3 days
3-Day Beijing in Depth with Private Driver
Three unhurried days covering everything a first visit to Beijing should include — the Wall, the palaces, the …
Trip Highlights
- Walk the Mutianyu Great Wall before the main crowds arrive — cable car up, famous toboggan down
- Afternoon in central Beijing: the Jingshan panorama, Temple of Heaven or the old hutong lanes
- Honest local lunch near the Wall — this is a strictly no-commission route
- Door-to-door: your driver waits at every stop, so you never carry bags or hunt for taxis
Itinerary
07:30 — Hotel pickup
Your driver meets you in the lobby (or at airport arrivals with a name sign). Leaving before 8:00 beats Beijing's rush hour and puts you at the Wall ahead of the tour-bus wave.
09:00 — Mutianyu Great Wall
About 73 km northeast of downtown. Your driver drops you at the visitor center and helps with shuttle and cable-car tickets, then waits while you explore. Plan 2.5–3 hours on the wall; most guests ride the cable car up and take the toboggan down.
12:30 — Local lunch near the Wall
Simple, honest restaurants serving northern home cooking. We never route guests through jade showrooms or tea-ceremony sales stops — lunch is just lunch.
15:30 — Central Beijing, your choice
Back in the city, pick one: the Jingshan Park hilltop view over the palace roofs, the Shichahai hutongs by rickshaw, or the Temple of Heaven. (The Forbidden City deserves a full morning of its own — last entry is mid-afternoon and tickets sell out — so we cover it properly in the 3-day itinerary.)
18:00 — Drop-off
At your hotel, at a Peking duck restaurant we can recommend, or directly at the airport if you fly out the same evening.
Times are a template, not a timetable — this is a private tour, and the day flexes around you.
What's Included
Included
- Private car & professional driver
- Fuel, highway tolls & parking
- Hotel / airport pickup & drop-off
- Driver's meal allowance
- Route planning & WhatsApp support
Not included
- Attraction tickets (we help you book)
- Your meals
- Optional English-speaking guide
- Travel insurance
Good to Know
Do I need to book the Forbidden City in advance?
Yes, and it catches many travelers out. Tickets are released 7 days ahead (8:00pm Beijing time), sell out quickly, require your passport details, and there are no ticket sales at the gate. The palace is closed on Mondays. If tickets are gone, the Jingshan viewpoint plus a hutong walk makes an excellent plan B.
Why Mutianyu and not Badaling?
Mutianyu has far fewer crowds, dramatic forested scenery, a cable car and a toboggan run — and it's the most senior- and kid-friendly section. If you specifically want Badaling or a wilder section like Jinshanling, tell us and we'll plan around it.
Does the driver speak English?
Honest answer: most of our drivers speak little English — we hire them for safe, professional driving first. Day-to-day needs (departure times, extra stops, restaurant tips) work smoothly through translation apps, and our English-speaking planning team stays one WhatsApp message away throughout your trip. For full English commentary at the sights, ask us about adding an English-speaking guide.
