All Inclusive Beijing Private Day Tour to Summer Palace and Old Summer Palace

Imperial Beijing feels surprisingly close to the city.

I like the way this private tour pairs the elegant Summer Palace with the quieter, more sorrowful ruins of the Old Summer Palace. I also like that the price includes hotel pickup, private transport, lunch, bottled water, a professional guide, and most entrance fees. The main consideration is time: the advertised tour lasts about five to six hours, yet both palace grounds deserve a slow visit, so some stops may feel brisk.

The tour costs $151.20 per person and is offered by Discover Beijing Tours. It suits you best if you want a simple day outside central Beijing without arranging taxis, tickets, and lunch yourself. A private guide also gives you room to adjust the pace and ask questions, rather than following a large group with a flag waving somewhere ahead.

Key points at a glance

• Two very different imperial sites: The Summer Palace offers restored halls, Kunming Lake, bridges, and pavilions, while Yuanmingyuan presents ruins and open garden grounds.
• A private vehicle from your hotel: Pickup and drop-off are included for hotels within Beijing’s 4th ring road.
• A traditional Chinese lunch: Food is included at a local restaurant, and you should provide dietary requirements when booking.
• Important Summer Palace sights: Expect the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, Hall of Happiness and Longevity, Long Corridor, Kunming Lake, and Qingyan Stone Boat.
• Olympic Beijing on the return: The route passes the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube from the 2008 Olympic Games.
• Helpful guide flexibility: The tour can be adjusted to your interests, and past guests especially praised guides Mike and Jack for humor, care, and practical help.

Why this private palace tour works well

Beijing has no shortage of grand sights, but the two Summer Palaces offer different kinds of history. The Summer Palace is polished and scenic, with water, hills, painted buildings, and carefully arranged views. Yuanmingyuan, also called the Old Summer Palace, is more reflective. Its gardens were destroyed during the Second Opium War in 1860, and what remains gives you a strong sense of loss as well as beauty.

I think that contrast is the tour’s best idea. You get the imperial retreat in its restored form, then see a former palace complex where ruins and natural scenery share the same space. The experience is not just a parade of attractive buildings.

The private format matters here. You travel only with your own group, guide, and driver, so you can ask for more detail at a favorite stop or move along when your feet need a break. The guide can also adjust the visit around your interests, although the supplied schedule suggests roughly two hours at each palace.

The morning begins at your central Beijing hotel. The drive to the Summer Palace takes about 45 minutes by private vehicle. That is a useful benefit in Beijing, where crossing the city can take time and public transport may not be convenient when you are carrying bags, managing children, or working around a tight sightseeing schedule.

Arriving at the Summer Palace after a 45-minute drive

The Summer Palace was first built in 1750 and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was an imperial retreat, but you will experience it mainly through its gardens, water, bridges, halls, and long covered walkways.

The first visit lasts about two hours. That sounds generous until you consider the size of the grounds and the number of important buildings packed into the route. Wear comfortable walking shoes, as the tour involves moving between several sites rather than simply entering one building.

Your guide will point out the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, a key government building where the emperor handled affairs during stays at the palace. This gives the visit some political context. The Summer Palace was not only a place for leisure, it was also a working imperial residence.

You will also see the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, associated with the living quarters of Empress Dowager Cixi. The building has a large courtyard and traditional decoration, including antiques. Since the tour does not include extra admission to museums inside the gardens, ask your guide which interior visits are covered and which require an additional ticket.

That small question can save confusion. The main entrance fee is included, but museum admission inside the gardens is not.

Walking the Long Corridor beside Kunming Lake

The Long Corridor is one of the Summer Palace’s most memorable features. It gives you a covered route beside the water and links important parts of the garden together. Painted decoration and changing views make it more than a practical walkway.

You can expect about 30 minutes here according to the planned schedule. That is enough to appreciate the corridor and take photographs, but not enough for a slow wander through every nearby path. If you enjoy garden design or photography, tell your guide early. The private format gives you a better chance of spending extra time in the places you care about.

Kunming Lake provides much of the palace’s visual appeal. Bridges, pavilions, and distant views make the water the natural center of the visit. Your guide can help you read the site as a designed imperial garden, rather than just a pleasant park.

This is also a good point to manage expectations. The Summer Palace is popular and large. Even with private transport and a private guide, you will not have the grounds to yourself. The advantage is not silence, it is having someone who can explain what you are seeing and keep the route organized.

The Qingyan Stone Boat and the palace’s grand views

The Qingyan Stone Boat, often called the Marble Boat, is a distinctive structure built in 1755. It looks like a large stone vessel resting at the edge of Kunming Lake, and it provides a good place to pause for views across the water.

The planned stop is about 10 minutes. That is short, but the stone boat works well as a brief landmark within a larger visit. You can take photographs, hear the story behind its construction, and continue without using a large part of your limited tour time.

The sequence of halls, corridor, lake, and stone boat gives the Summer Palace visit a clear rhythm. You move from government buildings to private imperial spaces, then outdoors beside the water. I like that the tour does not treat the site as a single photo stop.

Still, the schedule may feel tight if you want to see every corner. The palace complex is extensive, and the tour summary calls the experience full-day while also giving an approximate duration of five to six hours. Ask the operator about the exact pickup and return times if you want to plan another activity later that day.

Lunch at a local Chinese restaurant

After the palace visits, you stop for a typical Chinese lunch at a local restaurant. Lunch is included, which makes the $151.20 price easier to assess. You do not need to search for a restaurant between major sights, and the meal creates a natural break after several hours of walking.

The food is described as typical Chinese cuisine rather than a fixed menu. That means you should share dietary requirements when booking. The guide may also help with the meal, especially if you are unfamiliar with local dishes or ordering customs.

One of the strongest details from the supplied feedback concerns lunch. Mike, one of the guides praised for his humor and care, made an effort to take his group to a local restaurant instead of the usual tourist-oriented eateries. That does not guarantee the same restaurant or menu on every departure, but it shows why a private guide can make a difference.

I would treat lunch as a practical and cultural part of the tour, not as a restaurant excursion. The value is having a reliable meal included and getting a chance to eat Chinese food in a local setting.

Yuanmingyuan, where ruins tell a harder story

The afternoon visit takes you to the Old Summer Palace, known as Yuanmingyuan Park. It was a vast imperial garden complex laid out in the 18th century, with lakes, bridges, pavilions, and extensive grounds.

Unlike the restored Summer Palace, Yuanmingyuan is closely tied to destruction. Anglo-French forces destroyed the complex during the Second Opium War in 1860. The surviving ruins and garden setting give the place a different mood from the polished halls you saw earlier.

Plan on about two hours here. You will see natural scenery mixed with remains of the former palace complex, while your guide explains what happened to the site. The visit is valuable because it adds historical weight to the day. You are not only admiring imperial design, you are also considering war, cultural loss, and the way a ruined site is remembered.

The drawback is that Yuanmingyuan may be less immediately satisfying if your main goal is grand interiors and fully restored buildings. Its appeal depends more on atmosphere, open grounds, ruins, and the story your guide provides. If you prefer intact architecture, the Summer Palace will likely be your favorite stop.

The two-hour visit also requires walking. The tour advises comfortable shoes and operation in all weather, so dress for the forecast and be ready for sun, rain, or cooler conditions.

The Bird’s Nest and Water Cube on the way back

On the return to Beijing, the vehicle passes the site of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. You will see the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube, two instantly recognizable sports venues.

This is a brief sightseeing addition rather than a stadium tour. The itinerary says you pass by the buildings, so do not expect an interior visit or a long Olympic-themed stop. Still, the contrast is useful. In one day, you move from imperial architecture to modern Beijing’s most famous sporting landmarks.

The Olympic venues also break up the palace-heavy schedule. If you are interested in architecture or recent Chinese history, have your camera ready. The exact amount of time available for photographs is not specified, so think of this as a viewing opportunity from the route rather than a separate attraction.

What the $151.20 price includes

At $151.20 per person, this is not the cheapest way to see the two palaces. It is also not a simple entry-ticket purchase. The cost includes:

• Hotel pickup and drop-off for hotels within the 4th ring road
• Private transport
• A professional guide
• Entrance fees for the main tour sites
• Lunch
• Bottled water
• A private tour for your group only

That bundle gives the price real value if you want door-to-door service and a guide who can explain the sites. It is especially useful for a first Beijing visit, a family group, or anyone who does not want to work out transport between two large garden complexes.

The value is weaker if you are happy using public transport, eating independently, and exploring without historical explanation. You are paying for convenience, time management, and personal attention as much as for admission.

Group discounts are offered, but the exact terms are not provided. Since the per-person price may change with group size, check the total before booking.

Guides Mike and Jack set a useful standard

Two guide names appear in the supplied feedback: Mike and Jack. Mike was praised for humor, flexibility, and making an effort to find a more local restaurant. Jack was praised for a good sense of humor, photography help, and staying energetic during a much longer day that included the Summer Palace.

Those details are useful because they tell you what to hope for from the private format. A good guide here is not just someone who points toward a hall. You want someone who can explain the imperial buildings, help with photos, respond to food needs, and adjust the pace.

Guide assignments can vary, so Mike and Jack should not be treated as guaranteed. Still, their strengths match the needs of this tour: the palaces are spread out, the history can be complex, and lunch is more enjoyable when someone can guide you toward a suitable choice.

Who should book this Beijing tour?

I would recommend it to you if you want to see both Summer Palaces in one organized outing. It is also a good choice if you value private transport, a hotel pickup, and a guide who can tailor the day to your interests.

Families and small groups may find the private arrangement especially convenient. You can keep your own pace, avoid waiting for strangers, and discuss dietary needs before lunch. The tour also works for first-time visitors who want major historical sites without handling every ticket and transfer themselves.

I would think twice if you want a slow, independent day. Five to six hours is not much for two large palace grounds, lunch, and the Olympic venues. You may need to accept a focused route rather than a complete exploration.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Changes or cancellations made less than 24 hours before departure are not accepted for a refund.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want efficient private sightseeing with the main costs bundled together. The pairing of the restored Summer Palace and the ruined Yuanmingyuan is strong, and the private guide gives the day more flexibility than a large group outing.

Skip it if you prefer to move slowly, spend hours in museums, or choose your own restaurants and transport. Before booking, confirm your hotel lies within the 4th ring road, share any dietary needs, and ask how much time will be available for each palace. For most visitors seeking a practical introduction to imperial Beijing, the combination of scenery, history, lunch, and door-to-door transport makes this a solid choice.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The approximate duration is five to six hours. The schedule includes about two hours at the Summer Palace and two hours at the Old Summer Palace, along with driving, lunch, and the Olympic venue pass-by.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included for hotels within Beijing’s 4th ring road.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates, and transport is provided by private vehicle.

Which major sites are included?

The tour visits the Summer Palace, the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity, the Hall of Happiness and Longevity, the Long Corridor, the Qingyan Stone Boat, and the Old Summer Palace. It also passes the Bird’s Nest and Water Cube.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at a local restaurant is included, along with bottled water. You should provide any dietary requirements when booking.

Are entrance fees included?

The main entrance fee is included. Additional admission to museums inside the gardens is not included.

What should I wear?

The tour operates in all weather conditions, so dress appropriately for the forecast. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

Can I cancel the tour for a refund?

You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start time are not accepted for a refund.