What is the best day trip from Beijing?

For most first-time visitors, the Great Wall. Mutianyu is about 73 km northeast of central Beijing, about 1.5 hours by car, and Badaling is about 70 km northwest of central Beijing.

How long does a Great Wall day trip take?

At Mutianyu, plan about 3 hours on the wall and about 6 hours in total by car or tour (longer by public bus).

Can I do a Great Wall day trip without a tour?

Yes. For Mutianyu: express bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou, then bus H24 to Mutianyu; allow 2–3 hours each way. For Badaling: bus 877 from Deshengmen (near Jishuitan station, Line 2): about 1 hour, 12 CNY, or suburban train S2 from Huangtudian station (Metro Line 8 or 13) to Badaling station, or high-speed trains from Beijing North station to Badaling Great Wall station; check current timetables.

Do I need to book Great Wall tickets in advance?

At Mutianyu, tickets are real-name and can be booked up to 30 days ahead, with one admission per passport per day; bring your original passport. At Badaling, booking is real-name with your passport, and booking ahead is strongly recommended.

Which other day trips do you cover?

The Great Wall, the Ming Tombs, and Gubei Water Town with the Simatai section at night. We only add a destination once its details are checked against current sources, and we leave out prices when sources disagree.

Day trips from Beijing: Great Wall, Ming Tombs, Gubei

The Great Wall is the classic day trip from Beijing, so it comes first here and we cover it in detail. Below it, two more trips we have checked: the Ming Tombs and Gubei Water Town.

The Great Wall: the classic day trip

Mutianyu or Badaling?

	Mutianyu	Badaling
Distance	About 73 km northeast of central Beijing, about 1.5 hours by car	About 70 km northwest of central Beijing
Crowds	Usually calmer	The most visited and most crowded section near Beijing
Entrance	40 CNY per adult (45 CNY with a postcard option)	40 CNY from April 1 to October 31 and 35 CNY from November 1 to March 31
By public transport	Express bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou, then bus H24 to Mutianyu; allow 2–3 hours each way	Bus 877 from Deshengmen (near Jishuitan station, Line 2): about 1 hour, 12 CNY

Our Great Wall tickets guide explains both sections in detail.

Tour or on your own?

With a tour: transport is arranged, and some tours include the entrance and the cable car: check the listing. See Great Wall tours from Beijing.
On your own: cheaper, but plan for the bus: express bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou, then bus H24 to Mutianyu; allow 2–3 hours each way.

Tips for the day

Beat the crowds: arrive at opening time, go on a weekday, and avoid Chinese public holidays (October 1–7, May 1–5 and Spring Festival week).
Bring your passport: at Mutianyu, tickets are real-name and can be booked up to 30 days ahead, with one admission per passport per day; bring your original passport.
Toboggan: the toboggan only goes down, and it closes in rain and snow.

The Great Wall at Mutianyu winding over green hills

What to check before booking a day trip

Which section or destination, and how long you spend there (not just the total tour time).
What’s included: entrance, cable car or toboggan, lunch, hotel pickup.
Passport details: real-name tickets need them in advance.
Group size and the guide’s language.
Cancellation terms, especially in bad weather.

Day trips from our booking partners

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Offered by GetYourGuide

Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City private tour

Check what is included, the meeting point and the cancellation terms on GetYourGuide before you book.

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Offered by Viator

Private Great Wall hike from Jiankou to Mutianyu

Check what is included, the meeting point and the cancellation terms on Viator before you book.

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Ming Tombs

The Sacred Way is the ceremonial avenue leading to the tombs, lined with stone statues of animals and officials. The tombs are about 50 km northwest of Beijing, and the main tombs to visit are Changling, the largest, where Emperor Yongle is buried, and Dingling, Emperor Wanli's tomb, the one with an excavated underground palace.

Many tours combine the Ming Tombs with the Great Wall at Badaling. In the Great Wall reviews we analysed, two travellers expected Dingling’s underground palace and found their tour went to another tomb: if it matters to you, check which tomb the listing names. Ticket prices differ between sources, so check them on the day.

Gubei Water Town and Simatai at night

Gubei Water Town is a recently built canal town at the foot of the Simatai section of the Great Wall, about 120 km northeast of Beijing, roughly 2 hours by car. Simatai is one of the few Great Wall sections you can visit in the evening, and at night you go up by cable car.

Book ahead: book the Simatai visit in advance: weekend and holiday slots can sell out.
Stay the night? Many visitors stay overnight in the water town to see the wall lit up without a late drive back to Beijing.

More ideas

Some tours combine the Great Wall with other stops: check the itinerary of each listing. For more ideas inside the city, see our Beijing tours and Beijing itinerary.

With a week, you can fit a second Great Wall section and another day trip: see 7 days in Beijing.