6 Palace Day Trips in China That Earn Their Entry Fee

1.Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,004 reviews · from $29Our pick

This $29 bus tour pairs four hours at Mutianyu with three hours at the Summer Palace, then heads to Beijing Olympic Park. An English-speaking guide such as Yoyo, Lee, Jackie Chan, or Amy leads the day, explains the sights, and helps arrange optional cable car, toboggan, and boat rides. It is a busy but useful choice for first-time visitors.

“Everything was magical and perfect. The tour guide Evelyn was very professional and kind, I hope to participate in a future tour with her! Truly recommend :)”

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2.Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 816 reviews · from $124Top rated

Spend 8 to 9 hours visiting Beijing’s Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with a private guide, lunch, hotel pickup, and air-conditioned transport. Choose the cable car or ski lift and toboggan. Guides such as Cindy, Lucy, Sherry, and Aurora are praised for clear history, thoughtful pacing, and family-friendly help.

“Summer is patient in explaining. She is professional and provided great service. She made sure we are comfortable and and enjoy our trip.”

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3.Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 610 reviews · from $99

Spend about nine hours exploring Beijing’s imperial heart with an English-speaking guide such as Jenny, Lee, Mary, Murphy, or Michael. Hotel pickup, transport, entry tickets, and a Chinese lunch are included. The pace is brisk, the walking is real, and shopping stops may be added, so this suits first-time visitors with only one free day.

“The tour agency was very communicative as there was an unusual wind storm the original date of our tour, and accommodated a change in schedule so we could enjoy the city sites. Marry, our tour guide, was very informative and energetic, and did a good job wrangling our group despite the overly crowded sites. She gave good info and history on all of the historical areas, as well as helped with pointers for shopping and restaurants on other days. Be prepared for the crowds and give yourself and tour guide some grace as it can be hectic at times, but that is Beijing in general. The Forbidden City, Summer Palace…”

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4.Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 272 reviews · from $130

Spend about eight hours with a private guide exploring Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. Your guide handles tickets, security routes, transport, and lunch at a local Chinese restaurant. Choose private vehicle service or subway travel, and ask for guides such as May, Peter, Jenny, or James when available.

“We booked with Catherine Lu tours. Jenny was our tour guide. We were trying to get the most out of our brief time in Beijing and they were very flexible and made some great recommendations. The Forbidden City was magnificent and mRead more”

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5.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Private Day Trip with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $185

Spend a full day with a private guide and driver at two UNESCO World Heritage sites. Walk the restored Mutianyu Great Wall, ride a cable car or chairlift, and return by toboggan before lunch and an afternoon at the Summer Palace. Guides may include Kelly, Violet, or Pietro, and hotel pickup is included.

“My tour started off rocky but it finished good. I booked my trip and called the night before to confirm the tour. However, the company said that it was canceled due to the limit amount of people. The person on the other end said he will rebooRead more”

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6.All-Inclusive Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 9 hours · from $233

You’ll visit Mutianyu with a private guide and driver, ride a cable car or chair lift, hike the Wall, and return by toboggan if you choose. After a local lunch, stroll through the Summer Palace. Guides such as Felix, Emma, Luis, Jiang, and Arancha have led this route in several languages.

“O guia Luis era muito simpático! O passeio foi ótimo. Chegamos bem cedo na muralha e foi a melhor decisão, pois às 10h ficou lotada (na hora que estávamos indo embora).”

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