Xiangshan Park + Summer Palace 1-day tour [Private English-speaking guide and transfer service for 2-8 travelers]

Xiangshan Park:

Xiangshan Park, formerly known as "Jingyi Garden," was built during the Qing Dynasty and is located at No. 40, Mai Mai Street, Haidian District, Beijing, China. It is a royal garden with distinctive mountain and forest features. Covering an area of approximately 1.8 square kilometers, the park houses ancient temples such as Biyun Temple and Xiangshan Temple, as well as architectural and scenic spots like Jianxinzhai and Glasses Lake. During autumn and winter, visitors can enjoy the seasonal views of the red maple leaves at Xiangshan and the "Clear Snow on Western Hills."

During the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Kangxi established a temporary palace in the Fragrant Hills, which was later expanded by Emperor Qianlong into the imperial garden of Xiangshan Park. Here you'll find "Clear Snow on the Western Hills," one of the Eight Great Views of Yanjing, the Biyun Temple showcasing architectural styles from both Ming and Qing dynasties, China's only remaining gilded wooden "Hall of Five Hundred Arhats," the Zongjing Dazhao Temple built to welcome the Sixth Panchen Lama, and the elegant Jiangnan-style classical courtyard "Jianxin Zhai."

Xiangshan Park features steep terrain, lush peaks, abundant springs, and dense forests. Its main peak, Xianglu Peak, commonly known as "Ghost's Despair," stands at 557 meters above sea level. The park boasts over 260,000 trees, including more than 5,800 ancient and rare trees, accounting for about a quarter of Beijing's urban area, with a forest coverage rate of 98%. In recent years, it has been recognized as one of the areas in Beijing with the highest concentration of negative oxygen ions. The park showcases a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, with birds singing, insects chirping, and squirrels playing among the ravines and woods. Here, spring brings vibrant blooms, summer offers cool and pleasant weather, and winter transforms the landscape into a silver wonderland. The park is especially famous for its red maple leaves in autumn. Every frosty autumn, the hills are ablaze with the brilliant red of smoke trees, creating a breathtaking sight. During this season, the number of visitors surges, earning it a spot among the "New 16 Scenic Spots of Beijing."

Summer Palace

Entering Kunming Lake in the Summer Palace, the first sight that greets you is the vast expanse of the lake. The water is mirror-like, shimmering with a deep blue hue resembling jade, reflecting the Foxiang Pavilion and surrounding mountains. It harmoniously blends with the autumn sky, creating an utterly breathtaking view.

The vibrant autumn leaves adorn the entire garden with their colorful display. The red, yellow, and green leaves shimmer together like a dazzling rainbow. Strolling through the breeze with falling leaves swirling around, it feels like stepping into an enchanting autumn fairy tale world.

Some autumn leaves blaze like fire, as vibrant as oranges and as radiant as the rouge in Jiangnan landscape paintings. Others resemble a golden sea, swaying in the wind, filling the view with warmth and joy. The autumn foliage and the Foxiang Pavilion complement each other, painting a dazzlingly colorful autumn scene.

The autumn scenery of the Summer Palace's mountains, rivers, and lakes is particularly captivating. The towering Longevity Hill, with its lush peaks, evokes a sense of solemnity and grandeur. The Tower of Buddhist Incense stands majestically like a pavilion in a fairyland. From its vantage point, visitors can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view that is both uplifting and refreshing.