
Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 21 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal worth booking?
Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal is a 9-hour experience in Beijing, China, from $202 per person. It scores 69 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Solid Choice”, based on a 5/5 rating across 21 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 69 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (21)
- Duration
- 9 hours
- From
- $202 per person
If your plane is passing through Beijing on the way to other destinations, don’t spend the day inside the airport. Instead, take this layover tour to explore the Great Wall at Mutianyu Section, and discover the charms of the Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square. Your informative local guide will take you by private vehicle to the sites according to the time of your layover, after the tour you will be transferred back to the airport. Tour includes all entrance fee, cable car round trip, local meal, an English-speaking guide and transport by private vehicle. Tour can start from Beijing International Airport(PEK) or Beijing Daxing Airport.
What you get
About this experience
If your plane is passing through Beijing on the way to other destinations, don’t spend the day inside the airport. Instead, take this layover tour to explore the Great Wall at Mutianyu Section, and discover the charms of the Forbidden City and Tian'anmen Square. Your informative local guide will take you by private vehicle to the sites according to the time of your layover, after the tour you will be transferred back to the airport. Tour includes all entrance fee, cable car round trip, local meal, an English-speaking guide and transport by private vehicle. Tour can start from Beijing International Airport(PEK) or Beijing Daxing Airport.
What's included
Included
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- Cable car round trip or ski lift up and toboggan ticket
- Entrance fee
- Transport by private vehicle
Not included
- Gratuities
What you'll see and do
Mutianyu Great Wall
Your private layover tour of Beiing begins with pickup at Beijing International Airport(PEK) or Beijing Daxing Airport depending on your flight arrival. Your informative local guide will take you by private vehicle to the Great Wall at Mutianyu section, one of the seven wonders in the world and one of the few man made projects which you can see from space. On the way to the Great Wall, about a 1.5 hour drive, your guide will explain the history and stories about the Great Wall. You will also enjoy the beautiful countryside scenery on the way. On arrival of the Mutianyu Great Wall, you will take their shuttle bus to the foot of the mountain, then take either the cable car round trip or ski-lift up and toboggan down at the Great Wall. Spend 2-3 hours to hike the wall depending on your flight arrival and departure time.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Bird's Nest National Stadium
Next, heading to Beijing city, if time allows, you are able to stop by to take photos at the iconic "Bird's Nest"– the Beijing National Stadium, where it had hosted many spectacular events during time of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Pass by without stopping
Water Cube
Driving pass by Water Cube
Pass by without stopping
Bell and Drum Towers
Drive pass by the Drum tower area, the local street -Hutong allays, and Houhai lake area.
Pass by without stopping
Tiananmen Square
Then exploring the Tian'anmen Square, home to the National Museum of China, and the great Monument to the Peoples’ Heroes.
30 minutes here
The Palace Museum
Pass through the south gate to the magnificent Forbidden City, a 250-acre complex of courtyards, palaces, pavilions and gardens, which served as the imperial palace for emperors and their households for more than 500 years. The Forbidden City was the imperial palace from the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is located in the middle of Beijing, and now houses the Palace Museum. For almost 500 years, it served as the home of emperors and their households, as well as the ceremonial and political center of Chinese government. Your private tour ends with return transport to the Beijing International airport.
120 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers.
Options you can book
PEK Layover Tour
Tour start from Beijing International Airpot(PEK), tour including English tour guide, entrance fee, cable car and lunch Pickup included
Daxing Airport Layover
Tour start from Beijing Daxing Airport, tour including English tour guide, entrance fee, cable car and lunch Pickup included
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- zh-TW, cmn, en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Discover Beijing Tours
Know before you go
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please make sure your trip suites the Visa free policy. If you are not able to go through customs for any reasons, please take your own responsibility. There is no refund for the same day cancellation
- The Great Wall, Tian'anmen Square and Forbidden city layover tour require at least 11 hours
- If flight lands before 14:30, the visit to the Great Wall will or Forbidden City will be secured. Otherwise, you can't make it because the Great Wall at Mutianyu open between 08:30 to 17:30
- Please note: 1st April thru 31st October - Forbidden City stops selling tickets at 16:00, and closes at 17:00
- Please note: 1st November thru 31st March - Forbidden City stops selling tickets at 15:30, and closes at 16:30
- Your guide will wait 90-minutes after your flight arrive, if you can not arrive the meeting point on time please contact your local operator in advance
- Passport name and number is required at time of booking for all participants (for getting your Forbidden City entrance ticket in advance)
- Forbidden city tickets sold out fast, so we are not secure can get tickets, please book this tour in advance to make sure all tickets available.
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 21 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
7 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Photo opportunities
5 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Food and drink
5 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Pace and timing
4 mentionsSeveral reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
Good for families
2 mentionsReviewers traveling with kids report it landed well with their group.
Traveler reviews
21 verified traveler reviews for Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Good Experience
Very good tour Cassie was very knowledgeable about the forbidden city/great wall and came up with ways and routes to cool off when it got so hot and Shun Qian Fang picked and dropped me off, ensuring I was comfortable and lent me a handheld fan for the 2nd part of my tour.
via Viator
Fun and efficient layover tour!
My driver Xia Qing and tour guide Lucy were amazing! The driver met me right after baggage claim with my name on a paper, making it super easy to find him. He had cold water and fresh fruits to snack on during the long ride to my first stop at the Forbidden City where I met up with Lucy. She was very informative about all the history of the site, but also kept me on track to see all I wanted while making sure I wouldn’t be late for my next stop at the Great Wall. It was another long ride to the Great Wall, but Lucy made it fun by talking me through all the history of both sites. They took me to a part of the wall that was a lot less busy than I’ve seen in other tour photos and it was the perfect time of day when it wasn’t too hot! Lucy made sure to take lots of photos of me in the perfect parts of the wall with the best views and no one in the background! We were able to take the toboggan down the mountain without waiting for long lines, so fun! Overall, HIGHLY recommend this tour for an efficient and fun tour during a layover!
via Viator
Excellent views and knowledgeable, supportive guides.
We had a stunning day touring the Forbidden City and the Great Wall with Judy and Mr. Jang. The sights were breathtaking, and Judy offered a really clear, friendly, and comprehensive overview of the history and culture around Beijing. Our guides clearly love their country and we feel so lucky for having their support, knowledge and perspectives as we visited. Highlight of the trip!
via Tripadvisor
A great way to see the main sights during your transit time
This was a great tour. Our tour guide Linda was very knowledgeable and spoke English very well. The lunch was great, with more than enough food. The kids loved the toboggan ride down from the Great Wall. A great way to see the main sights of Beijing in a short timeframe.
via Tripadvisor
6 ore
Albert has been a fantastic guide. We had the chance to visit the most important highlights of the city, avoiding the queue and enjoying the Chinese culture the first of January. As icing on the cake, we ate very good local food prepared by a Chinese family. I would recommend this tour to everyone who wants to have a quick flavour of Beijing.
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
- Price range
- $202 to $428
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 7
- Verdict
- Solid Choice
Who runs this experience
Operated by Discover Beijing Tours, who run 82 experiences we rank across 5 cities, with an average Outty Ranking of 52.7.
See everything Discover Beijing Tours runsWhy this scores 69
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Beijing.
How much does Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal cost?
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Prices start at $202 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Beijing usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal take?
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Plan for about 9 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Beijing is not rushed.
Is Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 69 out of 100, which we label "Solid Choice". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 21 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Beijing, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 9-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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Around 7 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Beijing can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Beijing and add a light layer if any part of the 9-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Beijing within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Beijing?
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On Outty we rank every Beijing experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour, Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall Sightseeing Full-day Group Tours, Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Beijing?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Beijing?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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Included: Professional guide; Bottled water; Lunch; Cable car round trip or ski lift up and toboggan ticket; and Entrance fee. Not included: Gratuities. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered for every traveler from 3 listed pickup locations in and around Beijing.
What languages is Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal offered in?
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It is offered in Chinese and English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal if the weather is bad?
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It generally runs rain or shine, so dress for the forecast in Beijing. Standard cancellation terms apply: free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start.
What do travelers say about Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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Across 21 reviews averaging 5.0 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, photo opportunities. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Several reviewers comment on how the schedule is paced.
What booking options are available for Private Beijing Layover Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Forbidden City with Cable Car and Meal?
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There are 2 options to choose from, including PEK Layover Tour, Daxing Airport Layover. Prices and start times differ by option, so compare them on the booking screen.
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