Beijing Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Trip 2026 Guide

Beijing Travel: Great Wall and Summer Palace Tour,

Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing

Text/Photos ©HaiBubu

If you're planning a trip to Beijing, two unmissable attractions that stand out are undoubtedly the Great Wall and the Summer Palace.

However, these two magnificent sites are quite a distance from the city center, leaving many travelers wondering about the best way to get there, right?

Today, I'm excited to share a wonderfully convenient way to visit both the Great Wall and the Summer Palace, despite their distance from Beijing's urban core: a **stress-free one-day tour**!

I'll even **share tips on how to book your tour at a discount below**, so keep an eye out—it could really help you **save on your travel expenses**!

Beijing's Essential Journey: The Great Wall and Summer Palace

While Beijing offers access to various sections of the Great Wall, the ideal spot to pair with a visit to the Summer Palace is Mutianyu Great Wall.

However, attempting to visit both independently in a single day can be challenging due to inconvenient transportation options. By opting for the Great Wall + Summer Palace day tour I experienced, you'll find the journey incredibly comfortable and much less physically demanding.

Beijing Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour

Having a Korean-speaking guide accompany you is a huge plus! They share fascinating historical insights about Beijing and offer practical travel tips, which is why I highly recommend taking this tour early in your Beijing adventure.

What's more, they handle all the ticketing and travel routes, so you don't have to worry about the language barrier, which I found incredibly reassuring!

If you're traveling with your parents, this tour is an absolute must-recommend! You can cover long distances comfortably, and the guide is fantastic at taking plenty of photos for you.

Now, let's dive into my review of the Great Wall and Summer Palace tour, following the itinerary step-by-step.

My Beijing Great Wall & Summer Palace Tour Experience

The Great Wall and Summer Palace tour I took with Sunny Tour kicks off with a meeting at the Wangjing Hangye Building near Wangjing Station. From April to October, the meeting time is 8:00 AM, and from November to March, it's 8:30 AM.

One of Sunny Tour's fantastic perks is that they provide a light breakfast, including bread, milk, and cereal! If you haven't had a chance to eat breakfast, you can enjoy a quick bite before we set off.

Mutianyu Great Wall

Even during the journey from our meeting point to Mutianyu Great Wall, our guide shared professional and engaging explanations about Chinese history and culture, ensuring there was never a dull moment.

Best of all, if I had gone on a solo trip, I would have merely looked around and taken photos. But with the guide's insightful explanations, I was able to deeply grasp the significance of everything, making the experience truly enriching!

Once we arrived at the Great Wall, we hopped on a shuttle bus that took us up to the cable car station. Our guide meticulously handled all the tickets, routes, and everything else, making it incredibly convenient—all we had to do was follow along!

Even when we were up on the Great Wall, our guide took amazing photos of each team at the most beautiful spots,

helping us capture 'life-shot' memories of our family trip!

I was so grateful they were such great photographers too.

Afterward, my family and I were free to explore Mutianyu Great Wall on our own,

truly soaking in the magnificent grandeur of the Wall.

There are so many photo spots everywhere, so I highly recommend taking lots of pictures.

(It's almost autumn foliage season, so the views will be absolutely breathtaking!)

Lunch

Before heading to the Summer Palace, we needed to grab lunch at Mutianyu.

Again, our guide recommended several restaurants,

which made it super convenient as we didn't have to search ourselves.

We were craving pizza, so we visited Pizza Hut.

The pizza quality wasn't bad at all, allowing us to have a satisfying and hearty lunch.

It was even more satisfying to try the coconut coffee I'd wanted to taste at Luckin Coffee, just nearby.

The Summer Palace

Next, we visited our next destination: the Summer Palace.

Perhaps because we visited during the day, it was quite crowded.

Our guide skillfully navigated the complex Summer Palace with the optimal routes, providing explanations

without us wasting any time getting lost. This made our tour truly rich and efficient.

What's more, thanks to the treasure trove of fascinating stories our guide shared –

stories we'd never have known if we'd visited on our own – our trip to the Summer Palace

will surely remain in my memory for a long time.

Empress Dowager Cixi's story still stands out so vividly!

The Summer Palace had even more beautiful photo spots than the Great Wall,

and our guide thoughtfully made sure to take stunning photos for every single team.

Honestly, the only things you truly keep from a trip are the photos,

and it felt like our guide knew that perfectly – which I absolutely loved!

Finally, the Summer Palace was one of those places where you immediately understand

why Chinese emperors and empresses cherished it so much.

The beauty of its majestic lake, the lush trees, and the harmonious architecture

made it one of those destinations where you just want to linger.

If you're ever visiting Beijing,

I absolutely recommend making a stop at the Summer Palace!

Great Wall & Summer Palace Tour: An Absolute Must-Do!

Today, I've shared my experience on Sunny Tour's Great Wall and Summer Palace day trip,

which I took with my parents.

Thanks to our guide's professional and detailed explanations,

and their thoughtful attention to every team on the tour, it was a truly satisfying day of travel.

Most importantly, it would have been quite challenging to visit both the Great Wall and the Summer Palace in a single day on our own,

so being able to experience so much in one day on a tight travel schedule

made me realize that taking this tour was definitely the right choice!

My parents also kept saying during the tour that it would have been difficult to travel without it.

For those who want to visit the Great Wall as comfortably as we did,

check out the link below and book your trip now!

>> Book Your Great Wall & Summer Palace Tour Here!

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