Great Wall & Gubei Water Town Tour: Beijing Day Trip Guide

Beijing Travel: Great Wall and Gubei Water Town Tour,

Recommended Places to Visit in Beijing

Text/Photos ©HaiBubu

Are you planning a trip to Beijing for the upcoming holidays, especially with the visa-free entry benefit for China?

If you're traveling to Beijing, the Great Wall is definitely one of those must-visit destinations.

And among its many sections, you simply can't miss Gubei Water Town, home to the Simatai Great Wall, where you can witness truly breathtaking nighttime views!

Today, I'll be introducing a **Great Wall and Gubei Water Town day tour**, and even sharing **tips on how to book your tour affordably**, so keep scrolling to find out more!

Recommended Great Wall and Gubei Water Town Tour

Simatai Great Wall and Gubei Water Town are located about 2 hours away from downtown Beijing. Getting there by public transport can be a bit tricky, which is why I highly recommend a **day tour with a Korean-speaking guide**.

Personally, the reason I'd recommend Simatai Great Wall over other sections you might visit during the day is that you can enjoy it both day and night.

Simatai is the only section of the Great Wall that offers night openings, allowing you to experience views you won't find anywhere else! Plus, you get to explore Gubei Water Town, a charming village popular even among locals, all in one go – making for a truly fulfilling day.

What's more, since you'll be accompanied by a Korean-speaking guide, I highly recommend taking this tour early in your trip. The guide shares fascinating stories about Beijing's history and insights into Chinese culture throughout the journey, which will make the rest of your Beijing exploration so much smoother!

I actually used the shopping list our guide provided and picked up some souvenirs at the local supermarket. My family absolutely loved the gifts!

You can check out the tour I used right **below**.

I chose Sunny Tour without hesitation because it had the most reviews for Gubei Water Town tours, and I had a fantastic experience with them on my Beijing trip last year!

>> Explore the Beijing Great Wall & Gubei Water Town Tour Here!

Great Wall and Gubei Water Town Tour Review

Next, I'll share my personal review of the Great Wall and Gubei Water Town day tour I experienced.

Sunny Tour's Gubei Water Town and Great Wall tour departs from Wangjing Station. Since I visited during the off-season, we traveled with a small group.

We traveled in a comfortable, high-end van, and even my parents, who were traveling with me, were very satisfied with the comfortable ride!

After a pleasant drive north, we arrived at Gubei Water Town, which felt like a fairytale waterside village. It was especially refreshing for me as we don't have similar waterside towns in Korea.

Apparently, it's a tourist destination that China invested a tremendous amount of money into creating, so it feels incredibly clean yet still preserves its ancient charm.

It was a trip where you could truly soak it all in.

Best of all, I loved how many amazing photo spots there were around every corner!

As we moved around with our guide, we also got to explore the Samaso Sojubang

and hear some fascinating stories.

At the Youngsoon Dyeing Workshop, the gentle breeze made the flowing fabrics dance,

creating perfect photo opportunities. My parents loved the pictures we took there so much,

they immediately set them as their profile photos...!

Before this tour, I had imagined the Simatai Great Wall would be the main attraction,

but once I actually arrived at Gubei Water Town, just walking through the village with its gentle waterways flowing

felt incredibly healing!

We watched a lively stunt show and a beautiful dance performance by 'fairies' within Gubei Water Town,

and after an early dinner, we got ready to take the Simatai Great Wall

cable car!

We had dinner at a restaurant our guide recommended,

and it was so delicious, I wholeheartedly recommend it!

To ride the Simatai Great Wall cable car,

you'll need a ticket just like the one pictured above.

Make sure to keep it safe, as you'll need it for the way down too,

and it's a smart idea to snap a photo of it, just in case you misplace it!

The queue for the cable car was quite long and intricate,

but thanks to our amazing guide, we were among the very first to board,

which meant we got to soak in the incredible views of the Simatai Great Wall with no one else around.

The Simatai Great Wall at sunset, with hardly anyone else in sight,

was absolutely breathtaking.

During the day, the Great Wall is usually bustling with people,

making it tough to get a clear shot. But thanks to our guide's fantastic planning,

we got to take as many photos as our hearts desired on the Great Wall with no crowds –

it was pure bliss!

Since the Simatai Great Wall has some pretty steep sections,

I wholeheartedly recommend wearing comfortable sneakers!

Also, make sure to snap a commemorative photo under the arch of one of the Great Wall watchtowers –

it turns out absolutely stunning!

As we descended after witnessing the stunning Simatai Great Wall,

the sun had completely set. We were then treated to the captivating night scenery of Gubei Water Town,

which offered a completely different and equally beautiful charm compared to the daytime – it was truly atmospheric and inspiring.

We even got to ride the ferry included in our tour,

and on the calm waters,

we truly felt like ancient immortals at play.

Right up until it was time to head back to Beijing,

we continued to soak in the tranquil ambiance of Gubei Water Town,

ending our day on a truly happy note!

A Gubei Water Town Tour: Not an Option, But a Must!

Today, I've shared with you our Great Wall and Gubei Water Town tour,

a trip I took with my parents during our Beijing adventure!

This tour allowed us to experience both the beautiful Simatai Great Wall

and the quaint water town of Gubei Water Town all at once,

and my parents and I were absolutely delighted.

Most importantly, thanks to our guide's insightful explanations

and various tips, we thoroughly enjoyed our trip all afternoon,

and I genuinely felt that choosing this tour was the best decision!

​

>> Check Out Beijing Great Wall Tours Here!

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