Beijing experiences its winter season of potential snow from late November till late February.
Here are the top 13 places to enjoy snow scenes and snow activities in Beijing, including the Great Wall, Longqing Gorge in Yanqing (a 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games venue), the Forbidden City, and Nanshan Ski Resort...
1. The Great Wall — Beijing's Most Beautiful Snow Scenery
Great Wall in SnowThe Great Wall, founded on Beijing's high mountain ridges, offering broad and majestic panoramas, is the best place for you to enjoy spectacular snow scenery. Snow falls on the Great Wall, and frost and ice condense on the wild trees and grass on both sides, making a tranquil white world.
Gubeikou section and Jiankou section both are wild and unrestored Great Wall sections with better snow scenery. Other sections famous for skiing nearby during winter and safer access include Badaling (see 11. Badaling Ski Resort) and Mutianyu, which offers the easiest climbing in wintry conditions.
"Until you reach the Great Wall, you're no hero." — Mao Zedong
Make yourself a hero your way with us.
2. Longqing Gorge — Beijing's Ice and Snow Festival
Attend Beijing's Ice and Snow Festival at Longqing GorgeLongqing Gorge is in Yanqing district, where “The essence of the Ming Great Wall” — Badaling's Great Wall section is located, about 85 km (2 hours) from downtown Beijing.
Featuring gorgeous mountain views and clear water, Longqing Gorge is called Beijing's Li River. It is a good vacation spot for all seasons, especially in winter for its breathtaking ice waterfall spectacle and dazzling ice and snow sculptures. Longqing Gorge Ice and Snow Festival is held each year from January 15th to around February 28th.
You can take a walk during the day to enjoy the snowy scenery on both sides of the valley and enjoy colorful ice lanterns during the evening.
- 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Winter Olympics Venue
- 4-Day Beijing Highlights and Great Wall Night Tour
- Contact us for a day trip to Longqing Gorge from Beijing customized for you
3. Taoyuan Xiangu — an Ice and Snow Kingdom
Ice Climbing in Taoyuan XianguTaoyuan Xian Gu ('Taoyuan Fairy Valley') is an ecotourism scenic spot with dense forest, about 90 km (2 hours) from Beijing city center. It is a good place for a day trip from Beijing.
In winter, you can see the beautiful scenery of ice waterfalls, ice flowers, and ice caves everywhere in the valley. It's like walking in an ice and snow kingdom.
Taoyuan Xian Gu has Beijing's best-developed site for ice climbing, which is climbing up an ice wall made by a frozen waterfall. You are provided with ice-climbing clothes and equipment including ice axes and crampons and will be protected by a belay rope throughout. Ice climbing is actually easy compared with other ice activities, but it still seems very adventurous and thrilling. Contact us for more >>>
4. The Forbidden City — the Real Royal Atmosphere
If you do not like crowds, winter, especially an afternoon after a snowfall, is the best time to visit the Forbidden City. In the quietness, you can feel the Former Palace's vastness more, and after the snow, the palace appears more majestic. Red walls, glazed tiles, and white snow scenery make a beautiful picture from any angle.
Witness the pick of the beautiful snowy landscapes at Meridian Gate Square and the Southeast Corner Tower outside Donghuamen.
- 6-Day Beijing City Essence with Traditional New Year Activities
- 1-Day Beijing Highlights Tour (Forbidden City and Great Wall)
- 5-day Beijing Family Tour
- Check out more Beijing tours to enjoy the less-crowded winter season.
5. Jingshan Park — for Forbidden City Snowscapes
Jingshan Park features an artificial hill with five peaks. The hill was made from soil excavated from the Forbidden City. Each of the peaks has a restored pavilion from which you can have a bird's eye view of the Forbidden City.
From the peaks of Jingshan Park, you can have a bird's eye view of the Forbidden City.
6. The Summer Palace — the Royal Garden Museum
Winter Summer PalaceThe Summer Palace has some of the best snow views in Beijing city. The largest traditional Chinese garden in the world is an all-year attraction, but it's particularly pretty in winter, when artificial Longevity Hill, bridges, pavilions, and the frozen waters of Kunming Lake are covered with snow.
The best place to enjoy the snow in the summer palace is West Bank (Xidi), where you can see the dim light reflected by the lazy sunshine on the icy surface of Kunming Lake, and Buddha Pavilion sitting in the snow like an old Buddha wrapped in white at the foot of Longevity Hill.
- 4-Day Emperor's Tour of Beijing
- 6-Day Beijing and Shanghai Tour
- 2-Day Beijing Tour from Tianjin Cruise Port
7. The Shichahai Hutongs — a Real Taste of Old Beijing
The old hutong buildings behind Houhai (an artificial lake in central Beijing) look more special in winter when covered by snow than at any other time.
Shichahai is a Beijing historical and cultural tourism scenic area, comprising lakes Qianhai, Houhai, and Xihai, as well as Prince Gong Mansion and Garden, the Drum Tower, and the nearby hutongs. A snowfall offers a real taste of old Beijing in its oldest alleys. Riding a rickshaw or walking in the alleys is the best way to enjoy the snow and experience the culture of old Beijing.
In addition, in the winter, Houhai will be frozen, becoming a natural skating rink. It becomes a big playground for the locals. After skating, you can find a bar in the famous bar street in Houhai to warm you up.
8. Tanzhe Temple — The Oldest Temple in Beijing
Located about 40 km (1 hour) from central Beijing, Tanzhe Temple is the oldest temple in Beijing that was built in the Western Jin Dynasty in 307 AD. It is said that the Palace Museum (the Forbidden City) was constructed by imitating the temple, and there is a saying in Beijing that "Tanzhe Temple was built first, then Beijing city".
Tanzhe Temple is embraced by the mountains and ancient trees, featuring beautiful natural views. Under the snow, the whole temple is more solemn and peaceful. It is a good place to escape from the busy city.
Contact us to tailor make a wonderful Beijing tour including less visited places like Tanzhe Temple.
- 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Winter Olympics Venue
- 4-Day Beijing Highlights and Great Wall Night Tour
9. The Southeast Corner Watchtower — the Best of the Old City Wall
A Real Taste of Old BeijingSituated near the Ming Dynasty City Wall Ruins Park, the Southeast Corner Watchtower is the only remaining part of Dongbianmen (the old east gate) and the largest original city wall corner tower in China. Built in 1436 in the Ming Dynasty, it is a medieval fortified stone structure.
The watchtowers as a wonderful viewing platform, especially when covered with snow during winter. It is 500 meters from Beijing Ancient Observatory.
10. Beijing Snow World Ski Resort
Skiing is becoming increasingly popular in China's winters. In Beijing, you can find many different ski resorts. See Beijing's Top 10 Ski Resorts.
Being the nearest ski resort to the city, Snow World Ski Resort hosts motorized, dog-drawn, and horse-drawn sleighs. It is certainly a nice place to go with kids to enjoy the snow. We also suggest you visit nearby Jiuhua Spa Resort where you can bathe in a hot spring.
- Send us a free inquiry about this if you're interested.
11. Nanshan Ski Resort
Nanshan Ski Resort occupies 2.67 sq km (1 square mile) and features 11 slopes. It is a good choice for beginners and advanced-level skiing lovers alike. Besides, you will see some beautiful scenery during winter.
- 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Winter Olympics Venue
- 4-Day Beijing Highlights and Great Wall Night Tour
12. Badaling Ski Resort
Badaling Ski Resort is only 2 kilometers from Badaling's Great Wall section, and thus you can visit the two in a day.
The Longqing Gorge Ice Lantern Arts Festival (see 1.) is also nearby. Skiers can rent equipment and enjoy the four ski trails even at the night. If you are not a fan of skiing, you could enjoy the dog sleighs and snow tubes among other activities.
Recommended tour:
- 11-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Luoyang, Dengfeng, Zhengzhou, and Shanghai Tour”
- Contact us for a custom Great Wall and skiing trip
13. Huaibei International Ski Resort
Although Huaibei Resort is a renowned skiing destination, it triples as a nice snow views location and a place to enjoy a variety of snow activities (snowmobile rides, archery on the snow, horse-drawn sled rides...). It features beginner, medium, and advanced level slopes.
Tour Snowy Beijing with China Highlights
If you are planning a Beijing tour to appreciate the snow scenery, please tell us your interests and requirements and we will create your own personalized tour.
Recommended Tours:
- 6-Day Beijing Winter Tour with Skiing in a 2022 Winter Olympics Venue
- 11-Day Beijing, Xi'an, Luoyang, Dengfeng, Zhengzhou and Shanghai Inter-city Tour — This intercity tour can be customized to include the best skiing and snowy places in these cities.
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