Beijing Great Wall: Mutianyu & Badaling with VIP Fast Pass
Skip the Lines at Beijing's Great Wall: Cable Car & Toboggan Included
You skip the shuttle bus lines at Mutianyu or ride an exclusive VIP shuttle to the cable car at Badaling, then take the cable car to the wall with your private guide. At Mutianyu, the optional toboggan descent is included. At Badaling, you get zero-queue cable car access. Hotel pickup and return are part of the package, and the tour wraps by early afternoon.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Great Wall at Badaling Entry included 2h
- Mutianyu Great Wall Entry included 1h
VIP Great Wall Tour with Guide
- Meet guide and driver at hotel
- Drive to chosen Great Wall section
- Skip shuttle bus lines (Mutianyu) or take VIP shuttle (Badaling)
- Take cable car to Great Wall top
- Explore wall with guide and hear history
- Enjoy free time for photos
- Optionally take ski lift and toboggan ride (Mutianyu)
- Return to hotel with guide and driver
What’s included
Your half-day includes hotel pickup and return by private vehicle, a professional guide throughout, entrance fee to the Great Wall, cable car round-trip (or ski lift up with optional toboggan down at Mutianyu), and VIP fast access: either the exclusive shuttle bus to the cable car at Badaling or skipping the shuttle queue at Mutianyu.
Times
- Every day 07:00 08:00 09:00 10:00 12:00 13:00 14:00
Options for this experience
2 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated yesterday
Operated by Unique Beijing Tours
The experience
You're driving out of central Beijing before rush hour clears, your guide already pointing out the way the city thins into hills. The choice between Mutianyu and Badaling splits here (one quieter and forested, one closer and more direct), but both routes cut straight past the crowds that pile up at the entrance. At Badaling, you board a VIP shuttle that takes you directly to the cable car base. At Mutianyu, you skip the long shuttle queue entirely and move straight to your choice of cable car or ski lift. Either way, you're on the wall within hours of leaving your hotel, not stuck in a parking lot watching tour groups shuffle past.
The cable car ride itself is the first real moment: the wall drops away beneath you, and the guide is already talking about beacon towers, how they relayed signals across mountains before radio existed. At Badaling, the wall is steeper and more restored, the kind of place where you can see for miles across the ridges. At Mutianyu, the wall winds through forest, and the air feels different: quieter, thicker with trees. If you chose Mutianyu's ski lift instead of the cable car, you end up at Tower 6, a spot fewer people reach, where the brickwork is older and the views are tighter but more intimate. You get free time to walk and photograph without a guide narrating every step, which matters more than it sounds when you're trying to actually see something.
The descent is where Mutianyu pulls ahead for some travelers: if you took the ski lift up, the toboggan ride down is included and optional. A gravity-powered slide through the forest that takes about ten minutes and feels nothing like a tour. It's just you, the sled, and the hill. At Badaling, you take the cable car back down the same way you came up. Both routes end with your guide and driver returning you to your downtown hotel, usually by early afternoon, which leaves the rest of your day open. The whole thing runs about half a day, not a full commitment, and the VIP access means you're not burning two hours in queues just to get started.
Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see the Great Wall without spending half your day in queues or arranging transport yourself: the VIP access and private guide handle both, leaving you time to actually walk the wall and take photos instead of standing in lines.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English, Chinese and Chinese.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (under 4): free.
What's the difference between Mutianyu and Badaling?
Badaling is closer to Beijing, more restored, and steeper. Mutianyu is quieter, forested, and offers a ski lift option with an included toboggan descent. Both have VIP fast access. The advantage differs by preference.
Do I have to queue for the cable car?
At Badaling, no. The VIP shuttle takes you to the cable car entrance and you board directly. At Mutianyu, all visitors queue for the cable car or ski lift due to scenic area regulations, but you skip the long shuttle bus line to get there.
Is the toboggan ride included?
Yes, but only at Mutianyu, and it's optional. If you take the ski lift up, you can choose to toboggan down or take the ski lift back.
How long does the tour take?
About half a day. You're picked up from your hotel in the morning and returned by early afternoon, leaving your evening free.
What's included in the price?
Private guide, private vehicle transport, hotel pickup and return, entrance fee, cable car or ski lift, and at Mutianyu, the toboggan ride.
Do I need to be fit for this?
No special fitness is required. You ride the cable car or ski lift to the wall, then walk at your own pace with free time to rest.
What if I'm not sure which wall to choose?
Ask your guide during pickup. Badaling is faster and more dramatic. Mutianyu is more scenic and peaceful. Both are worth it.
Beijing Great Wall: Mutianyu & Badaling with VIP Fast Pass
5h–7h · EN +2 · at your hotel
from US$ 148 per person