Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Bus Tour from Beijing

Mutianyu Great Wall: history and setting

The Mutianyu section lies in Huairou District, about 70 kilometres north-east of central Beijing. A wall first rose on this ridge in the 6th century, and the structure you see today was rebuilt under the Ming dynasty in the 16th century to guard the northern approaches to the capital. Its closely spaced watchtowers and battlements on both sides of the walkway make it one of the most impressive stretches of the Great Wall.

Restored in the 1980s and surrounded by dense forest, Mutianyu is greener and usually less crowded than Badaling, the section closest to the city. Is Mutianyu worth visiting? For most travellers it is the best balance of authentic atmosphere, views and easy access, which is why it is the favourite choice for a Great Wall day trip from Beijing.

On the wall: cable car, steps and toboggan

From the coach park, the shuttle bus included in your ticket carries you up to the base of the wall. From there you can climb steep stone steps, or take the optional cable car or chairlift straight onto the ridge, then stroll between watchtowers with views over waves of wooded mountains. The wall itself is steep in places, so take your time.

For the descent, many visitors choose the optional toboggan, a metal slide that winds down through the trees and is great fun for families. The cable car and toboggan are paid on the spot and are not included. Allow about two and a half to three hours at Mutianyu, enough to walk a good stretch of the wall and take your photos.

How to get to Mutianyu and the day's route

How to get to Mutianyu from Beijing? Public transport requires a long bus journey with changes, so most visitors join an organised trip. This coach tour leaves at 07:20 from Dongsi Station in central Beijing and reaches Mutianyu in about one and a half to two hours, arriving before the busiest time of day.

After the wall comes the buffet lunch, with Chinese and Western dishes and soft drinks, then the drive back towards the city to the Summer Palace in the north-west, about one and a half hours. The whole day takes around ten hours. Guests who eat halal should know the buffet is not certified halal; Beijing has many halal (qingzhen) restaurants run by Hui Muslim families for the evening.

The Summer Palace: Kunming Lake and Longevity Hill

The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Created in the 18th century, burned in 1860 and rebuilt in the 1880s, it was where the Qing court escaped the heat of the Forbidden City. Kunming Lake fills about three quarters of the park, overlooked by Longevity Hill and its tall Tower of Buddhist Incense.

Summer Palace opening hours are roughly 06:30 to 18:00 from April to October and 07:00 to 17:00 in winter, with some inner halls closing earlier. On this tour you spend about two hours here with your guide, following the lakeshore, viewing the pavilions and halls, and enjoying the reflection of the hill in the water.

Long Corridor, Marble Boat and Seventeen-Arch Bridge

The highlight of the gardens is the Long Corridor, a covered walkway of more than 700 metres along the northern shore, its beams painted with thousands of scenes of landscapes, flowers, birds and classic tales. At its western end sits the Marble Boat, a stone pavilion shaped like a paddle steamer, one of the most photographed sights in Beijing.

Across the lake, the elegant Seventeen-Arch Bridge links the shore to South Lake Island, glowing at sunset in early winter. An optional boat ride across Kunming Lake, paid on the spot, is a relaxing way to see the palace from the water. The best time to visit the Summer Palace is spring for blossoms and autumn for golden colours.