Mid-Autumn Holiday – Beijing Hardcore Hiking Trip, 5 Days of Pure Fun

📍 Beijing · 👁 7985 reads · ❤️ 59 likes

As someone from Liaoning, 北京 is like a backyard garden I can wander to anytime. I've lost count of the times I went to hang out with classmates, eating and drinking, but I never really toured the 故宫 or the 长城 in detail. I always felt I could just buy a train ticket and go whenever I wanted. Yet, the easier the access, the less you treasure the sights in front of you. It wasn't until I moved to 上海 for work that 北京 suddenly felt so far away. And the 故宫 became that much more enchanting.

北京, the capital. For most people, it’s surely a lifetime-must-visit. If you’re short on time, then absolutely visit the 国家博物馆 and the 故宫~ These places make every Chinese person proud and marvel at the wisdom and exquisite craftsmanship of ancient China.

北京环球影城 was a last-minute addition, on the very last day.

The scenic spots and accommodations recorded in this travelogue are all based on personal experience. Opinions are solely my own.

The photos were taken with much effort—please do not steal them. If sharing, please credit the source.

2021.9.19 ~ 2021.9.25

Last time I wrote a travelogue I wished the pandemic would end soon. I still hold the same wish now.

1. During the pandemic, search for 北京健康宝 on WeChat and register your info. Every single day, at every scenic spot, and even every restaurant, you'll need to scan the 北京健康宝 code for check-in.

2. Download the 亿通行 app in advance – it can be used for 北京 subways and buses, and also lets you view subway route maps, very convenient.

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Day1: 上海 ---- 北京东方航空 MU5105 10:00 ~ 12:15

The weather wasn't on our side. Although we arrived at noon, the heavy rain that day completely disrupted the day's plans.

The 全季酒店 (西单 store) we booked was still being cleaned when we got there. So we wandered around the shopping malls near 西单.

I had planned a whole list of local 北京 delicacies, but our first meal ended up being Hunan rice noodles – we called it 'rekindling an old flame'~ Not sure if this can become a ritual: every new journey begins with a meal that rekindles an old flame q(≧▽≦q)

For some reason, I'd been craving braised beef noodles recently, and this time I finally scratched the itch.

After checking in at the hotel, it was already past 4 pm. I had made evening plans with an old friend I hadn't seen for ages, so we decided to skip sightseeing for today and just rest well~ Hotel gripe: the smallest 全季 hotel room I've ever stayed in. I probably grumbled every day about the double bed being only 1.5m wide. No disposable toiletries; we had to go to the front desk every day just to get toothpaste and toothbrushes. Even with the 'please clean' sign hung, we came back to find only the duvet tidied up. Tissue box not refilled, still messy. They'd also forget to replenish mineral water and shower gel...

Hotel praise: though I complained daily about the tiny bed, the mattresses and pillows in the zero-pressure room were soooo comfortable! Folks, if you book at 全季 and they have a zero-pressure room, definitely choose that. Just pay attention to the bed size first. When I first entered, I thought they'd given us the wrong room. But they did label it as a 1.5m bed. Lesson learned – next time I'll look more carefully~

It was still pouring rain~ Chatted with good friends late into the night~ After scamming a luxurious Western dinner, we headed back to rest~ Looking forward to tomorrow's 国博 trip~

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Day2: 国家博物馆

Tickets: Free, enter with ID card, need to reserve through the WeChat mini program one week in advance.

Transport: Get off at 天安门东 on Line 1. (There'll be a temporary ID check upon exiting the subway.)

Security: The security check at 国家博物馆 is stricter than at airports. Someone's flashy power bank was forcibly checked in. Hahaha.

Food: There's a dining area inside the 国博, but it's mostly self-heating rice and some snacks.

After stringent security, we finally entered the 国家博物馆. Once inside, the only word is 'awe' – no, truly awe-inspiring! I've visited a few museums myself, but none compare to the grandeur of the 国家博物馆. Coming to 国博, you truly feel the nation's majesty and magnificence. I Baidu-ed it: 国博 is the world's largest single-building museum and one of the richest in Chinese cultural relics, with a total floor area of nearly 200,000 square meters, over a million artifacts, and 48 exhibition halls. Many national treasures you see in history textbooks are collected here.

We started from B1, which begins with primitive societies and gradually proceeds through the course of Chinese history, displaying classic artifacts from each dynasty. It gathers authentic masterpieces from museums across all regions of China – almost like a table of contents for Chinese history.

I remember when I was in school, the history book called it '司母戊鼎'; now it's been renamed '后母戊鼎'. Lean closer, and you can see the delicate pan-dragon pattern carved on it. This is one of those relics forbidden from being exhibited abroad ~ To see the genuine article, only at 国博~

There are many tour guides in the museum, and their explanations are very detailed. Not just reciting from scripts, but telling stories in an engaging way. Many of the guides were middle-aged men with authentic 北京 accents, some even holding history books while telling stories and explaining the contents to kids around them – so lively and interesting. (If I could have come here during my school days and met a guide like that, I'm sure my history grades would have rocketed~ haha)

▼ Painted Bronze Goose-Fish Lamp (彩绘雁鱼青铜釭灯)

As we toured, I eavesdropped on explanations everywhere. Whenever I saw an object I'd read about in history books, I'd step up for a careful look. Walking along I'd exclaim: Huh?? This was in the book! q(≧▽≦q) Look closely, this wild goose really has colors on its body. And the feathers are carved with such fine detail.

▼ Sanxingdui Mask

This is the recently super-popular bronze mask from 三星堆~

▼ Gold-and-Silver Inlaid Cloud-Pattern Bronze Rhinoceros Zun (错金银云纹青铜犀牛尊)

Magnify and look closely at the cloud patterns on this rhino – truly exquisite~ I came back and looked at it many times. And according to the audio guide, because during the Warring States period rhinoceros hide was used for warrior equipment, in the Guanzhong area, by the late Western Han Dynasty, rhinoceroses had already become extinct.

▼ Ceremonial Scene Bronze Cowry Container (诅盟场面青铜贮贝器)

This one is also very interesting – it depicts a sacrificial ceremony, with houses and 127 human figures on top. Inside the room is a high priest, surrounded by large drums. There are men bound hand and foot awaiting execution, women holding sacrificial items – various postures, incredibly lifelike.

In front of each exhibit there's a QR code for explanations. 国博 is also a place you can visit alone. Walk slowly, savor every detail.

The entire B1 floor is the Ancient China Exhibition Hall. It took us 4 hours just to finish it (and we didn't examine every single piece). Once out of the ancient exhibition, my legs were no longer my legs, and the soles of my feet were no longer my soles.

Above the 1st floor there are still many exhibition halls, impossible to see them all one by one. My top recommendation is the memorial exhibition hall of the founding ceremony of the People's Republic.

Inside, there are the ceremonial cannons used on the day of the founding ceremony, the national emblem and flag from that time, and the floor-standing microphone Chairman Mao used at the ceremony.

A whole day at 国家博物馆 still feels not enough~

Day3: 慕田峪长城

I asked friends in 北京 beforehand, and none really recommended 八达岭. So we quietly refunded the 八达岭 tickets.

慕田峪长城 is also a 5A scenic spot, very far from the city center. Booking a day-trip bus on Ctrip was very convenient.

Transport: Exit at 前门 subway station; there's a 北京 tourist transportation center. Buses there go directly to 慕田峪长城.

Tickets: Tickets can be bought on Ctrip or from the guide on the bus, same price.

The guide gave a detailed explanation of how to tour 慕田峪长城. Because at 慕田峪长城, you don't start climbing right when you enter the scenic area. You first need to take a scenic shuttle to near the cable car area, then purchase a cable car ride up, and then you start touring the wall.

The cable cars are a bit of a trap. Two companies have built cable cars at the middle section of the wall, and tickets are not interchangeable. So you can only go back the way you came. You can't descend without backtracking.

A quick intro to the two tour routes:

A: East Route. Take the cable car up to Watchtower No.6, then visit in order: 6-5-4-3-2-1. To descend, you can either go back to No.6 and take the cable car down, or take the toboggan slide from No.6. This route has steeper steps and is harder to climb. Recommended for younger visitors. The slide is really quite fun~

B: West Route. Take the enclosed cable car up and down, no slide. The cable car goes up to Watchtower No.15. Visit in the order 15-14-13-12-11... then return the same way.

If you want to avoid backtracking, you'd need to buy one-way tickets. But the cable car round trip is 120, while one way is 100. (Very crafty pricing.) Decide for yourself~ Buying on the tourist bus costs the same as at the ticket window. We went for convenience and bought right on the bus – it was very handy, no extra fees or promotions.

We naturally chose the East Route~ After all, the slide was very tempting~

Before climbing, lots of preparations... Another bowl of beef noodles! Someone also had to take a 'hero's dump'! And buy some candied chestnuts? Ugh... By the time all that was done, the scenic area was already getting crowded~ Tourist buses just kept coming one after another. No worries~ Once you're on the wall, you're a hero; no rush, take it slow~

▼ The East Route cable car is open-air~

Below were chestnut trees, full of fuzzy chestnuts~ Hurry up, hurry up~ I'm off to become a hero!

Off the cable car! First, a Great Wall ice cream for the obligatory photo check-in!

That azure sky, those snowy clouds~ As if the rain from the previous two days never existed. Okay okay, photos done, now eat up!

It was the Mid-Autumn holiday, but the crowd really wasn't bad. Just think of the news images of 八达岭长城 's holiday madness, and I'm glad we chose 慕田峪~

We headed toward Watchtower No.1 in tour order. Right after stepping onto the wall, stunning views everywhere~

For a holiday, this pedestrian flow was really sparse~

At each watchtower we rested. Looking out from inside the towers gave a special kind of view~

Maybe due to the season, the path was lined with long centipedes everywhere... Watch your step. I won't post a photo of them. shiver.jpg

Many places had very steep steps – going up felt like facing a wall. Could only literally 'crawl' on the Great Wall.

We met many little cats along the wall~ Granted, most were encountered in the morning. By midday with more people, the kitties disappeared~ Probably all full and off to sleep~

The wall snakes along the mountain contours. Standing at a height, all the beauty was within sight – truly not enough of it~

[Here, insert a group photo of the family]

One last photo to wrap up~

Return trip by bus, with a stop at the 鸟巢 and terminating at 前门. We were all so tired we fell asleep~ Being the last day of a short holiday, traffic was still jammed.

For dinner, we again mooched off a good friend's traditional 北京 copper hotpot – huge satisfaction!

After dinner, we strolled over to the 鸟巢 and 水立方 for a walk to aid digestion~ Perhaps due to the pandemic, it was eerily quiet.

Day4: 故宫博物院

The long-awaited 故宫 had finally come! My last visit was during my primary school days~ Back then I didn't understand what 故宫 was, nor how amazing its artifacts were. But as a little girl, I knew the Eight-Nation Alliance were bad guys who burned our 圆明园 and plundered treasures from 故宫! My memory only goes as far as Dad telling me the villains scraped the gold off the lion with their bayonets. (Patriotism nurtured since childhood.)

I always wished for a chance to calm my mind and properly revisit 故宫~ And now my wish was finally fulfilled.

I deliberately chose a workday to visit, hoping it'd be less crowded (I was too naive). We should have gotten there early in the morning, but waking up early was just too hard...

Tickets: Be sure to book one week in advance. Can use Ctrip or the official website. I bought tickets that included the 珍宝馆 and 钟表馆 – totally worth it from personal experience. Enter by scanning ID card – no paper tickets. (A bit of a pity for someone who likes to keep ticket stubs.)

Transport: Subway to 天安门东 or 天安门西, then enter via the 午门 (Meridian Gate).

I had watched lots of Douyin (TikTok) tips from bloggers, but once inside 故宫, I couldn't recall a single one. Crowds everywhere, plus many young ladies doing artistic photo shoots. Flipped through saved Douyin on the spot. Forget it... follow the audio guide and go wherever we wanted.

Audio guides can be rented at the entrance. If you don't have a guide, rent one. The audio guide is excellent – a map on the back highlights key spots. Every time you reach an important location, it plays automatically. We chose the voice of Teacher 王刚~ (felt like 和珅 giving a tour of his office, haha)

Let's start at the 午门~

午门 – I bet everyone thinks of the same line: 'Drag him out of the 午门 and behead him!' But actually, executions didn't happen at 午门. 午门 was just the royal main gate: 'drag out the gate to behead' – meaning dragged all the way to 菜市口.

There are often exhibitions on the 午门 itself. Check the official website or mini program in advance; some exhibitions need separate reservation. This time there happened to be a Dunhuang exhibition.

Personally, for friends coming from far away, I'd recommend devoting as much time as possible to 故宫. If you only have one day, time is really tight. Unless you're desperate to see a specific exhibition, I'd suggest skipping it. (Just my personal opinion, not necessarily the right one~)

Found a shooting angle from Douyin – but by the time we got in it was already packed... Too many people doing artistic photos around. I saw several 'emperors' walking by (～￣▽￣)～

Could only take pictures of the roofs for now.

Not bad at all~ Those roof guardians are just adorable, aren't they~

The audio guide automatically played at every scenic spot. So actually, you could just take it easy and go wherever the mood takes you.

Next is the 'cloud dragon relief' white marble staircase of the 太和殿. The central relief is carved from a single block of white marble. The heaviest piece is said to be over 200 tons. Eavesdropped on a guide's explanation: in winter, they'd dig wells along the transport route, pour water to form ice, then place the stone on logs to slide it into the palace.

太和殿 – the largest of the three main halls. This is the 'Hall of Golden Throne'! But it wasn't used for daily court sessions; it was for grand ceremonies.

This is a panorama I managed to snap near closing time~ Taking photos when it's empty feels amazing!

Around 太和殿, find the right angle, and it's seriously beautiful. The ones with watermarks I picked out to post on my WeChat Moments~ heehee.

There are also cranes~ symbols of longevity~

And a sundial~ (This angle... blame my lack of height T T)

Outside the hall there are gilded bronze water vats for firefighting~ Supposedly one vat cost 100 taels of gold. Those scratch marks are from the Eight-Nation Alliance’s bayonets! I recall that history lesson when the teacher talked about the invasion and the whole class was seething. Ah~ youth~

Moving on~ When buying tickets, there's the '钟表馆' and '珍宝馆' requiring extra fees. Don't think these are optional. You MUST visit them!

All kinds of beautifully designed, intricately crafted clocks.

Yes, all gilded.

Exquisite giant clocks and treasures fill the halls. Just when you think THIS must be the museum's highlight... another one always pops up!

This is my absolute favorite – the armillary sphere... gilded + studded with pearls + can rotate + corresponds to constellations + solar terms + stars... incredible. For me, THIS is the museum's treasure without a doubt!

Every piece is a masterpiece, truly impossible to take them all in.

Gold? What's that... oh... in the 珍宝馆, it's just ordinary metal. Way too ordinary...

Is gold even a precious metal anymore...

That craftsmanship, those details...

After 珍宝馆, we roamed at whim~ arrived at 乾清门 (Gate of Heavenly Purity). Again, that gilded bronze lion~

Oh, that famous drainage system of 故宫! Everybody's seen it on the news, right~

Passed by the Nine-Dragon Screen. Too long to capture; I just photographed my favorite dragon~

Also walked by the famous 珍妃 Well. (The opening is so small... how did she fit...)

By afternoon, tour groups were retreating, and 故宫 quieted down quite a bit~

Still blisteringly sunny though.

I just adore those roof corner guardians~ so cute.

Ah~ I've lost track of the visiting order. Giving up on organizing...

We walked through most of the famous palaces: 乾清宫, 慈宁宫, 坤宁宫, 寿康宫...

延禧宫 became popular after the TV drama. But the real 延禧宫... is an unfinished building... Reportedly after a fire, they planned to renovate it into a 'Crystal Palace' (weird as that sounds), but it was never finished and left abandoned...

Can't forget to grab a 故宫 ice cream~

Inside 故宫, there are water stalls and restaurants with reasonably moderate prices – no need to carry too much food~

As closing time approached, we headed to the Imperial Garden. Watching dramas, I always thought the Imperial Garden was huge. Looking at the map, it's just one of several gardens inside 故宫, and not very large either. By then it was very crowded.

The ancient trees – think about it, these trees and buildings are the true masters of the garden, watching blossoms bloom and fall, halls fill and empty.

Closing time had come, but we rushed to 景山公园 to catch the panoramic view of 故宫~

Looking back, so that's where the sign for 故宫博物院 is.

Who knew... even to enter 景山公园 you have to climb a hill.. Indeed.. how can you see far without ascending high? But for us, after walking all day, we were like soulless bodies dragging along... Maybe find a bench and rest.

At the hilltop, many photography masters had already staked out spots. Probably to shoot sunset or the city lights at dusk.

It was a bit crowded at the summit, but we squeezed to the front. The air was slightly hazy.

Though I'm just an ordinary citizen, standing there, I couldn't help feeling 'This is the kingdom I've conquered for you!' (～￣▽￣)～

We stood on the hilltop enjoying the breeze, petted a little cat, then hurried down.

We were utterly exhausted. We needed to refuel.

Day5: 毛主席纪念堂 · 圆明园

To visit 毛主席纪念堂, you have to store your bags beforehand. The storage place is across the street – really a hassle. Inside, no photography allowed; one circuit takes at most 5 minutes. If you're not deeply moved by the crystal coffin, you can skip this spot. Plus, I was a bit creeped out, didn't dare look too closely.

天安门广场 also requires security screening to enter. Bottom line: the area around 天安门 is all security checks, ID card must be on you at all times.

No introduction needed~

Today we also had two main tasks: 颐和园 & 圆明园. But half the morning was already gone, so we could only choose one. Let's go to 圆明园 first~

The lotus blooming season was over; only a few lotus leaves still swayed in the pond.

Not far from the entrance, many uncles and aunties were sketching. This bridge is the only truly original arched bridge in the garden – the others were destroyed in the great fire and later rebuilt. So many people came here for photos.

After several days of 20,000+ steps daily, we were dead tired and could barely walk more. Took a break with a cultural creative ice cream~

Nowadays, ice creams are so extra...

The garden is huge, with sightseeing cars and guides. But we preferred to wander aimlessly, just as long as we got to see 'that one'~

On the way, we met a little squirrel stocking up on food.

And a magpie?? standing on the bank enjoying the scenery like us...

Many wild ducks, full and preening their feathers.

That leaf – I kinda wanted to step on it, see how it feels...

Circumnavigating a large lake, we arrived near a maze. In the center of the maze is a pavilion. They say the emperor used to sit in the pavilion and watch the palace maids and eunuchs race to reach the center; the first to arrive got a reward. Watching them get lost and look bewildered, the emperor laughed heartily!

Yes, this is a replica of the original maze. Walking it for real, we got lost and had to backtrack several times. From afar, we saw people already in the center pavilion, probably laughing at us wandering! (Because once we reached the center and looked at those still lost, we were also a little gleeful. Hahaha~)

The sun was starting to set – hurry up and erase my obsession.

· Western-style buildings ruins

This is a fountain pool, originally surrounded by 12 columns representing the animal signs, corresponding to the 24 hours, 12 time periods. At each corresponding time, the respective zodiac animal would spout water. Burned... all burned...

After seeing this, my obsession with 圆明园 was gone.

Day6: 北京环球影城

After the blistering sun at 故宫 and 圆明园, on the day of 环球影城 it suddenly poured rain. Shivering in the autumn wind, we entered the park.

Smart me had prepared disposable raincoats and a small umbrella. Found the iconic globe, snapped a photo~

Once inside, couldn't help comparing it to Disney. Not too many NPCs on the streets. This Marilyn Monroe was quite eye-catching~

I resisted looking at guides beforehand – I didn't want spoilers~ Just hit the must-do spots~

First stop: Minion Land

I highly recommend this ice cream~ banana flavored. Nearby there were also banana-flavored popcorn buckets, but the queue... scared us off.

Actually, by the time I'm writing this travelogue, I've already forgotten what rides we did in Minion Land.. `(*>﹏<*)′ They should have been good. Apart from the wand demonstration, nothing else was a dud.

Can't remember... can't remember...

The level of detail was quite high. Once inside the Jurassic World Adventure, it truly felt like we were visitors in the movie. The Velociraptors were super cute.

But since it had just opened not long ago, the queues were painfully long. The experience was a bit compromised. The Jurassic Flyer wasn't open yet, still in trial operation – a minor regret.

After coming out, there was the super popular Megatron! (He sure talks a lot~ lol~)

Felt like the actors inside were working really hard.

There was also the Decepticon roller coaster. Just looking at it made my heart race. I didn't give it a try in the end.

We timed it right to watch the 'WaterWorld' show. Highly recommended~

Seating zones: Soak Zone, Splash Zone, Safe Zone. By the time we arrived, the good seats were taken, so we rushed to the first three rows! I won't spoil the plot. We even re-watched the movie at home before coming. In short – wear your raincoat and charge!

We checked the crowd level in the Harry Potter area... sigh... Let's eat first to calm the nerves.

The burger was surprisingly good~ That Minion cake though... not necessary... it's just looks, nothing else.

Quick meal done~ feeling recharged for another 500 rounds! Spirits high, Harry Potter land – charge!

That crowd... oh boy~

Had to queue to enter the wand shop. Come pick your own wand~

Lots of interesting shops here~ Remember the chocolate frog?

Don't buy it. Haha. Giant chocolate frog!!! When I opened it at home, my jaw hit the floor!

And the trick jelly beans that Harry and Ron ate on the train. Couldn't resist, bought a pack back.

First bite was soap flavored!

The wand demonstration in this area... when it's crowded it's a bit awkward and immersion-breaking.. I personally think it's the only letdown.

As for the insanely popular Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey – truly the best of the day! A must-ride.

Afterwards, a glass of Butterbeer~

No alcohol. Not as bad as the internet says, but honestly not good either. Way too sweet~

Now for a night shot of the castle~

The light show has been spoiled online plenty. Seeing it first-hand was really breathtaking!

Later we braved the Flight of the Hippogriff coaster~ haha. This little friend seemed scared to tears. (lol)

Also did the carousel in Kung Fu Panda Land. (Ride was too short.) Overall, there were relatively few rides~ And you had to buy Express Pass separately. Without it, it's indeed painful. In terms of cost-performance, not as good as Disney. The NPCs weren't as immersed.

But the rides each have their unique charm – overall pretty good. Though I wouldn't make a repeat visit, it's still one of those lifetime-must-do things!

Day7: 北京 - - 上海

Done having fun~ time to head back~

P.S.: First time at 大兴 airport. It's so huge. And so beautiful! Our country is amazing!

Below is the budget list~