4-Hour Private Beijing Night Tour with Imperial Dinner

Beijing, China

Experience the full magic of one of the world's great cities dressed for the evening with this 4-hour private tour of Beijing by night. Feast on imperial cuisine at Fangshan Restaurant and stroll Beijing's most popular nightlife streets; see the Olympic Village, Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and Chang'An Avenue lit up in lights; and wander through the city's scenic parks.

Greet your private guide in your hotel lobby between 5:30pm and 6pm depending on your hotel location, and hop aboard your comfortable private vehicle.

Your first stop is Fangshan Restaurant (Beihai), a historic restaurant founded by chefs who cooked for the last emperor of China. Enjoy a set menu of imperial cuisine, with included drinks, on an island in Beihai Park.

Walk off your feast with a half-hour stroll through beautiful Beihai Park to Jingshan Park. Here you'll climb up the 150-foot (45.7-meter) hill that was made with soil dug from the moat of the Forbidden City, and served to improve the palace's feng shui. The views over the Forbidden City, with its rooftops illuminated in light, are just spectacular by night: your guide will show you highlights of old Beijing as well as the district where China's top leaders live.

From here you'll drive the short distance to Lotus Lane in Back Lakes (Houhai), one of the most popular bar streets in Beijing. The lakes are especially beautiful at night with the light reflected in their waters and boats ferrying visitors around. Stroll along Yandai Xie Street, a historic hutong that's a popular shopping destination, to the Drum Tower, which once helped all Beijing tell the time.

Your car will collect you here for the 20-minute drive out to Beijing's Olympic Village. You'll see iconic buildings like the Beijing National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, and the Beijing Aquatics Center, AKA the Water Cube. Your guide will also point out the Ling Long Pagoda, the Olympic Park Observation Tower, and Pangu, a complex of buildings shaped like a dragon that houses a seven-star hotel in its 'tail'.

It's about 40 minutes back to Tiananmen Square, which is at its most dazzling by night as China's iconic buildings put on a startling light display. You can choose to get out and walk around or take pictures from the car.

Finally, you'll drive along part of the grand Chang'An Avenue to see stunning landmarks lit up in light and appreciate the modernity of Beijing, before returning to your hotel. You'll arrive between 9:30pm and 10pm.