Great Wall Day Tour, No Shopping

Welcome to take this exhilarating Beijing day tour to the Great Wall, which is not only an iconic attraction in China, but also boasts one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This morning, your private guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel at the appointed time, and then escort you on a private drive to the outskirts of Beijing to take in the most essential three sections. We kindly suggest you have an abundant breakfast at your hotel to keep your strength for this once-in-a-lifetime Great Wall experience!

About 1.5 hours later, we’ll first arrive at the Juyongguan Great Wall and make a brief photo stop. With a deep valley forming a natural barrier, it was once a vital passage leading to the Mongolian Plateau and has always been a strategic location contested by military powers throughout history. Looking up from a distance, you’ll find that the Great Wall winds down along the undulating mountain ridges on both sides, creating a hugging posture that envelops the pass city in front of you in its arms.

Afterward, continue our way to the Badaling Great Wall, the best-preserved and most representative section in Beijing, which has received many foreign heads of state, including Nixon, Thatcher, and Obama. As an important ancient outpost along the northern border of the capital city, it was built of stones and bricks, stretching a total of about 3,741 meters (2.3 miles). After the detailed introduction by your guide, take your time to ascend the wall to explore its various defense facilities, such as the ramparts and watchtowers.

Once entering the scenic area, you’ll be welcomed by the Badaling Pass, the defensive heart and the command center of the Great Wall, which separates the wall into the northern part with 12 watchtowers and the southern part with 7. It is recommended that you embark on your hiking along the most classic and challenging north route that gathers almost all the typical sights. When reaching the North 4th Watchtower, take a photo with a protruding boulder engraved with a widely circulated Chinese saying, ‘One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero’, as a memento. Then, bravely climb up the steep Hero Slope, which is nearly 70 degrees, all the way to the North 8th Watchtower, which occupies the highest position in this area and can provide you with a stunning panoramic view of Badaling. If you have average physical strength and prefer a leisurely tour, the relatively shorter, gentler, quieter southern route will not disappoint you, where you can also witness the Hero Monument on the South 1st Watchtower and have a bird’s-eye view of the majestic Great Wall on the South 4th Watchtower.After that, return to your private vehicle and let’s proceed to the next famous section, Mutianyu Great Wall, which is the most beautiful among all sections, with over 96% greening rate and dense watchtowers. Upon arrival, your guide will first accompany you to enjoy a lunch at a buffet restaurant, where Western flavors, local dishes, as well as seasonal fruits and ice water, will help you regain your vigor.

★ Special Inclusion: Cable Car, Chairlift & Toboggan

To allow you to devote more time and energy to your adventure on the Mutianyu Great Wall, we’ve thoughtfully arranged for you a round-trip cable car that goes up and down. For a more thrilling experience, you can also opt to ascend by the open-air chairlift and descend by the toboggan. Your guide will check with you on-site for final confirmation.  
● Note: The toboggan is not allowed for children under 10 without an adult’s accompaniment, visitors aged 60 and above, as well as those with acrophobia, high blood pressure, or heart conditions.

As soon as you stand on the Mutianyu Great Wall, whose original construction dates back to the 6th century, you’ll be amazed by its brick walls stretching for several kilometers on both sides. When you look closely against the wall, you might wonder what makes it stand for millennia to this day. Besides the hard and solid bricks and stones, the adhesive made of high-viscosity glutinous rice mortar between them, which is very reliable and could be compared with cement today, also played a significant role. Beyond that, as you stroll forward, marvel at its densely distributed watchtowers, with a total of 20, around one per 100 meters (328 feet). Among them, the No.4 Watchtower, aka Zhengguan Terrace, is the highlight, as three towers were built side by side, very rare among all Great Wall sections. You won’t want to miss the Big Corner Tower located at the eastern end, either, which stands at the highest peak and is the best viewing point of the whole scenic area. 

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in downtown to conclude this Great Wall day tour of Badaling and Mutianyu. Thank you for travelling with us! Also have a desire to visit Beijing’s city highlights such as the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and traditional Hutong alleys? Feel free to contact us for an exclusive Beijing tour tailored to your interests.► Recommendation for Dinner (at your own expense):
This evening, you can go and explore some of Beijing’s local delicacies, such as the Noodles with Soybean Paste, a traditional Beijing dish recognized as one of China’s top ten noodle dishes. It is said that it was created in the mid-18th century by a palace maid who mixed leftover ingredients to accidentally make the fried sauce that was beloved by the imperial families when they ate noodles, and later gradually spread to the common people, becoming a well-known dish. The Michelin-starred restaurant No. 69 of the Square Brick Factory, with an average cost of CNY 40 (USD 6) per person, can be a reference. If you’re interested, ask your guide for help to find a branch near your hotel.