Day 1Private Chengde Day Tour from Beijing by First Class Bullet Train

Your Beijing driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby at approximately 7:00 AM on the day of your travel and transfer you to Beijing Chao Yang Railway Station, where you will board the train to Chengde (about 1 hour).

Upon arrival in Chengde, you will be greeted by your private guide and driver in Chengde at the railway station, who will be holding a sign with your name. From there, you will proceed directly to visit Chengde Summer Resort with your professional guide.  The UNESCO-listed Imperial Summer Resort was constructed by Qing Emperor Kangxi in 1703 as a retreat from the scorching summers of the Forbidden City. This gloriously landscaped summer resort took almost a century to complete.  There are more than 800 deer raised here, adding a wild element to the resort.  Quaint and solemn palaces are harmoniously integrated with picturesque natural landscapes, an effect of returning to nature (about 2 hours).

After finishing the local lunch, visit the Putuo Zongcheng Temple, also called "lesser Potala Palace," set against a backdrop of piney hills just to the north of the Imperial Summer Resort.  The temple was built for visiting heads of various Tibetan and Mongolian tribes who came to celebrate Emperor Qianlong’s 60th birthday; it was hoped they would feel more at home with a familiar sight.  When you enter the first gate, you can smell the whiff of incense, and heading up the stairs you’re slowly transported to Lhasa.  The Potala is one of the finest architectural gems around, even if only in imitation.  The view from the top of the temple is stunning (about 1.5 hours).

Then, drive to the Temple of Universal Peace (Puning Temple). The highlight of this temple is the enchanting golden statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Mercy. At 22m tall and with 42 arms, her statue is a figure that’s not easily forgotten. Climb a ladder to get a closer look at the Bodhisattva, one of the most stunning statues of its kind. Emperor Qianlong built the temple to commemorate his victory over Mongolian tribes and mixes Han Chinese and Tibetan ethnic styles.

After the tour, you will be transferred to Chengde railway station to catch the bullet train back to Beijing. Upon arrival at Beijing railway station, you will meet your Beijing driver again, who will take you back to your hotel.

Please note:  We will pre-book the bullet train tickets for you. Simply show your passport to the staff at the station to proceed through the ticketing process smoothly.