Beijing, the capital of China and one of the seven ancient cities in China (along with Xi’an, Luoyang, Kaifeng, Nanjing, Hangzhou, and Anyang), has been the heart and soul of politics throughout its long history. While walking inside the city, travelers can see a large number of historical sites and can explore the imperial history and culture of China. Located in northern China, close to the port city of Tianjin, and partially surrounded by Hebei Province, Beijing also serves as the most important transportation hub and port of entry. Therefore, it now has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. As the first stop of Beijing Lhasa Railway, it has also been a popular gateway city to Lhasa.
Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the world’s highest (the highest point reaches 5,072 meters above sea level) and longest plateau railroad and the first railway connecting the Tibet Autonomous Region with other parts of China, is a part of Beijing-Lhasa Railway. Therefore, taking trains from Beijing to Lhasa can be both adventurous and interesting. It was badly difficult to travel between Tibet and inland China before the completion of Qinghai-Tibet Railway. Although authorities had been planning this project for a century, it was not until 1984 that the first phase of Qinghai-Tibet Railway, the 814-km Xining-Golmud Railway, was completed and began operation. The process of making the railway was not an easy one as railroad workers needed to tackle many technical problems such as the frozen soil, the ecology, and the lack of oxygen on the plateau. Thanks to the sacrifice and dedication of those workers, we are now able to travel between Tibet and inland China without difficulties.
The railway distance between Beijing and Lhasa is as far as 3757 kilometers, crossing 8 provinces and over 30 cities. There is only one direct train (Z21) from Beijing to Lhasa every day. It sets off from Beijing at around 20:00 and arrives in Lhasa at 12:10 on the third day, a duration of about 41 hours. Visitors can get a chance to find peace and calm themselves down while taking the train. They don’t have to worry about problems of their families or businesses. All they need to do is nothing but to enjoy the incredible experience brought by the train journey.
There are ten flights to Lhasa from Beijing every day, operated by Tibet Airlines, Air China, Shandong Airlines and Shenzhen Airlines. Five of the ten flights are non-stop flights and the other five are direct flights with making stops at cities like Xining, Chengdu or Xi’an. The flights get off from Beijing Capital International Airport (BCIA) and lands at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. An economy airline ticket from Beijing to Lhasa is about USD 500.
Plus, the one hour of making stops at Xining, Chengdu or Xi’an, it takes nearly 7 hours to get to Lhasa from Beijing by direct flights, two hours longer than the non-stop flights. So, for tourists who want to save save time on transportation, they are recommended to take not-stop flights to get to Lhasa.
Beijing, alternatively known as Peking, is the capital of China, the world's third most populous city, and the most populous capital city. Beijing has also been one of the four ancient capitals of China (along with Nanjing, Xi’an, and Luoyang), with being called Zhongdu, Dadu, Beijing, Beiping and Yanjing in different times. Therefore, Beijing is of great importance to China in terms of politics and culture.
The transportation system of Beijing is one of the most advanced throughout the world. Beijing International Airport is the second busiest in the world as well as the busiest in Asia. There are 5 main concentric ring roads and 14 subway lines in Beijing, and the number of subway lines will be increased to 21 by the year 2020. Besides, as shared bicycles are getting more and more popular in China these years, visitors can also see thousands of cyclists on the roads.
Famous for its long history and important role of being the capital of China, Beijing has increasingly become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. A lot of tourist attractions that can delight and intrigue tourists can be easily found in the city. Visitors from all over the world are attracted to Beijing for different reasons:
The Forbidden City is the largest as well as the best-preserved imperial palace complex in the world. Located in central Beijing and surrounded by a six-meter deep moat and ten-meter high wall, it houses the Palace Museum and was the former Chinese imperial palace from the Ming dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty. The Forbidden City served as the home of emperors and their households as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years. Under the order of Emperor Zhu Di, construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406 and was completed in 1420. It is said that Emperor Zhu Di had intended to build as many as 10,000 rooms in the Forbidden City. However, before the start of the construction, he was summoned, in his dream, by the Jade Emperor to heaven. The Jade Emperor asked him why he would build a palace complex which had as many rooms as that of heaven. Therefore, in order to pay respect to heaven, Emperor Zhu Di decided to build 9999.5 rooms in the Forbidden City, with the half room only has a staircase in it. However, if you go to the Forbidden City today, you can only see a total 8707 rooms. The reason for the decrease of the rooms is not clear. One of the possibilities is that Liu Bowen, the government official who was ordered to be responsible for the construction of the Forbidden City, didn’t want to waste too much money and labor on the buildings, so he secretly cut down the number of the rooms.
Tips for visiting Forbidden City:
The Great Wall of China is the collective name of a series of fortification systems originally built to protect and consolidate territories of China. It is one of the 'Eight Wonders of the World' and was inscribed on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987. If you look at the map, you will find that the Great Wall is just like a gigantic dragon, winding up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, and stretching a total of about 21,196 kilometers from east to west of China. Several walls were being built from as early as the 7th century BC by ancient Chinese states, and selective stretches were later joined together by Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China. However, little of the Qin wall remains today. Later on, many successive dynasties have built and maintained multiple stretches of border walls, spanning a history of more than 2,000 years. Most of the well-preserved walls were built in the Ming Dynasty. The total length of the Great Wall around Beijing in its northern part is about 600 kilometers. Just as a Chinese saying goes, one who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero, so the Great Wall is a must-visit destination for tourists both at home and abroad. Badaling, Juyongguan, Huanghuacheng, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Gubeikou, Jinshanling, and Simatai are the eight major sections of the Great Wall, among which the most famous one is the Badaling section. However, tourists are not suggested to go to the Badaling section on holidays like the National Day holiday and Labour Day holiday, as there will be so many people in Badaling that one is unable to walk even an inch. Therefore, the other seven sections of the Great Wall are better choices during such holidays.
Tips for visiting the Badaling Great Wall:
Covering an area of 4,800 square meters, Tian’anmen Square is one of ten largest city squares in the world. It is located in the center of Beijing, containing tourist attractions such as the Monument to the People's Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong, the first chairman of the People’s Republic of China. Tian’anmen Square is the place where Chairman Mao proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China on October 1st, 1949. Therefore, it is of great cultural and political significance to the history of China.
With the important location of situating in the center of Beijing, Tian’anmen Square is the site for massive parades and rallies. Tips for visiting the Tiananmen Square:
Ever since ancient times, religion and supreme imperial power have always been closely connected to each other. Beijing has served as the capital city for many dynasties. Therefore, a lot of temples were established in the city during the period when it was served as a capital city in ancient times. The most famous one should definitely be the Temple of Heaven, the largest and most representative existing masterpiece among China's ancient sacrificial buildings. It was visited by emperors of the Ming Dynasty and Qing dynasty for annual ceremonies of prayer to deities or symbolic forces of nature such as heaven, the Sun, or the Moon. The century-old trees inside are highlights of the Temple of Heaven. They are so unique that even Henry Kissinger, the former United States Secretary of State, had once said that if wanted, the USA could recreate a Temple of Heaven, but the trees inside couldn’t be recreated. In addition to the Temple of Heaven, the Altar of Earth and The Great Bell Temple are also famous sacrificial buildings in Beijing which are worth a visit.
Acclaimed by the UNESCO as “a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design”, the Summer Palace was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites in 1998. It fully shows the natural beauty and the grandeur of royal gardens. Mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and Kunming Lake, it covers an area of 2.9 square kilometers, three-quarters of which is water. The harmonious coexistence of the plants and paths, water and land, architecture and horticulture inside represents the philosophy and practice of Chinese garden design. Summer palace was once the summer resort for only royal families in ancient times, but it is now also a retreat for normal tourists. The ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges and huge lake inside are worth a visit. Taking a 10-minute boat-ride on Kunming Lake is highly recommended, as visitors can take a tranquil and relaxed break away from the crowded tourists. However, such experience can’t be enjoyed in winter, as the lake will get frozen and the cruise will be unavailable. Therefore, the best time to visit the Summer Palace is summer months.
Tips for visiting Summer Palace:
Being geographically near the Great Wall, the Ming Tombs are often included as a stop on tours to the Great Wall. The Ming tombs are a collection of mausoleums built by the emperors of the Ming dynasty of China. It was listed as World Heritage by the UNESCO in 2003. 13 out of 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty were buried in the area. Therefore, the Ming Tombs is also called the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty. In addition to the 13 emperors, other people who were buried within include 23 empresses, 2 crown princes, 2 eunuchs, and more than 30 concubines. The site, on the southern slope of Tianshou Mountain, was chosen based on the principles of fengshui by the third Ming emperor, the Emperor Zhu Di. Each of the thirteen mausoleums has its own independent unit. The layout and arrangement of all the thirteen mausoleums are very similar, but the size and complexity of the structures are greatly different from each other. Currently, only three tombs have been excavated and open to the public: Changling Tomb, Dingling Tomb, Zhaoling Tomb.
Built in 1409 and open to the public in 1958, Changling Tomb is the tome of third Emperor of Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Di and his empress. It is one of the largest (around 120,000 square meters) and best-preserved tombs among the thirteen Ming Tombs.
Built from 1584 to 1590, Dingling Tomb is the largest among the three tombs, covering an area of 180,000 square meters. It is the tomb of the thirteenth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Yijun and his two empresses. The tomb was under renovation from 1956 to 1958. Wheel-chair users, and people who have problems with their heart or kneels and who don't want to go deep inside a tomb are not suggested to visit Dingling Tomb, as they need to go deep inside the tomb before having a look at the precious relics placed in the burial chamber.
Zhaoling Tome is the smallest among the three tombs, covering an area of 34,600 square meters. It is the tomb of the twelfth emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Emperor Zhu Zaihou and his three empresses. The tomb was destroyed seriously, so the government have made great effort to renovate the tomb from 1987 to 1992. The crescent-shape Dumb Yard which houses the imperial coffins is the highlight of the tomb. The Ming Tombs is also called the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming Dynasty.
Tips for visiting Ming Tombs:
Hutong is a typical architecture in northern Chinese cities, especially in Beijing. It refers to a narrow lane, alley, or small street between rows of single-floor Siheyuan (courtyard) lived by people in the past. Hutong is also a must-visit destination for tourists while travelling in Beijing. Hutong is so narrow that cars can’t go through it, but visitor can take a pedicab, an ancient transportation tool, to explore the traditional life of local people and culture of Beijing. While taking the pedicab, visitors are able to see special buildings such as the Bell Tower, courtyard neighborhoods and Prince Gong's mansion, which is the most magnificent courtyard and was once the residence of a government official and then a prince of Qing Dynasty. Hutong was originally formed in the Yuan Dynasty, and the number of Hutong greatly increased during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. By the year when the People’s Republic of China was founded, there were as many as 3,250 Hutongs in Beijing. However, with the development of the city, the number of Hutong has dropped down dramatically. Today, there are less than 1,000 Hutongs remain in Beijing. With the development of time and tourism, Hutong is now not only the residential place for local people, but is also a place for relax and entertainment for tourists. Therefore, lots of small restaurants, bars, and inns can be found in Hutong. Among the approximate 1,000 exciting Hutongs, the most famous one should be the "Pipe Tobacco Alley". It is said that during the period between the end of Qing Dynasty and 1920s，nearly every adult living in the alley was shisha (shredded tobacco for water pipes ) smoker. The demand was so huge that more and more tobacco shops were established in the alley. As a result, the alley was given the name of "Pipe Tobacco Alley". Nowadays, there isn’t any tobacco shop in the alley, but it is still a good place for people who are searching for delicious food, antiques, calligraphy and paintings. Hutong is a good choice for those who want to experience the local life in Beijing.
Tips for visiting Hutongs in Beijing:
The 29th Summer Olympics held in 2008 in Beijing has not only won reputation from home and abroad for the city, but have also left two incredible buildings for the country. The first one is the Beijing National Stadium, which is also known as the Bird's Nest because of its appearance. It was designed as the main stadium of 2008 Beijing Olympic and Paralympics. Ever since the Olympics, the stadium has become a major landmark and tourist attraction in Beijing. It is also a venue for both international and domestic sporting competitions. The other one is the National Aquatics Center, which is also known as Water Cube owing to its appearance. It covers an area of 62,950 square meters and has a capacity of 17,000 seats (6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary for the Olympics). It is an innovative building in terms of architecture and structure, with high technological content. A lot of miracles have taken place in both buildings during the 29th Summer Olympics. For example, Usain Bolt from Jamaica broke the world records in the competition of the 100-meter race and 200-meter race in the Bird’s Nest, and Michael Phelps from America won 8 gold medals in Water Cube during the Olympics. In addition to the Bird's Nest and Water Cube, the Beijing Olympic Green sitting at the north end of the Beijing city's axis is also worth visiting. It will serve again for the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, together with Bird's Nest and Water Cube.
Tips for visiting Bird's Nest and Water Cube:
If you are only allowed to do three things while travelling in Beijing, what would be your choices? The most common answer would definitely be climbing the Great Wall, savoring Beijing Roast Duck and enjoying Beijing Opera. As a famous and delicious food with a long history of over hundreds of years, Beijing Roast Duck is an excellent choice if you want to know more about Chinese cuisine, culture and customs. The most traditional and authentic way to eat the Beijing Roast Duck is very easy. Firstly, prepare a thin pancake. Secondly, together with the meat of the Roast Duck, put all the things you like on the pancake, such as the spring onion, cucumber, pickled radish and some other sauces. Finally, roll the pancake with all the fillings before you put it into your month. If you ask people about the best Beijing duck house (restaurant) in the city, you will get different answers from different people, as they don’t share the same taste and preference.
After enjoying the delicious Beijing Duck, you can spend the night on watching Beijing Opera. Beijing opera is the most dominant form of Chinese opera which combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance and acrobatics, through which characters’ feelings such as happiness, anger, sorrow, surprise, fear and sadness can be vividly performed on the stage. Originally formed in Beijing in the mid-Qing dynasty, Beijing opera became fully developed and recognized by the mid-19th century. It has now become one of the four quintessences of Chinese culture (together with Chinese martial arts, Chinese medicine, and Calligraphy). There are four major types of roles in Beijing opera: Sheng (male characters), Dan (young female characters), Jing (male characters with unique appearance or personality), and Chou (comic male or female characters). Personalities of the characters are not fixed. They can be either loyal or treacherous, beautiful or ugly, good or bad. All of these will not be discovered until you watch the opera on your own. Major places that can enjoy the best Beijing opera in the city include Liyuan Theater, Chang'an Grand Theater, Beijing Opera Theater, and Mei Lanfang Theater.
Beijing is the city which boasts the largest amount of tourist scenic spots and historic sites in China. Some of the sites are near the city center and the others are located a little far away from the center. Must-see attractions in Beijing include Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, Great Wall, and Hutong. Tell us your needs for a personal Beijing Tibet tour and we will get back to you within minutes.
This is a route that allows travelers to visit the most well-known tourist attractions in the city. The trip starts at 8:00 am. We will spend around 3 hours visiting the Tiananmen Square, the largest city square in the World, and the 500-year-old Forbidden City, the largest and best-preserved ancient imperial palace complex in the world. On the way from the Forbidden City to the Temple of Heaven, we can pay a short visit to a traditional Chinese medicine culture store. Then we will spend 1 hour on the Temple of Heaven, where many emperors prayed for peace and good harvests to heaven in ancient times. As for lunch, we will finish it in a local restaurant or we will enjoy the famous Beijing Roast Duck. And then we will take a walk in the pearl market, where we can buy some pearl products as souvenirs for friends and families. The last 2 hours is the time for visiting the largest and most beautiful imperial garden in China, the Summer Palace.
This is a route that allows travelers to visit the most popular tourist attractions in the city. The trip starts at 8:30 am by visiting the largest city-center square in the world — Tian’anmen Square. The next destination is the Forbidden City, which is the largest and best-preserved existing palace complex in the world and served as the home of emperors of Ming Dynasty and Qing Dynasty as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government for almost 500 years. After lunch, we will go to visit Badaling Great Wall, one of the eight major sections of the Great Wall. Badaling section was built in the Ming Dynasty and it is the most well-preserved part of the Great Wall in Beijing, with an average height of 8 meters and the highest of 15 meters.
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