Beijing
Mutianyu Great Wall Private Day Tour
Cable car to Tower 14, a 2-hour walk east along the ramparts, then the toboggan down. Departure timed to arrive before the coach groups.
From US$118/per person
View tourBeijing
Hutong Lanes & Peking Duck Day Tour
A rickshaw through the grey-brick alleys north of the Drum Tower, a courtyard-house lunch, and Peking duck carved at the table to finish.
The short version
The hutongs north of the Drum Tower are the Beijing that survives at street level: grey-brick single-storey lanes built around courtyards, some of them 700 years old. A day here means a rickshaw ride, a meal in someone's courtyard, the Temple of Heaven in the morning when locals are exercising, and Peking duck in the evening.
- Rickshaw through the lanes, then walk the parts a rickshaw cannot reach.
- Lunch is in a real courtyard house, not a themed restaurant.
- The Temple of Heaven at 07:00 is a park full of tai chi and ballroom dancing.
- Peking duck dinner closes the day — carved at the table, pancakes and sweet bean sauce.
What not to miss
07:00
Hotel pickup
Early start to catch the Temple of Heaven before the heat and the crowds. Metro or private vehicle, depending on traffic.
07:30
Temple of Heaven park
Tai chi, jianzi, ballroom dancing and water calligraphy under the pines. This is Beijing at its most unselfconscious.
09:30
Rickshaw through the hutongs
North of the Drum Tower, a pedicab threads lanes too narrow for cars while the driver names what you are passing.
11:00
Courtyard-house lunch
A meal cooked in a family home off the alley: jiaozi, a cold dish or two, and whatever the household is eating that day.
13:30
Drum Tower and the lake
Up to the Drum Tower for the view over the grey sea of courtyard roofs, then a walk along Houhai lake.
18:00
Peking duck dinner, then back
Crisp skin carved at the table, pancakes, scallion and sweet bean sauce. We book one of two rooms in town worth planning around, then take you back to your hotel by about 20:15.
What's included and what isn't
Includes
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Rickshaw ride through the hutong lanes
- Drum Tower entrance ticket
- Temple of Heaven park and hall tickets
- Courtyard-house lunch
- Peking duck dinner with pancakes and trimmings
Not included
- Alcoholic drinks with dinner
- Gratuities
- Souvenirs from the alley workshops
- Breakfast
Pickup, timing and getting around
Pickup at 07:00 from hotels inside the 3rd Ring Road; elsewhere we meet at an agreed metro station. Groups are capped at eight, so small lanes stay negotiable and nobody gets left behind in an alley.
Tell us about allergies and dietary rules when booking. The courtyard lunch is a family kitchen, which means it can adapt to vegetarian or halal requirements with a day's notice but not on the spot.
Route diagrams are schematic and illustrative, not to scale.
More day tours from Beijing
Beijing
Forbidden City & Jingshan Private Day Tour
Enter at the Meridian Gate, walk the central axis with a guide who knows the side halls, then climb Jingshan for the view back over 980 buildings.
From US$109/per person
View tourFrequently asked questions
Is this tour suitable for children?
Yes. The rickshaw is the part children remember, and the lanes are flat and car-free for most of the route. The duck dinner is early enough for younger eaters at 18:00.
How much food is included?
Six to eight tastings during the walking sections plus a full lunch and a full duck dinner. Most people skip breakfast. Come hungry rather than cautious.
Are the hutongs real or rebuilt?
Both, and your guide will tell you which is which. The lanes around the Drum Tower are largely original in layout; several courtyard houses have been rebuilt in the last 20 years and a few are private homes we visit by arrangement.
What if it rains?
The tour runs. Rickshaws have canopies, the courtyard lunch is under cover, and the Temple of Heaven's halls are indoors. Only a genuinely severe storm cancels, and we reschedule free of charge.
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- Do I Need a Visa for China? Requirements, Costs and How to Apply
- China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Who Qualifies and How It Works
- Paying in China: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards and Cash
- China's High-Speed Rail: How to Book, What It Costs, How Fast It Goes
- Is China Safe for Tourists? Honest Risks and How to Avoid Them
- Best Time to Visit China: Month by Month, Region by Region
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