Autumn is settling in, and the season's most heartwarming scene unfolds beneath the Great Wall. The Mutianyu Great Wall International Chestnut Harvest Festival opens on September 19, bringing together sun-dried harvest displays, local market life, and immersive activities. Here's the big news: 100,000 bags of chestnuts are free.
Free chestnuts. Show your cable car ticket at the upper cable car station platform to claim a free bag. Keep the packaging — it entitles you to 20% off on more of the same chestnuts, Great Wall souvenirs, and the XR experience. Order the "Autumn Chestnut Set" at Mutianyu Great Wall Coffee and receive a free plush chestnut keychain. Available at Moon Coffee (Great Wall Hotel), Yisonglou Restaurant, the Great Wall cultural and creative store, and the chestnut stall in the service area plaza. Please note: each bag can be used only once.
Explore. With clear skies and the first hues of autumn color, climb the wall and take in sweeping mountain views. Back at the service area, harvest-themed displays are everywhere — no need to travel to a faraway village. Immerse yourself in the traditional "sun-drying the harvest" scene and snap your perfect autumn photos.
Shop. The lively harvest market is open: seasonal farm produce, handmade crafts, and chestnuts roasted the traditional way, filling the air with fragrance. The Great Wall souvenir shop has launched autumn-exclusive hollow-cut paper postcards, and any in-store purchase over ¥59 comes with a cute chestnut squishy toy.
Fun. Join the chestnut-peeling challenge on the commercial street for surprise prizes, and meet the harvest-themed mascot parade up close. On the opening day of September 19, catch the Qi Family Army martial arts performance and folk shows, with drums beating in celebration of the harvest.
Eat. No harvest season is complete without Huairou's famously soft and sweet chestnuts. Yisonglou Restaurant is introducing a harvest set menu for 3–5 people — savor authentic autumn flavors in a mountain-view dining room.
Stay. Want a slower pace? The Mutianyu Great Wall Hotel nestles quietly in the woods: climb the wall by day, and sleep to mountain breezes at night. Guests dining at the hotel receive a free portion of sugar-roasted chestnuts, and Mu Coffee offers a ¥68 autumn afternoon tea — chestnut coffee, walnut pastry, chestnut cake, and seasonal fruit. Sightseeing, shopping, dining, entertainment, and lodging — everything you need for a golden autumn day at the Great Wall, all in one place.
This autumn, come to Mutianyu. Climb the mighty passes, stroll through the golden drying yards, catch the scent of roasting chestnuts, and meet the harvest among the autumn leaves. On September 19, the festival awaits you — the season is just right.
