Departs and
Operates
·Tour Type: Exclusive Private Tour
·Vehicle: Car or Van
·Operates: Daily
·Departs: 8:00am or 1:30pm
·Returns: 12:00am 5:30pm
·Duration: Approx. 4 hours
·Pick-up: Your midtown Hotel
Highlights:
• You’ll take a trip back in time to a far more simpler and peaceful Beijing with your visit to the village of Gaobeidian. You’ll take part in many traditional village activities, as well as being taught by the local villagers the various aspects of Peking Opera and Chinese cooking.
• Book now! The Beijing Half Day Gaobeidian tour regularly sells out days in advance, so book soon in advance in order to avoid disappointment
Detailed itinerary:
1. You will be picked up from your hotel, and from there we will make the drive to the village of Gaobeidian. Gaobeidian Village is a thousand-year-old village, and is the nearest historical village in close proximity to Beijing. Now it is more like an urbanized village than a rustic countryside. Most of local landless farmers live on land lease, but still practice a traditional way of life.
2. You will spend 4-5 hours visiting the old village and, you’ll also dine with the locals. First you’ll visit the ancient Ping Jin Floodgate built in front of the village during the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368 ) over the Tonghui River. The name of the Tonghui River was given by Kublai Khan who found the solution to the problem of carrying foods collected in Tongzhou ( now Tongzhou District in Beijing) to Dadu ( now central Beijing ) by building the Tonghui River.
3. Next you’ll find yourself surrounded by lively kids who bravely sing English songs to you in a local nursery run by the private sector. Paying a visit to the local "Commune Museum" is a not-to-miss activity. The village Commune Museum contains exhibits of local history, farm tools, archaeology and folklore and its past and present development. Then you’ll have one hour to learn how to paint the facial masks used in Beijing Opera to portray the various characters in a performance. You can take your own painted facial mask as a souvenir.
4. You’ll then proceed to the Gaobeidian Antique Furniture Street, a traditional market bazaar, for a little browsing. As the name implies this market specializes in classic furniture. It is not unheard of to get something on less than 50% of the original asking price by bargaining. If you need some help your guide will be happy to help you out!
5. Before heading back, you’ll go to visit the local vegetable market in the village, where local people come for purchasing vegetable, meats, the many spices and other life necessities that make Chinese cooking special. Finally, you’ll pay a visit to a local farmer's house, talking with the locals, having tea, taking part in making the dinner-dumpling (or lunch) and having dinner/lunch with the family. At the end of the tour, you’ll be taken back to your hotel in Beijing.
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