Gubei Water Town & Simatai Great Wall 2-Day Tour from Beijing

Walk the Great Wall at sunrise, then descend into a lantern-lit water town for the night.

This 2-day guided tour from Beijing combines Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall with hotel or airport pickup, professional English-speaking guide, all meals, cable car access and an overnight stay in a view room at the water town. Day one is the water town's neon-lit evening; day two starts with a quiet morning walk before the crowds arrive, then a cable car ride up to the Wall for 1–2 hours of hiking through pristine tower sections, followed by late lunch and return to Beijing.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Explore Gubei Water Town and hotel stay

• Pickup from hotel or airport
• Drive 2 hours to Gubei Water Town
• Check in to hotel with view room
• Tour Gubei Water Town shops and waterways
• Enjoy night view of water town
• Dine on authentic Chinese dinner
• Return to hotel to relax

Day 2 — Visit Simatai Great Wall and return

• Have breakfast at hotel
• Leisurely walk in water town
• Optional boat ride in water town
• Travel to Simatai Great Wall
• Take cable car up the Great Wall
• Hike 1-2 hours on Great Wall
• Descend by cable car
• Enjoy late Chinese lunch
• Check out and return to hotel or airport

The Experience

The tour picks you up from your Beijing hotel or from Capital or Daxing Airport—whichever you choose at checkout—and drives 2 hours to Gubei Water Town. You check into your view room first, then spend the evening walking the archaistic streets and waterways, watching the neon lights come up after 5pm and eating dinner at the town. The room overlooks the water, so the lantern glow carries into the night.

Morning two starts early and quiet: you walk the water town before other travelers arrive, or book a boat ride through the channels (April to October, at your own cost). Then it's a short drive to Simatai Great Wall. You take the cable car up as light hits the forest and the Wall comes into view—this section is known for pristine, tightly gathered towers that look different from the more visited stretches. The guide walks with you for 1–2 hours, stops to photograph you against the Wall and the valleys beyond. The cable car brings you back down, and you eat a late lunch before heading to your Beijing hotel or airport.

The guide and driver stay with you both days. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included, as are the cable car tickets and all entrance fees. You need moderate fitness for the Wall walking and comfortable shoes for the water town's uneven stone streets.

What’s included

• Hotel or airport pickup and drop-off (Capital or Daxing Airport, chosen at checkout).
• professional English-speaking guide and private driver for both days.
• overnight accommodation in a view room at Gubei Water Town.
• breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• round-trip cable car tickets on Simatai Great Wall.
• all entrance fees.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Marco Polo electronic commerce co.,LTD

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want to see the Great Wall without the crowds at Badaling and stay overnight in a place built for evening atmosphere rather than daytime sightseeing. The 2-day structure means you walk the Wall in the quiet morning before other visitors arrive, and the water town's neon-lit evening is the main event—not a side stop on a longer itinerary.

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Top questions

What's the actual hiking like on Simatai Great Wall?

Simatai Great Wall involves 1–2 hours of walking on the restored Wall itself, moving between towers and along ridge sections. The cable car carries you up and down, so you walk only the middle section at your own pace with the guide.

Can I really see the water town lit up at night, or is it just shops?

Gubei Water Town is designed as an evening destination—the neon lights, restaurants and bars turn on after 5pm, and the reflection in the water is the main draw. The archaistic buildings and waterways are real, but the atmosphere is theatrical and busy once the lights come up.

How much time do I spend in the water town on day one?

You arrive mid-afternoon, check in, then have the evening to walk and eat dinner. The next morning you have time for a quiet walk or boat ride before heading to the Great Wall, so roughly 18 hours in the town across both days.

What if I'm flying into Beijing late—can I still make the first day?

The tour departs from your hotel or airport pickup, so timing depends on when you land. If you arrive late, contact the operator to discuss whether a same-day start works or if you should book a hotel night in Beijing first.

Is the overnight hotel comfortable, or is it just a place to sleep?

The tour specifies a view room at a Gubei Water Town hotel, meaning the room overlooks the water. The operator describes it as allowing you to "take away the fatigue of touring," so it is a proper overnight stay, not a budget option.

What happens if I'm traveling alone?

Single travelers get their own private room instead of sharing, at no extra cost. The tour is private (guide and driver are yours alone), so the group size is just you and the guide.