China · SUMMER PALACE
The 15 best summer palace tours you can book right now, with what each costs, how long it runs and who it suits. Number one is top for a reason; start there.
QR code entry to Beijing’s Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace, flexible gate or package tickets, validated with passport ID.
“Great experience, Tony gave a great tour with great history lesson’s, also his english was great!”
Mutianyu Great Wall day trip from Beijing by direct bus, with English guide, included entry, internal shuttle, and optional Summer Palace.
“This is a reasonably priced no-frills journey, but nonetheless gets the job done. Mutianyu is way better than Badaling, but further out and the roads are fairly poxy. This is about 10am to 6.30pm. (plus metro). It's a 2 hour bus ride too. If you are a medium / older walker , or want to keep the "extras" price down, then I suggest the following... and not do what they say. (been there 3 times). Buy a one way ticket on the west (north) cable car (not cableway), then walk across an hour plus tto the east (south) (ie turn right at top cablecar). At tower 6 walk down the…”
Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace in one full day, with an English guide, easy bus transfer, and optional cable car add-ons.
“Very good value for money overall, tour is quite long so could be improved to include some sort of lunch package”
Private day trip in Beijing to Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace with hotel pickup, cable car or ski lift, toboggan, and lunch.
“Linda was a phenomenal tour guide for my coworkers and I. We loved the information she shared about the history of China. It was a wonderful experience! Highly recommended”
Skip ticket lines for Beijing’s Summer Palace with flexible entry options, an English PDF guide, and optional royal boat ride plus add-on day tours.
“Very Nice Guide! Had a lot of Patience and answered all our Questions. We had a great Experience!”
Full-day Beijing highlights with hotel pickup, an English guide, included tickets and lunch, plus Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and Temple of Heaven.
“The trip included a lot of unannounced "shopping activities" i.e tea ceremonies, silk factory visit and a traditional chinese medicine visit (the latter one being a visit to a no-name center that claimed to be related to the official TCM- most probably a scam) which consumed a lot of time. As a result e only reached our last destination the Summer Palace late in the evening, with no enough light to enjoy the best part of the whole trip.”
One day by bus to Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace, with guided stops, free wall time, and an English guide.
“It was an amazing experience! The bus picked us up from the designated spot, where Mubus team checked our passport numbers to make sure that the information was correct because all of the tickets for lifts and entrances are electronic and they are associated with your passport number. On the way to Mutianyu Great Wall, our guide, Fred, gave us some history about the Great Wall and the two ways to visit the wall. It’s a East side that includes chairs lift going up and slide (toboggan) or lift going down. The price is 140 RNB round trip. This side includes watch towers from 6 to 1 going right. The…”
One day tour of Temple of Heaven, Yonghegong Lama Temple, and Summer Palace, plus roast duck lunch with an English guide.
“Had an amazing time seeing the sites of Bejing with Gary. Highly recommend this tour because of Gary. It was a rainy day but we had the best time nonetheless.”
Private day trip from Beijing to quieter Mutianyu Great Wall and the Summer Palace garden, with guide, lunch, and toboggan ride.
“Today’s tour with Lily was the most luxurious and memorable experience. Lily and our driver took us to the Great Wall and the Summer Palace, and everything was perfect from start to finish. The car was spotless, high-end, and stocked with water, ensuring a comfortable ride. Throughout the journey, Lily shared fascinating historical insights about the Great Wall, making the experience incredibly engaging. At the Summer Palace, her extensive knowledge and captivating stories kept us hooked and added depth to our visit. She was friendly, knowledgeable, and an exceptional host who made us feel cared for. Additionally Lily and the driver kindly took us to a silk museum because my…”
Beijing in one full day by bus: Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Hutong alleys, Summer Palace, plus Bird’s Nest night views. Great value.
“The guide Joy from Mubus is super energetic. She gives detailed instructions on where to meet, with back up plan in case we wandered off. Even thou we are a big group of 30 - you still get the personal attention. The stories shared in each place takes you back to how people lives during that period. We ended up visiting 6 places as we ended the tour at The Birds Nest. I especially like the waterway cruise from Purple Bamboo Park to Summer Palace.”
Small-group day trip pairing the Summer Palace and Mutianyu Great Wall with lunch, expert English guiding, and no shopping stops.
“I would like to say that this trip along with our guide Li and the driver Wang was amazing. Li was very nice and pleasant to be with. Her English was really good and she had lots of information to share. Once we got started she shared her culture Read more”
A small-group day in Beijing hitting Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace, and Hutong alleys, with tickets and pickup included for $99.
“Helen is such a trooper!! Our group had a couple of mishaps but thanks to her, we were able to complete the itinerary and have a wonderful time! The tour is fast-paced and no-nonsense, ideal for those who want to see the essentials and not waste time.”
Prebook your Summer Palace entry with QR codes for key sites, self-guided at your pace, and avoid lines using simple WhatsApp instructions.
“Excellent organization, clear and useful messages. Fast and convenient communication. Useful to have a program on what to see at hand since the Palace is scattered or crowded. Very recommendedAuto-translated”
A private full-day Beijing tour covering Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and the Summer Palace with guide, tickets, lunch, and pickup included.
“Our tour guide James was on time and ready to go! The driver’s car was super clean and we felt safe in his care. James’ English was excellent and had a lot of information to share. It was very crowed in “T” Square and the Forbidden City. James navigated us around and found the best photo stops. The Summer Palace was next after a delicious lunch. The tour exceeded our expectations and we would recommend James, his driver and this tour to our family and friends. Don’t miss this highlight of Beijing!”
Flexible Summer Palace tickets with PDF English guide, optional boat ride, and guided Temple of Heaven combo for smooth, self-paced touring.
“Very smooth, allowed us to easily adjust the date and time - super helpful and recommended if you don’t want to have the hassle of booking all yourself!”
Every kind of day out, and the best of each.
