Gubei Water Town Overnight Tour: Simatai Great Wall & Hot Spring

Stay in a courtyard hot spring hotel and hike Simatai Great Wall at night

This overnight tour from Beijing takes you to Gubei Water Town and Simatai Great Wall with a private guide and driver. You'll spend one night in a traditional courtyard-style hot spring hotel, ride a cable car up to the wall for an evening hike, and soak in the hot spring before and after dinner. Pickup from your Beijing hotel or PEK Airport is included, as are all entrance fees, meals and the cable car ride.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town

• Pick up by private driver and guide
• Drive to Gubei Water Town (2 hours)
• Browse water town and have lunch
• Check in to hot spring hotel
• Enjoy private hot spring
• Take cable car to Simatai Great Wall
• Evening hike on the Great Wall
• View night scenery of water town
• Have local dinner
• Relax in hot spring again

Day 2 — Morning in Gubei Water Town and Return

• Optional sunrise hike on the Great Wall
• Morning walk in water town
• Enjoy breakfast
• Optional boat ride (Apr-Oct, own cost)
• Check out from hotel
• Transfer back to Beijing or PEK airport

The Experience

Your private driver picks you up in the morning or midday from your Beijing hotel or airport and drives two hours to Gubei Water Town, a restored Ming-dynasty settlement built around a canal at the foot of Simatai Great Wall. You'll have time to walk the narrow lanes and browse the shops before lunch, then check into your traditional courtyard-style hotel where you can use the private hot spring in your room whenever you want. In the late afternoon, take the cable car up to Simatai and hike the wall as the light fades, watching the water town glow below you as darkness falls. The wall here is steep and less crowded than the sections near Beijing, and the night views of the illuminated town are the reason most people book this tour instead of a day trip.

After the hike, you'll come down for a local dinner at the hotel, then have another chance to soak in the hot spring—many guests choose the outdoor pools to sit under the stars. The next morning, you can either climb back up to catch the sunrise from the wall or take a quiet walk through the water town before breakfast. Checkout is at noon, and your driver takes you back to Beijing or to the airport depending on your booking. The whole trip is arranged: your guide handles the cable car tickets, the hotel check-in, the timing of meals and the route, so you're not organizing logistics between stops.

What’s included

• Round-trip cable car tickets to Simatai Great Wall.
• overnight accommodation in a traditional courtyard-style hot spring hotel with private hot spring access in your room.
• professional private guide and driver.
• all entrance fees.
• lunch and dinner the first day plus breakfast the second morning (or breakfast, lunch and dinner depending on your departure time).
• hotel pickup or PEK Airport pickup and drop-off.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Marco Polo electronic commerce co.,LTD

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the Simatai Great Wall experience without arranging transport, hotels, meals or cable car tickets yourself—everything is coordinated so the overnight stay and the evening hike fit together as one trip. The private guide and driver mean you're not waiting for a group or following a fixed schedule once you arrive at the water town.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What is Gubei Water Town like to walk around?

Gubei Water Town is a restored Ming-dynasty settlement with narrow lanes, small shops, restaurants and a canal running through it. It sits at the base of Simatai Great Wall, and the tour includes time to browse the town before and after your wall hike, with the evening view of the illuminated water town from the wall being a highlight most visitors mention.

How difficult is the hike on Simatai Great Wall?

Simatai Great Wall is steeper and more rugged than other restored sections near Beijing, with uneven stone steps and sections that climb steeply. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, but you'll want comfortable walking shoes and should be prepared for a moderately strenuous evening hike. The cable car takes you up, so you're only hiking the wall itself, not climbing from the base.

Can I use the hot spring whenever I want?

Yes. Your room includes a private hot spring, so you can soak before or after the wall hike, in the evening, or in the morning before breakfast. The hotel also has outdoor hot spring pools if you prefer to soak under the moonlight or stars with other guests.

What meals are included in the tour?

Meals depend on your booking option. The afternoon departure includes lunch, dinner and breakfast the next morning. The early departure includes breakfast, lunch and dinner. All meals are at the hotel or in Gubei Water Town, and the tour operator asks that you mention any dietary requirements when you book.

Is airport pickup available?

Yes. If you're flying into PEK Airport, you can arrange pickup and drop-off as part of the tour. You'll need to provide your flight details when you book so the driver can meet you at arrivals.

Can I take a boat ride in the water town?

Boat rides in Gubei Water Town are available from April to October, but they're not included in the tour price and you'd arrange and pay for them separately if you want to go.