Arrive early and explore this majestic former Imperial, but now very modern city. Experience where the Qing Emperor of China once played tennis in the Forbidden City or fly a kite in Tiananmen Square. The tastes & sounds (and nightlife) of Beijing can easily be explored from our centrally located hostel. Join the rest of your worldwide travellers in the afternoon, and head to the bar for a welcome drink before deciding where to go for dinner......  The options are endless  

An early starts awaits, but so does the Great Wall, a quintessential image of China. Today we'll explore one of the more modern and intact sections before heading back to Beijing. On return we'll hear an overview of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and includes a 45 Min foot massage. This pharmacy was established to serve the Royal Court of the Qing Dynasty. On return to the Hostel plan your night and dine like an Emperor with your new friends and enjoy one of the many bars of this metropolis.

In the morning, we board the Dragon Bus and head for the more secluded "as is" section of the wall.  Individually this day trip would cost around 50 USD from the Hostels!   First stop is Simatai section of the Great Wall, which will enable you to gauge its enormous presence.   The option to hike from Simatai to Jingshanling, past 14 Wall watch towers, is available and although means you pay another entrance fee it could may make you feel like Genghis Khan himself.  Those not so intrepid join the Bus for Jingshanling before driving through the mountains to the Royal Summer Palace city of Chengde.  Famous for its "Summer Palace" more than three times the size of its Beijing sister, Chengde is a great place to relax, enjoy the fresh air and take in this City at your leisure.

The Royal Summer Palace of Chengde is more than 5.2 sq sq km in size & houses so much culture & history you could spend the entire day there.  This is exact Palace where the Qing Dynasty Emperor ceded control of Hong Kong to the British. The Palace also includes a full size replica of the Potala Palace of Tibet & Puning temple, which can be added as an additional tour.  The summer air also makes this a pleasant City, so does friendly locals and the fresh locally picked fruits. A group dinner at a local restaurant should follows and as there is only one (western) bar in the town the night is often continued their and results in a very enjoyable time for all.

After breakfast we return to Beijing. On entering the City we'll stop at the National Sports Stadium, otherwise known as the "Birds Nest" and the site of the Beijing 2008 Olympics.  The park (entry 50 RMB) also includes the "Water Cube" and indoor sport centre. After this we'll return to our Hostel, before you can again explore the City at night. Perhaps enjoy a night at the Beijing Opera or the amazing Acrobats, all of which our guides can help you organise.  Many just kick back and relax with a DVD in the hostel or on your laptop.