Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Trip: Honest Review & Tips

Thinking of checking out the Great Wall near Beijing? It’s almost certain that Mutianyu is on your radar, too. This section of the Great Wall is really popular with visitors because it’s a bit quieter and offers incredible views, unlike some other sections. Now, the big question: How should you get there? While hiring a private car or battling public transportation are options, a bus tour, one that includes tickets, might be the ticket, you know? This is what I thought when booking my bus tour, but there’s more to consider for sure.

Why Mutianyu? Picking the Right Wall

Before we talk about the bus tour, let’s quickly consider why Mutianyu is frequently the place to visit for Great Wall first-timers. Mutianyu is basically beautifully restored, provides terrific vantage points, and usually doesn’t get the intense crowds that you see at Badaling. The fact that Mutianyu has a few ways to get up the wall, like a cable car and even a toboggan, so that tends to make it quite appealing to a broad range of folks. This combination can make it ideal, it seems, that you’ll enjoy an awesome experience without it getting too overwhelming, you see?

Booking the Bus Tour: What to Look For

So, you’re looking at a bus tour. Here are a few things that are likely going to influence how good your trip is:

Price: The price should be compared, of course, but be wary of suspiciously low offers. Do they include entrance tickets and transportation costs?
Inclusions: Is that including just the bus ride? Does it also get you into the Wall? Is lunch thrown in? Knowing precisely what you’re getting is actually vital.
Reviews: Peek at reviews from past travelers, so that way you’ll learn what to expect from real people.
Language: Be very sure the tour guide speaks a language you fully get… This is very important if you’re interested in understanding some history or those stories of the wall!
Time: Just how long will you have on the Wall? Be sure that it is really adequate, if you wanna hike and take in all the views that you want.

The Bus Ride: Comfort and Convenience

Now, about the bus, very often the first leg of your exploration is simply getting there! Here’s how it really felt:

The ride to Mutianyu takes about 1.5 to 2 hours from Beijing, maybe? The bus itself could be all over the place; some are nice and modern, so that way you’re relaxed, and others… not that awesome at all. Seriously, if they promise WiFi or restrooms on the bus, see whether that is actually mentioned in recent reviews.

One great perk of taking the bus is that you don’t need to be all that stressed about that Beijing traffic or parking. The bus almost always drops you reasonably near the entrance, so that way it saves you a lot of walking, at least in the beginning.

At the Wall: Making the Most of Your Time

Okay, you’re there! Depending on the bus tour, you could very well have about 3 to 5 hours to enjoy the wall itself. So here are just some tips for really taking advantage of that time:

Wear comfy shoes: Yeah seriously. You may walk a LOT, and many of the steps are high and uneven.
Bring water and snacks: While there are spots to buy water, so it’s almost better to bring your own, because it helps to save some dough.
Think about what to bring along, but you don’t need to bring it on the wall: The stores in the surrounding town have your usual keepsakes like magnets, model watchtowers, and such. Some shops there will keep the things you bought safe until you come back down. So it helps to keep it in mind.
Cable Car or Toboggan?: Spending money for a one-way or both ways for your party is important. You may not want to waste it, but be sure it might not be wise for every senior member to walk back down the whole distance they went up!
Explore: Take a walk a little bit to either side, especially past the more crowded spots near the entrance, you know? You might find some incredibly quieter spots to relax in and appreciate those vistas.

The Guide: A Make-or-Break Element

The tour guide actually can truly make or break that tour, yeah? A awesome guide really adds to the experience by giving the context to what you are seeing, maybe sharing fun stories about the Wall, and generally keeping everything organized. Though a not-so-great guide, well, the experience won’t be quite the best. Some tour guides might try to get you to visit some jade store or tea shop where they may get a kickback. This is fine if you’re genuinely interested in these, and the shops are more interesting if they have tea tasting available, but be certain to never feel you must buy anything you don’t need or don’t really like!

Food on the Tour: What to Expect

Many bus tours are really going to include lunch, though what you should actually expect can fluctuate widely. At times, it’s a quite decent Chinese buffet at a close-by restaurant; otherwise, it is a rather basic packed lunch. Just think of bringing an additional snack regardless so you have that with you!

Is It Worth It? Weighing the Pros and Cons

All right, so here is the million-dollar matter: Is taking this Mutianyu Great Wall bus tour worthwhile? Just think about the pluses and minuses.

Pros:

Convenience: Basically, you get door-to-door transport sans having to stress about the traffic.
Cost-Effective: Commonly, the bus tour turns out cheaper, in a way, than hiring a private car.
No Hassle: The entrance tickets are included so you needn’t stress with purchasing them there.

Cons:

Fixed Schedule: You’re operating on their schedule, not yours, you know? If you’re that type that loves that spontaneous, just doing what you’d like when you would like thing, the tour might really feel restrictive.
Guide Quality: The experiences depend highly on just how good your tour guide is.
Extra Stops: Potential mandatory stops at shops which can be time-consuming, but might provide an interest too!

Should you prioritize simplicity, you prefer the convenience of somebody taking care of that transport for you, the bus tour can be awesome. Though should you rather have full control of that day, a private car could definitely be worth exploring.

There’s quite a bit to consider here before going to Mutianyu! While some complain about the commercialization of the area, it’s still worth a visit because it keeps the more rugged parts of The Great Wall from being subjected to the masses. While getting there is important, I strongly suggest walking down and just ignoring the toboggan completely unless you are actually injured somehow and can’t make the descent.

Here’s a quick rundown.

Mutianyu is usually a pretty good section to visit with some interesting features to see while allowing senior members to make an easy descent.
Ensure that if lunch is offered, that you supplement the provided food if your expectations of the type of food offered is pretty narrow.
Spend some time walking down on your way out of Mutianyu if the body allows!