Gubei Water Town & Simatai Great Wall 1-Day Tour
- The Simatai Great Wall preserves the original view of the Ming Great Wall.
- Antique buildings can be seen everywhere.
- Get away from the hustle and bustle of the city with a trip to an ancient village.
- Hike at your own pace to Simatai Great Wall to experience the magnificent sun-fall and touching night views.
What to expect
Two famous locations for cultural experiences around Beijing are the Simatai area of the Great Wall and Gubei Water Town.You'll be visiting both these locations, exploring their landscapes, and learning about their past and significance to Chinese culture.Starting in Gubei Water Town, you'll see the famous Mandarin Duck Lake Reservoir that holds the water flowing through the town itself.Admire the northern architectural style of its carefully preserved old buildings, standing in elegance and full of street shows, before proceeding to the next destination close by.Your tour ends back in downtown Beijing at the drop off.





Reviews
Reviews summaryI booked the night tour of the wall + lunch + pickup. everything went smoothly, I got picked up at 8:50 at my hotel and received the information the night before. on the 2h drive, Cindy explained all the details clearly. I could always reach her via WhatsApp and she quickly sent me the location when I got lost. I paid extra for the boat ride straight to the lunch restaurant, I recommend it! lunch was hotpot, and I even got tofu instead of meat because I am vegetarian. then I explored the town and wall until 8:30pm. the wall and city are even more beautiful at night! I recommend the tour and thank you to Cindy!
We were met without delay, and on the bus, Lucy explained everything in detail and sent a WhatsApp message with the schedule and other useful information. There was also an option to purchase a daytime ascent if we had chosen the evening one, as well as a boat ride. During the day, there weren't many people on the Great Wall; this section of the wall is not well-maintained, so there aren't railings everywhere along the sides. Lunch was delicious (hotpot), and Lucy showed us how to make a non-spicy sauce and how long to cook the ingredients. The only thing I didn't particularly like was the evening ascent. It's better to go up only during the day. The lighting at the bottom looks just as good as from the top.
I had an amazing time on this Gubei Water Town day tour and would definitely recommend it to anyone visiting Beijing! The town was beautiful during the day and even more magical at night. Our guide, Christina, was very helpful and friendly. She shared some interesting history about the Great Wall and gave us useful tips on what to see and how to explore the town. She was also always available via WeChat if we had any questions or needed help. I also loved seeing all the cute cats around town! 😻 I only wish I had brought some cat treats with me. 🐾 There are resorts and inns within Gubei Water Town if you wish to stay overnight. With so much to see and experience, especially the evening performances, I honestly wouldn’t mind coming back for an overnight stay so I could explore at a more leisurely pace. Overall, this was one of the highlights of my Beijing trip and a very memorable experience. Highly recommended! 😊
a must to go!!! no regrets! nice town with not so many crowds and beautiful and the great wall is not the picture perfect, which made it perfect cos it is slightly in ruins and looks like original condition (as it should be). can opt for day time, sunset or both....I recommend both. the walk to go up quite challenging but worth it.....the lunch is sooooo yummy (think Hai di lao on a budget). and bus is clean and good. our guide Lucy is nice and friendly speak good english.
Visiting Gubei Water Town and taking the cable car up to the Simatai Great Wall was one of the highlights of our trip to China. The ancient town is so picturesque, and the views from the wall are simply stunning. Our guide, Susie, made the experience even better! She was warm, professional, and knowledgeable. Susie took care of all the details and gave us great recommendations. We highly recommend this tour to anyone visiting!
Had a great day out at Gubei Watertown and Simatai Great Wall! The 2-hour bus ride from Beijing is actually a plus because it keeps the massive crowds away. Gubei is an artificial town built about 12 years ago to look like traditional Southern watertowns. It is commercialized—every building is a shop, restaurant, or inn rather than a real village—but it is beautifully done, clean, and in great shape. We had the whole afternoon to explore at our own pace. The highlight was Simatai Great Wall. It is much more rustic and unrestored compared to Badaling or Mutianyu, and not crowded at all. It was a long day, but 100% worth it for a change of pace from the city. Huge shoutout to our guide, Susie! Managing a group of 40 people speaking different languages with different itineraries is no joke, but she was incredibly organized and gave clear instructions. Highly recommend if you are in Beijing and won't be visiting any of the real watertowns in Southern China!
We had an absolutely wonderful experience! Our guide, Cindy, was incredibly kind, friendly, professional, and attentive throughout the entire tour. We were running late, but she patiently waited for us and welcomed us with a smile, which we truly appreciated! Cindy made the whole experience comfortable, interesting, and memorable. She explained everything clearly, took great care of us, and made sure we enjoyed every moment. Her positive attitude and warm personality made the tour even more special. Thank you so much, Cindy, for your patience, kindness, and amazing service! We would definitely recommend this experience to everyone and would be very happy to book another tour with her in the future
great experience, it wasn’t crowded and you were able to sit there and experience The Great Wall of China as well as the water town. The boat ride was a fun way to start and Lunch was delicious. Christina was a great tour guide who really ensured you knew what was happening and be able to fit everything in and made the day run smoothly.
Very beautiful, our tour guide Roberta speaks very fluent English. She is also very sweet and helped us to find our way with a quick response time. Easy to organize and clear instructions. I had a lovely time.
Shoutout to an amazing tour guide Christina! The tour was amazing, we got the basic information and good advice before exploring the city and the wall. The locating was perfect, not crowded at all. Christina was so helpful, in providing any information and help when needed - truly exceptional!
Good to know
- Simatai Great Wall Tour Time: After arriving in Shuizhen, you can start playing until 4:30 pm.
- Simatai Great Wall Night Tour Time: Ticket checking is open at 18:00, and passengers can take the round-trip cableway. Before 20:00, they need to return to the assembly point and take the bus back.
- All packages include tickets to the Simatai Great Wall, as well as day and night tours. Please purchase according to your needs.
Contact us
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