The Ultimate Guide: Mutianyu Great Wall
When we were planning our trip to Beijing, I knew one thing for sure: visiting the Great Wall of China was a must. However, we didn’t have time to research all the details in advance, so we booked tickets and transfers at the last minute.
The Great Wall has several sections you can visit, but we chose Mutianyu. The reason was simple: this section features the famous toboggan ride. I had seen it in a video once and knew I wanted to experience it here.
We purchased transfer tickets, entrance tickets, as well as tickets for the cable car and toboggan ride through Trip.com, paying in rubles. It was very convenient.
We booked the transfer from central Beijing and the shuttle within the area in advance. After payment, I received a message from the guide with all the important details: meeting point, departure time, and organizational notes.
The next day, we met at the designated spot and headed towards the Great Wall. On the way, we were offered tickets for the cable car and toboggan ride, but since we had already booked everything through Trip.com, it turned out to be slightly cheaper.
Upon arriving at the tourist village, the guide immediately pointed out the meeting place and the departure time for the last bus back to Beijing. Then, we boarded the shuttle bus, which was included in the cost, and it took us to the cable car station.
Important note: the open and closed cable cars lead to different towers.
If you choose the closed cable car, you’ll arrive at Tower 14. From there, it’s convenient to explore the left side of the wall or head towards Tower 6, where the toboggan ride begins. We opted for the open cable car, which takes you directly to Tower 6. From here, you can walk in both directions, and this is where the toboggan ride starts. For us, this was the most convenient option.
After walking along the wall and stopping for photos, we queued for the toboggan ride around 2:30 PM. We waited for about an hour, but it was absolutely worth it.
The toboggan ride is pure joy.
Despite the occasional need to brake and wait due to the crowd, it was still the highlight of the day.
You can buy the toboggan ticket online in advance or on-site. The cost is 100 yuan one way.
After the ride, we strolled through the souvenir streets for a while and then took the shuttle bus back to the meeting point, where the guide was waiting to put us on the last bus at 5:00 PM.
The final stop of the route was Bird’s Nest, the Olympic venue and one of Beijing’s most famous landmarks. We had dinner there, walked around a bit more, and then took the subway back to the hotel.
Check out the carousel ⬆️ to see how much this trip cost for two.
What I realized in the end is that if you’re visiting the Great Wall for the first time and want the trip to be beautiful, convenient, and memorable, Mutianyu is an excellent choice❣️ And if you want not just to see the wall but also to have an exciting experience, then definitely go for the toboggan ride.