Layover Tours
8–9 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 99% of travelers
99% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$80
per adult
Beijing Downtown Travel Service Co., Ltd.
Beijing Downtown Travel Service Co., Ltd.
4.9
Full view
About
With an experience of 14 years, we offers a wide variety of trips on the Great Wall, from one-day trip to nine-day trip. We know the details of each section of the wall around Beijing, thus can provide a better itinerary and service. Mainly the trips are private groups, and special requirements can be customized by request.
Tours and Tickets by Beijing Downtown Travel Service Co., Ltd.
Day Trips
8–9 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$79
per adult
Day Trips
8–9 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$85
per adult
Car Tours
7–8 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travelers
100% of reviewers gave this product a bubble rating of 4 or higher.
from
$50
per adult
Day Trips
8–9 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this reservation up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
from
$79
per adult
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.9
896 reviews
Excellent
852
Very good
39
Average
2
Poor
1
Terrible
2
Lydia Q
1 contribution
Oct 2019
I'm not the fittest person around - I don't exercise much and I have chronic pain problems - so I found this climb to be rather challenging! It was 6 km and took me about 2h40m to complete. There were a lot of steep stairs and a couple of slopes I thought I couldn't manage but at the end of it I felt a great sense of satisfaction because it was like accomplishing a feat I never knew I was capable of.
We went during China's Golden Week, and because of forecasted traffic jams our meet-up time was changed, an hour earlier than usual. (Mine was the Zhangzizhonglu Subway Station.) Our guide Iris was really knowledgeable about the site, telling us about the history of the Wall before we alighted, and a little bit after we visited the site proper. We had a toilet break on the way there and another one before entering the gates to the Wall; Iris advised those of us who didn't bring food to buy some at the shops at the service area we took our first toilet break at.
The ride was smooth despite the holiday crowds and the driver seemed quite careful. There were seatbelts on every seat and the coach was generally very comfortable.
We arrived around 9 or so and made our way to the Jinshanling Tourist Centre. The toilet here was really clean! After this toilet break we made our way to a little tram stop where we waited for tram (like those you see in Disneyland or certain zoos) to bring us to the actual entrance of the Wall. (It's a huge site.)
Iris gave us a quick briefing and explained the route to us. She asked if anyone wanted to ride the cable car, which would save about an hour's worth of walking; it'd take us to the unrestored part of the wall and she could help us get tickets. (Everyone seemed to want to climb, though after we started walking I think a couple went to ride the cable car; they must've gotten tickets themselves.) She then accompanied us for the first 2 km, I think, then left to meet us at the other side. This first 2 km consisted of the part of the Wall that was restored in the 1980s, I think. The other part was last restored in the Ming Dynasty.
One thing I really liked about this section of the Great Wall was how you could get really good photo ops without anyone majorly photobombing your picture. (It makes sense, because Jinshanling is NOT easy to climb.) We went during peak travel season - Oct 2, the second day of Golden Week - and despite that there were many points during our climb that we found ourselves the only ones on our bit of the wall. That was great.
At certain points there were official personnel stationed around, making sure we knew how to keep to the main route, and at many of the towers/passes there were bazaar-style stalls selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs.
I'd say that we certainly went in the right direction - Jinshanling to Simatai West involved a lot of upwards navigation of tricky areas restored most recently in the Ming Dynasty (according to Iris that's when the Renaissance Period took place, so it's like >500 years old), but at least you're defying gravity so you don't feel like you're in danger. There were some parts that I found it pretty hard to find my footing, and I couldn't imagine going DOWN them - that would be a nasty fall waiting to happen. We also went during a beautiful day, but if it had been raining or snowing, it would've been a really difficult hike. I wouldn't recommend this section of the wall to anyone who is travelling with young children or the elderly - I made it to the meeting point with about 30 minutes to spare, and even then I had to consciously push myself to keep going at the easier parts so I could (a) take my time to climb the tough parts and (b) rest for as long as I could every 20 minutes or so.
All in all I would rate the service itself a 5 out of 5 for the transport, the planning (including the decision to move the meet-up time forward in view of the holiday) and the guide. I do wish I stopped to read more of the history written on the plaques at every watchtower, but I was too afraid of not making the meet-up time, so if you're as unfit as I am, you might want to consider taking the cable car.
We went during China's Golden Week, and because of forecasted traffic jams our meet-up time was changed, an hour earlier than usual. (Mine was the Zhangzizhonglu Subway Station.) Our guide Iris was really knowledgeable about the site, telling us about the history of the Wall before we alighted, and a little bit after we visited the site proper. We had a toilet break on the way there and another one before entering the gates to the Wall; Iris advised those of us who didn't bring food to buy some at the shops at the service area we took our first toilet break at.
The ride was smooth despite the holiday crowds and the driver seemed quite careful. There were seatbelts on every seat and the coach was generally very comfortable.
We arrived around 9 or so and made our way to the Jinshanling Tourist Centre. The toilet here was really clean! After this toilet break we made our way to a little tram stop where we waited for tram (like those you see in Disneyland or certain zoos) to bring us to the actual entrance of the Wall. (It's a huge site.)
Iris gave us a quick briefing and explained the route to us. She asked if anyone wanted to ride the cable car, which would save about an hour's worth of walking; it'd take us to the unrestored part of the wall and she could help us get tickets. (Everyone seemed to want to climb, though after we started walking I think a couple went to ride the cable car; they must've gotten tickets themselves.) She then accompanied us for the first 2 km, I think, then left to meet us at the other side. This first 2 km consisted of the part of the Wall that was restored in the 1980s, I think. The other part was last restored in the Ming Dynasty.
One thing I really liked about this section of the Great Wall was how you could get really good photo ops without anyone majorly photobombing your picture. (It makes sense, because Jinshanling is NOT easy to climb.) We went during peak travel season - Oct 2, the second day of Golden Week - and despite that there were many points during our climb that we found ourselves the only ones on our bit of the wall. That was great.
At certain points there were official personnel stationed around, making sure we knew how to keep to the main route, and at many of the towers/passes there were bazaar-style stalls selling drinks, snacks and souvenirs.
I'd say that we certainly went in the right direction - Jinshanling to Simatai West involved a lot of upwards navigation of tricky areas restored most recently in the Ming Dynasty (according to Iris that's when the Renaissance Period took place, so it's like >500 years old), but at least you're defying gravity so you don't feel like you're in danger. There were some parts that I found it pretty hard to find my footing, and I couldn't imagine going DOWN them - that would be a nasty fall waiting to happen. We also went during a beautiful day, but if it had been raining or snowing, it would've been a really difficult hike. I wouldn't recommend this section of the wall to anyone who is travelling with young children or the elderly - I made it to the meeting point with about 30 minutes to spare, and even then I had to consciously push myself to keep going at the easier parts so I could (a) take my time to climb the tough parts and (b) rest for as long as I could every 20 minutes or so.
All in all I would rate the service itself a 5 out of 5 for the transport, the planning (including the decision to move the meet-up time forward in view of the holiday) and the guide. I do wish I stopped to read more of the history written on the plaques at every watchtower, but I was too afraid of not making the meet-up time, so if you're as unfit as I am, you might want to consider taking the cable car.
Written October 9, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin B
37 contributions
Our tour guide Iris was an absolute sweetheart. The wall itself was incredible. This section, while a little bit further from the city (3 hour ride), has nowhere near as many tourists. There were many times when I was the only one in the wall, making for great pictures! There is a nice mix of restored sections and original sections as well. All around amazing trip, would definitely recommend again!
Written October 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ECB1974
Maastricht, The Netherlands81 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
We had a fantastic hike on the Great Wall today, with Iris as our lovely tour guide. Pick-up was well organized, at Zhangzizhonglu metro station (exit C) in Beijing at 7.30am. Our group was a mix of ages and nationalities. A bus took us to the starting point, and around 10am, our hike started..
The first half of our 6km hike was a restored part of the Great Wall and relatively easy to walk, yet the second half, mostly unrestored and with steep climbs, was a lot more and not for everybody..
Views are breathtaking, and camera rolls quickly fill with ‘wallfies’.. Twenty-one watchtowers later, the tour ends, and a downhill walk leads to the pick-up point. Iris made sure that we all made it to the finish line.
Tips: It was a warm day, so bring sufficient water, and a few snacks for lunch. The company provides 1 bottle of water. A fresh t-shirt and suncream are also helpful when the sun is out..
All-in-all, a tour we can highly recommend with excellent value for money! This was a very quiet day on the Wall, probably as this is further from Beijing than other parts.
The first half of our 6km hike was a restored part of the Great Wall and relatively easy to walk, yet the second half, mostly unrestored and with steep climbs, was a lot more and not for everybody..
Views are breathtaking, and camera rolls quickly fill with ‘wallfies’.. Twenty-one watchtowers later, the tour ends, and a downhill walk leads to the pick-up point. Iris made sure that we all made it to the finish line.
Tips: It was a warm day, so bring sufficient water, and a few snacks for lunch. The company provides 1 bottle of water. A fresh t-shirt and suncream are also helpful when the sun is out..
All-in-all, a tour we can highly recommend with excellent value for money! This was a very quiet day on the Wall, probably as this is further from Beijing than other parts.
Written September 30, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
obali11
New York36 contributions
May 2012 • Friends
Well, we decided to go with them after reading the glowing reviews here. If our experience is any guide, I'd say it's more of a hit or miss, as your exprerience is as good as the group you happen to be with,
In our case, a boisterious group of (French speaking) students was hardly the best travel companion. First off, start time: the van came with over 10 people (who took up the best seats) already. Then we had to drive around to pick up the stragglers of the group, as well as couple other people. We didn't hit the road until about 9:30am. That cut the actual hike to barely 3 hours, which is a bit challenging if you want to make stops for photo op.
Secondly, they filled up every inch of the van with make-shift seats so it's a leg-cramping ride. And it never occured to the tour guide, nevermind those came with more comfortable seats, to advise switching seats on the way back. Worse yet, some member of the group was literally a guffaw machine as she went 'ha-ha-ha' with every word someone uttered. Imagine you're stuck in traffic on the highway, drenched in sweat as the van is without AC and legs cramped, that robotic guffawing is hardly music to your ears.
Thirdly, although the tour guide assured us that touts would leave you alone as long as you wear their pins. During our hike, some were so persistent that we had to pay them off - that's a good one third into the hike. (We really could've had a more enjoyable time without someone on our back.)
Lastly, the driver we had was very good and there were some interesting turns en route. The guide did not hike with us - not that it's a must - and all she did was a simple intro. The hike itself was good, moderate to strenuous levels. And you were afforded magnificient views of the mountain range in the first half. The rest was more hiking for hiking's sake.
All in all, you only got 3 hours to hike and spend over 2/3 of the time on the road. If we were to do it again, we'd find alternative transport options.
In our case, a boisterious group of (French speaking) students was hardly the best travel companion. First off, start time: the van came with over 10 people (who took up the best seats) already. Then we had to drive around to pick up the stragglers of the group, as well as couple other people. We didn't hit the road until about 9:30am. That cut the actual hike to barely 3 hours, which is a bit challenging if you want to make stops for photo op.
Secondly, they filled up every inch of the van with make-shift seats so it's a leg-cramping ride. And it never occured to the tour guide, nevermind those came with more comfortable seats, to advise switching seats on the way back. Worse yet, some member of the group was literally a guffaw machine as she went 'ha-ha-ha' with every word someone uttered. Imagine you're stuck in traffic on the highway, drenched in sweat as the van is without AC and legs cramped, that robotic guffawing is hardly music to your ears.
Thirdly, although the tour guide assured us that touts would leave you alone as long as you wear their pins. During our hike, some were so persistent that we had to pay them off - that's a good one third into the hike. (We really could've had a more enjoyable time without someone on our back.)
Lastly, the driver we had was very good and there were some interesting turns en route. The guide did not hike with us - not that it's a must - and all she did was a simple intro. The hike itself was good, moderate to strenuous levels. And you were afforded magnificient views of the mountain range in the first half. The rest was more hiking for hiking's sake.
All in all, you only got 3 hours to hike and spend over 2/3 of the time on the road. If we were to do it again, we'd find alternative transport options.
Written May 23, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your review. But are you sure you put your negative review at the right place? Your review was published in May 2012 and we had no "glowing reviews" before yours at that time. All our tour bus and vans are air-conditioned. I don't know whether or not your experience was from us. Anyway...If you mean Jinshanling Great Wall, it is very far from the city and 3 hours' drive is usual. If you take other transportation (bus), you need to transfer a lot of times and take a taxi too and it might take one day. I am sorry I don't know whether you wrote it at a wrong place or it is a negative review done on purpose...
Written September 19, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
abadabi
Chicago, IL6 contributions
Iris was a great guide for our tour! And this part of the Wall is great for pictures as it is not crowded. Takes some work to get there but it is worth it!
Written September 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Laura F
Budapest, Hungary107 contributions
Aug 2019
We took the Great Wall Hike from Jinshaling to Simatai with Iris in late August 2019. Iris was very courteous with the group, provided clear information while also leaving us to explore the hike at our own pace and interest level. The van made stops for breaks on the 2.5 hour drive to and from the Wall. I find this hike to be an ideal way to explore a section of the Great Wall that is both restored and unrestored. It is a vigorous hike, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to complete the 6km. Iris was able to outline for me an alternative route using the cablecar system that would provide a less strenuous experience. In the end, I was able to enjoy the full hike in the time allotted which is plenty for most any capable walker. This is an ideal tour for anyone who likes to explore on their own, but also values having some ease provided around ticket acquisition and transportation.
Written September 6, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Igor A
Rio de Janeiro, RJ2 contributions
Jul 2019
The hiking tour is amazing! Thank you Iris for the experience. If you want to explore less crowded and wonderful views and have a historical insight of the Great Wall, that is the right tour. Depending on the weather, the hike can get a bit tough. Make sure you bring water, some snacks and wear comfy shoes.
Written September 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kim B
4 contributions
I will say that this tour group did pick us up on time from the meeting spot and brought us to the wall. However, we were told we would have 3 hours to hike the wall but we were only there about half of that time. It was very rushed. I chose this tour hoping for more of a challenge, and I was let down. The guide did not give us any background about the wall, history, areas/murals we passed. When I had questions I was given short responses that didn’t really answer my question. I’m pretty let down since these types of tours are really made by the tour guide. The wall itself was incredible and mind- blowing, but I would recommend a different tour if you’re looking for a better experience.
Written June 16, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I'm so sorry that you're not satisfied. As it was raining the other day and the Wall was slippery, the guide chose another way to walk on the Wall to make sure it was safe for everyone. She asked everyone and she thought all the guests might have agreed. I'm sorry that she didn't know you did care and did not agree. (You could tell her that you did't mind walking the whole route in rain.) If she knew she would made another choice. In this case, some people can continue to walk along the whole route and the others can chose the short way to be safer. I'm sorry that the guide may not have explained it very well, or she was afraid that it was not safe. Usually the guide routinely tells the guests about the history and Great Wall on the tour bus and stop for giving some cultural and historic information at some certain spots. I'm sorry that her performance didn't make you satisfied. The weather was really not good the other day and it was very misty on the Wall and you could hardly see things 100 meters away, which may have made the experience rather disappointing. Hope you could come back again and we can make some better experience for you.
Written June 21, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joshua C
Florida41 contributions
This is a no-frills, hassle free tour ran very efficiently. From downtown Beijing, we only made one quick stop for restroom. Besides transportation, the rest of the time was spent exploring the spectacular Great Wall!
Jane was our tour guide and she is the very best. Jane was easy to like from the beginning with a bright smile and warm eyes, Jane truly cares about the experience of everyone. She takes the time to listen and encourages any and all questions. It was a blessing to find her and this tour. Do not look any further for your trip.
Jane was our tour guide and she is the very best. Jane was easy to like from the beginning with a bright smile and warm eyes, Jane truly cares about the experience of everyone. She takes the time to listen and encourages any and all questions. It was a blessing to find her and this tour. Do not look any further for your trip.
Written December 30, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mónica
London, UK4 contributions
Jun 2017 • Couples
My partner and I went to China last June and contract this day trip to the Great Wall.
May, our guide, is great. She is a young woman, professional, willing to explain the history of the place and very friendly. We had three hours free to walk around the Great Wall and had a meet point to have lunch.
Our tour also included the food and it was tasty and plentiful.
I would recommend it. It was the only tour we contracted but it was excellent. Next time we go to China, we will try to spend more hours to treck around the Great Wall :)
May, our guide, is great. She is a young woman, professional, willing to explain the history of the place and very friendly. We had three hours free to walk around the Great Wall and had a meet point to have lunch.
Our tour also included the food and it was tasty and plentiful.
I would recommend it. It was the only tour we contracted but it was excellent. Next time we go to China, we will try to spend more hours to treck around the Great Wall :)
Written August 16, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hello...
may i know how much is the cost for your Great Wall tour? Or few days trip?
thank you..
franklin
Written August 30, 2017
Yes, I can confirm, about 40 USD for whole day, with a guide and with lunch near the great wall. When I was there I chose to go to 慕田峪 Mutianyu which is apparently the second closest place from Beijing. I heard the closest one has a lot of people.
Written August 31, 2017
Do the trips only run from Beijing? Staying at Gubei water town and wondered if I could be picked up there?
Written August 23, 2017
Hi Dik,
They do not arrange for pick up. Meeting point is at Beijing Downtown Backpackers Tour office at Nanlouguxiang. Or maybe u can email them to find out as well.
Hope my reply helps.
Cheers,
Claire
Written August 24, 2017
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.