Beijing Food Extravaganza
Embark on the culinary journey of a lifetime! Explore the food markets of Beijing, learn how to make authentic Chinese meals, dine at delightful off-the-beaten track establishments. Eat, cook, travel!
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“Our students and teachers have evaluated our trip to China to be extremely positive. It was a full but relevant programme with highly competent guides and serviceminded busdrivers. In the planning Albatros was very flexible and co-operative. It was a great success travelling with Albatros in China.”
Knud Erik Sorensen - EUC High School, Denmark
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Are you a fan of Chinese cuisine? And do you want to explore the exciting city of Beijing through its bustling markets and mouth-watering eateries?
Look no further! This is the perfect food adventure for you. This six-day journey is flavour-packed with extraordinary culinary experiences. We explore bustling Beijing while we eat our way through it!
This classic tour brings you to the highlights of Beijing such as the magnificent Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the beautiful grounds of the Temple of Heaven, the former summer residence of the Imperial family, the Summer Palace.
From a modest dumpling stall in one of Beijing's hutongs to traditional Chinese restaurants replete with ornate decorations, from sampling sizzling hotpot delights to making delicate dim sum dishes, we take you on a culinary journey like no other.
Itinerary
| Day 1: Arrival in Beijing | Meals: D |
Arrival at Beijing International Airport. You will be greeted by an Albatros Travel representative and driven to your centrally-located hotel. After checking in, you'll have the afternoon free for leisure. Explore the streets of Beijing and soak in the lively atmosphere of this bustling city.
In the evening, we'll meet for dinner at a Sichuanese restaurant and feast on spicy dishes packed with flavour and beautiful colours.
| Day 2: Imperial Beijing | Meals: B L D |
The morning begins at the Beijing Urban Planning Museum where a great model of the inner city of Beijing is on display. A visit here shows visitors the changes that China and Beijing have undergone in the last 30 years.
Across from the museum is one the greatest symbols of new China: Tiananmen Square. The 440,000m² square is home to the Memorial Hall of Mao Zedong. Entry requires a valid ID, so please bring your passport if you wish to see Mao Zedong. To the north of the square, lies the Forbidden City of the Ming and Qing dynasties. We cross over the five famous bridges and Mao Zedong’s picture to enter through the Forbidden City’s south gate.
Entering the Forbidden City and seeing the largest courtyard (Siheyuan) in all of Beijing, is a stunning sight that instantly transports you back to Beijing before 1910. Leaving the Forbidden City, we climb the Coal Hill or Jingshan which means the 'Hill of Scenery’ and the character Jing (景) holds the characters for both sun and capital city inside it, meaning the hill from where one can see the sun rise and set over the capital.
We will enjoy a local favourite for lunch, Guo Qiao Mi Xian or Crossing the Bridge Noodles, a southern speciality There are many stories about the origin of this dish but one of the most popular is that a Chinese scholar sent his wife to the other side of the river to buy noodles for dinner. When he later asked for the name of the dish she had prepared, she answered Guo Qiao Mi Xian - Crossing the Bridge Noodles, because she had crossed the bridge to get the noodles.
The dish is a flavoursome broth with rice noodles, vegetables and slices of marinated meat. The meal will consist of several other local specialities.
On our way back to the hotel we will visit a silk showroom where you'll get a chance to buy exquisitely made silk products.
As we make our way to the dinner restaurant, we'll stroll through the lively Donghuamen Night Market at Wangfujing Street. This evening, we'll be enjoying a hot pot meal at one of the most popular hot pot restaurants in China, the Haidilao Hot Pot restaurant. It is said that the hot pot originated from Mongolian nomads who turned their helmets upside down and filled them with water to cook vegetables and thin slices of meat.
| Day 3: The Great Wall | Meals: B L D |
Today we’ll start in the centre of Beijing and drive through the suburbs into the rural areas of the municipality of Beijing. On our way we will visit a cloissone factory.
In the morning we will climb the Juyongguan section of the Great Wall which once was one of the most important sections of the Great Wall due to its strategic location between two mountain tops just north of Beijing.
After a good climb we proceed to the Sacred Way which leads into the area of the Ming Tombs.Thirteen emperors were buried in the area and we will visit the only tomb that was excavated, the Ding Tomb. The village is an open and friendly place so we will be allowed to visit a home and see the local supermarket. There will also be time to stroll around and get a glimpse of people’s everyday life.
We will visit a cloisonné factory after our excursion to the Ming Tombs. Before we head back to the city, we'll stop for lunch at Hua's Cuisine, an elegant fusion restaurant near the Great Wall, where we enjoy a selection of well-prepared Chinese fusion dishes.
Driving back on the new highway, the tall buildings of Beijing’s inner city slowly reappear showing how great construction projects have been always been embedded in Chinese history. The day will end at the Bird's Nest Olympic Stadium in the northern part of Beijing.
This evening, we will have dinner at Afunti Xinjiang Restaurant and sample western Chinese cooking while we enjoy a Xinjiang folk dance and music show. Tonight we'll be feasting on typical Xinjiang dishes which consist of roast mutton and grilled lamb, various types of bread including naan bread and vegetable dishes.
| Day 4: Cook n' Eat! Cooking Class - Hutong Tour | Meals: B L D |
After breakfast, we'll make our way to one of the best markets in Beijing where we'll spend the morning strolling through countless stalls selling spices, fresh vegetables, pickled goods, poultry, meat and all things edible! The guide will share stories and explanations about what we see and how to use the various ingredients in Chinese cooking.
From the market, we'll make use of our newly-acquired knowledge and attend a cooking class taught by Chinese chefs in beautiful hutong surroundings.
After the class, we'll meander through the hutongs and take in a slice of everyday life. We'll walk through narrow lanes and alleyways and soak in the unique atmosphere of Beijing's hutongs.
Before dinner, we'll visit an old drum tower before heading down Nanluoguxiang street known for its fabulous eateries and culinary establishments. Tonight's dinner will be enjoyed at the legendary Mr Shi's Dumplings stall in the middle of Baochao Hutong. We'll watch the cooks expertly make potloads of steaming dumplings. Dinner will be a steamy treat of freshly-made dumplings in all shapes and sizes with fillings of various types.
| Day 5: Arts & Culture and Peking Duck dinner | Meals: B L D |
Depending on the season this will be a fairly early pick-up at the hotel (7:30am summer, 8:30am winter) as we leave for the Temple of Heaven to experience the outdoor life of Beijing locals. In every corner of the park inside the Temple of Heaven we will see elderly Beijing residents dancing gracefully, exercising and playing “pukepai” which just means playing cards but is based on the phonetics of the English word poker.
After our morning walk in the Temple of Heaven we will visit a traditional Chinese tea house and taste a few of China's many delicate teas. From ancient China, we move on to the modern art world of Beijing.
The 798 art district in the eastern part of Beijing was originally part of the great industrialisation of the larger Chinese urban areas. In and around this joint factory area with the simple name of 798, an innovative and creative art culture arose in the early 1980s. Art shops, studios and galleries emerged in the abandoned factory buildings.
We will have lunch at Gong De Lin, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Beijing dating back to 1922, famed for its incredible dishes that bear an incredible resemblence to meat. The imitation meat is made of tofu, soy beans and vegetables. There are also traditional vegetable dishes.
In the afternoon we watch an impressive acrobatics performance at the National Centre for Performing Arts before heading for an exquisitely prepared Peking Duck dinner, Beijing's signature dish. The duck is prepared by a Peking Duck Chef to ensure that the skin is crisp and the meat is succulent. The duck is traditionally wrapped in a thin pancake with sauce, cucumber and onion.
| Day 6: Departure Service | Meals: B |
After breakfast, we check out of the hotel and a bus will be waiting to take you to the airport for your onward journey.
Additional information
A child is defined as 12 years or younger and below 1.20m in height.
Above are prices based on the period of travel. If the dates don't fit your holiday plans, just get in touch with us and we'll arrange the holiday to accommodate your preferred travel dates.
Included
- Pick up and drop off service at hotel, airport or train station
- Professional local English-speaking guide
- Hotel accommodation
- Transportation according to the programme with car, coach or bus depending on group size
- Meals as stated in the itinerary B = Breakfast. L = Lunch D = Dinner. Breakfast is usually international breakfast buffet combined with local Chinese breakfast. Lunch consists of local Chinese dishes including meat and vegetables. Sometimes lunch is a western-style sandwich if the weather or programme so requires. Dinner is specialised Chinese meals from many different regions in China.
- All entrance fees to the sites mentioned in the itinerary
- Beverages (soft drinks or local beer) within a reasonable limit (2-3 glasses)
- English map of Beijing
- 24hr on-call service in case of emergencies
Excluded
- Anything not in “Included” list above
- Any flights or transportation besides those mentioned in the "Included" list above
- Phone calls or other personal expenses
- Tips - We recommend that the guide receives 2 USD per person per day and 1 USD per person per day for the driver
We reserve the right to make improvements and changes to the itinerary due to local circumstances or events outside our control.
Tour starts/ends:
This tour starts and ends in Beijing.
An Albatros Travel representative will meet you at the airport. This tour includes pick-up and departure services. Please let us know your flight details, including flight number, arrival and departure times, in order for us to arrange your transfers.
Level of ability required:
This tour does not include any strenuous activity so no particular level of ability is required, however please be prepared for some walking. If you have any concerns or questions regarding disability access, please contact us in advance.
Food and dietary information:
If you have any particular dietary preferences or requirements, please make these clear when you make your booking. Most types of diet can be catered for. We will eat at local restaurants. It’s not a problem to maintain a vegetarian diet in China.
Breakfast at the hotel is usually an international breakfast buffet.
Health and vaccinations:
In general, tourists do not need any vaccinations. Malaria vaccinations are not necessary in most parts of China. However, we advise you to consult with your doctor before travelling. For more information about health and vaccinations, please look at this website.
What to wear:
Weather in Beijing
Summertime in Beijing is usually charaterised by hot and humid days followed by balmy evenings. Winters are often very cold with temperatures dropping to -10 degrees Celcius (14 degrees Fahrenheit). Spring and autumn are good seasons for visiting China's capital although spring sometimes sees sandstorms caused by the winds blowing dust from the Mongolian steppe.
Baggage and what to bring:
Baggage
For domestic travel by air, the baggage allowance is 20kg (44lbs) per person. Since we do not provide tours with international air travel, please check your airline's website for luggage weight limits.
Adaptors
Flat two pin outlets are used in China. European round two pin outlets can also be used but don't fit perfectly. A plug adaptor can be purchased in most electronic stores.
Visa requirements:
Most travellers need a tourist visa to China. Please consult the Chinese consulate or embassy in your country of residence for visa application. Thiswebsite may be useful in providing information regarding the application procedure.
Cancellations:
If you need to cancel
We understand that your travel plans sometimes change and we try to be as flexible as possible. However as we have to book accommodation at hotels we are also bound by their cancellation policies. In general, the following rules will apply when cancelling a tour you have booked:
- If cancelling more than 45 days before commencement of our services there is no cancellation fee and we will refund 100% of your money
- If cancelling within 45 to 31 days before commencement of our services: 20 % of the total booking value will be levied
- If cancelling within 30 to 15 days before commencement of our services: 60 % of the total booking value will be levied
- We are unable to offer a refund if cancelling less than two weeks before commencement of our services
For full details of our cancellation terms, please see our general Terms and Conditions.
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