Beijing

Days 25-28 Beijing

There is simply so much to see and do in Beijing, the capital of all capitals. We arrive in the late afternoon and visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City on the morning of Day 25, followed by a rickshaw tour of the hutongs and a performance by Huiling - an Intrepid-supported local charity for Chinese with learning disabilities. On Day 26 we have free time for shopping, relaxing, or visiting sights such as the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven and the Lamaist Monastery, to name just a few.

No journey to China is complete without walking on the Great Wall, an incredible feat of engineering ranging over 6000km along the mountain ridges north of Beijing and stretching west. The wall was originally constructed to protect the Chinese empires from the Mongolian 'barbarians' of the north. On Day 27 we visit a lesser-known section of this wonder of the world, before heading back to Beijing (approximately 3 hours each way). In the evening we have a final night's dinner at one of the capital's many fine restaurants.