Private Tour
Jinshanling Private Tour with Night View of Simatai and Gubei Water Town from Beijing
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
First trip to Beijing? This private tour is a must for Great Wall exploration—and it’s a rare crowd-free gem! Spend your daytime wandering Jinshanling Great Wall, known for its well-preserved ancient watchtowers and unobstructed mountain vistas—no pushing through crowds, just peaceful immersion in history and scenery. As night falls, head to Simatai Great Wall (one of the few sections open after dark) and nearby Gubei Water Town: watch the town’s lantern-lit lanes glow, then take a cable car to marvel at Simatai’s twinkling night views—romantic, quiet, and utterly breathtaking. Pick your preferred departure time for a worry-free experience: exclusive tour guide, entrance tickets, Simatai cable car ride, local-style lunch, private vehicle, plus hotel pickup and drop-off—we’ve got your perfect day fully covered!
Additional Info
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Please wear comfortable walking shoes
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Bottled water
Chinese lunch or dinner you can choose one of them
Cable car round trip at Simatai Great Wall
English Speaking tour guide
Private air conditioned vehicle
Transport by private vehicle
Entrance Fee
Cable car on the Jinshanling Great Wall
Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
What To Expect
Jinshanling Great Wall
Your friendly tour guide will meet you right in your hotel lobby at your prearranged time, then whisk you directly to Jinshanling Great Wall—no hassle, just a smooth start. The roughly 2-hour drive flies by: your guide will share fascinating Great Wall history and stories along the way, while you soak in the idyllic countryside views outside the window. Once you arrive, you’ll step into Jinshanling Great Wall—a crowd-free treasure&one of the best-preserved Great Wall sections, always captivating hikers. Stretching east to Simatai and west to Gubeikou, this section dates back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1389) and was later rebuilt under General Qi Jiguang—a living piece of history. With over 100 ancient enemy towers dotting its length, every step tells a story: your guide will hike with you, share these tales, help snap photos, or even keep an eye on the kids. You’ll have 2-3 hours to savor this peaceful, scenic spot—no pushing through crowds, just you and the Great Wall’s timeless charm
Gubei Water Town
After a satisfying dinner, you’ll head straight to Gubei Water Town—just a 30-minute drive away, so the relaxation keeps flowing. Accompanied by your guide, you’ll start a leisurely walking tour to uncover the town’s unique charms: modeled after the iconic Wuzhen Water Town of southern China, Gubei Water Town is divided into 6 distinct areas, including the Old Barracks Area, Minguo Street Area, and Water Street Area. As you wander, you’ll stumble upon charming boutiques, mouthwatering local eateries, and distinctive hotels—each corner holding a little surprise to make your evening unforgettable.
Options
Private Tour
Your English speaking guide will meet you in your hotel's lobby by holding your name sign
Pickup included
Reviews
69 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Excellent Way to Experience the Great Wall
GCRookie,
Dec 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00First visit to The Great Wall for us and we decided on this tour after reading the rave review. Jimmy, our guide was knowledgeable and helpful. We initially scheduled the tour for 1pm but he suggested an earlier start as during winter the sky gets dark earlier. We enjoyed the tour and he gave a very comprehensive and enlightening coverage of the history and background of one of the greatest architecture miracles known to man. Highly recommended for anyone who would like to enjoy and experience the Great Wall without having to deal with a large crowd.
Great China wall experience
stephanw276,
Nov 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00On our journey to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall, we made a delightful stop for a tea ceremony. It was well worth it! Our first stop at the wall was in a quieter area, allowing us to appreciate its vastness. Since we chose the late tour, we were treated to a mesmerizing sunset over the landscape. Our guide, Andy, shared fascinating details about the history of the wall, enhancing our experience. Next, we enjoyed dinner at a charming farmhouse, where we savored delicious local cuisine. Our final stop was Gubei Water Town, where we took a cable car up to the lit Wall section. The view at night was simply stunning, and we concluded our evening with a stroll through the beautifully lit streets of Gubei Water Town before returning to the car. Overall, it was a magical day filled with cultural richness and breathtaking sights! Andy looked well after us and we can highly recommend this tour. It was worth it.
Excellent tour!
B6276SYramonah,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The tour with our guide Anson was outstanding! He told us a lot about the story and always showed us the best photo spots. Even the dinner was very good. The tour is really recommended. We were almost alone on the wall. It is really worth paying a little more to visit this section of the wall, away from the tourist crowds.
Lovely
404elsam,
Nov 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour made it very easy to see many highlights in 1 day. Our tour guide Andy was very friendly and knowledgeable and helped us take some wonderful photos! Would definitely recommend this tour.
best tourguide ANSON
927taylory,
Nov 4, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Anson who is a very helpful person with excellent English. He knows every scenic spot and takes pictures for us. Besides, he is rich in historical knowledge. This is a very meaningful trip.
Highlight of my trip to China and one of the most impressive of my life!
Marina F,
Oct 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was such an amazing tour! The driver ZHANG bo and guide Miko were stellar! Driver drove safely and I had a relaxing time while in the car, very comfortable and luxurious. The guide was amazing! So knowledgeable and kind, also spoke great English and took great pictures. The itinerary was perfect and I would highly recommend the tour to anyone who is looking for an amazing experience in Beijing. Xie Xie ❤️
Simply recommended!!! N
Jorsi2013,
Oct 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Miko, thank you for this wonderful tour. Although our English is not the best, you have understood how to make this day an experience. We can only recommend everyone to book this trip. The walk on the wall, the water city of Gubai and then once again, now on the illuminated largest structure on earth was so very impressive that it often left us speechless. Miko, all the best and the next guests can look forward to you. Also thanks for the very nice driver.👍👍👍🙂🙂🙂🙂
Great Wall without Other Tourists
Gloria F,
Oct 12, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a fabulous experience! I had seen the Great Wall at Badaling, but I wanted a less touristy visit. This was it! We were the only people besides our guide on this section of the Great Wall. Andy, our guide, was perfect! He was very concerned that we would stay safe on the uneven steps and that we would enjoy every second on the wall. On the drive there, he gave us interesting information about the history of China and modern life without overdoing the history. Quick with a laugh, he entertained us throughout our excursion. Of course, the Great Wall was the highlight, but the included dinner was absolutely delicious. The second part of the wall we visited was a bit rougher for walking but beautifully illuminated. Again, Andy took great care of us. The illuminated water city was made for tourists which I was a bit hesitant about, but it was quite nice in a Disneyland sort of way. In the evening we saw a pretty drone show and a colorful water show. We are so happy to have had the great fortune of having Andy as our guide. We also must give our thanks to Mr. Jen (no idea how to spell it) who was our driver for our transfer from the airport and again on our day trip. He was great!
WOW - What an amazing tour!!! Bravo to Anson, our tour guide!!!
Clownfish88,
Oct 6, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Wow -- what an amazing tour! Anson was a fantastic tour guide - extremely knowledgeable and professional, well organized, great storyteller and photographer, excellent English skills. All 3 locations were absolutely beautiful. Jinshanling was perfect - no crowds which made the hiking very enjoyable. Simatai at night was magical -- the hiking trails were well lit and again, there were no crowds. We were able to take lots of photographs. Lastly, Gubei Water town ... it was so beautiful. This is not a real ancient town, only built recently; however, it was very well designed and charming. Lots of restaurants and shops available and lots of photo spots. Although, it was a 2 hour drive from Beijing to Jinshanling/Simatai/Gubei Water town area, it was a very pleasant drive. The highways were modern and smooth; the assigned car was brand new, luxurious and spacious, and the driver was excellent - very safe and smooth driving skills.
A Wonderful Trip
shoudu z,
Oct 3, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00It was a wonderful experience. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about both the local areas and the tour destinations. We were able to avoid the majority of the hassle thanks to their advice and see all the destinations without having to be to worry too much about the crowd. The food was also great they provided dishes that were fit our taste.
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Operated by Discover Beijing Tours