Beijing: Top 6 Highlights All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour

Six headline sights in two days sounds rushed but it worked. The Great Wall on day one (we did the Mutianyu section, far less crowded than Badaling) and then the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and a hutong rickshaw ride. All-inclusive meant tickets and lunches were sorted, we just showed up.

Our private guide was the difference maker. She told stories about the emperors as we walked through the Forbidden City that brought it alive, and at the Temple of Heaven she demonstrated the echo wall. The Great Wall was bucket-list stuff. Two days, six icons, zero logistics stress.

Perfect for a short Beijing stop. The hutong walk and the Summer Palace lake were lovely calmer counterpoints to the grandeur of the Great Wall and Forbidden City. Everything was included so no fumbling for tickets. Guide adjusted day two slightly because of weather and it worked out perfectly.

Did this with my parents and it was ideal for them. Private car door to door, the guide always knew the closest entrances and where to sit and rest. The Great Wall has steep parts but Mutianyu has a cable car. Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven and the hutongs were gentler. Covered everything we hoped to see.

Great overview of Beijing's classics in a tight schedule. Two very full days, so be ready to walk a lot. The Great Wall morning was the standout. Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square are vast and busy. Having a knowledgeable private guide to skip confusion was well worth it.

All-inclusive really means all-inclusive here, lunches, tickets, water, private driver. We ticked off all six highlights and never opened our wallets in between. The Temple of Heaven park in the morning with locals doing tai chi was a quiet gem between the bigger sights.