I'm going to be in Beijing for a few days in November and want to see a few specific things (Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven). I've been to Shanghai a few times and I can speak Mandarin natively, but can't read too much in the way of characters (only one year of college Chinese, albeit with simplified characters). Getting around Shanghai and doing what I needed to do was fairly straightforward.

However, in order to maximize my time in Beijing and hit the sights I want to see, would you recommend I hire a local guide/driver?