Skip the Badaling crowds, climb in the afternoon, and catch the sun going down
An afternoon wall, not a dawn one: you leave Dongsi at noon and walk watchtowers 14 to 20 in the cooler half of the day, which also means fewer coach groups on the stones.
Sunrise chasers — the first light is long gone by the time you arrive.
The cable car and the toboggan are both extra and both sell out at the ticket office. Decide which way you come down before you go up.
Departs from Dongsi metro station Exit E; a second departure leaves Heping Xiqiao Exit B at 14:00
Local time (GMT+8). Departure times shift with traffic.
A second bus leaves Heping Xiqiao Exit B at 14:00. About 90 minutes; the guide talks through route options on board
A park shuttle reaches the ticket gate; the cable car climbs to Watchtower 14 in three minutes. Towers 14–20 are the Hero Slope, about 2.5 hours return
14 to 18 is gentle, 19 to 20 steep. Tower 20 sits at 1,039 m, the high point of this section
Descend by cable car the way you came, or walk to Tower 6 and take the 1,580 m toboggan — over-60s are not permitted
Drop-off by the National Stadium; the Olympic Park lights are a short walk away
The tour starts and ends in Beijing. Most travellers arrive at Beijing South / West Railway Station — the pick-up loop is a short taxi or metro ride from the exits, and the tour returns you in time for an evening train. If you are coming from another city, check the direct high-speed trains and their first and last departures.
The cable car reaches Tower 14, so children and grandparents can both get up. For an easy day, walk only between Towers 14 and 16 — the views lose nothing.
$89 per person on the group tour, or from $256 per vehicle for a private car with driver and guide. The group price includes the driver, guide and admission; the private price is for the whole vehicle, whatever the party size.
It runs 12:00 to 19:00 — about 7 hours from pick-up to drop-off, including the drive. If you are catching a train or flight the same evening, book it for after 20:30.
Dongsi metro Exit E. Your driver and guide meet you there; the exact spot is confirmed the day before travel.
Return air-conditioned coach; Mutianyu admission (¥45 in high season); Return cable car (¥140).
Lunch — eat before boarding; Toboggan descent (can replace the cable car, difference payable).
Two days. We do not accept same-day or next-day bookings because the car, guide and admission have to be arranged in advance. Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the tour; inside that it steps to 20% (6–3 days) and 60% (2–1 days), and nothing is refunded on the day itself.
A rare afternoon departure, and it dodged the crowds completely — we saw the Wall at sunset and got a taste of it after dark in one go. Thirteen years since my last visit with family; not much has changed apart from the shuttle bus the scenic area now runs. I hope getting there becomes easier.
难得的下午团，完美错开高峰，游览夕阳下的长城、夜游长城一并体验了。时隔十三年再携家人游览慕田峪，感觉变化不大，除了增加了景区标配的摆渡车。希望能改善交通，让往来景区更加便捷。
Plenty of cats around! Our guide Nikki was lovely — I would recommend her to friends without hesitation. Out of season the Wall is empty and easy to walk, and it photographs beautifully at sunset.
好多喵喵！导游 Nikki 人很好，以后朋友要玩肯定推这个导游了！淡季的长城没人太好走了，夕阳拍照也别有味道。
The guide was conscientious and explained everything in detail.
导游负责尽职，讲解详实。
