How Mutianyu tours differ
Most tours to Mutianyu fall into three types. A group bus sells a seat with entry and the internal shuttle. A private tour sends a car with a driver and a guide to your hotel. A guided hike adds a guide who walks the wall with you. The price differences come from transport, the guide and the meals.
Look at three things for each tour: what the price covers, whether the guide is on the bus or on the wall, and which rides are included. The examples below come from single operators and show what one product costs, not a market range.
Tour examples compared
Prices in 2026. Each row is one operator's product, and prices change.
| Tour type | Price | Includes | Not included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group bus, from Dongzhimen | CNY 180 | Return bus, entry, internal shuttle, English-speaking host on the bus | Cable car, toboggan, meals |
| Group bus with buffet | CNY 240 | Same as above, plus a buffet | Cable car, toboggan |
| Group bus, from Dengshikou | CNY 140 | Return coach, entry, internal shuttle, English-speaking host on the bus | Cable car, toboggan, hotel pickup |
| Private car and guide | CNY 400 to 1,800 per person | Hotel pickup, driver, English guide, entry, shuttle, buffet | Cable car, toboggan |
| Guided hike | CNY 450 | Bus, guide, entry, shuttle, cable car up | Toboggan down (extra) |
The private price is per person and depends on group size: CNY 1,800 for one person, CNY 1,000 for two, CNY 800 for three, CNY 700 for four, CNY 600 for five, CNY 500 for six to nine and CNY 400 from ten.
Our picks: Mutianyu tours
Three ways to see the wall from Beijing: a guided bus tour, a day tour with an English guide, and a private car with driver.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Private car trip to Mutianyu with driver
A private air-conditioned car with a driver who speaks basic English, plus entry, shuttle and water. There is no tour guide, and meals and cable car, chairlift or toboggan are not included.
Check availability →Mutianyu day tour with English guide
Bus or van transfer, an English-speaking guide, entry and the internal shuttle. Lunch is included only with the lunch option; cable car and toboggan are extra.
Check availability →
Mutianyu bus tour with guide and entry
Air-conditioned bus both ways, entry, one shuttle ride up and down, and a guide in the language you pick. The general cable car and toboggan fee is not included.
Check availability →Great Wall tours to Mutianyu
Group trips by bus, private cars with a guide and guided hikes, with live prices and availability. Check which options include the entry ticket.
The tour types in detail
What each one involves.
Group bus
You meet at a fixed point in the city, ride out by coach and spend about 5 hours at the site. Departures in the examples start between 06:30 and 13:00. A host on the bus speaks English, and one operator states that it does not accompany guests on the wall. Rides are extra.
Getting there →Private tour
A private car or van with a driver picks you up at your hotel and returns you. An English-speaking guide is included. Stated lengths differ: 4 hours of sightseeing in the program, 5 hours at the wall in the description and 8 hours in the summary. Do not plan around one number.
Guided hike
The hike covers about 5 km. It goes up by cable car to tower 14, on to tower 20, back to tower 6, and then down on foot or by toboggan. The operator calls it physically demanding and excludes people with knee or joint, heart or breathing problems. Confirm the meeting point and the departure time before you book, because the start time appears as both 08:00 and 10:00.
Hiking at Mutianyu →Evening and special programs
In summer 2026 the wall ran an evening program from 25 June to 31 August, with towers 10 to 15 lit. Evening visits do not run in every season, so ask whether one is on your date.
Opening hours →What to check before you book
The wording differs more than the prices do.
Entry and rides
Group buses include entry and the internal shuttle but not the cable car or the toboggan. The cable car costs CNY 140 return, and the toboggan descent costs CNY 100 on one guided hike.
Rides compared →Guide on the bus or on the wall
Ask who walks the wall with you. A host on the bus is not the same as a guide on the wall.
Hotel pickup
Group buses meet at a fixed point and do not include hotel pickup. Private tours include it.
Return time and closing time
An afternoon departure that returns at 18:30 can clash with closing on some days. Compare the times with the hours on your day.
Payment and booking
Bus operators take cash, Alipay and WeChat for their own tours. Bring your passport, because tickets are tied to a real name.
Ticket rules →Tours to wall sections that are not open
Beijing's Great Wall protection rules have been in force since 1 March 2026. They ban organised activities on wall sections that were not opened as visitor areas, and they ban fires, taking stones or bricks and damaging the wall. A tour that offers such a section does not turn it into a permitted route. For serious illegal fires, the fine for an individual is CNY 1,000 to 5,000.
Stay on sections that are open to visitors. For the rules and the route options, see hiking, and for Beijing itself, tours in the city cover the palace and the old center.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where tours fit into your visit.
Mutianyu tours: frequently asked questions
What is the best way to visit Mutianyu?
That depends on how you like to travel. A group bus is the cheapest door-to-door option, a private tour suits small groups that want a guide, and the guided hike suits fit walkers. The table above compares single examples, not a ranking.
How much does a Mutianyu tour cost?
The examples range from CNY 140 for a group bus to CNY 450 for a guided hike, and from CNY 400 to 1,800 per person for a private tour. Prices are those of single operators in 2026, and extras change the total.
Is entry included in the tour price?
In the examples above, yes for the bus and private tours and the guided hike. The cable car and the toboggan are extra on the bus tours. Read each description before you pay.
Will a guide walk the wall with me on a bus tour?
Not necessarily. A host on the bus is not a guide on the wall. Book a private or guided tour if you want someone to walk with you.
Can I join a tour to Jiankou?
Organised activities on wall sections that are not open to visitors are banned. A booking does not make them legal. See the hiking page for what is open.