Explore the rich culture and heritage with Beijing Amblers at the suburb of Tongzhou, southeast of Beijing. Tongzhou is known for its ancient canal and thousand-year pagoda, stone lion bridge, the Mosque and the architectures of western church schools. While Tongzhou has been fast changing with the new urban plan of relocation of the capital's municipal bureaus and organizations to Tongzhou, the new center of Beijing. But if you are willing to go to explore further outside the six ring road, the real rural Tongzhou will unveil in front of you: the ruins of old town gate towers and a pristine ancient village connected by a beautiful arch bridge with many carved stone lions, and peaceful canal with sheep eating the grass along the banks, all hidden amidst the construction site and bustling market. GPS couldn't find them!

Location: Tongzhou District, southeast suburb of Beijing
Driving time: 1-1.5 hours
Hiking rate: Level 1, no climbing but just some walks along the trails.
Lunch: formal lunch in a nice restaurant
Language: English
Where to meet: Catch the coach at the China Culture Center, Beijing, China

Beijing Amblers, part of the China Culture Center since 2006, organizes suburb day walks, weekend hikes (at a leisure pace) and overnight trips to places that are still free from the clutches of the tourism industry. It offers both a good day’s exercise and cultural interest (The ancient villages, cultural relics and heritages, rural life and landscapes).