Best Route Choice for Touring Chengde, Saving Time, Money, and Worry

3 Days 2 Nights Trip for 3 People in Chengde! Summer Resort + Outer Eight Temples + Chengxi Grand Ceremony, Total Cost 2980 RMB All Included【Itinerary Overview】
Duration: 3 days 2 nights (recommended departure Friday, return Sunday)
Group Size: 3 people (family trip)
Budget Control: Total cost 2980 RMB (including food, accommodation, transportation, and activities)
Keywords: Summer Resort, Outer Eight Temples, Chengxi Grand Ceremony Performance, Local Cuisine, Comfortable Stay, Worth the Spend!【Transportation Arrangement】
Departure: Beijing → Chengde (about 220 km)
Mode: High-speed train or self-driving (high-speed train recommended for convenience and less fatigue)
High-speed train second class seat: 93 RMB/person × 3 people × round trip = 558 RMB
Beijing South Station/Beijing Chaoyang Station → Chengde Station (1.5-hour ride)
City Transportation:
Mainly taxis, 20-40 RMB one way between attractions
Summer Resort → Outer Eight Temples about 15 minutes, taxi 30 RMB
Total taxi cost for 3 days: 180 RMB
Total transportation cost: 558 + 180 = 738 RMB【Accommodation Arrangement】
Recommended area: city center or near Summer Resort (walking distance to attractions)
Hotels: Home Inn Select, Hanting, or local boutique homestays
Room type: twin room × 2 nights
Price: 260 RMB/night × 2 nights = 520 RMB
Advantages: clean and comfortable, breakfast included, 10-minute walk to Summer Resort East Gate
Total accommodation cost: 520 RMB
【Dining Arrangement】 (60 RMB per person/day, 3 people × 3 days)
Breakfast: hotel breakfast + takeout soy milk and buns (about 50 RMB)
Lunch:
Day 1: simple meal en route or after arrival eat Chengde cold noodles + donkey meat sandwich (90 RMB)
Day 2: farmhouse meal outside the scenic area (oat noodles, wild vegetables) (120 RMB)
Day 3: before return eat Chengde roast chicken + meat pancake roll (100 RMB)
Dinner:
Day 1: Qingwangfu Restaurant (time-honored brand) eat Chengde Eight Bowls (classic set meal) 320 RMB
Day 2: Weichang Street snack street, eat while walking (mutton soup, skewers, sticky cake) 180 RMB
Snacks and drinks: mineral water, yogurt, etc., about 80 RMB
Total dining cost: 50+90+120+100+320+180+80 = 940 RMB
【Activities Arrangement】 (relaxed and not tiring, deep experience)
Day 1: Arrival + Summer Resort + Night Stroll
Morning: Arrive at Chengde Station by high-speed train → taxi to hotel → check-in
Afternoon: Summer Resort (World Cultural Heritage, Qing Dynasty emperor’s summer palace)
Tickets: 130 RMB/person × 3 = 390 RMB
Tour route: Lizheng Gate → Yanyu Tower → Jinshan Pavilion → Wenjin Pavilion → Rehe Spring
Kids’ favorite: dragon boat ride on the lake (50 RMB/person, optional)
Evening: walk along Wulie River, enjoy the night view lighting of Qinchui Peak
Dinner: Qingwangfu eat “Eight Bowls,” try donkey meat sandwich, sliced meat, and bowl-shaped cake
Day 2: Outer Eight Temples + Chengxi Grand Ceremony Performance
Morning: Puning Temple (representative of Outer Eight Temples, home to the world’s largest gold-lacquered wood carving of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin)
Tickets: 50 RMB/person × 3 = 150 RMB
Kids amazed: enter the Great Buddha Hall, look up at the “Thousand Hands and Eyes”
Lunch: farmhouse meal nearby (oat noodles nests, wild vegetable dumplings)
Afternoon: visit Putuo Zongcheng Temple (Little Potala Palace)
Tickets: 80 RMB/person × 3 = 240 RMB
Climb the Red Terrace for panoramic views, great photo opportunities
Evening: watch the live performance of “Chengxi Grand Ceremony” (a must-see!)
Duration: 70 minutes, combining history, dance, horse battles, and lighting effects
Tickets: regular seats 198 RMB/person × 3 = 594 RMB
Kids wide-eyed throughout: “The emperor is riding a horse to battle!”
Dinner: stroll and eat at the snack street, full of local life atmosphere
Day 3: Free Activities + Return
Morning:
Optional visit to Shuangta Mountain (view spectacular scenery from afar, no climbing) free
Or visit Chengde Museum (free, reservation required, learn Qing Dynasty history)
Lunch: last Chengde meal — mutton offal soup + meat pancake roll
Afternoon: taxi to Chengde Station → take high-speed train back to Beijing
【Total Cost Summary】
Item | Cost
Transportation (high-speed train + taxi) 738 RMB
Accommodation (2 nights) 520 RMB
Dining 940 RMB
Tickets (Summer Resort + Puning Temple + Little Potala Palace) 390+150+240 = 780 RMB
Chengxi Grand Ceremony Performance 594 RMB
Total 2980 RMB

Total cost: within the 3000 RMB budget
【Money-saving + Experience Tips】
1. Combo tickets are not cost-effective; buying tickets separately for the Outer Eight Temples is cheaper (choose the 2 best highlights).
2. Buy Chengxi Grand Ceremony tickets in advance, choose the middle area for the best view.
3. Wear comfortable shoes! Summer Resort is large, walking 20,000 steps is normal.
4. Bring sunscreen + jacket: hot during the day, cool mornings and evenings, big temperature difference in the mountains.
5. You can order half portions of the Eight Bowls, portions are large to avoid waste.
Summary:
Three days and two nights, visit royal gardens, Tibetan Buddhist temples, watch a stunning performance,
eat authentic Chengde flavors, stay comfortably, and have a great time,
total cost for three people under 3000 RMB
Chengde is not just a summer resort, it’s a 300-year journey through history.
The most complete photo route + food map of Chengde Summer Resort, follow me to get more value from your trip!