Beijing: Panda House, Summer Palace, Old Hutong &Temple of Heaven
Description
Let your experienced local private guide take you to explore Beijing’s most iconic landmarks on one unforgettable full-day tour. Get up close to adorable giant pandas, discover the magnificent charm of the Summer Palace, wander through time-honored ancient Hutongs, and visit the revered Temple of Heaven. Important Note: The Temple of Heaven is closed every Monday. Should this fall on your tour date, the itinerary will be adjusted accordingly, with a visit arranged to Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) as an alternative attraction.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet your friendly private guide at your hotel or the designated meeting point at the scheduled departure time. Then head to the Panda House in Xicheng District, where you can observe the adorable giant pandas up close. In the morning, you’ll have the chance to watch them enjoying their breakfast.
Next, your knowledgeable guide will lead you on a fascinating tour of the Summer Palace, once the magnificent imperial garden of the Chinese royal family. With over 3,000 rooms, this vast complex is brimming with exquisite pavilions, graceful bridges, iconic long corridors, and ancient temples. As you stroll through, your guide will share vivid stories and historical insights, bringing this royal retreat to life.
Your guide will take you on a delightful walking tour through Beijing’s ancient Hutongs. Stroll along narrow, winding lanes lined with traditional courtyard residences, immerse yourself in the genuine lifestyle of old Beijing, and listen as your guide tells fascinating stories and shares local traditions behind these century-old alleys. You will get an intimate glimpse of local daily life, creating an authentic, immersive and unforgettable Beijing experience. Lunch will be arranged within the Hutong area, featuring a wide selection of local delicacies and traditional snacks for you to choose at your leisure. Ample free time will be provided for you to sample authentic local cuisine. Lunch is at your own expense for the standard tour. For guests booking the all-inclusive package, lunch is fully included and covered in the tour price.
Continue your visit to the Temple of Heaven, once a sacred site where ancient emperors held grand ceremonies to worship Heaven and pray for good harvests. Besides its magnificent ancient architecture, you’ll also witness lively daily scenes in the surrounding park, with locals practicing tai chi, singing, dancing and enjoying leisure activities. In case the Temple of Heaven is closed on Mondays, we will visit Yonghegong (Lama Temple) instead. As a famous Tibetan Buddhist temple with a long history, it features splendid halls, exquisite Buddha statues and a strong religious atmosphere, offering a unique glimpse into Beijing’s Buddhist culture.
At the end of the tour, your driver will transfer you back to your original departure point or any downtown hotel you specify.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
This tour only provides hotel pick-up and drop-off services in the downtown city. This service does not apply to the "Meet at Regent Hotel" option. If your hotel is not listed, please specify it in special requirements.
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
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- In case the Temple of Heaven is closed on Mondays, we will visit Yonghegong (Lama Temple) instead
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- For the Meet at Grand Hotel group tour option. Kindly note that your itinerary may be cancelled with a full refund if the group size is less than 3 people.
- Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Reviews(119)
We have Sunny as aur guide, she was very good she answer all our questions and explain all the history of the summer palace and we learn about the dragon lady, sunny never rush us, she also took us for shoping and help us to book other activities, if you looking for the greatest guide tour ask for Sunny
Dear Guest, Thank you for your fantastic review! We are so pleased that Sunny did an excellent job for you. It’s wonderful she patiently answered all your questions, shared rich history of the Summer Palace including stories about the Dragon Lady, and never rushed your pace. We are also glad she assisted you with shopping and booking other activities. We will pass every warm compliment to Sunny. Thank you for your strong recommendation. Wish you a lovely rest of your stay and hope to welcome you back to Beijing. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
The time management from Sunny was on point, she took us to these key spots without rushing us, letting us have spare time and answering every question we had. Sunny goes above and beyond her duty by giving us advice while purchasing things at the mall, looking for restaurants, setting our transport and she even recommended us an acrobats show that she even booked for us. After our tour when we were at our hotel we asked her about how to book the entrance to the Tiananmen Square and she just did it for us. Great experience, the group small but really cool people, we felt the day was very productive and none of that would’ve been possible without her and Mr Sun our driver who was always there for us.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your detailed and wonderful review! We are thrilled to know how well Sunny managed your tour schedule. She perfectly covered all key sights without rushing you, leaving you enough free time and patiently answering every question. It is amazing that she went out of her way to offer shopping tips, restaurant suggestions, arrange transport, and even booked the acrobatic show and Tiananmen Square entrance for you after the tour. We are also glad you enjoyed travelling with your lovely small‑group members, and appreciate the reliable service from your driver Mr Sun. We will pass all of your heartfelt praise to Sunny and Mr Sun. Hope you keep these wonderful Beijing memories, and we look forward to welcoming you again. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
It was a wonderful day filled with laughter, beautiful sights, cute Pandas and so much more! We were super lucky to have a small group which made the day so much more personal and enjoyable! It was all thanks to Sunny, our wonderful, knowledgeable guide. She went above and beyond to make ensure we all had a wonderful experience, she answered every single one of our questions, taught us so many interesting facts and never made us feel rushed. She also gave us some wonderful recommendations of things we could do and went as far as to helping us book an event for that evening, offered to drive us there and back to our hotel after the show was over (which was NOT part of the tour) she was truly amazing and made this experience 100 times better. I highly recommend this tour and if you can request Sunny, don’t hesitate to do so!
Dear Guest, Thank you for this lovely, heartfelt review! We are so happy you had such a joyful day with laughter, stunning scenery and adorable pandas. A small‑group tour really brings a warm, personal experience, all thanks to your fantastic guide Sunny. We admire how she went the extra mile: answering all your questions, sharing fascinating facts and never rushing your pace. It was incredibly kind of her to give local tips, help book your evening event and even offer transfer service after the show, which was beyond her tour duties. We will pass every word of your high praise to Sunny. Thank you for your enthusiastic recommendation. Wish you many more happy travel moments, and we hope to welcome you back to Beijing. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Sunny our guide and Sun our driver were both absolutely incredible they met us at our hotel a few minutes before pickup Sunny the guide was extremely friendly knowledgeable about the Temple Heaven, Summer palace and the panda house I feel like I learned thousands of years worth of information in just one day. She was patient took really nice photos for us and help us find everything we needed and more overall 10/10 experience
Dear Guest, Thank you for your fantastic 10/10 review! We are delighted to hear both our guide Sunny and driver Mr Sun did such an amazing job for you. It was great that they arrived early to pick you up at your hotel. Sunny shared abundant historical knowledge of the Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Panda House, letting you soak up thousands of years of history within one day. We really appreciate that she was patient, took wonderful photos and helped you with all your needs throughout the tour. We will pass all your heartfelt compliments to Sunny and Mr Sun. Wish you lovely remaining travels, and we hope to welcome you back to Beijing someday. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
I really enjoyed my tour with Rita of the summer palace, temple of heaven, and the pandas. Being curious by nature I ask a lot of questions, Rita was able to answer them all and it was just enjoyable day.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are happy you thoroughly enjoyed your tour of the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and panda house with Rita. It’s fantastic that she patiently answered all of your many curious questions, making your whole day so pleasant and rewarding. We will pass all your kind compliments to Rita. Hope you get to come back and explore more of Beijing soon! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
You cannot go to China and not see pandas. Our excellent guide, Wendy, picked us up at the hotel on time and our first stop was Panda House. Being early in the morning we were able to see several active pandas while they were eating. An unforgettable experience. Then we headed to the Summer Palace... an impressive place where Wendy shared anecdotes about the place and important historical information with us. The final stop, after a delicious lunch, was the Temple of Heaven. A fabulous day. Thanks to the good disposition and professionalism of Wendy, who made this day something very special. Thanks friend!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your lovely review! We are thrilled you enjoyed this wonderful day with Wendy, visiting the Panda House, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven. It is wonderful that you got to see lively pandas early in the morning, and loved the fascinating historical stories and anecdotes she shared at each attraction. Her punctuality, professionalism and great attitude made your outing truly unforgettable. We will pass all your warm thanks and kind words to Wendy. Hope you can come back to China again! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
The tour was absolutely excellent! All the places we visited were incredible, and everything was very well organized from beginning to end. We didn’t have to worry about anything and were able to simply enjoy the experience. A special mention goes to our guide, Lucy. She was extremely kind, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the entire tour. Her explanations were very clear and interesting, and she was always attentive and ready to help us with anything we needed. I have taken many tours in different places, and I can honestly say that Lucy is the best tour guide I have ever had. She truly made our experience even more special and memorable. I highly recommend this tour, and especially Lucy as a guide. Thank you for such a wonderful experience!
Dear Guest, Thank you for your positive review! We are glad Lucy did a wonderful job for your group. It is lovely to hear she delivered clear, interesting explanations and was attentive and helpful throughout the tour. We will pass your kind compliments to Lucy. We hope to welcome you back for another great tour in Beijing. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
Jerry rong is the best guide I have ever had hands down. Specifically ask for him if u take this tour.
Dear Guest, Thank you for your awesome review! We are so glad that Jerry Rong turned out to be the best guide you have ever had. It means a great deal to us that you highly recommend requesting him for the tour. We will pass your wonderful compliment directly to Jerry Rong. Thank you for travelling with us. We hope to welcome you back to Beijing again. Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
This was a great family experience to visit the Panda house and see the pandas. The Panda house is at the zoo, so we actually got to see a Polar Bear too, which was an added treat. All the sites we visited were amazing and our family of 4 had a great time.
Dear Guest Thank you for your lovely review! We’re delighted your whole family of four enjoyed the trip to see the pandas. What a nice surprise to also spot the polar bear at the zoo! We are happy all the attractions made your family outing wonderful and memorable. Hope you have many more fantastic moments exploring Beijing! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
We had an amazing day on the Beijing: Panda House, Summer Palace, Old Hutong & Temple of Heaven tour, and our guide, Lucy, made all the difference. Lucy’s English is outstanding, making everything easy to understand and enjoyable to follow. She is kind, punctual, thoughtful, and genuinely cares about her guests. She also took incredible family photos for us, which was such a nice bonus. The private driver was absolutely worth it. Being dropped off at one entrance and picked up at another made the day incredibly efficient, especially since we were traveling with a child. Lucy also gave us a great lunch recommendation and even helped us fit in an early breakfast near the zoo, even though it wasn’t part of the itinerary. The pandas were unbelievably cute, and Lucy knew exactly how to navigate the Panda House to make sure we saw all three. The Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven are iconic attractions that need no introduction, but having Lucy explain their history before we explored and point out fascinating details along the way made us appreciate them so much more. The biggest surprise of the day was the Old Hutong. We absolutely loved it, and it ended up being one of our favorite parts of the tour. Lucy continued to go above and beyond even after the tour. She shared helpful tips for the rest of our time in Beijing and even helped us arrange tickets for an amazing Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatic show. Overall, this was one of the best guided tours we’ve taken. The itinerary is excellent, the private transportation makes the day seamless, and Lucy’s knowledge, professionalism, and warmth elevated the entire experience. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting Beijing, and if you have the chance, ask for Lucy. She is fantastic.
Dear Guest Thank you for sharing such a detailed and wonderful review! We are overjoyed that you had an incredible day exploring the Panda House, Summer Palace, ancient Hutongs and the Temple of Heaven, and that Lucy made your tour truly exceptional. It is lovely to hear how impressed you were by her excellent English, thoughtful personality, punctuality and sincere care for every member of your family. We really appreciate that she captured beautiful family photos for you as a lovely extra touch. We are glad the private vehicle brought you great convenience. Drop-off and pick-up at different entrances saved plenty of time, which was especially ideal for your trip with a child. We’re thankful Lucy offered fantastic lunch suggestions and even helped you arrange an early breakfast near the zoo beyond the planned itinerary. We are happy you got to see all three pandas thanks to Lucy’s familiarity with the Panda House. Her insightful historical introductions and tips on hidden highlights at the Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven allowed you to gain a deeper understanding of these famous landmarks. It was wonderful to know the Old Hutong visit became an unexpected favourite part of your day. We are deeply touched that Lucy kept going the extra mile once the tour finished. She shared valuable travel advice for your remaining stay in Beijing and assisted you with tickets for the spectacular acrobatic performance. Your recognition means a great deal to our whole team. We will forward every warm compliment directly to Lucy. We highly recommend this tour to all visitors to Beijing, and we hope to welcome your family back soon for another memorable adventure with Lucy! Best regards, Lily's Beijing Tours Team
