REVIEW · BEIJING
Mutianyu Wall, Summer Palace & Old Summer Palace Day Tour
Book on GetYourGuide →Operated by BEIJING YIDA TRAVEL SERVICE CO.,LTD. · Bookable on GetYourGuide
Three empires in one day. This tour is a straight shot through Mutianyu Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), built to keep you moving without detours. You also get help with tickets and a free shuttle once you’re inside the scenic areas, so the day feels smoother than most big-day plans.
Two things I really like: the time you get at each site is long enough to actually see what you came for, and the guides can be funny and sharp—examples include Yuri, Celina, Yuly, and Lee (known by the nickname Jackie Chan in the reviews). One consideration: you’ll likely pay extra for optional rides at Mutianyu and optional boat time at the Summer Palace, and the day runs 8–10 hours so it can stretch with traffic.
In This Review
- Key highlights before you go
- A day that strings together Beijing’s biggest “wow” sites
- Mutianyu Great Wall: fewer crowds, more time on the wall
- Summer Palace: gardens, lake views, and the Long Corridor
- Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan): ruins that explain a painful chapter
- How the timing and transport actually feel
- Price and value: what $22 buys you, and what it doesn’t
- Who this tour is best for (and who should reconsider)
- The guide factor: why it can make or break the day
- Should you book the Mutianyu + Summer Palace + Old Summer Palace day tour?
- FAQ
- Which sites are included in this day tour?
- Are entrance tickets included?
- Is there a free shuttle bus once you’re at the scenic areas?
- Can I add a cable car, toboggan, or boat ride?
- Where do I meet if I’m using the subway?
- What’s the cancellation and booking flexibility?
Key highlights before you go
- Skip-the-line ticket support plus a complimentary shuttle bus within the scenic areas
- Mutianyu’s restored watchtowers and optional cable car up or toboggan down
- Summer Palace must-sees: Kunming Lake and the Long Corridor (plus optional boating)
- Yuanmingyuan (Old Summer Palace) in ruins that still communicate Qing-era grandeur and the Second Opium War aftermath
- English-speaking guiding with personality, with praised guides like Yuri, Celina, Yuly, and Lee (Jackie Chan nickname)
A day that strings together Beijing’s biggest “wow” sites
Beijing can swallow a whole week if you let it. This day tour is different: it links three famous historical stops into one organized route, so you don’t burn your time juggling tickets, transit, and directions. It’s also priced to feel fair for what’s included, with entrance tickets and round-trip air-conditioned bus transport built in.
One quiet reason this works is flow. You start at Mutianyu in the morning, then move to the Summer Palace, and finish at Yuanmingyuan. That order matters because it gives you a full block of time at the Great Wall when the light is often better for photos and walking. It also sets you up to see the palaces/gardens while you still have energy left.
And yes, this is a heavily visited route. The operator notes that about 100,000 foreign visitors receive the service annually, which usually means the logistics are repeatable and staff know how to keep the day on track.
You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Beijing.
Mutianyu Great Wall: fewer crowds, more time on the wall
Mutianyu Great Wall is the star for people who want the Great Wall experience without the same level of chaos you can find on the most famous sections. The tour plans 3.5 hours at Mutianyu, which is a real gift. It’s enough time to walk and climb, pause at watchtowers, and still take a breather.
What makes Mutianyu feel special is the mix of restored architecture and scenic walking. You’ll pass watchtowers with restored areas and get panoramic views over forests and rolling hills. If you don’t want to do everything on foot, you have optional ways to handle elevation: cable car up or toboggan down are available for an extra fee.
A practical tip: pick your hiking intensity early. With 3.5 hours, you can do a meaningful section and still return calmly. If you’re tempted to sprint to every viewpoint, you’ll end up rushing and cutting down your time for photos and steady walking. The best Great Wall day is the one where your legs stay friends with you.
Cable car and toboggan costs are listed as 140 RMB per person each (optional). Summer Palace boating is 100 RMB per person (optional). So if you know you want one ride at Mutianyu, budget for it before you arrive.
Summer Palace: gardens, lake views, and the Long Corridor
After the Great Wall, the tour shifts to a palace complex that feels more like a royal escape than a fortress. The Summer Palace stop is 2.5 hours, which works well because you’re not just walking in a straight line. You’re moving through gardens and waterfront areas with a lot to look at.
Two Summer Palace features are built into this kind of visit: Kunming Lake and the Long Corridor. Kunming Lake is the visual anchor—calmer water, classic views, and a scenic break from wall-climbing. The Long Corridor is known for painted details, which rewards slow strolling. The tour gives you enough time to stop, look up close, and not treat it like a checklist.
If you want to add water time, Summer Palace boating is available for 100 RMB per person. That can be a nice “reset” when you’re feeling the Great Wall legs. Just remember it’s optional, so don’t plan your whole afternoon around it unless your group moves at the pace you want.
One more useful heads-up: the Summer Palace Tower of Buddhist Incense (Foxiang Ge) is closed on Mondays. If you’re booking for a Monday, you’ll still see plenty, but you should set expectations for what you can’t count on viewing that day.
Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan): ruins that explain a painful chapter
The last stop is Yuanmingyuan, also called the Old Summer Palace. This is where the day turns more reflective. It’s not a “fully restored palace” kind of visit. The site is in ruins, and that matters because it tells a real story about loss and destruction.
In the Qing era, it was known as a retreat for emperors, famous for luxury and scale. Then, during the Second Opium War, it was destroyed. Today, you walk through the remnants of former architecture and fountains, and you still get a sense of how grand the place once was. Even if you’re not a deep China history student, the layout and the scale of what’s left make the context sink in fast.
The tour allocates 1.5 hours here. That’s enough time to walk the key areas, pause for photos, and read signage without feeling like you’re speed-running grief tourism. If you tend to overthink ruins, you might wish you had longer, but 1.5 hours is a realistic balance in an 8–10 hour day.
How the timing and transport actually feel
This is a full-day loop, and the schedule is tight in a normal way. You start with pickup or a meet point (depending on your option), then you get bus time between sites. The day includes:
- About 1.5 hours on the way to Mutianyu
- About 1 hour between Mutianyu and the Summer Palace
- About 30 minutes between the Summer Palace and Yuanmingyuan
- About 30 minutes after Yuanmingyuan on the way back
At the sites, you also get a free shuttle bus within the scenic area. That’s one of those details you don’t miss until you’ve been on a crowded tour where everyone is walking too far too fast. Here, the shuttle helps you stay focused on the sights instead of logistics.
Meeting point details are clear. If you’re using the subway option, it’s Exit B of Hepingxiqiao Station (Subway Line 5). You’ll find the guide wearing a green vest with the BusDa logo for check-in. If you take a taxi, you show the driver 和平西桥地铁站B口.
Drop-off is listed as Beijing, 国家体育场 (National Stadium). If you’re returning to a hotel near that area, you may find it convenient.
For those who select hotel pickup: the operator says pickup is available within Beijing’s 4th Ring Road, and locations beyond may cost extra. That means you should confirm your hotel details when you book.
Price and value: what $22 buys you, and what it doesn’t
At $22 per person, this tour can be a strong value because it bundles the hard parts:
- round-trip air-conditioned bus
- entrance tickets to the sites
- skip-the-lines support for tickets
- complimentary shuttle bus inside scenic areas
- an English-speaking guide when your option includes it
- optional buffet lunch (only if you pick that option)
Many “cheap” tours in big cities are cheap because they skip tickets or add them later. This one is set up so you can see the three headline sites without hunting down separate admissions.
What you should expect to pay extra for:
- Mutianyu cable car or toboggan: 140 RMB per person (optional)
- Summer Palace boating: 100 RMB per person (optional)
- Foxiang Ge Tower (Foxiang Ge) may be closed Mondays (not an add-on, but it affects what you can see)
- personal expenses
If you’re the kind of traveler who likes one paid upgrade (like a cable car), then the total still tends to feel reasonable because the big items—tickets and transport—are already handled. If you’re the kind who wants to walk everything and skip paid activities, the tour remains cost-friendly.
Who this tour is best for (and who should reconsider)
I think this tour fits best if you:
- have limited time in Beijing and want three iconic sites in one day
- prefer an organized route over figuring out timing and tickets solo
- like the idea of Mutianyu as a Great Wall section with a more peaceful feel than the most packed alternatives
- want an English guide who can explain more than just dates and names
You might reconsider if you:
- want a super slow day with no bus segments at all (this is a full-day plan)
- need Monday visits to include Foxiang Ge specifically (it’s listed as closed Mondays)
- hate any optional costs and want absolutely zero add-ons (because the cable car/toboggan/boating options cost extra)
The tour also offers different versions, including Great Wall only, the full trio, plus options with hotel pickup and private/small-group formats. So you can tailor it if your group’s pace differs from the standard day plan.
The guide factor: why it can make or break the day
A good day tour is 50% places and 50% how the day is managed. The reviews you can find for this operator emphasize English-speaking guides with real personality. Names that show up include Yuri, Celina, Yuly, and Lee—who is mentioned with the nickname Jackie Chan.
Even without chasing a specific guide, the pattern is useful for you. It suggests the company trains staff to give context and keep the group moving when people get lost or lag behind. When you’re spending hours on transport and walking at three big sites, that kind of calm coordination matters.
Should you book the Mutianyu + Summer Palace + Old Summer Palace day tour?
I’d book it if your priority is efficiency with real structure: three top Beijing sights, tickets handled, and less time wasted. The value is strongest when you want the experience of Mutianyu’s watchtowers, the Summer Palace’s lake and corridor, and Yuanmingyuan’s powerful ruins in a single day.
I’d pause before booking if your travel style is slow and flexible, or if you’re visiting on a Monday and Foxiang Ge is a must-see for you. In that case, you might prefer a different plan or adjust expectations so the day doesn’t feel like a letdown.
FAQ
Which sites are included in this day tour?
The tour includes Mutianyu Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan Park).
Are entrance tickets included?
Yes. Entrance tickets for the sites are included, and the tour also offers skip-the-line help to get tickets.
Is there a free shuttle bus once you’re at the scenic areas?
Yes. There is a complimentary shuttle bus within the scenic area.
Can I add a cable car, toboggan, or boat ride?
Yes. Cable car and toboggan at Mutianyu are optional for 140 RMB per person, and Summer Palace boating is optional for 100 RMB per person.
Where do I meet if I’m using the subway?
Meet at Exit B of Hepingxiqiao Station on Subway Line 5. Look for the BusDa tour guide wearing a green vest for check-in.
What’s the cancellation and booking flexibility?
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund, and the booking option includes reserve now & pay later for flexibility.
