Highly Recommended!!! How to Avoid Badaling and Dingling Tomb Day Tours in Beijing

Number of days：5 days
Time: October
Average cost: 2500 yuan
With whom: and friends

Badaling Great Wall

I took a spontaneous trip at the end of October 21, and would like to share my arrangements with you.

I personally don't like to sign up for long tour groups. Although there are many attractions, most of them are just a quick tour. I have to get up very early in the morning and there are not many hotel options. Although most hotels include breakfast, because we set off too early, we have to pack it up and eat it on the bus. There is no need to say more about the group meal at noon. There are few dishes, small portions, and not tasty. The return flights are basically scheduled at very bad times. Although the prices of many tour groups are indeed low, I personally think that a good travel experience is more important, so I usually choose semi-independent travel when I travel, with good accommodation, delicious food, and a flexible itinerary. Arrange your own transportation, hotel, and attraction tickets. Scenic spots within the city are accessible by public transportation. For those further out, consider joining a local day-long tour. I booked a tour to the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor in Xi'an, a tour to the Yongding Tulou in Xiamen, and a tour to the Dingling Mausoleum in Badaling, Beijing. Simply search for local day-long tours on major platforms. If they say "all-inclusive," it guarantees you're there, with no shops involved. If you do end up in a shop, you can file a complaint with the platform.

Transportation:

Try to book a flight departing in the morning so that you have more time when you arrive at your destination. After checking in and putting down your luggage, you can visit the surrounding attractions.

Hotel: It is recommended to stay within the Second Ring Road, such as near Qianmen, Wangfujing, Gongti, Shichahai, and Nanluoyang, which have convenient transportation and are close to attractions. You can also consider staying in an old Beijing-style B&B.

DAY 5: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 6: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 7: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 8: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 9: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 10: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 11: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 12: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 13: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 14: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 15: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 16: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

DAY 17: Nanluoguxiang - return trip in the afternoon

1. The Forbidden City: The imperial palace of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Every door you step through, brick you step on, and red wall you touch are exhibits. I suggest you find a tour guide or join a guided tour. After all, as an outsider like me, I can only watch the fun without any explanation.

Tiananmen Square/Wangfujing Area

The Palace Museum

2 Badaling: "If you haven't visited the Great Wall, you're not a true man; a journey of 20,000 meters is enough." Badaling is the best-preserved, most representative, and most popular section of the Great Wall. The Great Wall is quite steep, so if you're not physically fit, you can take the cable car.

Badaling Great Wall

3. Ming Tombs: As the name suggests, there are thirteen imperial tombs. Only Changling, Dingling, Zhaoling and Shenlu are open to the public. Most of the tombs have the same structure. I chose to visit only Dingling, after all, it is the only one of the Ming Tombs that has been excavated.

Dingling Tomb

The one-day tour service we signed up for was good. The tour guide was very professional and enthusiastic. He also introduced many delicious foods and fun places in Beijing. There was no shopping or forced consumption. We even received a small gift on the way back. The one-day tour company is called "Basida". If you are interested, you can search it yourself.

Badaling Great Wall

4. Summer Palace & Old Summer Palace: Both are large imperial gardens, so it's impossible to explore them all. You can only visit the highlights. If you'd like a guided tour, you can sign up for a day tour.

Summer Palace

Old Summer Palace

5. Nanluoguxiang: Nanluoguxiang in Beijing, Yongxingfang in Xi'an, and Kuanzhai Alley in Chengdu – those who know know, and it's optional.

Nanluoguxiang

Note:

1. Download the "Yi Tong Xing" or "Beijing Public Transport" app. You can use it on both the subway and buses. Note that you need to scan the QR code when getting on and off the bus.

2. Tickets for most attractions can be booked on WeChat by searching the name of the attraction and entering the official account. Note that when I went to the Forbidden City, tickets were sold 10 days in advance, but now they are sold 7 days in advance at 20:00. During peak season, you must purchase tickets in advance.

3. As for accommodation, I chose two hotels, one near Qianmen and one near the Drum Tower, which are convenient for most tourist attractions.

4. WeChat or Alipay "Beijing Health Code", which is used wherever you go.