HazelDiary

Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China is the political, educational and cultural centre of the country. The city is rich in historical sites and important government and cultural institutions. And the most impressive cultural attraction about Beijing is The Great Wall of China.The Great Wall of China is one of the original 7 Ancient Wonders of the World and I am glad to tick it off from my travel bucket list. There are different options along the wall that you can visit but it is my first time so I opt for Mutianyu Section.

What are the sections of the Wall to hike?
It is impossible to explore the entire Great Wall of China for just one visit. The wall is divided into different sections to hike. The sections include Badaling Section , Jinshanling, Simatai and Mutianyu Section. Our tour guide shared that the most popular section is Badaling and the easiest part of the wall to reach. However, it is overwhelmed with tourists. I also did some research online before deciding which section to explore and ended up with Mutianyu Section.

Why Mutianyu Section?
Mutianyu section of the wall is 3.4miles long and it was first built in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557). The parts of the wall have been restored and the difficulty level of climbing is moderate. Furthermore, the section is the less crowded as compared to Badaling section and any other section. It is easily accessible by public transport from Beijing. And you can opt for cable car and toboggan slide option to get back down to the road.




Getting To Mutianyu From Beijing
You can opt for public transport to get to Mutianyu for cheaper option but I would suggest pre-purchasing the tour bus/ private car first. Taking public transport requires longer time and you need to constantly check the bus timing and etc.Instead getting yourself exhausted with the planning leave it to the tour company to settle for you.
We purchased Klook package that inclusive of 2-way bus pick up, cable car tickets, entrance ticket to The Great Wall of China and lunch. We glad that we made the right choice. The bus picked us up from our hotel and we made our way to the wall early morning before the other tourists flow in.

Other package options that you can choose from:
Klook – Private Transfers, Great Wall Ticket + Cable Car Ticket Only
KKDAY – Private Day Tour to Badaling or Mutianyu , Day tour from Jiangkou or Mutianyu

The Great Wall of China-Mutianyu Section


We took about an hour bus ride to the foot of the mountain of the wall. There are local vendors selling souvenirs, food and drinks. Our tour guide advised us not to purchase from there because the price is way too high. So, make sure you bring your own water and light snacks along.



We waited for our tour guide to get the cable car tickets before making our way up to the wall. Then, we head to the cable car pick up and off we go to the amazing wall. This time round, we decided to go for Tower 14 to Tower 20.



We took 2 hours (2 ways) to complete the route and it was endless steps. It was quite steep and you need to be full focus walking up and down the steps. Nevertheless, it was breathtaking and amazing!





Here is a minute video clip of our journey to The Great Wall of China.


Then we headed down to the foot of the mountain for lunch, which is included in the package. We were arranged to be seated with others in a big table. Chinese dishes are served on the table for everyone to share. The bus picked us up from Muji Hotel Beijing at 6:10am and we ended our trip by 1pm. Then, another 2 hours bus ride to Wangfujing Shopping Street. There are two drop off location and we opt for this. You can spend the rest of the late afternoon and evening time to explore the famous Wangfuiing Snack Street after the hike. This is just perfect to end a day itinerary in Beijing.

Things to Take Prepare for The Great Wall of China
1. Make sure you get the right footwear and sneakers is good option
2. Make sure you bring water and light snacks along so you can have it while resting during the hike
3. Bring a hiking stick if you think u cannot handle the steep steps
4. Carry light if possible so that you will not be carry weight while hiking

This pretty much summarize my experience hiking the Great Wall of China. I also shared the 8 essential apps to download before going to China here.

Hope this helpful for you guys! Happy Travelling!

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