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony. Visit the Imperial Garden with its ancient cypress trees. Afternoon: take a rickshaw ride through Beijing's vanishing hutong alleys. Visit a traditional courtyard family home for tea. Evening: take the 4-hour high-speed train to Pingyao. Overnight in Pingyao Ancient City.
Day 4: Pingyao Ancient City
Full day in Pingyao, China's best-preserved ancient walled city. Walk the complete 6-km city wall with its 72 watchtowers and 3,000 battlements. Visit Rishengchang Draft Bank — the first bank in Chinese history — and the County Government Office (Yamen), a complete Qing dynasty administrative complex. Explore the Temple of the City God, the Confucian Temple (one of China's oldest, 1163), and the Escort Agency Museum, where armed guards once protected silver shipments. Stroll Ming-Qing Street and watch artisans create traditional lacquerware. Evening: Pingyao's lanterns light up the ancient streets — the most atmospheric time. Overnight in Pingyao.
Day 5: Wang Family Compound & Shuanglin Temple
Morning: visit the Wang Family Grand Courtyard (1 hour from Pingyao), China's largest residential compound with 231 courtyards and 2,078 rooms. This 'Forbidden City of the Common People' took three centuries to build by one of Shanxi's greatest merchant families. Explore its intricate stone, wood, and brick carvings — each telling a story. Afternoon: visit Shuanglin Temple, the 'Oriental Art Gallery of Painted Sculptures,' home to over 2,000 Ming Dynasty clay statues. The 'Thousand-Armed Guanyin' is among China's finest surviving Buddhist sculptures. Return to Pingyao. Evening: farewell dinner with Shanxi specialties — knife-cut noodles, Pingyao beef, and oat flour dishes. Overnight in Pingyao.
Day 6: Departure from Pingyao
Morning at leisure for last explorations in Pingyao — visit any missed spots, buy souvenirs (Pingyao lacquerware boxes, aged vinegar, papercuts), or simply enjoy coffee at a courtyard cafe. Transfer to Pingyao Ancient City Railway Station. High-speed trains connect to Xi'an (3 hours), Beijing (4 hours), and Taiyuan (30 min). End of tour.