A visit to the Great Wall of China with Beijing Layover Tours

Recently I flew to New Zealand and had a layover of over 16 hours at Beijing airport. The plan was that I would land around 09:30 and not fly onwards to Auckland until after midnight. As I didn’t feel like being at the airport all day, I decided to do some research into the possibility of going into the city or at least doing something fun. I quickly came across the organization Beijing Layover Tours. They offer all kinds of different tours for travelers who have a layover in Beijing. I contacted them to discuss the possibilities for my travel and we quickly agreed on a tour I could make. Below you will find my experiences for visiting the Great Wall of China with Beijing Layover Tours.

I hesitated for a while whether I should do a layover tour to begin with. Simply put, I thought it was quite a risk to leave the airport and go into China. Would I get back to the airport without any problems? What if I was delayed? What about a visa … this and more went through my mind.

I started researching the possibilities on the internet and soon came across Beijing Layover Tours. The reviews on the internet seemed good to me and so I sent them an email with what the possibilities were for me. They offer group tours and private tours.

Within a few hours I had a response from Daniel from Beijing Layover Tours. He told me that there are usually three options:

• Group tours
• Private tours with a guide
• A private driver

The group tours were not an option for me because they leave at 08:00 and my flight did not arrive until 09:25. The private tours with English speaking guide were already fully booked and so the option remained to go with a private driver. Given the time I had (and the time it gets dark in China in November) I, after consulting Daniel via email, ended up going to the Great Wall with a private driver. I expected that from there I would be able to manage on my own.

With a Dutch passport, you no longer need a visa for China since December 1, 2023, provided you stay less than 15 days. This allows you to go through customs quickly and easily, according to Daniel. My plane is delayed by more than an hour. There appears to be an intense fog around Beijing Airport (also called Peking Capital Airport) and because of this we have to circle around for a while. The first landing attempt fails and we make a go-around. An hour after the schedules time the plane finally lands in Beijing.

My luggage has already been labeled through to Auckland and I do not have to pick it up. I can go straight to customs, after I have filled out an arrival form (these are at customs). I’m briefly asked what I’m here for and when I explain that I’m only going to visit the Great Wall of China and then fly on, I get some stamps in my passport and I am allowed to go through. It’s that easy.

Please note: this applied to my passport, if you have are not Dutch you must check the requirements yourself and I cannot be held liable for you understanding my blog incorrectly.

Daniel sent me a detailed description of where I can find their counter. First I have to take the airport train to another terminal and then take a certain exit. The counter should be right around the corner. And yes, it is exactly there where I expected it to be. It’s impossible to go wrong. Daniel is waiting for me here and calls the driver to tell him I am there.

In the meantime I go and get some cash. Daniel has an entrance ticket to the Great Wall for me (QR code) but I have to pay for food, drinks and possibly the chairlift and toboggan run in cash on the spot. I get 300 Yuan, about 40 euros. That should be enough.

Daniel takes me outside. He explains that the driver does not speak English, but has a translation app with which we can communicate. Fine, I will manage.

The electric car is very neat and I take a seat. There is chilled drinking water ready (hydration is happiness after all) and the ride to the Great Wall will take about 1h15min. The driver asks, via the translation app, if I have already decided whether I want to take the chairlift up or walk, then he can buy the ticket for me. I have to admit that I did not look into it beforehand, but apparently you have to walk up from the parking lot for about 50 minutes before you are on the Great Wall. The alternative is to take the chairlift. The costs are 140 Yuan for a return. That seems fine to me, because due to the delay I do not have a lot of time left and my legs are tired from the night in the air anyway.

We arrive at the Great Wall of China. The driver gives me a QR code that I have to take a picture of, this is my entrance ticket for the chairlift. As it’s low season, we can park just a short walk away. He walks with me to the entrance. First he explains to me where I will meet him again (at the Subway) and then I’m on my own.

All the QR codes work and after a fifteen minute wait I take a seat in the chairlift. It is a bit touristy of course but that’s what I knew beforehand. Once at the top it’s quite busy, apparently everyone is queuing to go down again with the toboggan run. I’m glad I did not choose that on the way down. As I don’t have a guide, I have to manage on my own. So I decide to just turn right and see what I encounter along the way.

I have to pinch myself every now and then, how cool that I am standing on the Great Wall of China, one of the new seven wonders of the world. With the exception of the Taj Mahal, I have now seen them all!

It’s low season but I’m visiting on a Saturday and so the Great Wall is still full of tourists, mainly Chinese families. Fortunately, the crowds are not disturbing and I can even take pictures with not too many people on them. Every now and then I read an information panel that is also in English and I walk as far as I can to where the wall is open to tourists.

That takes some effort. The stairs are often steep and uneven. But once at the top I have a beautiful view. The autumn colours are in full swing and despite the haze, I can still see quite far. I stay on the Great Wall for about two hours before I descend again with the chairlift.

Will the guide be at the agreed location? Of course he is, he sees me before I see him. He takes me to a restaurant where I can eat something and then I get in the car back to the airport, well in time for my flight to Auckland. What a great way to spend the day!

I found this tour to be a really fun way to spend my 16 hours in Beijing. Of course I know there are many more beautiful and less touristy parts of the wall that you can visit, but this was the most feasible for the day and that was fine.

Beijing Layover Tours is a very professional organization and the official partner of Beijing Capital Airport. I thought it was important to go with a reliable organization because I wanted to be back at the airport in time for my flight to Auckland at all costs, which of course I succeeded in. They not only offer tours to the Great Wall, but also to the Forbidden City and other important sights in and around Beijing. Check their website for all options.

This tour was offered to me by Beijing Layover Tours in exchange for my honest review which I have given you here. All opinions are of course my own.