Arrive Beijing Capital/Daxing at 09:30 and clear immigration; book a pre-arranged Didi or airport taxi to your friend’s house (allow 60-90 minutes including traffic and drop-off). After dropping luggage and freshening up, walk with your friend to a nearby café or Beijing-style breakfast spot (try jianbing or warm soy milk and you tiao) for a relaxed welcome to the city and to acclimatize to the cold.
Spend the afternoon exploring a compact slice of central Beijing — take the metro (or a short Didi) to the Lama Temple (Yonghe Gong) to see ornate Tibetan Buddhist halls, then walk through nearby Gulou (Drum and Bell Towers) and Nanluoguxiang for hutong atmosphere, snack stalls, and coffee shops. Pause for a leisurely lunch of local specialties such as zhajiangmian (noodles with soybean paste) at a well-reviewed hutong eatery, and return to your friend’s place to collect luggage and change into warmer layers.
Have an early dinner around 19:30 — enjoy Peking duck at a reputable restaurant (Quanjude or a smaller local favorite like DaDong if you prefer a modern take) or opt for a hearty bowl of hot pot to prepare for ski days ahead. At about 21:30-22:00, book a private car or long-distance Didi to TingQian YuanHou Hostel (allow 2.5-3.5 hours depending on snow and road conditions); arrive, check in, unpack ski gear, and take 30-45 minutes to rest and stretch so you’re ready for a full ski day tomorrow.
Wake early for a hearty breakfast at the hostel (congee, steamed buns and hot soy) by 07:00, then walk or take the free shuttle to the resort base by 07:40 to collect your pre-booked ski pass and equipment rental at the resort shop (look for the TingQian rental counter). Spend 08:00-10:00 on a progressive warm-up: easy groomed runs and a lesson or a quick tune-up with an instructor (group or private) to dial in technique and get comfortable with local slope conditions.
After a warm noodle or dumpling lunch at the slope-side cafe around 12:00, head back out for focused runs between 13:00-16:00, alternating blues and a couple of longer reds to build stamina; take a 15-20 minute hot-drink break at the mid-mountain lodge to rest and enjoy the mountain views. If you want variety, explore the resort’s beginner-intermediate circuit or try a short guided off-piste loop offered by the resort’s patrol in the late afternoon (check conditions and safety briefings).
Return skis by 19:30-20:00 if you prefer to rest early, or use your late-night pass to squeeze in an evening run under lights until 21:30, then shower and recover with a warming hot-pot-style dinner at a nearby restaurant or the hostel’s communal meal (try spicy lamb skewers and hot pot broths popular in the area). Finish the night with gentle stretching, hot tea and sleep-promoting recovery (hot foot bath or foam rolling) so you’re refreshed for day three.
Start the day with a hot, protein-rich breakfast at the hostel by 07:00 (steamed buns, eggs and ginger tea), then take the shuttle to the resort base for an 08:00 private or small-group lesson focused on carving and turn technique with an instructor from the resort school. Spend 09:30-11:00 practicing drills on the groomed blue runs (near the main lift hub) to build edge control and confidence while your instructor gives targeted feedback.
After a leisurely noodle or dumpling lunch at the mid-mountain lodge around 12:00—try their signature lamb noodle soup—return to the slopes for 13:00-15:30 guided run sessions, alternating carving drills with a few longer red runs to apply new skills; take a 20-minute hot chocolate break at the panoramic café to rest and enjoy the views. At 16:00, if you feel energetic, join a short avalanche-safety or mountain-awareness talk offered by the resort patrol to deepen your off-piste knowledge, otherwise cruise easy groomers to save energy.
Wind down with equipment return and a warm shower at the hostel by 18:30, then enjoy a communal-style dinner at a nearby mountain restaurant featuring Xinjiang-style lamb skewers and hot pot to replenish calories and warmth. Finish the night with gentle stretching, a hot foot soak or a cup of herbal tea, and an early bedtime around 22:00 so you’re rested for another full ski day tomorrow.
Wake to a hot breakfast at the hostel around 07:00 (congee, steamed buns and ginger tea) and take the shuttle to the resort by 07:40 to be first on the lifts for crisp morning snow. Spend 08:00-10:30 exploring longer runs you haven’t tried yet—link a series of blue-to-red cruisers off the North Gondola and stop at the mid-mountain Panoramic Café for a quick tea while enjoying sweeping valley views.
After a warming lamb noodle soup or dumpling lunch at the slope-side restaurant around 12:00, return to the slopes for 13:00-16:00 to push endurance with back-to-back runs and try a guided intermediate loop or the resort’s terrain park (if conditions permit) to vary technique. Take a 20-30 minute recovery break at the Sun Terrace to rehydrate, snack on roasted chestnuts or a hot cocoa, and soak in the sunshine before a relaxed final run down to the base.
Return to TingQian YuanHou by 18:00 to rinse gear, stretch and enjoy a restorative hot-pot dinner at a nearby mountain eatery (order a mild lamb-and-vegetable broth with steamed buns) to replenish electrolytes and warmth. Finish the night with gentle foam-rolling, a hot foot soak or herbal tea in the hostel common room and an early lights-out around 22:00 so you’re rested for another full day on the mountain tomorrow.
Wake to a warming breakfast at TingQian YuanHou (congee, steamed buns and hot ginger tea) and take the shuttle to the resort by 07:30 to be on the first lifts; use 08:00-10:00 for your best warm-up—link your favorite blue and red runs and revisit any sections you enjoyed earlier in the week to consolidate technique. Stop at the mid-mountain Panoramic Café for a short break and a hot soy drink while you soak in the final morning views before pushing for a few run repeats.
After a leisurely slope-side lunch of lamb noodle soup or dumplings at the base restaurant around 12:00, spend 13:00-16:00 focusing on enjoyable, confidence-building runs—mix cruising blues with a couple of playful laps in the terrain park if conditions allow—and take a restorative 20-30 minute sun-and-hot-chocolate break at the Sun Terrace. In the late afternoon, ski a relaxed final run to the base, return rental gear if convenient, and spend 16:30-17:30 packaging equipment and stretching in the hostel common room to prepare for the evening transfer.
Enjoy a celebratory and restorative hot-pot dinner at a popular nearby mountain restaurant (order a mild lamb-and-vegetable broth, steamed buns and a side of spicy skewers) around 18:30, followed by a gentle hot foot soak or foam-rolling session back at TingQian YuanHou to loosen tired muscles. Finish the night with warm tea and low-key conversation in the hostel lounge, pack lightly for checkout tomorrow, and aim for an early lights-out around 22:00 so you’re refreshed for the transfer back to Beijing the next morning.
After checking out of TingQian YuanHou in the morning, order a booked car or long-distance Didi for the drive back to Beijing (allow 3-3.5 hours with a buffer for winter road conditions). On arrival in the city around late morning, head straight to your chosen Beijing hotel to check in or at least drop bags (many hotels will hold luggage); if the room isn’t ready, freshen up in the lobby and then walk or take a short Didi to the nearby Temple of Heaven for a brisk, scenic stroll through the park and a mellow introduction to city life after the mountains.
For lunch, head to a well-reviewed spot near Qianmen or the Wangfujing area for classic Beijing fare—try zhajiangmian or a bowl of hand-pulled noodles—then spend a relaxed afternoon exploring Tiananmen Square and the exterior of the Forbidden City (pre-book tickets for later days if you plan to enter). If you prefer lighter walking, wander the historic hutongs around the Bell and Drum Towers or visit the National Museum’s shorter exhibits; save heavy museum visits for another day so your legs can recover from skiing.
As evening falls, enjoy a hearty Beijing hot pot or a Peking duck dinner around 19:00-20:00 in the Dongcheng or Sanlitun neighborhoods—Haoyuantang or a recommended local hot-pot restaurant will warm you up and replenish energy. After dinner, take a gentle stroll through Nanluoguxiang or along the Houhai lakes (iced-over lakes are scenic in January) for low-key nightlife and dessert, then return to your hotel early to unpack properly and rest before two full days of city exploration.
Wake refreshed after your return from the mountains and take a hearty breakfast at the hotel or a nearby café, then head early to the Temple of Heaven (Tiantan) to join locals doing tai chi and stroll the park while the light is crisp and the air is clear — the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests is especially photogenic in winter. From there, walk or take a short Didi to Tiananmen Square and approach the Forbidden City exterior; if you pre-booked a timed ticket, you can enter later in the week, but today’s visit is a great chance to absorb the scale and history and warm up with a street-side bowl of zhajiangmian or tanghulu (candied fruit).
After a relaxed lunch near Qianmen — try Quanjude’s lunch set for a classic Peking duck taste — spend the afternoon exploring the hutongs around Nanluoguxiang and the Drum and Bell Towers, popping into specialty shops and tea houses for a hot cup of jasmine or pu-erh to beat the cold. If you want a cultural diversion, visit the Capital Museum or the nearby National Centre for the Performing Arts for a short exhibition or an afternoon performance (check schedules) before returning to your hotel to rest and layer up for the evening.
For dinner, dive into an authentic Beijing hot pot experience in the Dongcheng or Sanlitun area — try a well-reviewed place such as Hai Di Lao for service and warmth or a local lamb-hot-pot restaurant for a more regional touch; order a mild and a spicy broth to share and replenish with vegetables, thinly sliced lamb and noodles. After the meal, stroll the Houhai lakeside to see the old courtyard houses lit at night, stop at a small bar or dessert shop for a nightcap, and keep the evening gentle so you’re rested for your airport transfer later in the trip.
Start your final day with a leisurely hotel breakfast, then head to Wangfujing Street for last-minute souvenir and snack shopping — pick up tins of Beijing-style preserved fruits, hand-pulled noodle kits, and a bag of roasted chestnuts from the covered stalls. If you prefer a quieter market, visit the Silk Street (Xiushui) or the modern Beijing apm/indigo malls near Dongdaqiao for quality winter layers and gifts; allow time for tax-refund or duty-free paperwork if needed.
After a comforting lunch of dumplings or zhajiangmian near Wangfujing, stroll to the nearby Qianmen and Dashilan historic shopping arcades for traditional crafts (snuff bottles, cloisonné) and a final taste of Beijing snacks like jujube candy and sugar-coated hawthorn. Return to the hotel by mid-afternoon to finish packing, confirm your pre-booked airport car or Didi (see timing notes below), and take a short restorative nap or warm shower to relax before the overnight transfer.
Enjoy an early, warming dinner around 19:00 — choose a nearby hot-pot restaurant or a final Peking duck meal to send off Beijing in style — then dress warmly, collect your luggage, and be ready for your scheduled airport pickup. For a 02:30 departure flight, plan to leave your hotel at 23:00-23:30 for Beijing Capital (PEK) or 22:00-22:30 for Beijing Daxing (PKX) depending on traffic and airport; book a vetted taxi or pre-arranged private transfer with winter-road experience to arrive 2.5-3 hours before international check-in, allowing buffers for security and winter delays.