1-Day Beijing Cuandixia Ancient Village Tour
This tour combines a morning cooking class with a Hutong tour. Learn to cook local dishes, then explore the narrow lanes and historic courtyards to experience the local way of life. Savor your creations and immerse yourself in the culture for an authentic taste of Hutong charm.
Tour Duration: Maximum 8 hours
Price Per Person in US Dollars
- 1. Book now and benefit from our free cancellation policy: receive a full refund if you cancel up to three days before the experience start time (local time).
- 2. You will receive your booking confirmation email within 24 hours of our receipt of your payment.
Highlights
- Wander through the village's narrow, stone-paved lanes and explore its nooks and crannies to experience its ancient atmosphere.
- Chat with villagers about their daily routines and the village’s history to gain insights into rural culture.
- Taste farm-style local dishes at a village restaurant and savor the fresh, homegrown ingredients and traditional flavors.
Tour Itinerary
Your English-speaking tour guide and a driver will meet you at the lobby of your Beijing hotel at 8:30 AM. They will be holding a sign with your name, ensuring a smooth and easy meet-up.
Depart from Beijing and head west towards the village, which is approximately 90 kilometers away. The journey takes around 2.5 hours, during which you can enjoy the changing scenery from the cityscape to the rural and mountainous areas of Beijing's outskirts.
Upon arrival at Cuandixia Ancient Village, start your exploration. Walk along the ancient stone-paved lanes, and feel as if you've stepped back in time. The village is nestled in a valley, surrounded by mountains and forests, offering a peaceful and idyllic setting.
Visit the 70 well-conserved courtyard houses. Notice the exquisite brick carvings, wooden engravings, and stone sculptures on the buildings, which showcase the high-level craftsmanship of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Climb to the viewing platform on the opposite hill. From here, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire village. The layout of the village in the shape of a "golden ingot" or a "gourd" becomes more apparent, symbolizing good fortune and prosperity in Chinese culture.
After the exploration, head to a local restaurant in the village for a delicious farm-style lunch. The menu will feature a variety of local specialties, such as "stir-fried local vegetables," which are fresh and full of flavor, "roasted chicken with local herbs," and "handmade noodles with special sauce." The food is prepared using traditional cooking methods and locally sourced ingredients, giving you a true taste of the countryside.
After lunch, continue to explore other parts of the village that you may have missed in the morning. Visit the local cultural center (if available), where you can learn more about the history, customs, and folk arts of the village through exhibitions and displays. You might see traditional handicrafts like paper-cutting, embroidery, or local musical instruments.
Exhibitions and Displays in the Local Family
At 4:00 PM board the private vehicle for the return journey to your hotel in Beijing.
What's Included
- Entrance fees
- Private transfers
- Private English-speaking guide
- Service charges & taxes
Important Info
- Departure point: hotel in Beijing
- Return details: returns to the original departure point
- Guide languages: English
- The price of this tour will rise during the China National Day holiday (September 30th to October 7th) and the Chinese New Year holiday.
Good to Know
- This is a private tour. The local private English-speaking guide will serve your group only.
- You will receive a confirmation letter within 24 hours of making your payment.
- Your guide will contact you in the evening (Your guide will call you at around 18:00. If you missed your guide’s phone call, he or she will send you a short message) before your tour and confirm the exact pick-up time according to your preference.
- Your guide will pick you up in your hotel lobby on the tour date at the appointed time.
- There is absolutely no forced shopping.