Beijing · TOUR REVIEWS

Beijing’s 15 Best Tours, From the Palace to the Wall

955 tours  ·  from $2 a head

Three days or a week, Beijing asks the same question: how much of it goes on the wall, and how much on the palace city. The 15 below answer it, priced and timed, with every other review underneath.

From Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options - The ride from Beijing
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From Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options

1.Mutianyu Great Wall Tours with Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9,216 reviews · 8 - 10 hours · from $19Our pick

Beijing Mubus runs daily coach trips to Mutianyu with English, Spanish, or Russian guides, a visitor lounge, and several tour options. Expect a direct ride, included Wall entry and shuttle, then hours to explore at your own pace. Add a buffet lunch, a short architecture talk, a strenuous 5-kilometer hike, or a combined Summer Palace tour. Guides such as Jily, Helly, and John have helped visitors plan routes and make sense of the Wall.

“We were with Jily. We had a good time on the great wall. Jily explained everything and it helped us organized our course. We also did the summer palace and had many explanations and stories about the emperors and Dragon Lady Merci Jily !”

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Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included - Tiananmen Square: useful context, uncertain timing
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Beijing: Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

2.Forbidden City Tour(Group/Private)-Tickets Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 7,974 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $4

Choose a small-group or private walk through Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, with a licensed English-speaking guide and Palace Museum entry arranged. Guides such as Mina, Miko, Maria, Susan, Jay, and Mike are among the names associated with the tour. Longer options add the Hall of Treasure, Hall of Clocks, or Coal Hill Park.

“Great tour, I enjoyed it a lot! Mina is an excellent guide, very well organised and interesting to listen to!”

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Beijing: T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour - Inside the Forbidden City: highlights in a vast palace
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Beijing: T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour

3.T-Square & Forbidden City Group or Private Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 4,446 reviews · 3 - 8 hours · from $17

Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City on a guided group or private tour, with English, Spanish, French, German, or Italian options. Guides such as Tony, Gary, Michael, Song, and Jenny have led tours here. Choose a focused three-hour visit or add sights such as the Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace.

“May was an amazing guide, was very knowledgeable, and made navigating the crowds, and security and ticketing systems very easy.I highly recommend this tour.”

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Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Daily Tour with Ticket & Lunch - The 90-minute drive and the guide’s role
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Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall Daily Tour with Ticket & Lunch

4.Mutianyu Great Wall Daily Tour with Ticket & Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,056 reviews · 9 hours · from $18Top rated

Meet an English-speaking guide at Zhangzizhonglu Subway Station at 8:00 AM, then ride to Mutianyu for five hours on the Wall. Admission, return transport and an in-park shuttle ticket are included. Lunch is optional; cable car and toboggan rides cost extra. Guides named on recent departures include Kevin and Linda.

“Linda was great, very knowledgeable & gave us good tips on what to do. Thanks! Kevin”

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All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall - The Forbidden City: two hours among imperial halls
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All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

5.All-Inclusive Tour: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Great Wall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,873 reviews · from $128

This 9 to 11-hour Beijing tour pairs Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City with an afternoon at Mutianyu Great Wall. Your guide and private vehicle handle the transfers, while the price includes admission, lunch, bottled water, and your choice of cable car or chairlift and toboggan. Guides such as Lucy, Wendy, Jerry, and Maggie have led the day, though guide assignment is not guaranteed.

“Our family of 3 had a wonderful day packing in the major sites with Lucy. She was extremely knowledgeable and flexible, even allowing us a quick stop for coffee. We learned not only about the history of China, but tea culture and jade. She gave us tips on which things to visit and which to skip. I would highly recommend this tour.”

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MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour - Lunch can make the middle of the day easier
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MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour

6.MuBus: Mutianyu Great Wall ENG/ESP/RUS Guided Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 2,361 reviews · from $20

Ride from Dongzhimen to Mutianyu with an English, Spanish, or Russian-speaking guide on the bus, then explore the Wall at your own pace. You get about five and a half hours on site, with entrance and internal shuttle included. Guides such as Taka lead an optional 5-kilometer hike; cable cars, toboggans, and lunch cost extra unless you select an upgrade.

“Good tour, well explained. Two ways to do it: East and West side. If you wanted to do both, might be short for a time. We chose the West side with the cable car and was very happy with the overall experince.”

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4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets - From the Meridian Gate to the Imperial Garden
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4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets

7.4-Hour Small Group Tour to Forbidden City with Entry Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,863 reviews · from $15

Join a guided, small-group walk through the Forbidden City, where guides such as Jimmy, Maria, Miko, and Vivian explain the Ming and Qing palaces and their stories. Choose an option that adds Tiananmen Square or Jingshan Park. Expect about four hours, long walks, security checks, and a maximum group size of 15.

“Maria, was awesome great experience and really informative ! Recommend it for a walk through the forbidden city”

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Beijing: Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket) - Booking before your Beijing visit
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Beijing: Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket)

8.Tiananmen Square Registration Service(Ticket)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,704 reviews · 30 min · from $3

This $3.99 service registers your passport details for free entry to Tiananmen Square. You send your name and passport number, then receive confirmation by email to show with your passport at security. Provider contacts, including Ezio and Li, have helped with booking questions. It is not a guided tour, and Forbidden City admission is not included.

“Our driver Yue was very hospitable and helped us with Chairlift & Toboggan tickets. He we t with us to the top at the wall and clicked pictures.”

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Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall - The drive and lunch before Mutianyu
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Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall

9.Beijing Full Day Tours: Tiananmen Sq, Forbidden City, Great Wall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,634 reviews · from $99

This 10 to 11-hour Beijing tour links Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Mutianyu Great Wall with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, lunch, and cable car or chairlift and toboggan access. Groups are usually about 12. Guides named in recent accounts include Helen and Rocky, whose history explanations and help with photos are often praised.

“Amazing experience! We were also taken to a great Chinese buffet. Surprised with how well articulated our guide Rocky was, would definitely repeat :). Rocky rocks!”

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Beijing: Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours - Begin at Tiananmen Square
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Beijing: Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours

10.Tianmen Square, Forbidden City & Royal Museum Tours

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,288 reviews · from $4

Choose ticket reservations, a 15 to 20 person guided tour, or a private visit to Beijing’s Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City. Group tours run in English or Spanish, morning or afternoon, and last about 3 to 4 hours. Guides such as Linda, Vanessa, Mary, and Snow are known for lively explanations and careful attention to the group.

“We had a great time with our tour guide Linda! The tour was very interesting 👍”

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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket - At the Temple of Heaven, Look Beyond the Main Hall
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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

11.The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,286 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $7

Choose an entry ticket for Beijing’s Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace, with some Summer Palace options covering four sights inside the grounds. The supplier sends an entry QR code by email or WhatsApp after you provide your name and passport number. This is a self-guided visit, not a guaranteed guided tour, and the two parks require separate visits.

“go buy your Tickets from andy, best price / value and service. also it is more easy to buy from him, than on chinese websites yourselves, somtimes it is not even possible to fill out the documents”

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Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options - What the bus guide can and cannot do
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Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options

12.Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,272 reviews · from $20

Take a direct Mubus coach from Dongzhimen to Mutianyu, where you get the wall entry ticket, an internal scenic-area shuttle, and four to five hours to explore on your own. A guide gives the group an introduction on the ride; Mike, Cici, Taka, and other guides have led departures. Cable cars, the toboggan, and buffet lunch cost extra or depend on your option.

“Being at the Great Wall of China itself is a memorable and one of a kind experience. However, MUBUS made it perfect! The tour guides and staff were all amazing esp Mike, who quickly attended to our queries. I will definitely recommend this to my family and friends! :)”

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Beijing:Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver - The Beijing pickup and drive north
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Beijing:Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver

13.Mutianyu Great Wall Private Trip with English Driver

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,263 reviews · 6 - 8 hours · from $84

A private English-speaking driver picks you up in Beijing for the roughly 1.5-hour ride to Mutianyu. You get about three hours on the wall, with time to hike and take photos. Drivers such as Peter, Jack, Naomi, and Shane have helped with tickets and route tips. Cable car and toboggan rides cost extra.

“Had a lovely trip to the wall! We actually were the first to arrive to the wall in the morning since we went early. Special thanks to my awesome driver Shane, who even accompanied me up and took some fotos. Thank you for making this trip unforgettable, Shane 🙏🏻”

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Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service) - The outer court puts imperial ceremony on display
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Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

14.Beijing Forbidden City Ticket Booking (Optional: guide service)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,263 reviews · from $9

Reserve a dated Forbidden City ticket in Beijing, then enter with your passport once the booking is confirmed. Choose morning or afternoon entry, and consider adding a guide: guides such as Summer, Bobo, Marco, and Maggie bring the Ming and Qing palaces to life. Allow three to four hours for the main route, more if you want to linger.

“Entrance ticket is not that easy (almost impossible) to get by our own. Fortunately this agency, cheapest found, does it for us... of course with some fees. And they apply senior>60y fare ! Let's see, official fare for senior is abt 3€. I have paid them 6,8€... costing some 3€ to avoid headache ? Bookable months in advance ? It deserves !”

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Beijing: Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets - Meeting near Dengshikou Station
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Beijing: Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets

15.Mutianyu Gt Wall Trip, Depart 8-10am Bus w/ Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,256 reviews · 8.5 - 9.5 hours · from $18

Take a return bus from central Beijing to Mutianyu, with admission and the park shuttle included. An English-speaking guide handles instructions and can help arrange optional cable-car or toboggan tickets, while you explore the Wall at your own pace. Departures run at 8, 9, and 10 am, with about five hours at the site.

“Ally was a fantastic guide for our Great Wall of China tour from Beijing! She was very organized, quick to respond, and communicated everything clearly — from pickup details to what to expect during the tour. She was also super friendly and made the experience smooth and enjoyable from start to finish. Highly recommended!”

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