Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Small-Group Tour
Two Imperial Sites in One Day: Mutianyu Wall & Summer Palace from Beijing
You're picked up at 8am and driven to Mutianyu Great Wall, where you choose between a chair lift up and toboggan down or a cable car round trip, then explore on your own schedule. After lunch in a local village, you spend the afternoon at the Summer Palace, China's largest imperial garden. Hotel drop-off happens in the evening. Everything (transport, entries, the cable car, and lunch) is included in one price.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Mutianyu Great Wall Entry included 2h
- Summer Palace Entry included 2h
Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace
- Hotel pickup at 8:00am
- Drive 1.5 hours to Mutianyu Great Wall
- Explore Great Wall via chair lift or cable car
- Descend Great Wall by toboggan or cable car
- Lunch in local village with Chinese dishes
- Drive 1 hour to Summer Palace
- Visit Summer Palace with guide commentary
- Return to hotel for drop-off
What’s included
Your day includes 8am hotel pickup and evening drop-off within Beijing's 4th Ring Road, round-trip minivan transport with air conditioning, entry fees to both Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace, your choice of cable car or chair lift (up) and toboggan (down) at Mutianyu, lunch at a local village restaurant with dishes like gongbao chicken and fried rice, and a professional English-speaking guide throughout.
Times
- Every day 07:30
Options for this experience
2 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated 8 days ago
Operated by Discover Beijing Tours
The experience
So you're torn between hitting the Great Wall and the Summer Palace, but you don't want to spend two days shuttling between them? That's exactly what this Beijing tour solves. You get picked up from your hotel at 8am, anywhere within the 4th Ring Road, and head straight to Mutianyu, about 90 minutes north. The section there has 23 restored watchtowers, and you're not herded through it like a stadium crowd. The group stays under 12 people, so you actually have time to walk at your own pace instead of being swept along by someone's schedule.
At Mutianyu Great Wall, you choose your own way up: either take the chair lift to tower 6 and toboggan back down, or do a round-trip cable car at tower 14. Both are included, so there's no surprise cost at the ticket window. You get loose time to explore the wall itself: walk the sections that interest you, find a quiet tower, take photos without someone tapping your shoulder. After that, you drive down to a local village restaurant for lunch. The menu rotates through dishes like gongbao chicken, local mushroom and pork, onion pancakes, fried rice: real food, not a tourist plate. Your guide eats with you and talks about what you're about to see at the Summer Palace during the next hour's drive.
The Summer Palace is the largest imperial garden left standing in China, and walking through it feels different after you've already climbed the wall. You're not fresh, so you move slower, notice more. The guide walks you through the layout, explains the history of the place, points out details most people miss. By late afternoon you're back in the minivan heading to your hotel, and the whole day (transport, both entry fees, the cable car, lunch, the guide) is already paid for. No receipts to collect, no haggling at gates, no "wait, what wasn't included?"
Is this one for you?Pick this if you want both the Great Wall and the Summer Palace in one day without arranging separate transport, tickets and timing: the fixed 8am start and small group size mean you move between sites without gaps or confusion, and everything costs what you pay upfront.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Infant (under 4).
How long is the drive to Mutianyu Great Wall?
About 1.5 hours from central Beijing.
What's included in the tour price?
Hotel pickup and drop-off, minivan transport, entry to both sites, cable car or chair lift at Mutianyu, lunch, and an English-speaking guide.
Can I choose which way to go up the Great Wall?
Yes. You can take the chair lift up and toboggan down from tower 6, or do a round-trip cable car at tower 14. Both are included.
What time does pickup happen?
8am from your hotel lobby. Contact the operator one day before to confirm the exact time.
Is the group really small?
Yes, groups are limited to 12 people maximum.
What if I have dietary restrictions?
Tell the operator at booking time, and they'll arrange it with the restaurant.
What if my hotel is outside the 4th Ring Road?
Pickup is only available for hotels within the 4th Ring Road. Check your location before booking.
What should I wear?
Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing. The tour runs in all weather.
Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Small-Group Tour
8h · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 142 per person