Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace tour from Beijing
Two imperial landmarks in one day without arranging the route yourself.
A full-day group tour from Beijing visiting Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with English-speaking guide, round-trip air-conditioned bus transport, and entrance tickets to both sites. The itinerary splits the day into four hours at the wall and three hours in the palace gardens, with a shuttle bus included within the Great Wall scenic area. Lunch is available as an add-on; private tours with hotel pickup are offered as an alternative to shared departures.
Step-by-step itinerary
Visit Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace
- Arrive at meeting point
- Board bus to Mutianyu Great Wall
- Listen to guide introduction on bus
- Collect tickets at Mutianyu Great Wall
- Take shuttle uphill to Great Wall
- Explore Mutianyu Great Wall (4 hours)
- Return to bus and travel to Summer Palace
- Tour Summer Palace with guide (3 hours)
- Transfer back to Olympic Park
The Experience
You meet the guide at a central point in Beijing, show your reservation, and board an air-conditioned bus for the 90-minute drive to Mutianyu. During the journey, the guide walks you through what to expect at the wall and handles any ticket reservations. Once there, you collect your entrance ticket and take the internal shuttle uphill into the scenic area. You then have four hours to explore — choosing between the east-line route, the west-line route, or both if you want the full span of the wall. The cable car and toboggan are optional purchases if you prefer not to walk the steeper sections.
After Mutianyu, the bus returns you to Beijing and continues to Summer Palace. Your guide leads you through the gardens for three hours, explaining the history of the buildings and the life of the Empress Dowager Cixi, known as the "Dragon Lady." The palace sits on a lake with pavilions, walkways and courtyards built across centuries. Once the tour ends, the bus drops you back at Olympic Park.
The tour runs 10 hours total, though much of that is driving time. An English-speaking guide stays with the group throughout. If you choose the lunch option, a buffet is included partway through the day. The shared bus format means you travel with other visitors; private tours with hotel pickup are available if you prefer a smaller group and flexible timing. Cash is useful in the Great Wall area, as card payments aren't reliable there.
What’s included
- Round-trip air-conditioned bus transport from Beijing.
- entrance tickets to Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace.
- English-speaking guide for the full day.
- free shuttle bus within the Great Wall scenic area.
- buffet lunch (if the lunch option is selected).
- hotel pickup and drop-off (if the private tour option is selected).
Operated by Busda
Is this one for you?Choose the shared bus tour if you're comfortable with a fixed schedule and want the lowest price; pick the private option if hotel pickup matters or you'd rather set your own pace at each site. The lunch add-on works if you don't want to find food during the day, though it's not necessary — the tour gives you time to eat on your own if you prefer.
Traveler reviews
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How much time do I actually spend at each site on this tour?
Mutianyu Great Wall gets four hours of sightseeing time after you arrive, and Summer Palace gets three hours. The remaining time is the 90-minute drive each way plus the shuttle within the scenic area.
What's included in the lunch option?
The Mutianyu & Summer Palace Bus + Lunch option includes a buffet meal during the tour. The other options do not include food, so you'd need to arrange your own or purchase meals separately.
Can I choose which parts of the Great Wall to walk?
Yes. Once at Mutianyu, you can take the east-line tour, the west-line tour, or both the double-line tour depending on how much walking you want to do in your four hours there.
Do I need to bring cash to the Great Wall?
Yes. Credit cards don't work reliably in the Great Wall scenic area, so bring cash if you want to buy the optional cable car, toboggan, or any food or drinks on-site.
What's the difference between the shared bus tour and the private option?
The shared bus tour departs from a central meeting point and follows a fixed schedule with other travelers. The private tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, flexible timing, and personalized guiding for just your group.
Is the shuttle bus at Mutianyu included in the tour price?
Yes. The free shuttle bus that takes you uphill within the Great Wall scenic area is included. The cable car and toboggan are separate optional purchases if you prefer not to walk those sections.
Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace tour from Beijing
10h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 24 per person
★★★★★★★★★★4.96185 reviews














