BusDa-Full-Day Bus Trips: Mutianyu, Summer & Old Summer Palaces

Mutianyu’s mountain ridges, restored watchtowers, and sweeping views make a striking start to a day that also takes in two imperial gardens. You get three major Beijing sights in one outing, without a shopping stop taking time away from them.

I like the contrast: the Great Wall offers a grand view and a physical walk, while the two palaces tell very different stories about imperial life and memory. I also like the early departure, which can help you reach Mutianyu before the crowds build and get clearer photos.

The trade-off is a long, tightly scheduled day. The three visits add up to about seven and a half hours, leaving the rest for road time and transitions. Check exactly what your selected option includes, since lunch, guide service, and hotel pickup are not part of every package, and rides cost extra.

At a glance: three stops, one full day

• Mutianyu comes first: Allow about three and a half hours for this scenic, restored section of the Great Wall.
• Two imperial gardens follow: The Summer Palace gets about two and a half hours; Yuanmingyuan, or the Old Summer Palace, gets about an hour and a half.
• Admission is included: Round-trip air-conditioned bus transport, site tickets, and a free shuttle within the scenic area are listed as included.
• Extras can change the cost: Cable car and toboggan rides, boat rides, and some package options cost extra.
• The group can be large: The maximum group size is 47, so expect a shared coach rather than a small-group outing.
• Meet at Heping Xiqiao Station: The listed meeting point is Exit B, northeast side. The tour ends somewhere else, so check the end details before planning your next stop.

A full day from the Great Wall to the imperial gardens

The day moves from a mountain setting to two large garden complexes, with a different mood at each stop. That variety is the tour’s main strength. Instead of spending a day only at the Great Wall, you get a taste of Beijing’s monumental defenses, imperial leisure, and a site tied to cultural loss.

The listed visits take about seven and a half hours in total: three and a half at Mutianyu, two and a half at the Summer Palace, and an hour and a half at Yuanmingyuan. The full tour lasts about 10 hours, so travel between sites and transitions fill the remaining time. It is a busy schedule, but a useful one if you have limited time in Beijing.

This is a classic sightseeing day, not a slow, flexible exploration. You’ll need to keep an eye on the clock at each stop, especially if you plan to walk a long stretch of the Wall or add a ride. If you want to linger over every pavilion or explore at your own pace, a private or car-based option may suit you better.

Mutianyu: mountain views and a choice of how to climb

Mutianyu is the day’s most active stop and, for many, the main reason to book. This well-preserved Great Wall section is known for mountain scenery and restored watchtowers. The tour allows about three and a half hours, enough to see the Wall and take in the views, though how far you explore will depend on your pace and any ride you choose.

The Wall’s position among the hills is a big part of its appeal. You’re not just looking at a line of stonework; you’re seeing it trace the ridges, with watchtowers marking the route. The restored sections make the structure easier to appreciate, though they also mean you should not expect every stretch to feel untouched.

You can add a cable car or a toboggan ride, each listed at 140 RMB per person. Neither is included in the tour price. The cable car can save effort getting up or down, while the toboggan offers a more playful way to descend. Treat both as optional extras, not as part of the basic package, and confirm the price before paying. A report of confusion over cable-car pricing makes that a sensible question to settle early.

The tour includes a free shuttle bus within the scenic area. This helps with getting around, but it does not replace time on the Wall itself. Wear shoes you can walk in, and decide in advance whether you want a steady visit on foot or to spend some of your time and budget on a ride.

An early start can be useful here. Guide Aria has been praised for her storytelling, and an early departure can also mean arriving before the busiest period, with a better chance of taking photos without as many people in the frame. The precise crowd level will vary, but the timing is a real advantage when it works in your favor.

The Summer Palace: imperial gardens beside the water

After the Great Wall, the Summer Palace offers a change of pace. This UNESCO World Heritage site served as a retreat for Qing emperors and is known for its lakeside setting and traditional garden design. The grounds bring together water, buildings, and carefully arranged views, giving you a different way to understand imperial life than the defensive scale of the Wall.

You have about two and a half hours here. That is a meaningful visit, but the palace grounds are extensive, so you’ll need to choose what matters most rather than expect to see every corner. Take in the setting and the major features you reach within the group’s schedule. A guide, if included in your package, can help connect what you see with the site’s role as a royal retreat.

A boat ride is an optional extra at 100 RMB. It may appeal if you want to experience the grounds from the water, but it takes time as well as money. With a fixed schedule, consider whether you would rather use that time for a walk. The Tower of Buddhist Incense, also called Foxiang Ge, is listed as not included and is closed on Mondays, so don’t build your plan around entering it without checking the day and package details.

The Summer Palace is a natural pause after the Wall, but it is not a rest stop in the usual sense. You’ll still be covering a large site and following a schedule. If the day is warm or you have already put in a long walk at Mutianyu, use the time thoughtfully rather than trying to race through every part.

Yuanmingyuan: an imperial garden with a harder story

The final stop is Yuanmingyuan, the Old Summer Palace, allotted about an hour and a half. It was once known as the Garden of Gardens, and today it is a powerful site for thinking about imperial grandeur, cultural heritage, and historical loss. Its story gives the day a more reflective ending than another scenic stop would.

That contrast matters. The Summer Palace presents a royal retreat that you can appreciate through its gardens and waterside setting; Yuanmingyuan brings attention to what was destroyed and how the past is remembered. The two visits are not interchangeable, even though both are former imperial grounds. Seeing both gives the day more depth than a schedule built around scenery alone.

There is an optional boat ride here as well, listed at 80 RMB. As at the Summer Palace, weigh the extra fare against the limited time. An hour and a half passes quickly, and you may prefer to use it exploring on foot and taking in the site’s historical character.

The Old Summer Palace is also a good reason to listen closely if an English-speaking guide is included. The site’s significance is not only visual; context helps explain why it matters. Guide service is conditional on the option selected, so check the package details rather than assume every departure includes one.

What $23 buys, and what may cost extra

At a listed starting price of $23 per person, this tour can be strong value if your selected option includes the admissions and transport described. Entry tickets to the sites, round-trip air-conditioned bus transport, and the free scenic-area shuttle are listed as included. Arranging transport and admission to three separate places on your own could take more planning and coordination.

But $23 is not necessarily the total you’ll spend. Cable car and toboggan rides are each 140 RMB, the Summer Palace boat ride is 100 RMB, and the Yuanmingyuan boat ride is 80 RMB. Personal expenses are also excluded. A buffet lunch is available only with the option that includes it, and the same is true of hotel pickup and an English-speaking guide.

Read the exact option description before booking. The tour is offered in different formats, and the included services can vary. The private tour option, for example, includes hotel pickup and drop-off if selected; do not assume the standard bus trip starts at your hotel. A buffet option may be worthwhile on a day this long, but compare the package price with what you would actually use.

One useful detail: a guest who chose the buffet option particularly liked the meal and noted that beer was included. That makes the lunch package sound appealing if you want a simple meal built into the day, though it is still an optional selection rather than a guaranteed feature of the base fare.

The bus, group size, and practical trade-offs

The standard meeting point is Heping Xiqiao Station, at Exit B on the northeast side. The listed address is in Chaoyang, Beijing. Check the precise meeting instructions and allow time to find the exit; the tour does not list hotel pickup as standard. The activity ends in a different location, and the specific end point should be checked before you arrange onward transport.

A maximum group of 47 means this is a coach tour with a potentially full group. That keeps the price low and lets the operator move everyone between far-apart sights, but it also means you’ll be following a shared timetable. If you prefer a quieter day or want to alter the order and pace, look at the private tour or car-tour formats instead.

The tour has a 4.9 rating from 62 reviews, with 98 percent recommending it. Specific praise centers on the guide experience: Aria was described as a warm storyteller, and the early departure was valued for photos before crowds gathered. Selina is also named in a response to a less positive experience, though the available information does not establish that either guide will lead your departure.

There is also a caution worth keeping in mind: a last-minute change to the planned outing can be especially disappointing when you’ve booked the palaces as well as the Wall. Confirm that all three stops are operating as planned, and ask how any substitutions would be handled. This is not a reason to rule out the tour, but it is a reason to be clear about what you expect before the bus leaves.

Weather can affect the activity. If poor weather causes cancellation, the stated choices are a different date or a full refund. You can cancel for a full refund up to 24 hours before the start; inside that window, the payment is not refunded. That policy is worth noting when you’re fitting the outing into a short Beijing stay.

Who will get the most from this day?

I’d consider this tour if you have one day for these three sights and want transport, admission, and a set plan handled together. It is also described as suitable for visitors with limited time, including people on a layover, though a 10-hour outing is still a substantial commitment. Leave enough room around it for the meeting point and the different end location.

It suits people who like a full sightseeing schedule and are happy to share a bus. The mix of mountain views, formal gardens, and a historically charged final stop gives the day variety. If you’re traveling with someone who would rather avoid long walks, check the optional ride details and consider how much time you want to spend at each place.

I would skip it if your priority is a slow visit, if you want to set your own schedule, or if the extra ride and boat fares would make the day feel too costly. The base price is attractive, but the real value depends on which inclusions you select and whether you’ll use the add-ons.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if you want to fit Mutianyu, the Summer Palace, and Yuanmingyuan into one organized day, and you’re comfortable with a group schedule. The strongest reasons are the three-site itinerary, included admissions and bus transport, and the chance to start at the Wall early.

Before booking, confirm whether your option includes a guide, hotel pickup, and lunch, then budget separately for any rides or boat trips. If you want flexibility, choose a private format instead. For a low-cost introduction to three very different Beijing landmarks, this is a practical choice, provided you accept the long day and keep expectations clear about the schedule.

FAQ

How long does the tour last?

The tour lasts about 10 hours. The scheduled visits are about three and a half hours at Mutianyu, two and a half hours at the Summer Palace, and an hour and a half at Yuanmingyuan.

Which places does the tour visit?

It visits Mutianyu Great Wall, the Summer Palace, and the Old Summer Palace, also called Yuanmingyuan.

Is admission to the sites included?

Yes. Entrance tickets to the sites are listed as included.

Is transportation included?

Round-trip transportation by air-conditioned bus is included. A free shuttle bus within the scenic area is also listed as included.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Hotel pickup and drop-off are included only if you select the private tour option. The standard meeting point is Heping Xiqiao Station, Exit B, northeast side.

Is lunch included?

A buffet lunch is included only with the option that includes it. It is not listed as part of every package.

Are cable-car and toboggan rides included?

No. Each is listed as an optional extra costing 140 RMB per person.

How much do the boat rides cost?

The optional Summer Palace boat ride is listed at 100 RMB. The optional Old Summer Palace boat ride is listed at 80 RMB.

Is the Tower of Buddhist Incense included?

The Tower of Buddhist Incense, or Foxiang Ge, is listed as not included. It is closed on Mondays.

What is the cancellation policy?

You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the start time are not refunded. If poor weather cancels the tour, you’ll be offered another date or a full refund.