3 Days in Chengde to Explore the Imperial Garden

3 Days and 2 Nights in Chengde: A Nanny-Level Guide✨ Transportation/Attractions/Costs All Covered Don’t wander aimlessly in Chengde! Save this guide with precise locations and cost details. Enjoy the Imperial Garden and grasslands for just over 1,000 RMB per person👇 🚗 How to get there? Choosing the right transport saves 2 hours • High-speed train preferred: Beijing Chaoyang Station → Chengde South Station, fastest direct trip in 52 minutes, ticket price 42-106 RMB, taxi from the station to downtown about 20 RMB. • Recommended self-drive: Take the Jingcheng Expressway, 3 hours from Beijing. The grassland route is best by car, with stops along the “National No.1 Scenic Avenue” perfect for photos. 🏯 Must-visit TOP 5 + precise locations 1. Mountain Resort (Bishushanzhuang) 📍 No. 6 East Shanzhuang Road, Shuangqiao District | 💰 Ticket 130 RMB + mountain shuttle 60 RMB The soul of the imperial garden! Take the mountain shuttle for a panoramic view, don’t miss the perfect photo spot of the Little Potala Palace nearby, and the autumn reflection at Shuixin Pavilion is a must. 2. Putuo Zongcheng Temple (Little Potala Palace) 📍 Putuo Zongcheng Temple, Shuangqiao District | 💰 Ticket 80 RMB Tibetan-style architecture perfect for photos. Rent Tibetan costumes for travel photography and pretend you’re in Lhasa. 3. Puning Temple 📍 Puning Road, Shuangqiao District | 💰 Ticket 60 RMB See the world’s largest wooden statue of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin, very effective for blessings. You can bargain for prayer beads at the entrance. 4. Hundred Li Grassland Road 📍 Datang Town, Fengning Manchu Autonomous County | 💰 Free Drive through 180 kilometers of grassland, with windmills and green carpets that make every photo a wallpaper. 5. Chengde Museum 📍 Wulie Road, Shuangqiao District | 💰 Free (reservation required) Spend an hour here to understand half of Qing Dynasty history, which enhances the experience when paired with the Mountain Resort visit. 🍲 Food, accommodation, and transport cost reference • Accommodation: Homestays near the Mountain Resort 150-300 RMB/night (Kairen Huafu Inn highly recommended), luxury option is the Xinggong Grand Hotel (palace style). • Food: Must-try Qianlong Cabbage at Xin Qianlong Restaurant (about 80 RMB per person), the Beile stir-fried lamb at Jindi Fuyuan is amazing, and the Erxianju Night Market offers full meals for 10 RMB. • Total budget: About 1,200-1,500 RMB per person (including transport, tickets, food, and lodging). 💡 Tips to avoid pitfalls Stay one night on the grassland route; Saihanba to Ulan Butong is only 20 km, don’t miss the reindeer interaction. Don’t walk around the Mountain Resort! The mountain shuttle is the essence of the experience.