Beijing & Ulaanbaatar Essense

Starting in Beijing, this tour covers all the best attractions in this capital city of China. It is also the best place to learn the rich history and modern looks of China. After, we will arrange you a train ride to Ulaanbaatar to continue the sightseeing there. The train ride will be long, but interesting and unforgettable thanks to the changing picturesque scenery outside. 

Today, as you land in Beijing Capital or Daxing Airport as scheduled, our local guide will pick you up on time and then escort you to the hotel by the private car. Our guide can also meet you at the railway station if you arrive by train. After check-in, the guide will discuss with you about the pick-up time tomorrow and say goodbye. The rest of the day is for your own arrangements. You may take advantage of it to recover from the jetlag or get the first impression of the city on your own. 

Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

At the appointed time, the guide will meet you at the hotel lobby and then escort you to Tiananmen Square. It is not only the geographical center of the city, but also the “heart” of China. We will take a stroll there, then walk all the way north to visit the Forbidden City, the once political center of China where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911) handled state affairs. 

Around noon, the guide will be glad to recommend you some restaurants and yummy dishes for you to taste authentic Chinese food at your own cost. In the afternoon, continue to visit the Temple of Heaven, an aesthetic UNESCO World Heritage Site to learn the heaven worship culture in ancient China.

Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

This day, we will escape from the city to suburb to admire a famous section of the Great Wall – Mutianyu. It takes about 2 hours to drive there. We will arrange the round way cable car for you to go up and down to save you energy. After appreciating the Great Wall traversing along the mountain ridges, return back to downtown. On the way, drive by the Bird's Nest (Olympic National Stadium) and see its appearance at a distance. 

Getting back, the guide will lead you to visit a local market and the Hutong area to experience the life of locals. At the end of the day, send you back to the hotel. 

Go to bed early today because you need to get up early tomorrow to catch the train to Ulaanbaatar, departing at 07:27 in the early morning. 
Meals: Western buffet breakfast
Accommodation: Beijing New World Centre Tongpai Hotel

Today, our guide will escort you to the railway station on time, for you to take the train to Ulaanbaatar. The coming rail journey will be long, but not boring, because the changing scenery outside the window will unveil in front of you like rolling pictures. Meals will be on your own. There is a food carriage onboard providing dishes. If you do not want to go there, buy box meals or some snacks from the moving food trolleys to feed yourself. At around 20:00, this trans-Mongolia train will arrive at the Chinese border city Erlian for a 6 to 11-hour stop to change the wheels. After, the officials will come to help you complete the customs and immigration procedures before entering Mongolia.

How to Take the Train to Ulaanbaatar
At the entrance to Beijing Railway Station, you need to go through the security check. After, follow the direction signs to the waiting hall specialized for passengers going to take international trains. While waiting there, listen to the bilingual broadcasting carefully, so as to have the ticket checked on time; after, follow the direction signs again to the platform and get onboard. Put the luggage on the luggage shelf and sit down to enjoy the coming rail journey. 

Wheel Change in Erlian
Because of the different railway gauges of two countries, before leaving China, the train will be moved into a large workshop to have the wheels changed. If you are interested in this, stay onboard to have a look. However, the toilets will be locked during the whole process. Please do prepare for this.

It is also OK to get off, buy some fruits at the station or use the station toilets. But once you get off, you may not be allowed to get on again until the wheel change is completed. So, please take all your valuables and warm clothes with you. After the train is moved back to its track, passengers are allowed to get on again. 
Meals: Boxed Breakfast
Accommodation: Overnight hard sleeper train

After a 28-hour train journey, you will arrive in Ulaanbaatar Railway Station at 14:35. Our local guide will be waiting for you there and transfer you to the hotel to settle down. The rest of the day will be left for your own plan. After check-in, you may take a shower in the room, have a short break and go out to get familiar with the city. 

Accommodation: Ramada Ulaanbaatar City Center

Today’s escorted tour will start with a brief introduction about Ulaanbaatar and Mongolia at the hotel lobby. Then, the guide will accompany you to set off. The first stop will be the biggest Tibetan Buddhism temple in the country - Gandan Monastery, followed by Bogda Khan Palace Museum, where the Tibetan Buddhism leader of Mongolia once lived and held religious activities. 

After lunch, we'll drive to Zaishan Hill Memorial where you can overlook the whole Ulaanbaatar City. The last stop of today will be Sukhbaatar Square in city center encircled by many landmark buildings. In the end, send you back to the hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ramada Ulaanbaatar City Center

Our sightseeing itinerary will end here. The last service included in this tour will be a private transfer to airport or railway station. Then, you may either continue to explore other parts of Mongolia or hop on the trans-Siberia train to Russia. If you need more of our service, please feel free to contact us any time. We will be glad to provide you more sightseeing service or help you with the train ticket booking. 

Meals: Breakfast