Top 5 sections of the Great Wall to visit

 

You might have been to Mutianyu Great Wall or Badaling Great Wall when you visited Beijing, but did you know there are 3 other sections on the Great Wall you could visit? Let’s take a look to see what is the difference between these 5 sections and hope you can find the one that suits you best!

 

Badaling Great Wall

This is the most popular section of the Great Wall among Chinese. This section owns a stone engraved with Mao Zedong’s saying “不到长城非好汉” that mean if you have not yet been to the Great Wall you are not a true man. Not only this saying is famous but also Mao Zedong is a very important person to Chinese people, therefore most of them think this is the best Great Wall section that they must visit at least once in their life!

 

 

Badaling is divided into two parts, the North and the South part. The Southern section has 7 watchtowers and fewer tourists. The Northern section has 12 watchtowers but is more difficult to climb. The North’s 8th watchtower is the highest point of the wall with a breathtaking view.

 

 

Travel Tips

1. Please avoid visiting during the National Day Holiday, Labor Day Holiday and children summer vacations, it will be very crowded.
2. There is a slow Roller Coaster that can take you down from North
3. Fourth Tower to the valley, surrounded by Badaling’s north towers.
The cable car can take you to the highest tower of Badaling, the North Eighth Tower, that is at the top of ‘Good Man Slope’.

 

Mutianyu Great Wall

This is the most popular Great Wall section among expats as well as our clients! The vegetation coverage is as high as 90% with 23 watchtower. When you visit you will see that the wall has a crenellated parapet that preotected soldiers in the past from the arrows. This is very the only section of the Great Wall that has one so it’s pretty rare.

 

 

If you have kids, Mutianyu Great Wall will be your best choice. Take a cable car up and walk east down to Tower 6 where your kids can enjoy the toboggan sliding down.

 

 

Travel Tip

We recommend you take the cable car up and down, because the station is in the center of the wall close to tower 14. If you walk west, you can view the most beautiful scenery.

 

Jinshanling Great Wall

The Great Wall of Jinshanling is the paradise for photography enthusiasts. This place maintains its original appearance and thus has a pure feeling. The clouds and the rainbow after the rain in summer and also the sunrise and sunset are a must see.

 

 

There are not many tourists here, and the horizons on both sides are very open and spectacular. Besides, according to the different terrain, the watchtowers here were built in different shapes.

 

 

Travel Tips
1. Jinshanling Great Wall is steeper and uneven with loose stones. You need to be in good physical condition to complete the hike.
2. Is recommend to wear hiking boots that can protect your ankles.

 

Huanghuacheng Great Wall

Huanghuacheng section is an uncrowded section special for the Haoming lake as its background. You can hop on a boat to enjoy the Great Wall surrounded by the mountains or even hike the dam instead of climbing the Wall.

 

 

In the late spring and early summer, the countryside around Huanghuacheng Great Wall is covered with yellow wildflowers just like its name “黄花城 Huánghuāchéng” literally “Yellow Flower Wall” .

 

 

Travel Tip

This one is known as the wild section of the wall that hasn’t been restored and some stairs are very steep so you need to be very careful.

 

Simatai Great Wall

Simatai Great Wall is divided by Simatai Reservoir, with 16 towers east and 23 towers west linking by a chain bridge. If you want to cross over the lake you may also consider experience zip line. The east side of Simatai Great Wall is where ‘Heavenly Ladder’ and ‘Sky Bridge’ , the two steepest parts at the top are located.

 

 

Besides, it is the only section opened for a night tour. The walking tour will take you around 2 hours. The watchtowers between 5th and 6th sections is a flat section without steps and is the best places for you to take a glimpse of Simatai village and other lighted parts of the Wall.

 

 

Travel Tips
1. Night opening time: April to October: 18:00–22:00 / November to March: 17:30–21:30 / Weekday: 17:30–21:00
2. You can see the Simatai Great Wall night view from Gubei Water Town