Private Day Tour to Longqing Gorge and Dingling at the Ming Tombs with Lunch and Boat Ride
Description
This curated one-day private tour is the ultimate summer escape in Beijing, masterfully pairing iconic imperial history with breathtaking natural beauty. Explore the UNESCO-listed Ming Tombs with our English-speaking guide, who unveils the fascinating secrets of imperial burial rituals and the grand legacy of the Ming Dynasty. Then, venture to Longqing Gorge—a stunning summer paradise of soaring limestone cliffs, glassy turquoise lakes and gentle mountain breezes. Drift along the serene waters by cruise boat, immerse yourself in the cool, tranquil scenery and leave the sweltering city behind. Enjoy a private chauffeured vehicle, dedicated English-speaking guide, entrance tickets to all attractions, a relaxing cruise boat ride and a delicious local lunch. With personalized service and seamless arrangements from start to finish, this unforgettable day perfectly balances profound cultural discovery and idyllic natural relaxation—an unmissable summer experience in Beijing!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Your English-speaking guide and private car will meet you right in your hotel lobby—no hassle, just a smooth start to your day. We’ll head straight to Longqing Gorge, and along the way, your guide will share fascinating histories and stories tied to the region. Sit back, relax, and let the passing scenery unfold; if you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to ask—your guide is here to make your journey as engaging as it is comfortable.
Upon arrival at Longqing Gorge, follow your tour guide to start exploring this stunning destination—flanked by lush green peaks on both sides, it lives up to its famous reputations: often hailed as a "mini Li River (Guilin)" yet even more breathtaking, and a "mini Yangtze Three Gorges" while boasting more dramatic, rugged charm. The valleys here are a feast for the eyes: crystal-clear waters mirror the surrounding landscapes, revealing not just towering cliffs, sharp peaks, and steep rocks, but also unique geological formations like stone cones, stone pillars, and dissolution crevices. Your first stop is the Dragon Escalator—a one-of-a-kind ride that combines convenience with sightseeing. Next, board a cruise boat to drift across the calm, mirror-like lake. As you sail, you’ll be fully immersed in the gorge’s natural beauty—with dramatic rock formations and lush vegetation passing by—until you reach Moon Island. Here, your guide will lead you to explore the island’s ancient temples.
After wrapping up your exploration of Longqing Gorge, you’ll head to a nearby restaurant to enjoy a relaxing lunch—refueling for the rest of your day. Afterward, you’ll travel directly to the Ming Tombs. Currently, six areas are open to the public: Changling, Dingling, Zhaoling, Kangling, Yongling, and Siling. Among them, Dingling is the most visited as it houses an open underground palace, where Emperor Wanli and his empresses were laid to rest. This underground wonder offers a rare peek into Ming Dynasty imperial burial customs and ancient architecture, and it's exactly where our journey will take us.
Among the thirteen Ming Tombs, Dingling is truly one-of-a-kind—it’s the only one with an open underground palace, and our focus for the visit. This tomb belongs to Emperor Zhu Yijun (Emperor Wanli), the longest-reigning ruler among all 16 Ming emperors. Construction began when he was just 22, took 6 years to finish, and upon his death, he was laid to rest here alongside his two empresses. Explore the grand underground palace—with its stone corridors, spacious chambers, and intricate carvings that showcase Ming Dynasty craftsmanship.You’ll also see displays of imperial relics: from the emperor’s and empresses’ ceremonial clothing and jade ornaments to ancient porcelain and bronze vessels. As your guide shares stories of the dynasty and the emperor’s life, you’ll feel transported back to the Ming era—all while marveling at the complexity of its burial culture. Afterwards, you’ll be transferred back to your Beijing hotel, marking the perfect end to this wonderful private day trip.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
We pick you up from your hotel within the 4th ring road of Beijing city, please provide the hotel details when make booking. If your hotel is out of the 4th ring road of Beijing city, may have extra cost.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Age under 3 is free to join
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Please wear comfortable shoes
Reviews(25)
We had a lovely tour with Jack as our guide he was courteous very knowledgeable and very friendly with our family , he was patience and very helpful gave us ample amount of time . I strongly recommend to choose Jack as your guide and have wonderful experience
Jack, our tour guide, stopped by our hotel earlier to remind us to dress warmly, as the temperature at the gorge would be a few degrees lower than in the city. We were truly grateful for his advice when we arrived and felt the chill. Jack was also patient with all our questions and very accommodating throughout the trip. We had a wonderful experience!
Thanks to Leo for a great day. He was very knowledgeable about the tour places and gave us historical background which made the experience much richer. Amazing places!
Both driver and guide made sure the day ran smoothly. We were told we'd only be at the gorge for one hour after a stop at a jade factory and lunch. We asked to be taken straight to the gorge instead and were glad we did as there is much more to see and do and an hour is nowhere near long enough. As well as the inclusive boat trip there is an optional cable car which is well worth it to access some of the temples and it also gives you access to climb up to one of the peaks with spectacular views. Don't just take what's offered, make sure you chose your own activities.
The Gorge was beautiful and well worth the trip. The Ming Tombs were a little disappointing. My guide Ranee was a trip highlight. She was kind. Very helpful. Knowledgeable. Easy to get to know. Her English was great. More than anything, it was her wlllingness to help. She helped me book another book another tour.. she and the driver went out of their way to help me purchase tea. I don’t know the driver’s name but Ranee and the driver were outstanding. If I come to Beijing again, I will schedule with them. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great experience with an amazing, patient, helpful, empathetic and educated guide named Aurora. Anyone looking for natural beauty around Beijing, we recommend booking this trip. The Imperial Tomb is a very interesting and magical place and is definitely worth a visit. And definitely with guide Aurora!
Our very enthusiastic guide Miko adjusted our itinerary to avoid huge masses at the two destinations. We started with the Longqing Gorge, which was truly breathtaking. From the beginning to the end, we were simply in awe of the huge mountains and the serene river flowing through them. After a nice lunch at a (very) local restaurant, we drove to the Ming Graves. The underground palace is quite a sight to behold. However, as everything is reconstructed it somewhat loses its touch... it was still a nice experience. Mike even gave us some advice for our stay, pointing out the best times to go where and giving us hints for some nice places. Overall a very nice experience.
The tour was nice and Christine was a great guide ! She provided many historical information and anecdotes which made the tour as interesting as pleasant. She even adapted the itinerary upon my request to go to the Sacred Way. I recommend !
My girlfriend and I had an amazing trip thanks to our tour guide Leon Tian. He is very knowledgeable, friendly and fun to talk to. I highly recommend Leon as a tour guide!
We really loved this tour! We wanted to explore nature in China and we found this tour online. Longqing Gorge is such a beautiful place and definitely one of my favorite spots in Beijing. We went during a weekday so it was not crowded at all. We took a boat ride to see the beautiful scenery that China has to offer, and had some delicious lunch in a local restaurant. We also enjoyed the Ming Tombs and learned a lot about the history of China. Our tour guide, Qiu Huanan (Anson) was so nice and funny. He gave us an introduction about the history of China and the Ming Dinasty. He took care of everything so we didn’t have to go through the stress of finding transportation or place to eat. We got picked up in our hotel and also dropped off after the tour. If you want to explore nature in China and the countryside, I definitely recommend this tour! It is so underrated!
