BEIJING · SUMMER PALACE TOURS

The 15 Best Summer Palace Tours in Beijing

25 tours  ·  from $7 a head

Kunming Lake, the Long Corridor and a marble boat that never sailed. The 15 here compare entry tickets against guided afternoons and the full days that pair the park with the Great Wall.

Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket - What the QR entry actually does
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Beijing: The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

1.The Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,286 reviews · 2 - 8 hours · from $7Our pick

Choose a self-guided entry ticket for Beijing’s Temple of Heaven or Summer Palace. You receive the working QR code by email or WhatsApp, often from Andy, then scan it at the gate. Some options include the Summer Palace’s four inner sights, while guides such as Tony or Joe may be available with selected arrangements.

“The summer palace is Just great. So many beautiful buildings and the lake by boat (not included in the entry ticket) is relaxing and very enjoyable. Really really Hot and humid in August”

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Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour - Meeting at Hepingxiqiao and getting to Mutianyu
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Beijing: Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour

2.Mutianyu Great Wall & Summer Palace Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,004 reviews · from $29

Spend a full day with an English-speaking guide such as Yoyo, Lee, Jackie, or Amy, visiting Mutianyu and the Summer Palace. You get about four hours at the wall, three hours in the royal garden, optional cable car or toboggan rides, and no shopping stops.

“Lee was amazing, he has great english, a depth of knowledge, and has great enthusiasm. Very well organised and we got to the wall before the crowds so it was a more relaxing experience!”

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Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options - Mutianyu Great Wall, the morning highlight
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Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

3.Mutianyu Great Wall&Summer Palace Excursion:Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 816 reviews · from $124Top rated

Spend 8 to 9 hours with a guide such as Sherry, Lucy, Aurora, or Cindy, combining the quieter Mutianyu Great Wall with Beijing’s Summer Palace. Ride up by cable car or ski lift, hike at your pace, and choose the toboggan for the way down. Lunch, tickets, and hotel transfers are included.

“We had a fantastic time, thanks to the expert guidance of Sherry and the seamless driving of Li. Sherry’s proactive approach stood out—she reached out the night before our tour to suggest an earlier departure, a decision that saved us valuable time and allowed us to visit additional sites. Her deep knowledge and enthusiasm made every stop more engaging, as she went above and beyond to explain details and answer all our questions. Meanwhile, Li ensured a smooth and comfortable journey, efficiently transporting us to each destination. The well-maintained car made travel between locations a relaxing experience, allowing us to fully enjoy the day without any stress. This tour was…”

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Beijing: Summer Palace Entry Ticket and Optional Guided Tour - Using the ticket-only option
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Beijing: Summer Palace Entry Ticket and Optional Guided Tour

4.Summer Palace Entry Ticket and Optional Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 810 reviews · 3 hours - 1 day · from $12

Choose a self-guided ticket, a boat-and-entry package, a group day with guides such as Yan or Gary, or a private tour combining the Summer Palace with Beijing sights. You receive entry help and an English PDF guidebook, while some options add transport, lunch, or a royal boat ride.

“the place is beautiful. the contact was very attentive when I needed some help he replied quickly.”

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Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven - The Forbidden City: two hours inside the imperial palace
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Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

5.Beijing Classic Full-Day Tour including the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 610 reviews · from $99

Spend about nine hours touring Beijing’s major imperial sights with hotel pickup, an English-speaking guide, air-conditioned transport, admission fees and a Chinese lunch. Guides such as Jenny, Lee, Mary and Michael Shi are praised for clear history and good humor, though shopping stops can reduce sightseeing time.

“Full day Beijing tour covered the highlights of this big city. Our guide, Lee, was friendly, helpful and professional and he made us laugh. His English was very good too. Had a decent Chinese meal for lunch and we thought the price was overall good value for money”

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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace One Day Bus Tour - Choosing the eastern or western route
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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace One Day Bus Tour

6.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace One Day Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 466 reviews · from $29

Start at Dongzhimen at 7:30 am for a bus trip to Mutianyu, with 3 to 4 hours to walk the Wall before a guided visit to the Summer Palace. Guides such as Michael, Fred, Tony, and Jilly help with tickets and timing. Cable cars, chairlifts, toboggans, and lunch cost extra unless included in your package.

“Our tour guide Joy was helpful in organizing everyone and getting our tickets. Since we were part of the 1st bus of the day we got to Mutianyu early and it wasn’t crowded. Overall we would recommend Mubus for their great service!”

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Beijing: Mutianyu & Summer Palace Tour–Group/Private Options - Choosing between eight people and a private car
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Beijing: Mutianyu & Summer Palace Tour–Group/Private Options

7.Mutianyu & Summer Palace Tour–Group/Private Options

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 423 reviews · 8 - 9 hours · from $131

Spend 8 to 9 hours with an English-speaking guide such as Susan, Lily, or Cindy at Mutianyu and the Summer Palace. Choose a small group of up to eight or a private car and flexible pace. Lunch, entrance fees, hotel transfers, and a Great Wall cable car ride are included.

“May was a great guide, very responsive and informative. Fu was our driver and was very friendly. We had a great day and would definitely recommend!”

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Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour - Yonghe Lama Temple: a quieter change of mood
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Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour

8.Temple Heaven, Lama Temple, Summer Palace & Peking Duck Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 377 reviews · from $56

Spend about eight hours visiting Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, Yonghe Lama Temple, and Summer Palace with an English-speaking guide. Guides such as Jason, Jimmy, Jay, Yan, and Sean have led recent departures. Admission, transport, and Peking Duck lunch are included, though expect plenty of walking.

“Echo was a lovely engaging guide who gave us lots of really interesting information on the summer palace and advice where to take photos. Fantastic afternoon in the summer palace :)”

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Bangkok: Private Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace Tour - Wat Mahathat and the Buddha head in the roots
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Bangkok: Private Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace Tour

9.Private Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-In Summer Palace Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 341 reviews · from $184

Travel from Bangkok to ancient Ayutthaya and Bang Pa-In Palace in a private vehicle with a guide, lunch, water, transport, and entry fees included. Expect temple ruins, the Buddha head wrapped in tree roots, palace architecture, and flexible pacing. Guides may include Jill, Bea, Lucky, Till, Tai, or Rudy.

“Great guide! It was wonderful to learn more about Thai history. The summer palace was beautiful and we enjoyed the rest of it as well.”

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Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour - Meeting at Tiantandongmen Station at 9:00
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Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour

10.Temple Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Bus Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 319 reviews · from $58

Spend a full day with an English-speaking guide visiting the Temple of Heaven, Lama Temple, old hutongs, and Summer Palace. Guides such as Joy, Jimmy, Shannon, and Andy are praised for clear storytelling and careful group management. Expect long walks, a flexible lunch stop, optional boat travel, and a finish near the Bird’s Nest.

“Very pleasant experience! The tour guide was very professional and she was able to mantain the attention of the whole group with interesting details on the visited sites. Highly recommended!”

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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour with Lunch - Starting at Dongzhimen at 8:30 am
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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour with Lunch

11.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour with Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 316 reviews · from $186

Meet at Dongzhimen at 8:30 am for a small-group outing capped at 14 people. Visit the Summer Palace, eat lunch near Mutianyu, then spend three hours on the Great Wall. Guides such as Emma and Li have helped with history, routes, photos, and chairlift tickets.

“The tour was exactly as described. It was well planned. The tour guide Emma was very friendly and knowledgeable. Every moment spent was enjoyable. Thank you again Emma for all the tips and assistance in finding other activities such as the kung fu show and Jingshan Park :)”

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Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours - Temple of Heaven and its blue-tiled ceremonial halls
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Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours

12.Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Lama Temple, Hutong Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 311 reviews · from $99

You’ll visit four major Beijing sights with an English-speaking guide, ride a rickshaw through old hutong lanes, and return to your hotel after a 10 to 11-hour day. Michael, Lucy, and Helen have guided this route. Tickets, transport, headsets, and bottled water are included.

“We covered a lot of ground and saw lots of things on this tour but it didn't feel rushed.”

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Summer Palace Ticket - Stop One: The Main Summer Palace Grounds
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Summer Palace Ticket

13.Summer Palace Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 309 reviews · from $10

Visit Beijing’s Summer Palace independently with admission to the main grounds, Deheyuan Opera House, and Tower of Buddhist Incense. Li sends your QR codes, maps, and route advice by WhatsApp. You enter at the East Gate and explore without a guide or transport.

“The Summer Palace is a great and extensive complex. I was there at sunrise, which was particularly beautiful. Booking with Viator and then contacting Miss Li via WhatsApp was very straightforward and quick. Miss Li sent me detailed information, gave me tips and directions. Overall, a wonderful trip that I can absolutely recommend.”

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Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace - Tiananmen Square: a powerful and highly controlled beginning
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Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace

14.Private Full Day Tour: Forbidden City, Tiananmen & Summer Palace

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 272 reviews · from $130

Spend about eight hours with a private guide at Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, and Summer Palace. Hotel pickup, entrance tickets, lunch, and transport are included. Guides such as May, Peter, Jenny, and James tailor the pace, explain the history, and help with crowded entrances.

“We booked with Catherine Lu tours. Jenny was our tour guide. We were trying to get the most out of our brief time in Beijing and they were very flexible and made some great recommendations. The Forbidden City was magnificent and mRead more”

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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour - A morning at the Summer Palace
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Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour

15.Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer Palace Small-Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 242 reviews · from $87

Meet at Dongzhimen for a small-group day trip to the Summer Palace and Mutianyu Great Wall. You get two hours at the palace, lunch near the wall, and three hours to walk restored and unrestored sections. Guides such as Emma and May also help with cable-car and toboggan choices.

“The best guide I had during my time in China. A pleasure to be a part of this tour. Can highly recommend.”

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New in Summer Palace Tours

★ 4.5Beijing Summer Palace Entrance Ticket (with Optional Guided Service)From $7118 reviews
★ 4.5Summer Palace Admission Ticket and eGuideFrom $11134 reviews
★ 5.0All-Inclusive Day Tour: Mutianyu Great Wall and Summer PalaceFrom $148153 reviews
★ 4.9Mutianyu Great Wall & Forbidden City /Summer PalaceFrom $25158 reviews

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Pick a gate

A named palace, a kind of ticket, or a whole country of them.

The famous ones

AlhambraVersaillesPena PalaceForbidden CityDoge’s Palace

Also worth the fare

TopkapıGrand PalaceSchönbrunnSummer PalaceAlcázar of Seville

Royal residences

BuckinghamWindsorRoyal Palace, MadridSeoul palacesRoyal castles

How you get in

Palace ticketsSkip the lineGuided toursGardens and groundsPalace museums