Use this itinerary for planning ideas. Confirm current availability, prices and arrangements with the operator before booking.
Five days allow a Beijing visit with less pressure to combine major attractions. This itinerary is for older travellers who value a measured pace, while recognising that interests and walking ability vary widely. It assumes arrival on day one and departure on day five, leaving three full days for the imperial city, the Great Wall and gardens or a museum.
Day one: settle into a convenient base
Choose the hotel by its practical details: room and bathroom access, steps at the entrance, lifts where needed and places to eat nearby. A courtyard property can be attractive but should be checked for the access you require. Keep the first evening easy after travelling.
Confirm how the airport or station meeting works and leave sightseeing off the arrival transfer unless you know you will want it. Unpredictable delays are easier to manage when the first day has no fixed museum appointment.
Day two: imperial architecture with room for pauses
Begin with your arranged central-city visit and the Forbidden City. Follow a selective palace route, including only the collections you most want to see. Have a seated lunch and consider the walking already completed before adding another stop.
The Temple of Heaven is a suitable afternoon choice for imperial ritual architecture and its surrounding park. Alternatively, choose a confirmed session at the Capital Museum for an interest in Beijing's cultural history. Giving one place proper attention is better than crossing the city to rush through both.
A roast-duck dinner or a currently operating performance can be arranged for the evening, but keep the choice optional. The end of a good sightseeing day may simply be an early return to the hotel.
Day three: a measured Mutianyu outing
Discuss the wall approach, any lift and the remaining stairs with the planner. Decide on a comfortable ridge distance and a turnaround point before starting. A lift is a way to reduce part of the climb, not a promise of step-free access to every viewpoint.
Make time for lunch and the road journey, then return without another compulsory monument. If the group is energetic, a brief street-level Shichahai stroll can be added. Keep the pace of the least comfortable walker in mind, or agree separate short and longer options with a clear meeting point.
Day four: Summer Palace and a chosen interest
Use the morning for the Summer Palace's lake and Long Corridor, with optional climbing only if you want it. Select a practical entrance and exit to reduce backtracking. Boats depend on their own operating conditions and should not be essential to the day's success.
The Summer Palace beside Kunming Lake. Photograph: Tour Beijing.
After lunch choose the Lama Temple, the Capital Museum if not visited, or an outside view of the Olympic landmarks. These are alternatives, not a requirement to fit all three. Anyone particularly interested in city planning can substitute a currently confirmed exhibition, with the location and date checked first.
Day five: a calm departure
Keep breakfast, packing and the terminal journey straightforward. A late departure may allow a local walk; a distant attraction should not put the transfer under pressure. The four-day version is useful if your journeys leave less sightseeing time.
Arrange according to your needs
Tour Beijing is associated with Beijing Page. Discuss its five-day options using your actual walking preferences, rest intervals and access needs. Confirm admission dates with the Palace Museum, and request the hotel nights, lifts, transfers, meals and cancellation conditions in a current written proposal. Keep one part of the stay flexible for weather or a slower day.