Beijing Private One-day Tour to
Ming Tombs, Sacred Way, & Badaling Great Wall

TOUR ITINERARY Tour code: GWA-BJ-101 At 8:00 am we will pick you up from your hotel, and by private van drive directly to the Ming Tombs. The Ming Tombs, about 50 km/31 miles from Beijing, are where 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) are buried. This site was carefully chosen for its feng shui principles by the third Ming emperor Yongle (who also moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing and began construction on the Forbidden City). His tomb, Chang Ling (also including his Empress Xu), is easily the highligh of the Ming Tombs, and is what we will see. The Ming Tombs were placed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2003, and after viewing the beautiful Ming architecture and sculptures you will easily see why. We will then take a short drive to the Spirit Way, a 7km/4 mile road that leads into the Ming Tombs complex that are lined with statues of guardian animals and officials that protect the tombs from any evil spirits. The Spirit Way starts with a huge stone memorial archway. Constructed in 1540, during the Ming Dynasty, it is one of the biggest stone archways in China today. After a delicious Chinese lunch, we will drive to the Badaling section of the Great Wall, 80 km/ 50 miles outside Beijing. Badaling was the first section of the Great Wall to be officially open to the public in 1957. It offers beautiful views of the wall winding and twisting along the hills. Badaling was the site of Richard Nixon’s trip to the wall on his historic visit to China in 1972, and Badaling often greets visiting celebrities, foreign dignitaries, and leaders (U.S. President Barack Obama visited Badaling during his trip to China in November of 2010). You have the option of either walking up to the start of the wall or taking a cable car (price of cable car not included in tour price). Because it is the most well known section of the wall, it is also the most crowded, so be prepared to share the wall with some other visitors! After visiting Badaling we will drive directly back to your hotel.

Tour Covered:

1. Professional local guide & driver;
2. Private air-conditioned car or van for transportation;
3. Admission to the first gate.

4. Gourmet lunch.