PandaRoads Custom Itinerary · Client S.M. & J.M. (USA)
Beijing in 3 Days: Imperial Classics + Hutong Food Deep-Dive
📋 Before you land — done-for-you checklist: Alipay set up with your Visa card (page 4 instructions) · eSIM activated · Forbidden City tickets booked for Oct 15, 8:30am slot (confirmation #attached) · Airport Express route mapped from PEK T3 to your hotel.
Day 1 — Tuesday, Oct 14 · Arrival & Orientation
Theme: Land soft, eat well, sleep early
3:40pm
Land at PEK T3. Take Airport Express (¥25/person, 20 min) to Dongzhimen, then taxi to hotel (~¥30). Tip: show the driver the Chinese address on page 2 — we've pre-translated it.
6:30pm
Dinner at Siji Minfu (Wangfujing branch). Peking duck at half the price of Da Dong, where locals actually go. We call ahead for a 6:30 table — arrive hungry, order the crispy skin with sugar first.
8:00pm
Walk off jet lag: 40-min stroll through Wangfujing snack street → back to hotel. No big activities today — tomorrow is the big one.
Day 2 — Wednesday, Oct 15 · The Icons
Theme: Forbidden City + Temple of Heaven, timed to beat 80,000 daily visitors
7:00am
Breakfast at hotel — or grab jianbing from the cart at Dengshikou (¥8, our exact pick marked on your map).
8:30am
Forbidden City (tickets booked, ¥60 each). Enter at Meridian Gate. Route on page 6 skips the 5 crowded halls and hits the Treasure Gallery + Clock Gallery — the parts 90% of tourists miss. 3 hours.
12:00pm
Lunch: Zhili Weifang, a 200-year-old courtyard restaurant 8 min walk from the exit. Order the imperial set menu for 2 (¥260).
2:30pm
Temple of Heaven (¥34). Go straight to the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, then the Echo Wall. Locals play mahjong in the east gardens around 3pm — worth 20 minutes just to watch.
7:00pm
Dinner: Xinjiang Red Rose Restaurant (cumin lamb + naan, ~¥120 for two). Evening free — hotel rooftop optional.
Day 3 — Thursday, Oct 16 · Great Wall + Hutong Farewell
Theme: One wall section done right, then hutong dinner you'll talk about for years
7:30am
Depart for Mutianyu Great Wall via our booked driver (¥480 round trip, split-ready). 1h20 drive. We chose Mutianyu over Badaling: 1/5 the crowds, cable car + toboggan slide down.
9:00am-1:00pm
Wall hike: Tower 6 → Tower 20 route (the photogenic stretch). Cable car up, toboggan down (¥140 each). Lunch at base: dumplings, ¥60.
4:30pm
Back in city: Nanluoguxiang → Yandai Xiejie hutong walk. Your map marks 3 artisan shops + the rooftop bar with the Drum Tower view.
7:30pm
Farewell dinner: Da Dong (Jinbao Tower) — the refined end of Peking duck, budget ~¥400 for two. We book this one too; ask for the window table facing CCTV Tower.
Budget Summary (2 travelers, 3 days)
| Category | Estimated | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels (3★-4★, Dongcheng district) | $95/night | 2 options shortlisted on page 9 with booking links |
| Food & drink | $45/day/person | All 6 restaurant picks pre-vetted |
| Attraction tickets | $55/person total | Forbidden City pre-booked by us |
| Transport (metro + Wall driver) | $95 total | Driver arranged, price locked |
| Trip total (excl. flights) | ~$1,010 | Within your $1,100 target |
💬 Plus during your trip: 24/7 WeChat support. Stuck reading a menu? Send a photo. Lost at a subway transfer? Send location. We reply in minutes — in English.
— Sample document. Actual plans are 12-20 pages, fully personalized to your dates, budget, diet, and pace. —