We noticed that you're using an unsupported browser. The TripAdvisor website may not display properly.
We support the following browsers:
Windows: Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome. Mac: Safari.

Great Wall at Mutianyu: Traveler Reviews

Mutianyu Road, Huairou District, Beijing, China
Website
Update attraction details
Ranked #1 of 959 attractions in Beijing
Type: Landmarks/ Points of Interest, Ancient Ruins, Hiking Trails
Fee: Yes
Recommended length of visit: More than 3 hours
Traveler Description: The Great Wall at Mutianyu is a little further from Beijing than the most popular section at Badaling, but it doesn't get as crowded.  This section... more »
Useful Information: Stairs / elevator, Bathroom facilities
Write a Review

3,167 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    2,305
    756
    90
    11
    4
Date Rating
There are newer reviews for Great Wall at Mutianyu
See the most recent reviews
Honolulu, Hawaii
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Private car to Mutianyu and Bird Nest”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 14, 2013

We just returned from 16 days trip to China. After spending days doing my homework from valuable input by fellows trip-advisers, we had decided on our itinerary of Beijing - Datong - Pinyao - Xian - Shanghai. We decided to do Mutianyu simply because its less crowded and after visiting many websites we decided hiring a private car as the charges is about the same as others and we have the convenience of door to door pick up. The private car we engaged came from a Chinese websites popularly used by backpackers and so the drivers speaks only minimal English. But all we needed is to drive us to the destinations and best of all, they provide service of booking train tickets Datong to Pinyao on our behalf. Driver came on time in the morning to pick us up and helped us to buy the entrance ticket to Mutianyu (there was no line at the ticket windows, just a lot of people pushing to get to the window.) When we came down, driver was already there waiting with bottled water and then proceed to our next destination. We were lucky that we had our unlocked iphone that worked well with a prepaid card there. Parking was a problem at the Bird Nest and driver had to make his rounds and we would call him when we came out to meet up with him. Overall, it was a smooth arrangement and we were pleased to have a hassle-free visit to these places (4.5 hours for Mutianyu 1.5 hours for Bird Nest) hiring private car without any shopping pit stop commonly known by those tour buses.

Visited September 2012
Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 2 more reviews by Rene M for Beijing
Ask Rene M about Great Wall at Mutianyu
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
Contributor
11 reviews 11 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
“An Autumn Crystal Clear Day at Mutianyu By Captain Rick Stewart”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 13, 2013

It's who you meet on this part of the Great Wall that makes this world wonder a top world attraction. This section is so steep in parts, It reminded me of the stairs in "The Leaning Tower of Pizza", once navigated in 1982. The highlight was meeting a group from Finland at the Summit and as a New Zealander meeting northern most travelers on an ancient Redoubt viewing the spine of Mongolia and the many Watchtowers was indeed added value to the whole experience.
Helligen Gelligen as they say in Finland and we toasted our climbing prowess and marvelled at what went in to creating this bastion of a border. This section of the wall is not for the physically challenged, I suggest regular exercise prior to attempting it's 60 degree steps...best way to complete is walk up the stairs in a diagonal fashion to conserve energy and allow 2 hours to really enjoy the feeling of absorbing ancient history and you becoming a small part of it.

Visited November 2012
Was this review helpful? Yes 3
See 2 more reviews by Richard S for Beijing
Ask Richard S about Great Wall at Mutianyu
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sydney, Australia
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
“Great View!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 12, 2013

We traveled during the off-peak season of Winter to Mutianyu. The snow covered section of Great Wall was amazing. And also the fact that we were on the wall with less tourists, we managed to take more photos without being photo-bombed by other tourists on the wall....

Visited December 2012
Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Ask Jimi008 about Great Wall at Mutianyu
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
West Kelowna, Canada
Senior Contributor
27 reviews 27 reviews
10 attraction reviews
Reviews in 17 cities Reviews in 17 cities
15 helpful votes 15 helpful votes
“Out of the fog”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed February 11, 2013

We spent four foggy, smoggy days in Beijing late January and were able to take a day trip to Mutianyu. What a great way to get out of the city and above the low lying fog. In January, there are few tourists and you essentially have the wall to yourself. I cant imagine the feeling one would have in the summer jostling with tour bus groups, but in January one can find peace and quiet and are able to enjoy the wall for what it once was, a fortress. Great views and relatively easy walking on this section. I recommend taking the chairlift up and tobogganing back down. We had spoken to others that had visited the wall at locations closer to Beijing and all recommended taking the extra time to go to Mutianyu. Loved it !!

Visited January 2013
Was this review helpful? Yes
Ask Robert C about Great Wall at Mutianyu
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Boston, Massachusetts
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
“Great views.”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed February 10, 2013

The wall is fine but the way chinese present it is awful. Cheap cheesy la la land. Chinese have a long way to go to appreciate themselves.

Visited February 2013
Was this review helpful? Yes
See 3 more reviews by lilubookovski for Beijing
Ask lilubookovski about Great Wall at Mutianyu
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.

Been to Great Wall at Mutianyu? Share your experiences!

Write a Review Add Photos Add Videos

Owners: What's your side of the story?

If you own or manage Great Wall at Mutianyu, register now for free tools to enhance your listing, attract new reviews, and respond to reviewers.

  • Manage your listing