Mutianyu Great Wall tour: Chairlift, hike, toboggan

Three ways down the wall, one morning to decide which suits you.

This full-day tour from Beijing takes you to Mutianyu Great Wall, one of the best-preserved sections near the capital, with transport and entrance included. You choose how to ascend and descend: cable car up and down, chairlift up with chairlift or toboggan down, or hike the wall itself.

Step-by-step itinerary

Visit Mutianyu Great Wall from Beijing

• Hotel pick-up in downtown Beijing
• Drive to Mutianyu Great Wall
• Take cable car or chairlift up
• Hike and explore the Great Wall
• Descend by cable car or toboggan
• Return to hotel

The experience

The drive takes you northeast about 75 kilometers from the city center to Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall famous for its lush forests and seasonal landscape changes. The wall here served as a northern defensive barrier protecting Beijing, and it remains one of the most picturesque stretches you can visit. Once you arrive, the day is yours to shape: take the cable car up to Tower #14 and explore the wall on foot, or ride the chairlift to Tower #6 if you want a different vantage point. The choice of descent matters (cable car, chairlift or toboggan), and each one changes how the afternoon unfolds.

Hiking along the wall itself is the option if you want to move at your own rhythm and take in panoramic views without mechanical assistance. The toboggan descent is a single-track ride down the mountainside that takes the exertion out of the return journey, though it's not available for guests over 60, pregnant women, children under 3, or during bad weather or long queues: in those cases, the chairlift becomes your alternative. The cable car up and down is the most straightforward route if you want to spend maximum time on the wall itself without worrying about descent logistics. All three approaches work. The difference is what you want the day to feel like.

The tour includes your entrance fee, the cable car or chairlift ticket (depending on which descent option you select), and all taxes and fees. The pace is flexible, so you're not rushed through the wall or held to a rigid schedule. The operator asks that you book carefully if you have an evening train or flight, since delays can happen.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off from your downtown Beijing hotel, on the options that include it.
• entrance fee to Mutianyu Great Wall.
• cable car up and down to Tower #14, or chairlift up to Tower #6 with chairlift or toboggan descent.
• licensed guide, on the options that include one.
• all taxes, fees and handling charges.

Options for this experience

5 options

Private driver with ticketsUp to 30 per booking · Guide in Chinese · 9 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:00Self-guided tour including a private driver, entrance tickets, and round-trip cable car or chairlift-up and toboggan-down tickets. Duration: 7 hours. The driver will use an AI translator to communicate. About the cable way: 1) chairlift up plus chairlift down or slide down, 2) cable car up plus cable car down. You can choose one or the other. Note: the toboggan is not available to those over 60 or in bad weather. The two independent cable way companies are offered as an either-or choice. Pickup is included.

Group meeting at the Regent HotelGuide in English · 07:30Small bus tour. Please make your own way to the meeting point; there is no need to provide your hotel information. Meeting time: 7:30 am, please arrive 5 minutes early. By taxi: Regent Beijing Hotel, 99 Jinbao Street, near Wangfujing. Duration: 8 hours, typically 7 to 8 hours; it may run 1 to 3 hours longer in peak season and heavy traffic, and be shorter in the off-season. By subway: take Line 5 to Dengshikou Station (Exit C), then walk 50 m (1 min) to the hotel entrance. Included: tickets, a chairlift-up-and-down or toboggan-down ticket, a guide, and a driver. The toboggan is not available to those over 60 or in bad weather. Starting point: Regent Beijing, 99 Jin Bao Jie, Dong Cheng Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100005.

Group meeting at the Kempinski HotelGuide in English · 08:20Small bus tour. There is no hotel pickup or drop-off service, so there is no need to provide your hotel information. Meeting time: 8:10 am. Please make your own way to the meeting point. By taxi: Kempinski Hotel Beijing Lufthansa Center, 50 Liangmaqiao Road. Duration: 8 hours, typically 7 to 8 hours; it may run 1 to 3 hours longer in peak season and heavy traffic, and be shorter in the off-season. By subway: take Line 10 to Liangmaqiao Station (Exit C), then walk 300 m (3 min) to the hotel entrance. Included: tickets, a chairlift-up-and-down or toboggan-down ticket, a guide, and a driver. The toboggan is not available to those over 60 or in bad weather. Starting point: Kempinski Hotel Beijing Yansha Center, 50 Liang Ma Qiao Lu, Chao Yang Qu, Bei Jing Shi, China, 100125.

See 2 more options

Private guide, driver and ticketsUp to 30 per booking · Guide in English · 8 departure times: the first at 07:00, the last at 13:30Private guided tour including a private driver, a licensed tour guide, entrance tickets, and round-trip cable car or chairlift-up and toboggan-down tickets. Note: the toboggan is not available to those over 60 or in bad weather. The two independent cable way companies are offered as an either-or choice. Pickup is included.

Group tour with pickup from your hotelUp to 15 per booking · Guide in English · 07:00Small bus tour including downtown hotel pickup and drop-off, tickets, a round-trip cable car or chairlift-up and toboggan-down ticket, a guide, and a driver. Pickup from any downtown hotel is arranged between 7:00 and 7:40 am, depending on your hotel's location. Duration: 8 hours, typically; it may run 1 to 3 hours longer in peak season or heavy traffic, and be shorter in the off-season. Note: the toboggan is not available to those over 60 or in bad weather. The two independent cable way companies are offered as an either-or choice. Pickup is included.

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day17 departure times: the first at 06:00, the last at 13:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Child (4 to 13 years) · Infant (under 4)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Chinese

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

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

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lily's Tour Company

Is this one for you?Book the group tour with pickup if you want a guide explaining the wall's history as you walk. Choose driver-and-tickets if you'd rather explore at your own pace without narration.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

In Chinese, with 9 departure times. In English, with 9 departure times.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 13 years); Infant (under 4).

What's the difference between the cable car, chairlift and toboggan options?

The cable car goes up to Tower #14 and back down the same way. The chairlift goes up to Tower #6 and you can descend by chairlift or toboggan. The toboggan is a single-track ride down the mountainside. Toboggan is not available for guests over 60, pregnant women, children under 3, or during bad weather or long queues. The chairlift is the backup option in those cases.

What's included in the tour price?

Entrance fee to Mutianyu Great Wall, cable car or chairlift ticket (depending on your descent choice), and all taxes and fees are included. Hotel pickup and drop-off and a licensed guide come with the options that list them.

Can I hike the wall instead of taking the cable car or chairlift?

Yes. You can hike along the wall to enjoy panoramic views at your own pace instead of using mechanical ascent. Many visitors combine hiking with one of the descent options to manage the return journey.