Exploring the great outdoors in Beijing

From royal gardens and parks to a modern ski village and from traditional kung fu to bungee jumping in a gorge, there are several ways to explore the outdoors in Beijing. The city is full of beautiful green oases including ancient royal gardens such as Beihai Park and Summer Palace that combine traditional Chinese temples, pavilions and bridges with lakes and gardens; as well as the trendy lakeside park Houhai and Qianhai that’s lined with boutiques, cafes and rooftop restaurants. There are some stunning natural excursions nearby the city a well: you can take the aerial cableway in the Fragrant Hills Park for bird’s eye views of Beijing, try bungee jumping, hiking or horseback riding in Longqing Gorge, or go skiing in Nanshan Ski Village.