China great wall travel

The Great Wall is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire during the rule of successive dynasties. Several walls, referred to as the Great Wall of China, were built since the 5th century BC, the most famous being the one built between 220 BC and 200 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. That wall was much further north than the current wall, built during the Ming Dynasty, and little of it remains.

The Great Wall is one of the existing megastructures and the world's longest human-made structure, stretching over approximately 6,400 km (4,000 miles) from Shanhai Pass in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. It is also the largest human-made structure ever built in terms of surface area and mass.

China great wall

The Great Wall of Beijing China

Great Wall of China

There is little that can be said about the Great wall of China that has not been declared over and over afresh throughout the wall's 2000 year history. Construction of the Great wall started in 221 BC to avert the Middle Kingdom from Mongol soldiers. But abounding of the sections were already in place, congenital by a alternation of absolute kingdoms continued beyond the land, from Shanhaiguan on the east wall to Jiayuguan in the Gobi Desert – Emperor Qin Shihuang alone oversaw the abutting of these walls.

The aboriginal affiliate in the history of the Great wall of China concluded in 207 BC, if the endure of the over 6 billion cubic anxiety of compacted apple was set into place. The Great wall was alone moderately able in accustomed out its purpose, even afterwards it was faced with artery and stones. It's absolute amount came in the way it eased busline throughout the acreage – acting as a affectionate of animated thruway, equipment, appurtenances and cartage could added calmly bisect the backbreaking aerial wilderness that belted the Great Wall.

As aberrant as it seems now, afore a Great wall of China bout was a prerequisite on any cruise to the country, abounding of the sections fell into busted as time anesthetized and the acceptation of the aerial anatomy lessened as burglary nomads broadcast into the account of time. The history of the Great wall of China, and its acknowledgment to acceptation was in fact the plan of the day-tripper industry – now there are affluence of accepted sites area the day tripper can catch one of the a lot of acclaimed landmarks in the world.

Badaling, Mutianyu, and Simatai are the a lot of accepted spots to getting a Great wall of China tour. The abutting to Beijing, area a lot of travelers are abutting from is Badaling, about 40 afar northwest of the capital. Actuality is absolutely the a lot of accepted atom for bout guides and those giving the Great wall a brief glance. Actuality you will acquisition a excess of gift shops, abominable restaurants and any amount of added day-tripper traps, but for those who wish to accumulate their busline simple and convenient, this is the best abode to apprentice the history of the Great wall of China – the Great wall Museum is aswell here.

Mutianyu is not abundant better. Over 50 afar from Beijing, you will acquisition a agnate tourist-driven atmosphere at Mutianyu, admitting the wall is far added circuitous than in Badaling, as you will acquisition a amount of alluring bouncer building and some of the best angle forth any area of the wall.

Experienced travelers apperceive that abreast the baby boondocks of Gubeikou, the charcoal at Simatai are one of the best places to get an able and added accurate attending at the Great wall of China. Watchtowers band the walls, about winging their way beyond the landscape. The alone botheration with Simatai is that it is a abundant added accurate backpack to appearance the wall – the area ranges from aciculate inclines to abrupt dropoffs about after warning, so it is absolutely not for the alpha hiker. But those that accomplish the cruise to Simatai are abiding to be adored with the best angle in all of China..

Of course, there are affluence of altered places to alpha your own Great wall of China tour. Added cogent places are Juyong Pass and Jinshanling and Huanghua, the endure one continued advised to be the best preserved area of the wall in the around of Beijing.

Tourist map of the great wall in Beijing

Tourist map of the great wall in Beijing

Travel Guide: The Great Wall of China Near Beijing

There are several sections of the Great Wall of China that can be reached from Beijing.

Located northwest of Beijing, Badaling (八达岭) and Juyongguan (居庸关) are the closest and easiest sections to reach. An ideal day trip generally involves a visit to one of these sections (they are not connected) and the Ming Tombs. Badaling is the busiest section of the wall since it is relatively easy to get to, well-renovated and easier to climb than the other sections.

North of Beijing is the Mutianyu (慕田峪) section and nearby Jiankou as well as the rundown Huanghua (黄花) section.

Farthest from Beijing is the section of the wall that stretches from Gubeikou (古北口) to Jinshanling (金山岭) to Simatai (司马台). It takes about 3.5 hours to reach this area if you drive straight there. A hike from Jinshanling to Simatai takes 4-5 hours. Gubeikou is quite close to Jinshanling.

Tours

Anybody in the tourism business in Beijing will offer tours to the Great Wall. To find economically priced tours try contacting hostels in Beijing. It is important to ask the tour operator where exactly the tour group will be going since many tours combine a trip to the great wall with a trip to the Ming Tombs. It is also quite common for tours to stop at "factories" or "galleries" where tourists are pressured to buy goods for more than their normal sale price.
Great Wall of China Great Wall of China

Juyongguan Section of the Great Wall

Juyongguan Section of the Great Wall ( 居庸关长城 )
Hours: Open 8:30am to 4:00pm
Address: About 50 kilometers northwest of Beijing.

Due to its position as a link to Beijing, Juyongguan Pass was one of the most strategically important parts of the Great Wall of China. Originally constructed during the fifth century, it was later rebuilt during the Ming dynasty. Juyongguan was neglected during the Qing Dynasty, but has since been renovated and opened to the public.

The renovated section forms a circle with the central entrance to the pass at the bottom of the valley. Most visitors only walk up and down one half of the circle. It is very steep at some points, but a half-circuit can still be done in 2 hours. Guard towers are located on the mountains and Ming dynasty style iron cannons sit by the entrance to the pass.

How to get there
Tourist Bus (recommended when available) - A simple and cheap option is to take a Beijing tourist bus. They provide one route that visits Juyongguan and Dingling (定陵) which is one of the Ming Tombs.

Public Bus - Bus 919 快车 (kuai che) stops at Juyongguan. It is just a short walk up the hill from the bus station. Alternatively, you can take bus 919 支线 (zhi xian) to Nankou (南口), and then take a cab to Juyongguan for about 20 yuan. Buses numbered 919 leave from the messy Deshengmen (德胜门) bus station which is about 500 meters east of the Jishuitan (积水潭) subway station (subway line 2).

It is not possible to walk from the Juyongguan section to the Badaling (八达岭) section of the wall.

Organized Tour - If you go with a tour group, try to pick one that not only gets you where you want to go, but also doesn't take you where you don't want to go. Tourists are sometimes not allowed to leave "factories" or "galleries" until they buy something which is, of course, overpriced.

Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall

Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall ( 慕田峪长城 )
Hours: Park open 6:30am - 7:00pm. Cable car open 8:00am - 5:30pm.
Address: 90 kilometers north of Beijing ( 北京城外北方向90公里 )

Construction of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall began in the 6th century and was later overhauled and rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. Although this section is a bit tougher to get to and tougher to climb, it allows visitors to truly feel the history of The Great Wall .

The wall at Mutianyu snakes across the mountain ridgelines that divide two valleys. Built across an important pass, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall was built with granite, and has maintained much of it’s original Ming Dynasty architecture. It is one of the only sections of the Great Wall that is crenellated in both directions, reflecting it’s importance and strong defensive build. From the top of the Mutianyu section of the Wall, you can also view a spur that was built out from the wall across a perpendicular ridgeline, something which added to this sections defensive capabilities.

This section of the wall is relatively unedited - it is less commercialized, sees fewer tourists and has undergone less restoration work. Standing on top of the wall allows for a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside , which is planted with fruit and chestnut orchards, and dotted with old pine.

There are two cable cars that will take you to the top of Mutianyu Great Wall. This makes it accessible to climbers and non-climbers alike. The first cable car is aptly named "The Number One Cable Car of the Great Wall," and is a comfortable and scenic ride up or down. The second cable car lift will take you up to the top of the Wall, as well as to a toboggan run, which is a fun and fast way to come down off the Wall when you’ve taken all the pictures you want. This cable car is open air, so if you are afraid of heights, the walk might better suit your tastes. If you choose not to take the cable car, the walk up to the wall is about 25 minutes.

Mutianyu can be a tougher climb than the Juyongguan or the Badaling sections of the wall, but the climb is definitely worth the reward. While it is not as steep as some parts of Juyongguan, some parts do not have handrails and the bricks are crumbling. The more distant parts of the Mutianyu section may even require clambering with hands and feet to traverse.

Cable Car One Prices One Way Round-trip
Adult 35 50
Child 18 25


Prices for Cable Car Two and The Toboggan Run
Adult Return - 55
Student Return - 30
Cable up - 30
Toboggan Down - 40

How to Get There

Tours

The simplest way to get to the Mutianyu section of the wall would be to take a tour. This should cost about 150 yuan for an economically priced tour including transportation there and back. There should be no shortage of tours available. Check with a tour company or with your hostel or hotel.

Tourist Bus from Xuanwumen

There is a tourist bus available some weekends that leaves from Xuanwumen at 8:00am. It goes to Mutianyu and Hongluo Temple and only costs 110 yuan. The downside is that it often isn’t available and it can’t be booked ahead of time. See the tourist bus article for more information.

Public Transportation

First make your way to Dongzhimen (东直门) subway station which sits on the northeast corner of subway line 2. From the subway station walk 100-200 meters east along Dongzhimen Wai Dajie (东直门外大街) to get to Dongzhimen long-distance bus station. Take #916 to Huairou (怀柔) district. There are several stops within Huairou at which you can get off and take a taxi for about 40 to 100 yuan to Mutainyu. If you look like you have money and don’t know China well (i.e. you are a Caucasian who does not speak Chinese and is carrying a camera and one of those silly rice farmer hats) then you are looking at paying more.

Bus No.916 From DongZhimen long-distance bus station To Mutianyu Great Wall(从北京东直门长途汽车站坐916路汽车可以直达慕田峪长城)

Bus No.You 6 From Xuanwumen & DongSishitiao（No.42 Bus Station） To Mutianyu Great Wall(从北京玄武门和东四十条坐游6路可以直达慕田峪长城) In Weekends and holidays 6:30-8:00 ,普通36元、空调45元(From Apirl 15th,to Oct. 15)

Train From Xizhimen railway station at 7:10 in The morning To Huairou Beizhai Station then to Mutianyu Great Wall,back at 4:pm.