The Mutianyu Great Wall - How to Get There, Visiting Tips, Routes & Toboggan

Mutianyu is widely considered one of the best sections of the Great Wall for most visitors, especially families. It offers stunning scenery, good facilities, and a perfect balance between accessibility and beauty.

Why Visit Mutianyu?

Mutianyu stands out for its beautiful mountain setting, well-restored wall, and excellent visitor infrastructure. It is less crowded than Badaling while still being relatively easy to reach. The combination of cable car up and toboggan slide down makes it particularly enjoyable for families and people of all ages.

This section of the wall is fully restored and there are handrails at the very steep parts.

Great Wall of China Mutianyu Well Restored

Wall is well-restored

Great Wall of China Mutianyu Steep Section with Handrails

Steep section of the Wall with handrails

The Mutianyu Segment is 3.4 miles (5.4 km) long with 23 watchtowers and some unique terraces along the Wall and the immediate branches.

Great Wall of China Mutianyu Watchtowers

How to Get There

Public transportation is not the best to get to Mutianyu as there is no direct bus or train, you have to make a change in Huairou town.

By Bus: Take Bus 916 from Dongzhimen Bus Station to Huairou, then transfer to a local bus or taxi to Mutianyu (total ~2 hours).
By Direct Shuttle Bus: With MuBus, round trip bus and entrance tickets US$25
By Taxi / Didi: Feasible and convenient.
With a Tour: The easiest and most popular option for families. Many tours include transportation, entrance, cable car, and toboggan.
With private driver:Private transfers to Mutianyu - $130 per vehicle.

Tip: Organized tours or private drivers are the most stress-free way, especially with children or seniors.

Cable Cars, Toboggan, Route Suggestions

Planning your route:

On the South side there is an open-air chair lift, it works just like the ones at the ski resorts. The chair lift brings you to Watchtower 6.
Watchtower 6 is exactly where the Toboggan (slide) station is located.
An enclosed cable car (gondola) in the North section that brings you to Watchtower 14. This is located further up the mountain than Watchtower 6, making it an excellent starting point if you want to explore the higher, more scenic, and steeper western sections of the wall.

Route 1: Chair Lift Up / Toboggan Down

1. Chairlift Up: Arrive at Watchtower 6.

2. Explore the wall: You can walk in either direction up or down and return to Watchtower 6.

3a. Toboggan Down: Ride down from Watchtower 6, or
3b. Chairlift Down: Go back to base from Watchtower 6

The ride down the Mutianyu Toboggan or slide was a great bonus for the kids, the highlight of their Great Wall visit. It is like a luge ride where you wind around the mountain and can control your speed with the hand brake. Small children have to ride with an adult. Grandma and Grandpa can take the chair lift down.

Time Needed: 1.5 - 3 hours on the wall

Route 2: Gondola Up / Summit Hike / Gondola Down

1. Gondola Up: Arrive at Watchtower 14.

2. The Summit Hike (Uphill): Hike up from Tower 14 to Tower 20 (45 to 60 minutes).

3. The Return Hike (Downhill): Hike down from Tower 20 back to Tower 14 (30 minutes).

4. Gondola Down: Go back to base from Watchtower 14

Watchtower 20 is the highest accessible point on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. This stretch is a continuous uphill climb that requires a good level of physical fitness. At Watchtower 20 you will be rewarded with some of the most stunning, breathtaking views of the wall snaking across the mountain ridges.

Time Needed: 2.5 - 3.5 hours on the wall

Route 3: Gondola Up / Scenic Walk Down / Toboggan Down

1. Gondola Up: Arrive at Watchtower 14.

2. The Scenic Walk (Downhill): Hike from Tower 14 down to Tower 6 (1 to 1.5 hours).

3. Toboggan Down: Ride down from Watchtower 6.

This is an incredibly scenic, mostly downhill hike along the wall from Watchtower 14 to Watchtower 6.

You will have to buy a one-way ticket for the Gondola up to Watchtower 14 and another one-way ticket at Watchtower 6 to ride the toboggan down to the base. You cannot use round trip tickets on this route as the Gondola and Toboggan/Chairlift are operated by different private companies.

Time Needed: 3 - 4 hours on the wall

Route 4: Gondola Up / Summit Hike / Scenic Walk Down / Toboggan Down

This is basically Routes 2 and 3 put together:

1. Gondola Up: Arrive at Watchtower 14.

2. The Summit Hike (Uphill): Hike up from Tower 14 to Tower 20 (45 to 60 minutes).

3. The Return Hike (Downhill): Hike down from Tower 20 back to Tower 14 (30 minutes).

2. The Scenic Walk (Downhill): Hike from Tower 14 down to Tower 6 (1 to 1.5 hours).

3. Toboggan Down: Ride down from Watchtower 6.

Time Needed: 4 - 5 hours on the wall

Practical Visiting Tips

Best Time: Early morning or afternoon to avoid the biggest crowds. On our most recent trip we went in the early afternoon and had basically the whole Wall all to ourselves and no lines at the toboggan.
The gondola offers a steadier ride than the chair lift.
Plan your route as this affects ticket purchase. The Chairlift/Toboggan and Gondola are operated by two different companies. You may have to buy separate one-way tickets depending on your route.
Regardless of how you get to Mutianyu, you will have to ride the official internal scenic shuttle bus that takes you from the parking areas to the wall gates. The parking lot and ticket offices are about 2 km. away from the wall base. The internal shuttle costs 15 yuan round-trip and takes 5 minutes. It will drop you right at the main entrance where the chairlift, gondola and walking paths start.
Critical for toboggan sliders: During peak hours (9:30 AM to 2:00 PM), the line to ride the toboggan down can easily exceed 1 to 1.5 hours.
There are toilets by the ticket office and on the Wall near Towers 4, 7, and between Tower 15 and 16.
What to Bring: Comfortable shoes, water, sunscreen, and a light jacket (it can be windy).

Top Mutianyu Excursions:

Our Final Recommendation

Mutianyu is our top recommendation for most families, children, and seniors. It offers the best combination of beautiful scenery, manageable walking, and fun features (cable car + toboggan). The views are spectacular, and the facilities and proximity make it much more enjoyable than more remote sections. If you only have time for one section of the Great Wall, make it Mutianyu.