Hiring a taxi for a trip to Mutinayu Great Wall and back costs around 400rmb. Guide not needed for Muitianyu. Just take a guide book.

will be easy enough to arrange with a taxi driver once in Beijing directly? We will also go to Mutianyu one day, another to Simatai. We are 5 in total so I think we need a van.

Why go to the Great Wall twice?

to see the two sections, Mutianyu which I hear is very nice and we would like to do the walk, I think around 10 km from Simatai.

Is it really worth doing the two of them? Or do you think it may be too much? Will I appreciate the differences?

I'd just go once. If you're fit and don't suffer from vertigo, Jinashanling to Simatai is a great walk and the wall is more ruinous. Not been to Mutianyu so I can't really compare. Mutianyu is much closer to Beijing city than Simatai (about half distance).

thanks for that. So it seems does not make any sense to do both. I will stick to Simatai and do the walk :-)

I think they probably like the Great Wall, that's why they go twice

We used Alvin Jiang, a licensed guide for our trip to Mutianyu. We are happy with him, he was with us for more than 12 hours and he won't even accept our tip. If interested, you can contact him at alvinbenton@yahoo.com

How long ago was that and do you remember how much he charged? Any advice/input is greatly appreciated