From the steppe to the Great Wall

Who it is for

For anyone who wants to see Mongolia and uses the stop in China to get to know Beijing.

Not for anyone who wants beaches or warm weather.

The strategy

Ulaanbaatar comes first and Beijing at the end, with a visit to the Great Wall at Badaling. Arrange travel between the two countries and check entry conditions, connections and the return flight before booking; the editorial order does not confirm a connection for your dates.

What you will see

• Gandantegchinlen Monastery, Ulaanbaatar. The country's main Buddhist center, founded in 1809 and expanded from 1838, the only major monastery to survive the purge.
• Forbidden City, Beijing. Imperial palace built between 1406 and 1420, with 72 hectares and about 980 buildings, home to 24 Ming and Qing emperors until 1924 and a World Heritage Site since 1987.
• Beibalou: North Tower 8, Badaling. The highest point of the section, at 1,015 m, about 1 km of stairs from the north gate.

Day by day

Ulaanbaatar

1. 1
   Day 1: The center, the square, and the monastery

   1. 2Gandantegchinlen MonasteryUp to half an hourEssential
   2. 1Sükhbaatar Square (Chinggis Khaan)Essential
   3. 3National Museum of MongoliaEssential
   4. 6Choijin Lama Temple MuseumUp to half an hourWorth a visit
2. 2
   Day 2: Museums, market, and the hill

   1. 8Chinggis Khaan MuseumOne to two hoursIf there is time
   2. 7Narantuul MarketWorth a visit
   3. 4Zaisan MemorialEssential
3. 3
   Day 3: Out of the valley · if you have more time

   1. 5Bogd Khan Winter PalaceUp to half an hourWorth a visit

Beijing

1. 4
   Day 4: The Central Axis, end to end

   1. 5Tiananmen SquareOne to two hoursWorth a visit
   2. 1Forbidden City (Palace Museum)Essential
   3. 7Drum and Bell Towers and ShichahaiWorth a visit
2. 5
   Day 5: The Wall and the valley of the tombs

   
3. 6
   Day 6: Temples, shopping alleys, and art

   1. 2Temple of HeavenEssential
   2. 6Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)Worth a visit
   3. 8798 Art ZoneUp to half an hourWorth a visit
4. 7
   Day 7: The Summer Palace and Shichahai

   1. 9Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)If there is time
   2. Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace)If there is time

Badaling

1. 8
   Day 8: The northern branch, as soon as the gate opens

   1. 1Beibalou: North Tower 8One to two hoursEssential
   2. 2South Branch and South Tower 4Essential
2. 9
   Day 9: The unrestored wall, the 1909 railway and the Hongyeling viewpoint · if you have more time

   1. 4Badaling Remnant Great WallWorth a visit
   2. 6Badaling National Forest ParkWorth a visit