If you’ve never been to the Great Wall before, I’m gonna say it: You need to go with a private driver!
As someone who lives in Beijing and goes to the wall every couple of months, this time round we took our friend and her 18-month old baby to check it out. Shanshan (our driver) took us in a big six-seater and honestly, it was the easiest day at the wall I’ve had.
Here’s what a private driver at the Mutianyu Great Wall actually changes, what we did on the day, and who I think it’s really worth it for.
Checkout my Youtube video – Is Hiring a Private Driver in Beijing Worth it?
Prefer to read? Keep scrolling. The highlights are all below.
Mutianyu is in Huairou District, about an hour from central Beijing. It’s one of the more popular sections of the wall, and it’s a good one for families. But the logistics of getting up to the wall can wear you out before you’ve even touched a brick.
With a baby in tow, I wasn’t keen on that. So we booked Shanshan, who drives for our Beijing driver service. She speaks English, she knows the area, and she told us stories and local history about the wall and the surrounding countryside on the drive out, which is something you simply don’t get from a phone map and a bus.
The great thing about a private driver, is they work around your schedule! So no random meet up points, no rushed scramble across the wall to make your next landmark and most importantly, you can ride in comfort and privacy from your accommodation all the way up to the very entrance.
You skip the bus queue. The usual way up is to park or get dropped at the very bottom and catch a shuttle bus to the top. Shanshan drove us straight past the bus stop and parked higher up the mountain. From there it’s a short walk and a set of stairs to the cable car. No waiting at the bottom for a bus.
Everyone fits, including the baby seat. Her six-seater van meant a comfortable ride for all of us, and she was able to fit a baby seat in the back. If you’re travelling with kids, that alone can decide whether the day is fun or a slog.
You get a companion, not just a lift. If you want a personal tour guide, Shanshan is happy to join you. She walked us around and explained things we’d never have known. She told us the story behind the famous stone that says you’re not a true hero until you’ve climbed the Great Wall (which is why everyone lines up to photograph it: it’s proof you made it). She also explained how the signal fires in the watchtowers were used to send warnings along the wall. I loved that. It made the wall feel like a place with a story instead of a photo backdrop.
She knows the shortcuts. More on that below, because her local tip saved our knees.
Leave the pram at home. My friend carried her baby in a carrier, which is the only sensible option on the steps. We got up using the cable car and took our time at the top.
The views were good. From the wall you can see all the way toward Beijing, though the smog was already starting to creep in when we were there. If you want that clear, dramatic view of the city, go early.
This is the part I didn’t expect to love. If you don’t want to walk all the way back along the wall to the cable car, you can walk down instead.
It’s only about 600 metres from the top to the bottom. It’s all downhill stairs, it’s mostly shaded, and there are spots along the way where you can buy snacks and water. You also get to see the bushland around the wall, which you’d miss completely if you rode the cable car. Even with a baby on a carrier, we found it much easier than trudging back up to ride down.
Two honest notes: stairs are still stairs, and going downhill can be tough on the knees, so take it slowly. And it’s worth asking your driver to confirm the route on the day. We followed Shanshan, who knew the way.
At the bottom, you’re back at the base of the cable car area and it’s a short walk to the car park.
Chestnuts in autumn. This part of the wall is known for chestnuts. If you visit in late September or October, you’ll see the spiky husks along the path. Shanshan collected them the whole way down to grow in her garden. A very Beijing moment.
A playground, for bribing children. Right near where the shuttle bus drops you off is a really good kids’ playground, with big slides, a climbing frame and a huge trampoline. My advice to any parent: promise the playground to get them up the wall, and cash it in afterwards. It’s near the Mutianyu Great Wall Hotel, and if you come with a private driver you’ll park close by, so it’s an easy walk on the way back to the car.
Lunch at the hotel restaurant. The restaurant is attached to the Mutianyu Great Wall Hotel, right by the wall. We had chicken with tomatoes and dumplings, and it was good. For the receipts: lunch worked out at about NZ$30 each (with leftovers).
Coffee on the way home. We finished the day at Wild Coffee Bar on the drive back to Beijing. Highly recommended after a big day on your feet.
I always say come in the morning, and this trip proved it again. We arrived around 8:30 to 9:00 and there was no line at all. We could just walk straight in.
By the time we came back down, it was busier, and we were about two weeks out from Golden Week, China’s early-October holiday. The weather that day was lovely, not too hot and not too cold, but I could see the crowds building. If you can avoid Golden Week completely, do. If you can’t, go as early as possible.
It depends on who’s going.
It’s worth it if you’re a first-timer, you’re travelling with kids or a baby, you have limited time, or you just want the day to be easy. Skip the bus-queue, the room for a car seat, the local knowledge and someone who speaks English all add up.
It’s probably not for you if you’re travelling solo on a tight budget. A shared tour or public transport will cost less per person. You’ll trade convenience and flexibility for the saving, and that’s a perfectly fair choice.
For me, with a baby involved, it wasn’t close. I’d do it again.
I’d rather give you the number than make you email to find out. Our Mutianyu Great Wall return trip is ¥1200 for the whole van, not per person. Cable car and toboggan tickets are extra, and we can buy them for you on the day. Just bring your passports and Alipay or WeChat.
You can book Shanshan and our Beijing driver service on the contact page. If you’re still planning your trip, my travel resources page has everything I’d recommend before you land.
Mutianyu is in Huairou District, about an hour from central Beijing by car.
Yes, in my experience. We visited with an 18-month-old. There’s a cable car up, a shaded walk down, a kids’ playground near the hotel, and food and snacks close by. Bring a baby carrier rather than a pram.
Our driver bypassed the shuttle bus stop and parked higher up the mountain, so we could walk to the cable car without queueing for the bus.
Go early. We arrived around 8:30 to 9:00 and there was no line. It was noticeably busier by the time we left, and Golden Week in early October gets much more crowded.
Yes. There’s a walk of about 600 metres from the top down to the bottom of the cable car. It’s downhill steps, mostly shaded, with snacks and water on the way. Take it slowly and ask your driver to confirm the route on the day.
Yes. There’s a restaurant attached to the Mutianyu Great Wall Hotel and small stalls selling snacks and water along the walk down. Our lunch worked out at about NZ$30 per person.
I’m Nic, a Māori living in Beijing with my family. Pretty Far From Home is about the unglamorous reality of expat life in Asia: real costs, real numbers. If you’ve been to the Great Wall, tell me in the comments which section you visited, or which one you’re dreaming of.
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