6 Best Day Trips to the Great Wall of China from Beijing

By taking an excursion to the Great Wall of China from Beijing you will be able to admire one of the most emblematic and majestic constructions in the world, which stretches for thousands of kilometers through breathtaking mountainous landscapes. In addition, you will 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 that you can not miss, and is certainly within the top of things to see and do during your trip to Beijing.

If you want to see this wonder of the world, I recommend you to 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.

Details of interest

• 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 lodging site is included. The company of an official guide is included.
• Disadvantages of this option: the entrance to the cable car is not included.

When you book this tour to the Great Wall of China 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 will enjoy a delicious and authentic Chinese-style lunch to recharge your batteries and continue with the tour.

But that will only be 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 excursions to the Wall that include these points, but which go through the less crowded Mutianyu section.

Finally, you can visit the Longdi jade factory and take the opportunity to buy some 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, the transfer to and from the hotel or lodging site and the entrance fee to each of the attractions you visit during the tour.
• Disadvantages of this option: tickets 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 dragon shape snaking through the mountains. In fact, in this area of the Great Wall of China you could sign up for one of the best Beijing 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 the 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 transportation: by air-conditioned bus.
• Advantages of this option: pick up from your hotel or accommodation. A tour guide will accompany you at all times. 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: transportation back to the hotel or accommodation site and the cable car ride are not included.

After approximately two and a half hours of travel, you will arrive at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall and right there you will start your walk with your guide along the walls until you reach the Five-Window East Tower, where you will have 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

Then, you will 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 complete tours to 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 lodging site 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 at the Great Wall are not included.

You will be met by your tour guide to embark on an approximately two-hour drive 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 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.

Details of interest

• Price: about 345 euros per person.
• Duration: between 8 and 10 hours.
• Means of transportation: an air-conditioned bus during the whole trip.
• Advantages of this option: trekking guide and an experienced driver, lunch with typical Chinese food accompanied by a drink, bottled water and snacks, tickets to the Great Wall and a souvenir gift are included.
• Disadvantages of this option: not included is the entrance to the cable car or the tobogganing ticket at Mutianyu Great Wall.

You will meet your guide at your hotel or accommodation site to get into a private vehicle and go 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 a delicious Chinese tea, just before boarding the vehicle to continue to the Great Wall in Jinshanling.

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

Details of interest

• Price: about 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, pick up and return to the hotel and entrance to the Chinese Wall in Gubeikou and Jinshanling.
• Disadvantages of this option: tips are not included.

It is advisable to visit the Great Wall of China with a tour guide 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 maximize the time available during the tour.
• It can offer a unique and personalized 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.