Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle to the Shilinxia Scenic Area, also called the Jingdong Grand Canyon. Along the way, head into the rolling hills northeast of the city and listen as your guide shares stories about the Stone Gorge and the Shilinxia Platform. After approximately 2 hours' journey, arrive at the Shilinxia gateway and admire the strangely shaped rock formations. Then, ride a cable car (own expense) up the gorge's highest mountain. On arrival, take in the spectacular, circular glass platform protruding about 107 feet (32.8 meters) from the mountainside and suspended about 1,300 feet (400 meters) up. Don the shoe covers and walk onto the glass, absorbing the incredible views to the gorge base and across to Jinhai Lake and Mount Pan.
Afterward, savor lunch at a Chinese restaurant before making the roughly 1.5-hour journey to Beijing Ming City Wall Park. Drink in the park's peaceful atmosphere and see its showpiece: the last remaining, and restored section of the 15th-century wall that once encircled Beijing. Admire the 1.2-mile (2-kilometer) Ming-era edifice, noting its brickwork and bullet holes, and climb the Southeast Corner Watchtower, complete with 144 arrow windows, as your guide outlines its history.
Another option of the tour is to drive back Beijing to explore the atmospheric 798 Art District. Spend the afternoon browsing the many art studios, boutiques, and coffee shops, and admiring the many street art works and sculptures.
