Forbidden City + Mutianyu Great Wall 1-Day Tour [2-7 Person German Small Group Including Admission Ticket, Guide, and Door-to-Door Transfer]

Special Notes: First, a successful booking does not guarantee a successful waitlist for the Forbidden City. Please carefully read the announcement on Trip.com's official website, as the merchant will need to secure tickets again. Second, if the merchant fails to secure tickets, visitors will be notified by phone or SMS before 22:00 on the waitlist day (usually 7 days before the travel date), and they can cancel without penalty or reschedule for free. Please book with caution if this is a concern.

The Palace Museum, also known as the Forbidden City, served as the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties, standing as an iconic symbol of ancient China. When you walk through its majestic walls and grand courtyards, you can truly feel its former glory. Centuries of history have left behind magnificent architectural treasures and countless cultural relics within its walls.

Tour the ancient architectural complex

The Forbidden City is one of the most well-preserved and largest ancient wooden architectural complexes in China and the world. These magnificent buildings can be divided into two main sections: the "Outer Court" and the "Inner Court." The Gate of Heavenly Purity serves as the boundary—the area south of it is the Outer Court, where the emperor handled state affairs, while the area north is the Inner Court, housing the imperial family and the emperor's consorts, serving as the emperor's private living quarters.

Admire a vast collection of precious artifacts

The Forbidden City houses an extensive collection of precious cultural relics, reportedly numbering in the millions. These artifacts are displayed across multiple exhibition halls categorized by type. Among them, the Treasure Gallery and the Clock Gallery are particularly captivating, showcasing the Qing Dynasty's collection of exquisitely crafted and uniquely designed mechanical clocks that are sure to broaden your horizons.

Travel Route

The Forbidden City covers a vast area with over 70 palaces of varying sizes and numerous touring routes. To explore it thoroughly, you'll need to allocate a full day. If you just want a quick overview of the main palaces, it can be completed in about 2 hrs.

Classic Attractions

The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian) is the venue where emperors held grand ceremonies.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian), commonly known as the "Throne Hall," was the venue for grand ceremonies held by emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties.

The Hall of Mental Cultivation - Where Emperors Held Court

The Hall of Mental Cultivation is a building shaped like the Chinese character "工" (gong), consisting of a front hall and a rear hall. After the reign of Emperor Yongzheng of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor's sleeping quarters were moved to the rear hall, while the front hall became the place where the emperor handled daily government affairs and received officials.

The magnificent stone bridge in the Palace Museum—Golden Water Bridge

In front of the Meridian Gate, there are five exquisite single-arched Golden Water Bridges in the square. Their graceful design complements the magnificent Meridian Gate tower and the resplendent Hall of Supreme Harmony (Taihe Dian), creating a captivating scene.

The bridal chamber for imperial weddings—Kunning Palace

The Palace of Earthly Tranquility is one of the three rear palaces in the inner court of the Palace Museum in Beijing. During the Ming Dynasty, it served as the empress's residence, but gradually transformed into a venue for sacrificial rituals in the Qing Dynasty.

The venue for the "Palace Examination" - Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian)

The Hall of Preserving Harmony (Baohedian) represents the pinnacle of traditional Chinese palace architecture, being one of the grand hall structures within The Palace Museum in Beijing. Every Lunar New Year's Eve, emperors would host banquets here for ethnic minority princes and high-ranking officials. Since the late Qianlong era, this hall became the designated venue for holding the prestigious "Palace Examinations".

Treasures of Unparalleled Variety - The Treasure Gallery

The Treasure Gallery is located in the Palace of Tranquil Longevity area, boasting an exceptionally rich collection that includes Buddhist artifacts, ornaments, daily utensils, and rare curios.

Exquisitely designed clocks and watches of various styles - Clock and Watch Gallery

The Clock Gallery is located in the Fengxian Hall of the palace, showcasing predominantly British products, along with clocks and watches from other countries such as France and Switzerland.

The Mutianyu Great Wall is located in Huairou District, Beijing, connecting to the Juyongguan Great Wall in the west and Gubeikou in the east. It has been a crucial military stronghold guarding Beijing since ancient times and is renowned as the "Magnificent Pass on Perilous Peaks." The Mutianyu Great Wall features a unique architectural style with densely distributed watchtowers, particularly the distinctive Zhenguan Platform where three watchtowers stand together—a rare sight along the Great Wall.

22 densely packed watchtowers

The Mutianyu Great Wall was mostly built along the steep cliffs on the outer side, following the mountain's contours to utilize the natural terrain for defense. The wall stands 7-8 meters high with a top width of 4-5 meters, primarily constructed with granite, making it majestic and sturdy. The Mutianyu Great Wall features densely distributed watchtowers, with 22 towers along the currently open 2,250-meter section. Notably, within a span of less than 500 meters from Tower One (Great Corner Tower) to Tower Four (Zhengguan Tower), there are four watchtowers. This concentration of watchtowers is unique to the Mutianyu Great Wall and not found in other sections of the Great Wall.

Great Wall Hiking Route Reference

Most visitors hike up the Great Wall via the ascending trails. The attraction features two trails starting from the north and south ticket gates respectively. The north ticket gate provides access to hike up the wall from Tower 10 or Tower 8, while the south ticket gate leads to Tower 8 or Tower 6. Both trails are similar in distance, approximately 1,500 meters. For those who wish to conserve energy, a cable car is available near the north ticket gate, with its upper station located near Tower 14.

Currently, about 2,250 meters of the Mutianyu Great Wall are open to visitors. Starting from the Dajiao Tower (No. 1 Watchtower) at the southeastern end, you can walk northwest to Watchtower No. 4 (Zhengguan Tower), where you'll see the rare structure of three connected watchtowers. Continuing forward, the wall becomes relatively flat and easy to walk, leading all the way to Watchtower No. 22 at the northwestern end. From there, you can take the cable car down from Watchtower No. 14.