Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour: cableway included

Two of Beijing's grandest sights in one day, without the crowds at Mutianyu

This full-day Beijing tour combines Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with all entrance fees, a chairlift ticket, lunch and a professional English-speaking guide. You'll spend roughly two hours at the wall—hiking uphill or taking the cableway—then move on to the imperial palace's pavilions, bridges and the world's longest painted corridor. Hotel pickup and air-conditioned transport are included; group tours meet at a hotel or designated point, while private options include your own pickup.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Great Wall and Summer Palace

• Pickup from hotel or meeting point
• Drive 1.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall
• Hike or chairlift up the Great Wall
• Enjoy luge slide down the mountain
• Lunch at local restaurant
• Drive 1 hour to Summer Palace
• Visit Long Corridor and landmarks
• Return to hotel

The Experience

The day starts with a 1.5-hour drive to Mutianyu, a section of the Great Wall that draws far fewer visitors than the better-known stretches closer to the city. The wall snakes more than 1,000 meters along mountain ridges here, winding through lush forests and grasslands that shift color with the seasons. You'll have roughly two hours to explore on your own pace: the uphill walk takes around 30 minutes on foot, or you can take the chairlift up and either hike back down or ride the luge slide (weather and age permitting). The chairlift ticket is included either way.

After lunch at a local restaurant, the drive to Summer Palace takes a little over an hour. The palace was an imperial summer retreat, and what you'll walk through is a landscape of pavilions, temples, bridges and water. The Long Corridor—stretching alongside the lake—holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest painted corridor. You'll also see the Seventeen-Arch Bridge, the Marble Boat, Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill. The sightseeing concludes in the late afternoon, and your driver returns you to your hotel.

The tour runs 8 to 10 hours total and operates in all weather; bring comfortable shoes and dress for the season. A professional guide travels with you throughout, and the vehicle is air-conditioned. If you book a group tour, you'll meet at either the Kempinski or Regent Hotel, or arrange pickup at your own hotel; the all-inclusive private option includes your hotel pickup and lunch as part of the package.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off (included in private and hotel-based group options).
• round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• professional English-speaking guide.
• chairlift ticket up and down at Mutianyu (or luge slide down, weather permitting).
• lunch at a local restaurant (included in the all-inclusive private option).
• bottled water.
• entrance tickets to both Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Lily's Tour Company

Is this one for you?Book the all-inclusive private tour if you want your hotel pickup, lunch and the flexibility to set your own pace at each site without coordinating with a larger group. Choose a group tour meeting at a hotel if you prefer a lower price and don't mind sharing the guide and vehicle with other travelers, or pick the designated meeting point option if you can reach the Kempinski or Regent Hotel on your own.

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Top questions

How much time do I actually spend at the Great Wall?

Mutianyu gives you roughly two hours of free time to explore. The uphill hike on foot takes around 30 minutes, so you can spend the rest walking the wall itself, resting, or taking photos. If you use the chairlift up, you'll have more time to wander the ridge section.

What's included in the tour price?

All entrance tickets to both sites, the chairlift up and down (or luge slide down), lunch at a local restaurant, professional guide service, and round-trip transport in an air-conditioned vehicle are included. Hotel pickup is included for the all-inclusive private tour and the group hotel pickup options; group tours meeting at a hotel have pickup included, while the designated meeting point option does not.

Why is Mutianyu less crowded than other parts of the Great Wall?

Mutianyu is a more remote section of the wall around Beijing, set further from the city center than the heavily visited sections. The natural setting—forests and grasslands on mountain ridges—and the distance combine to keep visitor numbers lower, especially compared to the wall sections that are closer and more accessible by public transport.

Can I walk down the Great Wall instead of taking the chairlift?

Yes. The uphill hike takes around 30 minutes, and you can hike back down the same way. The chairlift and the luge slide are alternatives if you prefer not to walk both directions, but hiking down is always an option unless weather or conditions make it unsafe.

What is the Long Corridor at Summer Palace?

The Long Corridor is a covered walkway stretching alongside the water at Summer Palace. It holds the Guinness World Record as the world's longest painted corridor and is one of the palace's most recognizable features. You'll walk it as part of the sightseeing.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup begins in the morning; the exact time depends on which option you choose and where you're staying. The full tour runs 8 to 10 hours, with return to your hotel in the late afternoon. Specific pickup times are confirmed when you book.