Visiting the Great Wall of China is high on the bucket list for many, and if you’re wondering which section to explore, let me introduce Mutianyu (慕田峪), an accessible choice just outside of Beijing. This Mutianyu guide will walk you through everything you need to know about visiting this section of the Great Wall — from transport options to hiking routes and thrilling toboggan rides. Whether you’re chasing adventure, photography, or history, the Mutianyu Great Wall has something to offer for everyone.

In This Mutianyu Guide

Why Mutianyu Over Other Sections Of The Great Wall?

There are many sections of the Great Wall that are open to public — Badaling, Jinshanling, Simatai, and more. But here’s why Mutianyu might be the best, and why it is the most popular with tourists:

• Less crowded than Badaling: Badaling is very popular with the locals, as it is the nearest to Beijing. This means Badaling is often very packed.
• Well-preserved and restored: Originally built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (6th century) and rebuilt in 1404 during the Ming Dynasty. Mutianyu and Badaling are one of the most well restored sections of the Great Wall, which means less debris on the ground.
• Perfect for families: With gentler slopes and reliable facilities.
• Toboggan: The only section where you can slide down the Great Wall!
• Proximity to Beijing: Mutianyu is around 75km (about 1.5 hours drive) from downtown Beijing, making it an easy day trip to include into your Beijing itinerary. It is not as near as Badaling is to Beijing, but still very manageable as a day trip. Other sections such as Jinshanling are at least a 2-hour drive from Beijing.

Getting to Mutianyu from Beijing

Option 1: Private Car (Most Comfortable Option)

We hired a private driver via Klook for around ~SGD70/pax for 8 hours, as it was the most straightforward option. This option also allowed us to get there by 9.30am, before it got crowded. The driver picked us up from our hotel at 8am sharp and also settled the attaction tickets for us.

Option 2: Tourist Express Bus

Tourist express buses are bus services that bring visitors directly to Mutianyu, from a number of pickup points in Beijing. These buses include a tour guide who provides background information about the Mutianyu section during the journey. However, it’s not a fully guided tour—you’ll be exploring Mutianyu on your own once you arrive.

One of the most popular tourist bus options is Mubus, which has a pick up point at Dongzhimen Station Exit B at 8am or 10am. The fee for Mubus also includes the ticket for the Mutianyu internal shuttle bus (more on this in a bit).

Option 3: DIY with Public Transport (Most Budget-friendly Option)

There are a number of public buses that take you to Mutianyu and they cost around RMB 20 one way. This article by China Discovery does a good job explaining the public bus options. We didn’t take the public transport option as it was too time consuming and we had to take note of the departure times which felt too stressful.

Getting Around Mutianyu

From the Mutianyu Tourist Center, you’ll need to walk through a service area, which is an area with a stretch of shops, to get to the internal shuttle bus. This internal shuttle bus takes visitors from the service area to base of the Great Wall itself, near the starting points for both the cable car and the chairlift (also called the cableway). From there, you can choose to ascend to the Wall either by riding the enclosed cable car to Tower 14 or by taking the chairlift to Tower 6.

Things To Do And Routes To Explore At Mutianyu

There are a total of 20 watchtowers at Mutianyu that are restored and open to the public. There are 3 main ways to get up the great wall, by cable car, chairlift or by hiking. The cable car takes you to Tower 14, while the chairlift takes you to Tower 6, which is also where the toboggan is location.

Route 1: Explore The West Side (Towers 14–20)

• Start with the cable car to Tower 14
• Hike to Tower 20
• Return via the same route
• Time needed: ~2 hours

Route 2: East To Toboggan (Towers 6–1)

• Chairlift to Tower 6
• Hike to Tower 1
• Hike back to Tower 6 for toboggan back down
• Time needed: ~2 hours

Route 3: Middle Scenic Route (Towers 14–6)

• Take the cable car up to Tower 14
• Hike to Tower 6, take the toboggan down
• Easy slope, family-friendly
• Time needed: ~2.5 hours

Route 4: Full Mutianyu (Towers 1–20)

• Full-day hike across all accessible towers
• Great for fitness enthusiasts, or photographers
• Time needed: ~5 hours

Best Time To Visit Mutianyu

The best time to visit Mutianyu is during spring (March–May) and autumn (Sept–Nov). These 2 seasons offer the best weather and views.

Spring: Cherry blossoms and greenery
Summer: Lush greenery but hot
Autumn: Red and yellow leaves
Winter: Brown backdrop, with the wall blending in, occasional snow-dusted views and the least visitors

Tips For Exploring Mutianyu

1. Bring Your Passport

Your tickets are tagged to your passport, so without your passport, you will not be able to board the buses, cable car and chairlift at Mutianyu. Even if you prefer paper tickets, you will require to your passport to purchase the tickets at the on-site.

2. Dress In Layers

It gets really windy at the Great Wall, so dress warmly. Otherwise, bring a jacket or scarf in case the weather gets chilly.

3. Bring Water and/or Snacks

Besides the service area near the tourist centre, there are some small shops where chairlift and cable car starts and stops, but you will not find any once you start your hike on the wall. Bring ample water, especially if you intend to stay up the wall for quite a bit.

Ticket Fees For Mutianyu

Entrance Ticket:
Adults: RMB 45
Children between 120cm and 140cm: RMB 20, free for children under 120cm
Seniors: RMB 20

Internal Shuttle Bus (from service area to cable car/chairlift):
Roundtrip: RMB 15
One way: RMB 10
Free for children under 120cm

Cable Car:
Round trip: RMB 140
One way: RMB 100
Chairlift (also known as cableway) up + Toboggan down combo: RMB 140
Toboggan (one way): RMB 100

There are various platforms to get your tickets prior to heading to Mutianyu, and if you’re unable to purchase through Wechat or Alipay, one of the most reliable platform is Trip.com, as they are a Chinese company. Alternatively, if you are hiring a private driver like we did, the driver can get the tickets sorted for you.

Mutianyu Opening Hours

Peak season:
March 16th to November 15th
Monday to Friday 7.30am – 6pm
Saturday and Sunday: 7.30am – 6.30pm

Off-peak season:
November 16th to March 15th
8am – 5.30pm daily

Ticket sales stop 1 hour before the park closes, last entry half an hour before park closes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the best time to visit Mutianyu?

The best time is to visit right at opening time until before 10am, as this is before it gets crowded. Around 11am is when it starts to get crowded, even during off peak season.

Is the Mutianyu chairlift or cable car better?

The choice depends on which side of Mutianyu you wish to explore. Most choose to do the chairlift due to wanting to ride the toboggan down, which also makes it more crowded. The toboggan however, is not suitable for the elderly and those with mobility issues so the cable car would be a better choice in this situation. There are however, some visitors also choose to do both the cable car and chairlift.

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