Day Trips to the Great Wall of China from Beijing

A trip to the Great Wall of China from Beijing will give you the chance to admire one of the most iconic and majestic constructions in the world, stretching for thousands of kilometres through breathtaking mountain scenery. You will also have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the culture and history of China.

Visiting the Great Wall of China is a unique and unforgettable experience not to be missed, and is definitely one of the top things to see and do during your trip to Beijing.

If you want to see this wonder of the world, I recommend you book one of the best tours to the Great Wall of China from Beijing that you will find. During the tour you will have the opportunity to enjoy one of the most impressive constructions in the world, walk along its undulating paths to climb its defensive towers and enjoy incredible views.

The section you will visit is the Badaling and, in addition, during the tour you will learn more about the culture and history of China, as you will be accompanied by a professional guide.

Afterwards, you will visit the tombs of the ancient Chinese emperors and enjoy a typical lunch.

Interesting details

• Price: from 82 euros per person.
• Duration: about 8 hours.
• Means of transport: private vehicle with driver included.
• Advantages of this option: the transfer to and from the hotel or place of accommodation is included. The company of an official guide is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: entrance to the cable car is not included.

When you book this Great Wall of China tour you will also visit the Badaling section, one of the most visited sections of the Great Wall of China. After the walk along the wall, you can enjoy a delicious and authentic Chinese-style lunch to recharge your batteries and continue the tour.

But that's only part of the tour, as this tour also includes a guided visit to Beijing's most important monuments and sites, as well as Tiananmen Square (one of the largest in the world) and the Forbidden City, the largest palace complex in the world. However, there are also tours to the Wall that include these points, but which cover the less crowded Mutianyu section.

Finally, you can visit the Longdi Jade Factory and buy some jade pieces.

Details of interest

• Price: from 89€ per person.
• Duration: about 9 hours.
• Means of transport: by private vehicle.
• Advantages of this option: bottled water and lunch are included. Also included is the company of a professional guide, transfer to and from your hotel or accommodation and entrance to each of the attractions you visit during the tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: entrance fees to the wall cable car are not included.

The most exciting thing about the Jinshanling section is that it connects to other sections of the wall and is acclaimed for its brick watchtowers and its dragon shape snaking through the mountains. In fact, in this area of the Great Wall of China you could sign up for one of Beijing' s best bike tours for an even more extreme experience.

For the next three and a half hours, you'll have the opportunity to explore the wall and enjoy the incredible views without having to worry about crowds. After the wall walk, you can enjoy a typical lunch at a local restaurant before driving back to Beijing.

Details of interest

• Price: from 100 euros per person to enjoy this experience.
• Duration: it will take you one day to complete the activity.
• Means of transport: by air-conditioned bus.
• Advantages of this option: you will be picked up from your hotel or place of accommodation. You will be accompanied at all times by a tour guide. Included in the price is the entrance fee to the Jinshanling Great Wall and lunch of local food. This is a private tour, meaning that only you and your group will participate in the tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: transport back to the hotel or accommodation site and the cable car ride are not included.

After approximately two and a half hours you will arrive at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, where you and your guide will start walking along the walls until you reach the East Tower of Five Windows, where you will take a short break.

You will continue walking west to the Jinshanling Great Wall, while learning about the local culture. One thing that will strike you about this section is that it still retains its original appearance, despite the wall's millennia-long history.

You will then walk for another hour and reach the Shalingkou Pass, where you can choose between two options: descend or continue walking for another 30 minutes to the Zhuanduokou Pass. As you can see, this is one of the most comprehensive tours of the Great Wall of China, as it includes visits to many of its sections.

Details of interest

• Price: from 390 euros per person.
• Duration: about 10 hours.
• Means of transport: air-conditioned minivan.
• Advantages of this option: transfer to and from the hotel or place of accommodation is included. You will be accompanied by a tour guide, free bottled water, umbrellas during the hike and entrance to the Jinshanling Great Wall.
• Disadvantages of this option: meals during the walk and cable car fare on the Great Wall are not included.

You will be met by your tour guide to embark on a journey of approximately two hours to reach the Jiankou Great Wall in Xizhi. The driver will drop you off at the village, then pick you up again at Mutianyu, at the end of the trail.

Together with your private guide, you will hike from a small mountain trail in Xizhi village. It will take you about 50 minutes before you reach the first tower, Zheng Bei Lou, from where you can photograph breathtaking views of the Jiankou Great Wall.

After this experience, you will go with your private guide to the east of the tower, in the direction of Mutianyu, where you will walk to the tenth tower. From there you will be able to see a very different view of the Great Wall. At the end of the walk, you will go to a traditional Chinese restaurant for a typical Chinese lunch, with different dishes and rice as the main food.

Interesting details

• Price: around 345 euros per person.
• Duration: between 8 and 10 hours.
• Means of transport: an air-conditioned bus for the entire journey.
• Advantages of this option: includes the hiking guide and an experienced driver, lunch with typical Chinese food and drinks, bottled water and snacks, tickets to the Great Wall and a souvenir gift.
• Disadvantages of this option: Cable car ticket or tobogganing ticket at Mutianyu Great Wall is not included.

You will meet your guide at your hotel or accommodation to get into a private vehicle and drive straight to the Great Wall at Gubeikou with its broken tower. You will make several stops to take pictures and enjoy the view from the mountains.

After this adventure, you will have the opportunity to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, and enjoy some delicious Chinese tea, just before you get back in the vehicle to continue to the Great Wall at Jinshanling.

Then your guide will take you to a perfect location to watch the sunset over the Wall.

Details of interest

• Price: around 375 euros per person.
• Duration: approximately 9 hours.
• Means of transport: air-conditioned vehicle.
• Advantages of this option: you will be accompanied by a professional guide, lunch and snacks, bottled water, hotel pick-up and drop-off, and entrance to the Great Wall of China at Gubeikou and Jinshanling.
• Disadvantages of this option: Tips are not included.

Visiting the Great Wall of China with a tour guide is recommended for several reasons:

• It can provide you with valuable information about the history and culture of the wall, which can significantly enhance your tour experience.
• You could avoid the crowds and maximise the time available during the tour.
• It can offer a unique and personalised perspective on the Great Wall based on your own interests and needs.
• It will offer recommendations on the best places to take pictures and keep them as souvenirs.