What's the best time of year to start a tour in Beijing?

The most agreeable conditions for Beijing tours occur during spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) when mild temperatures and clear skies prevail. Travel data from TourRadar points to September and October as peak departure months. One traveler's experience reflects this saying "The weather in early October was perfect for exploring the Forbidden City and climbing the Great Wall - not too hot or cold."

What are the essential landmarks visited on the first few days in Beijing?

The opening days of Beijing tours focus on key sites: Tiananmen Square the Forbidden City Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace. Most itineraries reserve day 2 or 3 for the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall including cable car access. Accommodations center around hotels like the Sunworld Hotel Beijing or Hotel New Otani Chang Fu Gong. A TourRadar guest noted "The Beijing portion was excellent. The guide was awesome and very accommodating with showing us all the key sites."

How long should I plan to stay in Beijing before continuing to other destinations?

Standard tour packages allocate 3-4 days to Beijing before moving to cities like Xi'an or Shanghai. This timeframe lets visitors explore major sites while getting used to the local time zone. A TourRadar participant shared: "Three full days gave us perfect time to explore the key sites without feeling rushed starting with the Forbidden City and ending at the Great Wall."

What are the common starting locations within Beijing for these tours?

Tour departures concentrate in three main Beijing districts: Wangfujing where the Sunworld Hotel stands Dongcheng near Tiananmen Square and Chaoyang. According to a TourRadar participant "starting from the Sunworld Hotel was ideal as it provided easy access to the subway and major attractions like the Forbidden City and local markets."

What dining experiences are included in Beijing tours?

The food program typically combines hotel breakfasts with local dining experiences including Peking duck at establishments like DaDong or Quanjude. Many tours schedule lunch near the Great Wall at venues such as the Schoolhouse at Mutianyu. One TourRadar guest observed: "The mix of hotel breakfasts and local restaurants gave us a great taste of authentic Beijing cuisine."

What's the typical travel time from Beijing to popular next destinations?

High-speed rail connects Beijing to Xi'an in 5-5.5 hours and Shanghai in 4.5 hours. Air routes to Chengdu or Guilin take 2-3 hours. Tours prioritize comfortable transport with designated seating as noted by TourRadar guests who valued "the seamless transitions between cities."

China Tours from Beijing

Find your perfect adventure! We have 391 tours of China that start in Beijing, China. The most popular month is May, and tour lengths range between 1 and 30 days.

10 best China tour packages from Beijing

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In-depth Cultural
Real China Highlights
4.8 (7 traveler reviews)
"Guides were very accommodating and knowledgeable. Tour has a very relaxed pace."
Vincent, traveled in May
Duration
12 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Yangshuo, Hong Kong
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German
Operator
Truly China Travel
30% Off
From $3,338
US$2,337per person
Price based on Shared Room
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$6-Day Small Group China Tour to Beijing & Xi\'an, 5-star Hotels & All Tickets Included Tour$
$6-Day Small Group China Tour to Beijing & Xi\'an, 5-star Hotels & All Tickets Included - 2 destinations$
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In-depth Cultural
6-Day Small Group China Tour to Beijing & Xi'an, 5-star Hotels & All Tickets Included
5.0 (1 traveler review)
"The overall experience was excellent, and the drivers were very good."
jessica, traveled in October
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Agate Travel
30% Off
From
US$1,109per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
Winter Wonderland, Private Tour
Duration
9 days
Destinations
Beijing, Harbin
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
State
Heilongjiang
Operated in
English
Operator
TUI China
20% Off
From $4,587
US$3,670per person
Price based on Private Double Room
- Booking needs min. 2 travelers
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$Discover China\'s Silk Road - 11 Days Private Tour Tour$
$Discover China\'s Silk Road - 11 Days Private Tour - 5 destinations$
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In-depth Cultural
Discover China's Silk Road - 11 Days Private Tour
4.9 (7 traveler reviews)
"It was an exciting and memorable trip, allowing me to tick off highlights after highlights on a daily basis."
ANDREW, traveled in December
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
20% Off
From
US$2,410per person
+$730 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
12 Days China - Private Tour (Beijing/Xian/Chengdu/Guilin & Shanghai)
5.0 (3 traveler reviews)
"The combination of ancient culture in Beijing and Xi'an with the natural beauty of Guilin and the modern skyline of Shanghai was perfect."
Ashok, traveled in October
Duration
12 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Guilin, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
20% Off
From
US$3,321per person
+$450 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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$6 Days Beijing Xi\'an Group Tour Tour$
$6 Days Beijing Xi\'an Group Tour - 2 destinations$
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In-depth Cultural
6 Days Beijing Xi'an Group Tour
4.0 (2 traveler reviews)
"Awesome hospitality at both cities with lots of great memories on the places that we have visited."
Cindy, traveled in May
Duration
6 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Top China Travel
20% Off
From
US$917per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
China Best Scenery Tour 14D Small Group
4.3 (3 traveler reviews)
Duration
14 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Guilin, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Top China Travel
50% Off
From $5,710
US$2,855per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
North China Ancient Town Exploration Tour In 11 Days - Private Tour
5.0 (2 traveler reviews)
"The tour through North China's ancient towns exceeded my expectations. Highly recommend this for anyone who loves history."
Bantl, traveled in September
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Beijing, Datong, Pingyao, Xi'an, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
50% Off
From
US$2,332per person
+$850 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
11 Days China Panda Tour
4.0 (1 traveler review)
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Chengdu, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Top China Travel
50% Off
From
US$2,240per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
14 Days Highlight of China - Private Tour
5.0 (2 traveler reviews)
"The trip was wonderful in every aspect. The itinerary was carefully prepared to give us an excellent impression of the impressive China."
Frederico, traveled in March
Duration
14 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Guilin, Yangshuo, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
50% Off
From
US$7,836per person
+$730 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
A Journey China With Yangtze River Cruise in 11 days- Private Tour
5.0 (7 traveler reviews)
"Well organized and thoughtfully planned for our enjoyment and comfort."
Sinead, traveled in April
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Chongqing, Yangtze, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
River
Yangtze
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
50% Off
From
US$2,326per person
+$559 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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$8-Day Private China Tour to Beijing, Xi\'an, and Shanghai Tour$
$8-Day Private China Tour to Beijing, Xi\'an, and Shanghai - 3 destinations$
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In-depth Cultural
8-Day Private China Tour to Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai
4.8 (6 traveler reviews)
"The tour was well organized and proceeded as planned. Timely information was provided from initial booking to the completion."
Rizwan, traveled in September
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English, German,French,Spanish,Dutch+3 more
Operator
Realistic Asia
50% Off
From
US$1,817per person
+$330 local payments
Price based on Private Double Room
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$China Golden Triangle 8D Group Tour: Beijing, Xi\'an, Shanghai Tour$
$China Golden Triangle 8D Group Tour: Beijing, Xi\'an, Shanghai - 3 destinations$
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In-depth Cultural
China Golden Triangle 8D Group Tour: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
4.5 (4 traveler reviews)
"The tour was well put together. From picking up at Beijing airport to check in at the hotels."
GEORGE, traveled in June
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Top China Travel
50% Off
From
US$1,451per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
Classic 8-Day Best of China Tour: Luxury Small Group & Quality Hotel, All Inclusive
4.9 (27 traveler reviews) award winner
"Great guides, super well organized, amazing hotels. They send you a list of things to set up beforehand."
Amanda, traveled in September
Duration
8 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
TravelChinaGuide
15% Off
From $1,599
US$1,359per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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In-depth Cultural
11 Days China Natural Wonders Group Tour
4.8 (4 traveler reviews)
"Very well organised. Highly recommanded."
TUDOR, traveled in July
Duration
11 days
Destinations
Beijing, Xi'an, Zhangjiajie, Shanghai
Age Range
All Ages Welcome
Operated in
English
Operator
Top China Travel
15% Off
From
US$2,303per person
Price based on Private Double Room
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