2-Day Private Beijing Diving: Great Wall Tour Highlights

Great Wall cable car and hike, Forbidden City tour, Summer Palace gardens, unique historic adventure

A 2-day private shore excursion from Tianjin Cruise Port to Beijing with a professional English-speaking guide, private car, and all entrance fees included. You visit Mutianyu Great Wall (with cable car round-trip and the choice to hike as far as you want), Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, and the Forbidden City. The tour ends either in Beijing or returns you to Xingang port in time for your cruise departure. You choose at checkout. Lunch is included both days at local restaurants.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Tianjin to Great Wall and Summer Palace

• Meet guide at Tianjin Cruise Port
• Travel 3.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall
• Stop for lunch at local restaurant
• Ride cable car up Great Wall
• Hike and explore Great Wall towers
• Descend by cable car or toboggan
• Visit Summer Palace imperial garden
• Photo stop at National Stadium and Water Cube
• Transfer to Beijing hotel

Day 2: Temple of Heaven and Forbidden City

• Check out of hotel
• Visit Temple of Heaven
• Explore Tian'anmen Square area
• Tour Forbidden City main halls
• Visit inner court halls
• Pass by Imperial Garden
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Return to Tianjin Cruise Port

The experience

The journey starts the moment your ship docks: your guide meets you at Tianjin International Cruise Port, helps with your bags, and drives you 3.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall. Along the way, the guide shares stories about Beijing's landmarks and the wall's history. You stop at a local village restaurant for lunch, then ride a cable car up to the wall itself. From there, you hike at your own pace (exploring beacon towers and watch towers as far as you want to go), and descend either by cable car, ski lift, or toboggan. Because this is a private tour, there's no group schedule pushing you forward.

The first day ends at Summer Palace, the best-preserved imperial garden in Beijing, where you walk through courtyards and traditional Chinese gardens. A photo stop at the National Stadium and Water Cube follows before you're transferred to your hotel in Beijing (book your own accommodation in advance). Day two begins at Temple of Heaven, where Ming and Qing emperors made offerings and prayed for harvests. You walk the courtyards and halls, then move on to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Inside the palace, your guide takes you through the Hall of Great Harmony, the inner courts, and the Imperial Garden, explaining the lives of emperors, empresses and concubines. Lunch at a local restaurant comes next, then the 2-hour drive back to Tianjin port (or to Xingang if you chose that option at checkout). The guide's service ends in Beijing. The driver completes the return journey.

All entrance fees, the cable car at Mutianyu, and both lunches are included. The private car comes stocked with premium snacks and mineral water. Note that Tiananmen Square is free but security checks can take 1–3 hours on busy days. If delays are severe, the square may be skipped with no refund. The Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven are closed Mondays, so the two-day itinerary may switch depending on your cruise schedule. You'll need to provide your full name, passport number, date of birth, gender, ship name, docking time, disembarkation time, and re-boarding time at booking.

What’s included

• Professional English-speaking guide.
• private car with premium snacks and mineral water.
• cable car round-trip at Mutianyu Great Wall.
• all entrance fees to Mutianyu, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and Forbidden City.
• lunch both days at local restaurants.
• photo stop at National Stadium and Water Cube.

Options for this experience

2 options

Private tour, ending in BeijingGuide in English · 07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Your own private guide, with pickup from Xingang Cruise Port included, and a two-day tour of Beijing that finishes in Beijing

Private tour, ending at XingangGuide in 4 languages · 07:00, 07:30 and 08:00Your own private guide, with pickup from Xingang Cruise Port included, and a two-day Beijing tour that finishes at Xingang Cruise Port

You pick the guide language when booking.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00, 07:30 and 08:00

AgesAdult (11 to 90 years) · Child (5 to 10 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and Chinese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 3 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearby

Operated by Unique Beijing Tours

Is this one for you?Choose the return-to-Xingang option if your cruise departure time is tight and you want the guide to coordinate the timing. Choose ending in Beijing if you'd rather stay on and explore the city at your own pace after the tour wraps up. The private format means no group schedule. You set the hiking distance at the Great Wall and the pace throughout both days.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, Chinese and Chinese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 10 years); Infant (under 5): free.

What's the difference between ending in Beijing and returning to Xingang?

Ending in Beijing lets you stay on and explore the city further after the tour concludes. Returning to Xingang means the driver takes you back to the port after the second day so you're back in time for your cruise departure. The tour guide's service ends in Beijing either way.

How much hiking is involved at Mutianyu Great Wall?

Mutianyu Great Wall hiking is entirely up to you. You ride the cable car up, then walk the beacon towers and watch towers as far as you want to go at your own pace. You can descend by cable car, ski lift, or toboggan: no fixed distance or time commitment.

What happens if Tiananmen Square has a very long security line?

Tiananmen Square is a free attraction, but security checks can take 1–3 hours on busy days. If delays become severe, the guide will skip it with no refund, since the site itself is complimentary.

Are meals included, and what kind of food will we eat?

Lunch is included both days at local restaurants, not tourist traps, but family-run eateries serving authentic Beijing flavors and traditional Peking duck. The private car also comes stocked with premium snacks and mineral water.

What do I need to bring or arrange before the tour?

Book your own hotel in Beijing in advance if you're ending there. At booking, provide your full name, passport number, date of birth, gender, ship name, docking time, disembarkation time, and re-boarding time. Each traveler can bring a maximum of one suitcase and one carry-on bag. Oversized luggage may have restrictions.