Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace tour: Guided & self-paced
Two imperial landmarks in one day, one your pace and one led by a guide
A full-day tour combining self-guided exploration of Mutianyu Great Wall with a guided tour of the Summer Palace, China's largest royal garden. You spend four hours at the Great Wall, then travel by coach to the Summer Palace for a four-hour guided tour along Kunming Lake, through the 728-meter Long Corridor, and up the Tower of Buddhist Incense. Admission, lunch, English-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport are included.
Step-by-step itinerary
- Mutianyu Great Wall Entry included 4h
- Summer Palace Entry included 3h
Explore Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace
- Arrive at Mutianyu Great Wall Visitor Center
- Take shuttle bus to Great Wall entrance
- Self-guided exploration of Mutianyu Great Wall
- Coach transfer to Summer Palace
- Guided tour of Summer Palace gardens
- Stroll along Kunming Lake and Seventeen-Arch Bridge
What’s included
- Admission to Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace.
- buffet lunch (on the option you select).
- air-conditioned coach transport.
- English-speaking guide for the Summer Palace portion of the day.
Times
- Every day 07:30
Options for this experience
2 optionsInformation
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by 慕巴士Mubus
The experience
The day splits into two halves, each with its own rhythm. You start at Mutianyu Great Wall, where a scenic shuttle bus carries you up the mountain to the entrance. From there, you have four hours to walk the ancient fortifications at your own pace, moving through the lush pine and cypress forests that surround the wall. There's no schedule to follow. You choose which sections to explore and how long to linger on the ramparts.
After Mutianyu, your guide leads you by coach to the Summer Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site that spreads across China's largest royal garden. The four-hour guided tour begins with a stroll along the shores of Kunming Lake, where the Seventeen-Arch Bridge stretches across the water. You walk the 728-meter Long Corridor, its walls covered in intricate paintings, then climb the Tower of Buddhist Incense for views across pavilions, bridges, and willow-lined shores. The guide explains the history and design of this best-preserved imperial garden as you move through it.
The tour includes admission to both sites, a buffet lunch, and an English-speaking guide for the Summer Palace portion. You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle between the two locations. The full day runs ten hours from pickup to return.
Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want control over how you spend your time at the Great Wall (the self-guided four hours let you set your own pace), while still having expert guidance at the Summer Palace, where the history and design of the garden reward a knowledgeable lead. The combination fits a full day and covers two major sites without requiring separate bookings.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 6 years): free.
How much time do I actually spend at each site?
You have four hours at Mutianyu Great Wall to explore on your own, then four hours on the guided tour of the Summer Palace. Travel time between the two and lunch add up to the remaining hours of the ten-hour day.
What is the Seventeen-Arch Bridge and why does the tour stop there?
The Seventeen-Arch Bridge is an iconic landmark that spans Kunming Lake at the Summer Palace, connecting the main garden to an island pavilion. It's one of the first stops on the guided tour because it sets the scale of the garden and gives you views across the water to the rest of the palace grounds.
Do I need a guide at the Great Wall, or can I really explore on my own?
The Great Wall portion is self-guided. You collect your tickets at the MUBUS Visitor Center and take the scenic shuttle bus up the mountain to the entrance, then you're free to walk the wall however you like for the full four hours. The guide joins you only for the coach ride to the Summer Palace and the tour there.
Is lunch included, and what if I have dietary restrictions?
Lunch is included as a buffet. If you have dietary restrictions or prefer not to eat the buffet, you can select the tour option without lunch at checkout.
What's the difference between the two tour options at checkout?
One option includes a buffet lunch. The other does not. Both include admission to both sites, the English-speaking guide for the Summer Palace, and air-conditioned transport. Choose based on whether you want the meal included in your booking.
Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace tour: Guided & self-paced
10h · EN
from US$ 29 per person