Beijing
Forbidden City & Jingshan Private Day Tour
Enter at the Meridian Gate, walk the central axis with a guide who knows the side halls, then climb Jingshan for the view back over 980 buildings.
From US$109/per person
View tourBeijing
Mutianyu Great Wall Private Day Tour
Cable car to Tower 14, a 2-hour walk east along the ramparts, then the toboggan down. Departure timed to arrive before the coach groups.
The short version
Mutianyu is the section to choose for a day trip from Beijing: restored Ming ramparts, 23 watchtowers, a cable car and a toboggan, and roughly a third of Badaling's visitor numbers. The drive is 1h 40m each way, so the day runs about 8 hours door to door, with the walk itself taking 2 to 3 hours.
- Cable car up to Tower 14, walk east to Tower 20, toboggan down — the classic one-way route.
- Leave at 07:30 and you are on the wall before the 10:00 coach arrivals.
- Eight hours door to door, including 1h 40m of driving each way.
- Private guide, private vehicle, all tickets and lunch included.
What not to miss
07:30
Hotel pickup
Your guide and driver meet you in the lobby and head north-east out of the city before the ring road fills.
09:10
Arrive at Mutianyu
Ticket check, then the shuttle bus up to the cable car station. Your guide handles the queue while you sort out shoes and water.
09:40
Cable car to Tower 14
Eight minutes up the ridge. The wall appears in both directions from the top — this is where the day's photos happen.
10:00
Walk east to Tower 20
Two hours along restored Ming ramparts, climbing through six watchtowers. Your guide explains the signal-tower system and the garrison logic as you go.
12:30
Farmhouse lunch
A village restaurant at the foot of the wall — trout from the local spring, wild vegetables, and corn bread.
14:00
Toboggan down, drive back
A 1.6 km gravity toboggan to the car park, then the drive south. Back at your hotel around 16:00.
What's included and what isn't
Includes
- Private vehicle and driver for the full day
- Licensed English-speaking guide
- Mutianyu entrance ticket and shuttle bus
- Cable car up and toboggan down
- Farmhouse lunch with bottled water
- Fuel, tolls and parking
Not included
- Breakfast and dinner
- Gratuities for guide and driver
- The chairlift option, if you prefer it to the cable car
- Personal travel insurance
Pickup, timing and getting around
We pick up from any hotel inside the 4th Ring Road at no extra charge, and from PEK or PKX on request with a supplement. Tell us your hotel name when you book and your guide will be in the lobby at 07:30 with a sign.
If you are touring on the day you land, send us the flight number. We track it and move the pickup to 45 minutes after the aircraft touches down, which usually still gets you to the wall before the mid-morning crowds.
Route diagrams are schematic and illustrative, not to scale.
More day tours from Beijing
Beijing
Hutong Lanes & Peking Duck Day Tour
A rickshaw through the grey-brick alleys north of the Drum Tower, a courtyard-house lunch, and Peking duck carved at the table to finish.
From US$99/per person
View tourFrequently asked questions
How long is the walk on the wall?
Two to three hours, depending on how far you go. Tower 14 to Tower 20 and back is the standard route and takes most people about two hours including photo stops and the steep section at Tower 20.
Is the toboggan safe?
Yes. It is a gravity-driven sled on a steel track with a hand brake, and you control your own speed. Children over 1.2 m ride with an adult; below that they ride on a lap.
What happens in bad weather?
Light snow and clear cold are fine — the wall is dramatic in winter. Heavy rain and fog close the cable car, in which case we switch to the Great Wall Museum and the restored section at the valley floor, or reschedule at no cost.
Can we do this on a layover?
Yes, if you land before 08:00 and have at least nine hours on the ground plus eligibility for visa-free transit. We collect you at the airport, run the tour, and return you three hours before departure.
Explore next
More in this city
Before you fly
- Do I Need a Visa for China? Requirements, Costs and How to Apply
- China's 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Who Qualifies and How It Works
- Paying in China: Alipay, WeChat Pay, Cards and Cash
- China's High-Speed Rail: How to Book, What It Costs, How Fast It Goes
- Is China Safe for Tourists? Honest Risks and How to Avoid Them
- Best Time to Visit China: Month by Month, Region by Region
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