The Great Wall
The Great Wall
He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.
Mao Zedong
China’s greatest engineering triumph and must-see sight, the Great Wall (万里长城; Wànlǐ Chángchéng) wriggles haphazardly from its scattered Manchurian remains in Liáoníng province to wind-scoured rubble in the Gobi desert and faint traces in the unforgiving sands of Xīnjiāng.
The most renowned and robust examples of the Wall undulate majestically over the peaks and hills of Běijīng municipality, but the Great Wall can be realistically visited in many north China provinces. It is mistakenly assumed that the wall is one continuous entity; in reality, the edifice exists in chunks interspersed with natural defences (such as precipitous mountains) that had no need for further bastions.
Best Places to Sleep
Great Wall History
The Great Wall (长城; Chángchéng), one of the most iconic monuments on earth, stands as an awe-inspiring symbol of the grandeur of China’s ancient history. Dating back 2000-odd years, the Wall snakes its way through 17 provinces, principalities and autonomous regions. But nowhere is better than Běijīng for mounting your assault on this most famous of bastions.
Official Chinese history likes to stress the unity of the Wall through the ages. In fact, there are at least four distinct Walls. Work on the ‘original’ was begun during the Qin dynasty (221–207 BC), when China was unified for the first time under Emperor Qin Shihuang. Hundreds of thousands of workers, many of them political prisoners, laboured for 10 years to construct it. An estimated 180 million cu metres of rammed earth was used to form the core of this Wall, and legend has it that the bones of dead workers were used as building materials too.
After the Qin dynasty fell, work on the Wall continued during the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220). Little more was done until almost 1000 years later, during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234), when the impending threat of Genghis Khan spurred further construction. The Wall’s final incarnation, and the one most visitors see today, came during the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), when it was reinforced with stone, brick and battlements over a period of 100 years and at great human cost to the two to three million people who toiled on it. During this period it was home to around one million soldiers.
The great irony of the Wall is that it rarely stopped China’s enemies from invading. It was never one continuous structure; there were inevitable gaps and it was through those that Genghis Khan rode in to take Běijīng in 1215.
While the Wall was less than effective militarily, it was very useful as a kind of elevated highway for transporting people and equipment across mountainous terrain. Its beacon tower system, using smoke signals generated by burning wolves’ dung, quickly transmitted news of enemy movements back to the capital. But with the Manchus installed in Běijīng as the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) and the Mongol threat long gone, there was little need to maintain the Wall, and it fell into disrepair.
The Wall’s decline accelerated during the war with Japan and then the civil war that preceded the founding of the new China in 1949. Compounding the problem, the communists didn’t initially have much interest in the Wall. In fact, Mao Zedong encouraged people living near it to use it as a source of free building materials, something that still goes on unofficially today. It wasn’t until 1984 that Mao’s successor Deng Xiaoping ordered that the Wall be restored in places and placed under government protection.
But classic postcard images of the Wall – flawlessly clad in bricks and stoutly undulating over hills into the distance – do not reflect the truth of the bastion today. While the sections closest to Běijīng and a few elsewhere have been restored to something approaching their former glory, huge parts of the Wall are either rubble or, especially in the west, simply mounds of earth that could be anything.
WHEN TO GO
ASpring and autumn are good times to hike the Wall, when it's not too hot or cold.
ASummers can see the Wall overwhelmed by visitors. Go for one of the less-visited sections such as Jīnshānlǐng or Mùtiányù.
AIn winter it gets frigid at the Wall – it's always colder than in Běijīng – but you'll likely have many parts of it all to yourself, especially during the week.
ADo not hike the sections of the Wild Wall in the rain: it's too easy to slip and fall.
AAvoid visiting the Wall at weekends or public holidays, if at all possible.
Visiting the Wall
The heavily reconstructed section at Bādálǐng is the most touristy part of the Wall. Mùtiányù and Jīnshānlǐng are also restored sections. These can feel less than authentic, but have the advantage of being much more accessible (with cable cars, handrails etc). Huánghuā Chéng and Zhuàngdàokǒu are part-restored, part-'wild' and offer some short but challenging hikes. Unrestored sections of ‘Wild Wall’ include Gǔběikǒu and Jiànkòu, but there are many others. All of these can be reached using public transport (you can even get to Bādálǐng by train), although some people choose to hire a car to speed things up. Staying overnight by the Wall is recommended.
Tours run by hostels, or by specialist tour companies, are far preferable to those run by ordinary hotels or general travel companies. Not only do they cater to the needs of adventurous Western travellers, they don’t come with any hidden extras, such as a side trip to the Ming Tombs (a common add-on) or a tiresome diversion to a gem factory or traditional Chinese medicine centre. The following reputable companies and associations run trips to the Wall that we like.
Bespoke Běijīng (
%010 6400 0133; www.bespoketravelcompany.com; B510, 107 Dongsi Beidajie; 东四北大街107号B510楼 
h9am-6pm; 
bBeixinqiao) High-end trips and tours.
Great Wall Hiking (www.greatwallhiking.com) Locally run hiking trips.
China Hiking (%156 5220 0950; www.chinahiking.cn) Affordable hiking and camping trips run by a Chinese-Belgian couple.
Běijīng Hikers Organises some breathtaking outings out of town.
Bike Běijīng (%010 6526 5857; www.bikebeijing.com; 81 Beiheyan Jie; 北河沿大街81号 h8am-8pm; bNanluoguxiang) For cycling trips.
Běijīng Sideways (%139 1133 4947; www.beijingsideways.com; Xingfu Cun Zhonglu, Jieizuo Dasha Xibian, Lishihongye Zhiyeyouxiangongsi Duimian; 幸福村中路杰座大厦西边利世鸿业置业有限公司对面 h9am-9pm; bDongsishitiao) For trips in a motorbike sidecar.
You'll find places to stay at some parts of the Wall close to Běijīng – notably Mùtiányù – but most guesthouses and hotels cluster around the more remote sections, where staying overnight allows you to spend some proper time at the Wall. Gǔběikǒu, Jiànkòu, Zhuàngdàokǒu and Huánghuā Chéng all have reasonable sleeping options. Remember, that most places close from November to March.
Bādálǐng can be accessed by both bus and train. You get to Mùtiányù, Jīnshānlǐng, Zhuàngdàokǒu, Gǔběikǒu, Jiànkòu and Huánghuā Chéng by a combination of buses, or a bus and a taxi or minivan. A number of taxi operators make day trips to the Wall, as do some ordinary Běijīng taxi drivers. Agree on the price beforehand.
Mùtiányù 慕田峪
Location 70km from Běijīng
Price Adult ¥45
Hours 7am to 7pm April to October, 7.30am to 6.30pm November to March
Mùtiányù (慕田峪) is a recently renovated stretch of Wall that sees a lot of tourists and is fairly easy to reach from Běijīng. It’s also well set up for families, with a cable car, a chairlift and a hugely popular toboggan ride. Fewer tour groups come here than go to Bādálǐng, so the crowds are much more manageable.
Famed for its Ming-era guard towers and excellent views, this 3km-long section of wall is largely a recently restored Ming dynasty structure that was built upon an earlier Northern Qi dynasty edifice. With 26 watchtowers, the wall is impressive and manageable and, although it’s popular, most souvenir hawking is reserved to the lower levels.
From the ticket office at Mùtiányù, shuttle buses (¥15 return, 7.20am to 7pm April to October, 8.20am to 6pm November to December) run the 3km to the wall, where there are three or four stepped pathways leading up to the wall itself, plus a cable car (缆车; Lǎn Chē 1 way/return ¥80/100, kids half-price), a chairlift (索道; Suǒdào combined ticket with toboggan ¥80), called a 'ropeway' on the signs here, and a toboggan ride (滑道; Huá Dào 1 way ¥80), making this ideal for those who can’t manage too many steps, or who have kids in tow.
4Sleeping & Eating
Brickyard Eco RetreatGUESTHOUSE$$$
(瓦厂, Wǎ Chǎng %010 6162 6506; www.brickyardatmutianyu.com; Běigōu Village, Huáiróu District, 怀柔区渤海镇北沟村 r incl breakfast ¥1040-4746; 
a
W)
S
A 1960s glazed-tile factory renovated into a beautiful guesthouse, sporting lovingly restored rooms, each with views of the Great Wall. Rates include use of a spa, and shuttle services to the Wall and surrounding villages. Brickyard is in Běigōu Village (北沟村; Běigōu Cūn), about 2km from the Mùtiányù Great Wall. Reservations are essential.
Yì Sōng Lóu RestaurantCHINESE$$
(翼松楼餐厅, Yì Sōng Lóu Cāntīng mains ¥22-80; h8.30am-5pm)
Restaurant up by the main entrance to Mùtiányù Great Wall. It does OK Chinese food.
8Getting to Mùtiányù
Bus
From Běijīng's Dōngzhímén Wai bus stand, bus 867 makes a special detour to Mùtiányù twice every morning (¥16, 2½ hours, 7am and 8.30am, 15 March to 15 November only) and returns from Mùtiányù twice each afternoon (2pm and 4pm). Otherwise, go via Huáiróu: from Dōngzhímén Transport Hub (Dōngzhímén Shūniǔzhàn) take bus 916快 (the character is ‘kuài’, and means ‘fast’) to Huáiróu (¥11, one hour, 6.30am to 7.30pm). Get off at Míngzhū Guǎngchǎng (明珠广场) bus stop, where private taxis and minivans wait to take passengers to Mùtiányù (per person ¥20, 30 minutes). Note that after around 1pm, you'll probably have to charter your own car or van (¥60 one way). Return minivans start drying up at around 6pm. The last 916快 back to Běijīng leaves Huáiróu at around 7pm. If you miss that, catch a taxi from Huáiróu to Shùnyì subway station (顺义地铁站; Shùnyì Dìtiě Zhàn; about ¥100) on Line 15, or all the way back to Dōngzhímén (¥220).
Taxi
A taxi costs around ¥600 to ¥700 for a return day trip from Běijīng.
TAXIS & CAR HIRE
AMiles Meng (137 1786 1403; www.beijingenglishdriver.com) Friendly, reliable, English-speaking driver. See his website for prices.
AMr Sun (孙先生; Sūn Xiānsheng; 136 5109 3753) Only speaks Chinese but is dependable and can find other drivers if he’s busy. Round trips to the Great Wall from ¥600.
AHertz (赫兹; Hèzī; 400 888 1336; www.hertz.cn; 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday) Has an office at Terminal 3 of Běijīng airport, as well as at 10 other locations around town. Self-drive hire cars (自驾; zìjià) from ¥279 per day. Car with driver (代驾; dàijià) from ¥1100 per day.
Gǔběikǒu 古北口
Location 130km from Běijīng
Price through ticket (Great Wall and town) ¥45, town only ¥20
The historic, far-flung town of Gǔběikǒu is just a village these days, but was once an important, heavily guarded gateway into Běijīng from northeast China. The village, split into two sections by a ridge, with the Great Wall running along it and a small tunnel running through it, contains plenty of old courtyard homes (plus lots of rebuilt ones) and half a dozen small temples. Various stretches of the Wall meet in and around the village, in a kind of Great Wall crossroads with lots of hiking options. One short stony stretch of wall dates from the far-off Northern Qi dynasty (AD 550–577). The other stretches are Ming. There are well-worn dirt pathways on or beside them, so hiking here isn't as dangerous as it can be at other unrestored sections of the Wall. You should still take great care, though.
There are two main sections of Wall here: the Coiled Dragon (蟠龙; Pán Lóng), which runs along the ridge that cuts Gǔběikǒu village in two and which eventually leads to Jīnshānlǐng Great Wall, and Crouching Tiger Mountain (卧虎山; Wò Hǔ Shān), on the other side of the Cháo Hé River (walk through the tunnel, cross the river bridge, and follow the steps you'll soon see on your right). Both make for fabulous hiking, although Crouching Tiger is extraordinarily steep. There are other short splintered sections of Wall, like the one that runs down from Coiled Dragon, past Great Wall Box House. The Wall here is less well defined than at other locations across Běijīng, but the scenery is lush, making for pleasant hiking. Pathways along the Coiled Dragon section have yellow spray-paint markers left over from a Great Wall marathon a few years back, so navigation is less confusing than it might otherwise be.
Most guesthouses in Gǔběikǒu, and their attached restaurants, shut down between November and March.
4Sleeping
oGreat Wall Box HouseGUESTHOUSE$
(团园客栈, Tuán Yuán Kèzhàn %010 8105 1123; http://en.greatwallbox.com; No 18 Dongguan, Gǔběikǒu Village, 古北口镇东关甲18号 weekday/weekend incl dinner 6-bed dm ¥180/200, 4-bed ¥180/200, deluxe d ¥1200/1350; hmid-Mar–mid-Nov; 
nW)
Run by the friendly, English-speaking Joe, this wonderful place is housed in a 100-year-old courtyard building that was an abandoned chessboard factory before being lovingly renovated. Rooms surround a long, well-tended garden-courtyard, and are large (the dorm is enormous), bright, comfortable and spotlessly clean. Incredibly, a small, overgrown section of the Great Wall runs along one side of the property.
8Getting to Gǔběikǒu
Bus
Take bus 980快 from Dōngzhímén Transport Hub (Dōngzhímén Shūniǔzhàn) to its terminus at Mìyún bus station (密云汽车站; Mìyún qìchēzhàn; ¥17, 100 minutes, 6am to 8pm). Then, turn right out of the bus station, cross the main road and turn right and walk for 200m to find the stop for bus 25, which runs to Gǔběikǒu (¥10, 70 minutes). To catch the bus back to Mìyún from Gǔběikǒu, walk through the tunnel by the entrance to the village, cross the road and the bus stop is 400m ahead of you. The last bus 25 back to Mìyún leaves at 4.35pm. The last bus 980 back to Dōngzhímén is at 6.30pm.
Taxi
Taxis cost ¥1000 to ¥1200 return for a day trip from Běijīng.
CAMPING ON THE GREAT WALL
Although, strictly speaking, camping on the Great Wall is not allowed, many people do it; some of the watchtowers make excellent bases for pitching tents, or just laying down a sleeping bag. Remember, though; don't light fires and don't leave anything behind. You'll find fun places to camp at Zhuàngdàokǒu, Jiànkòu and Gǔběikǒu.
There are plenty of places to buy camping equipment in Běijīng, but one of the best in terms of quality and choice is Sanfo (三夫户外; Sānfū Hùwài
GOOGLE MAP
; %010 6201 5550; www.sanfo.com/en; 3-4 Madian Nancun; 北三环中路马甸南村4之3－4号 h9am-9pm; bLine 10 to Jiandemen, exit D). There are branches across the city, but this location on a side road of the middle section of the North 3rd Ring Rd stands out because it has three outlets side by side, as well as a few smaller cheaper camping shops next door. Turn right out of Exit D of Jiandemen subway station (Line 10) and walk south for about 800m, then cross under the 3rd Ring Rd and the camping shops will be on your right.
There’s a smaller, easier-to-get-to branch (
GOOGLE MAP
; www.sanfo.com; 9-4 Fuchengmen Dajie; 阜城门大街9－4号 h10am-8.30pm; bLine 2 to Fuchengmen, exit C), about 200m south of Fuchengmen subway station.
Jiànkòu 箭扣
Location 100km from Běijīng
Price ¥25
Hours No official opening hours
For stupefying hikes along perhaps Běijīng’s most incomparable section of ‘Wild Wall’, head to the rear section of the Jiànkòu Great Wall (后箭扣长城; Hòu Jiànkòu Chángchéng), accessible from Xīzhàzi village (西栅子村; Xīzhàzi Cūn), via the town of Huáiróu. Tantalising panoramic views of the Great Wall spread out in either direction from here, as the crumbling brickwork meanders dramatically along a mountain ridge; the setting is truly sublime. But this is completely unrestored wall, so it is both dangerous and, strictly speaking, illegal to hike along it. On summer weekends especially, crowds can render it even more risky. Footwear with very good grip is required, and never attempt to traverse this section in the rain, particularly during thunderstorms. When the weather is fine, the Jiànkòu (箭扣) area offers fabulous opportunities to hike and camp along the Wall.
Xīzhàzi village is actually a collection of five hamlets (duì, 队) strung out along a valley. To the left of the valley is a forested ridge, along the top of which runs the Great Wall. You can access the Wall from a number of points along this valley. If you're aiming to hike all the way to Mùtiányù Great Wall, turn left when you hit the Wall. The Wall here has various features that have been given names according to their appearance. They include: the Ox Horn (牛角边, Niú Jiǎo Biān; 90 minutes walk to Mùtiányù), which performs a great sweeping, 180-degree u-turn; the Sharp North Tower (正北楼, Zheng Bei Lou; 3½ hours to Mùtiányù), which is the highest tower you can view to your left when standing in hamlet No 5; the Arrow Nock (剪扣, Jiànkòu; six hours), a low pass in the ridge; and Upward Flying Eagle (鹰飞到仰, Ying Fei Dao Yang; nine hours), consisting of three beacon towers, two of which (the wings) stand on the highest point of the mountain above the lower, middle one (the eagle's head).
The H25 bus terminates at the end of the valley road, at hamlet No 5 (五队; wǔ duì). From here you can access pathways to Upward Flying Eagle (beyond the village) and Arrow Nock (back towards hamlet No 4). Before the bus gets that far, though, it passes through a decorative archway at the entrance to the valley. Here you'll have to get out to buy an entrance ticket to the scenic area (¥25). Hamlet No 1 (一队; yī duì) is just through this archway, to your left. You can walk from here to the Ox Horn in about 90 minutes.
4Sleeping
Zhào Shì Shān JūGUESTHOUSE$
(赵氏山居 %010 6161 1762, 135 2054 9638; r ¥120-420; aW)
The last property in the valley (Hamlet No 5 of Xīzhàzi village), this is a favourite for Chinese hikers (not much English is spoken here and the website is in Chinese only). There is a large shaded terrace dining area with fine Great Wall views. Rooms are neat and clean, and sleep two to seven people. Most have attached bathrooms.
Keep walking along the main road beyond where the bus terminates, and you'll see it up on your right. The food menu (mains ¥20 to ¥60) has photos.
Yáng ÈrGUESTHOUSE$
(杨二 %136 9307 0117, 010 6161 1794; Xīzhàzi Village No 1, 西栅子村一队 r ¥120; aW)
This is the first nóngjiāyuàn (农家院; village guesthouse) you come to as you enter Hamlet No 1 of Xīzhàzi Village. Rooms are set around a vegetable-patch courtyard, and are simple, but have private bathrooms. The food menu (mains ¥25 to ¥50) includes some photos. No English.
8Getting to Jiànkòu
Bus
Take bus 916快 from the Dōngzhímén Transport Hub to its terminus at Huáiróu bus station (怀柔汽车站, Huáiróu qìchēzhàn; ¥12, 90 minutes, 6.30am to 7.30pm). Turn left out of the station, right at the crossroads and take bus 862 from the first bus stop to Yújiāyuán (于家园; ¥2, five stops), then take the H25 to Xīzhàzi (西栅子; 70 minutes, ¥8). Note, the H25 only runs twice a day; at 11.30am and 4.30pm. The return H25 bus leaves Xīzhàzi at 6.30am and 1.15pm, so you can't do this in a day trip on public transport alone.
Taxi
It costs around ¥700 to ¥900 for a return day trip from Běijīng. From Huáiróu to Xīzhàzi village, expect to pay at least ¥120 one way.
Zhuàngdàokǒu 撞道口
Location 80km from Běijīng
Price No entrance fee
Hours No official opening hours
Zhuàngdàokǒu (撞道口), a small village just over the hill to the east of Huánghuā Chéng, has access to a rarely visited and completely unrestored section of ‘Wild Wall’. It’s also possible to hike over to Huánghuā Chéng on a restored section from here, although few people do this, which is surprising, considering how straightforward it is. The ‘wild’ section, towards the reservoir at Shuǐ Chángchéng, is crumbling away and overgrown with small trees and shrubs, but it is still possible to hike along. Just take extreme care.
4Sleeping
Zǎoxiāng YardGUESTHOUSE$
(枣香庭院, Zǎoxiāng Tíngyuàn %135 2208 3605; r ¥80-150; W)
This modest but comfortable-enough guesthouse is housed in a 70-year-old courtyard building, which has some traditional features such as wooden window frames and paper windowpanes, as well as a terrace to eat on. There are 12 rooms, eight with private bathrooms. The owners are pleasant and their food is decent (mains ¥20 to ¥65; English menu).
It's on your right on the main road, just before where the bus drops you off.
8Getting to Zhuàngdàokǒu
Bus
From Dōngzhímén Transport Hub (Dōngzhímén Shūniǔzhàn) take bus 916快 to Huáiróu (¥12, one hour, 6.30am to 7.30pm). Get off at Nánhuáyuán Sānqū (南花园三区) bus stop, then walk straight ahead about 200m (crossing one road), until you get to the next bus stop, which is called Nánhuáyuán Sìqū (南花园四区). Note that the bus you need, the H21, is not listed on the bus stop. Catch the H21 to Shuǐ Chángchéng (水长城), which stops at Zhuàngdàokǒu (¥8, one hour, every 30 minutes until 6.30pm). The last 916快 bus from Huáiróu back to Běijīng leaves Huáiróu at around 7pm. A taxi from Huáiróu to Zhuàngdàokǒu will cost ¥100.
Taxi
A taxi costs around ¥700 to ¥800 for a return day trip from Běijīng.
Jīnshānlǐng 金山岭
Location 142km from Běijīng
Price Summer/winter ¥65/55
Hours 8am to 5pm
The Jīnshānlǐng (金山岭) section of the Great Wall is a completely restored and, in places, very steep stretch, but it's so far from Běijīng that it sees far-fewer tourists than other fully restored sections. It contains some unusual features such as Barrier Walls (walls within the Wall), and each watchtower comes with an inscription, in English, detailing the historic significance of that part of the Wall. The landscape here can be drier and starker than at, say, Jiànkǒu or even nearby Gǔběikǒu, but it's arguably more powerful, and it leaves you in no doubt that this is remote territory. This is the finish point of an adventurous 6½-hour hike from Gǔběikǒu.
Hiking (in either direction) on the restored section of the Wall here is straightforward. There's an east gate and a west gate (about 2km apart), which means you can do a round trip (90 minutes) without backtracking; from the east gate, turn right at the Wall to find the west gate, then right again once back down on the road. At the time of writing, though, the east gate was closed, so you can only get onto the Wall from the west gate. If you need it, there’s a cable car (缆车; Lǎn Chē 1 way/return ¥40/80; h8am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 4.30pm Nov-Mar) by the west-gate ticket office. If you want to find some unrestored sections, turn right when you hit the Wall and just keep going. This stretch eventually leads to Gǔběikǒu (6½ hours), although you have to leave the Wall for an hour or two in order to walk around the boundary of a small military camp.
4Sleeping & Eating
Accommodation options are limited. There are a few guesthouses strung out along the road that runs between the east gate and west gate. A simple room with bathroom is ¥100 to ¥120. But be prepared for a walk to the ticket office.
There are restaurants around the west gate, as well as on the road that leads from the east gate to the west gate. Most shut down from November to March. Mains cost from ¥20 to ¥80.
Jīnshān FànguǎnCHINESE$$
(金山饭馆 West Gate of Jīnshānlǐng Great Wall, 金山岭长城内 dishes ¥20-80; h9am-8pm Apr-Oct, to 4pm Nov-Mar)
One of the few restaurants by the west gate of Jīnshānlǐng Great Wall that stays open in winter. It has an English menu.
8Getting to Jīnshānlǐng
A number of hostels in Běijīng run recommended trips by minibus to Jīnshānlǐng for the four-hour hike to Sīmǎtái. Buses usually leave at around 6am or 7am. They drop you at Jīnshānlǐng, then pick you up four hours later in Sīmǎtái. The entire journey from Běijīng and back takes up to 12 hours. Expect to pay around ¥300 per person.
Bus
From April to November, direct buses run from Wàngjīng West subway station (Line 13) to the Jīnshānlǐng ticket office. Come out of Exit C of the subway station and look over your right shoulder to see the red sign for the 'Tourist Bus to Jīnshānlǐng Great Wall' (金山岭长城旅游班车; Jīnshānlǐng Chángchéng lǚyóu bānchē) on the other side of the road. The bus leaves at 8am and returns to Běijīng at 3pm (¥32, 100 minutes). Otherwise, catch a bus to Luánpíng (滦平; ¥32, 90 minutes, 7.30am to 4pm) from the forecourt behind the red sign for the tourist bus, which will drop you at a service station on the highway close to Jīnshānlǐng. Taxis wait at the bus drop-off to drive the 9km to the west gate (¥100). If you want them to wait, expect to pay ¥200. Buses return to Běijīng from the service station. The last bus back leaves at 4.20pm.
Taxi
A taxi costs around ¥1000 to ¥1200 for a return day trip from Běijīng.
TOP GREAT WALL HIKES
JIàNKòU TO MùTIáNYù
ATwo hours (plus one-hour climb to the Wall)
Unrivalled for pure Wild Wall scenery, the Wall at Jiànkòu is very tough to negotiate. This short stretch, which passes through the 180-degree u-turn known as the Ox Horn, is equally hairy, but it soon links to an easier, restored section at Mùtiányù. Access the Wall from hamlet No 1 in Xīzhàzi village (西栅子村一队; Xīzhàzi Cūn Yīduì). It takes an hour to reach the Wall from the village; from the sign that says 'this section of the Great Wall is not open to the public', follow a narrow dirt path uphill and through a lovely pine forest. When you reach a small clearing, go straight on (and down slightly), rather than up to the right. Later, when you hit the Wall, turn left. You'll climb/clamber up to, and round, the Ox Horn before descending (it's very slippery here) all the way to Mùtiányù, where cable cars, toboggan rides and transport back to Běijīng await.
ZHUàNGDàOKǒU TO HUáNGHUā CHéNG
AOne hour (plus 20-minute climb to the Wall)
It's a mostly restored part of the Wall, and comes with stunning views of the Wall by a reservoir once you reach the summit of your climb. Access the Wall from Zhuàngdàokǒu village; turn right at the end of the village, by the small river, then follow the river (keeping it on your left) before turning right, up the hill between the houses, to climb a stony pathway. When you reach the Wall, turn right and keep going until you reach the last watchtower, where a path to the right leads down to the main road by the reservoir. Don't attempt to descend to the road via the last stretch of Wall here, as it is suicidally steep. You can pick up buses, such as the H14, to Huáiróu from here (until 6pm).
ZHUàNGDàOKǒU TO SHUǐ CHáNGCHéNG
ATwo hours (plus 20-minute climb to the Wall)
Climb up to the Wall from Zhuàngdàokǒu village, and turn left at the Wall to be rewarded with this dangerous but fabulous stretch of crumbling bastion. The Wall eventually splits at a corner tower: turn left. Then, soon after you reach another tower from where you can see the reservoir far below you, the Wall crumbles down the mountain, and is impassable. Instead of risking your life, take the path that leads down to your left, just before the tower. This path eventually links up with the Wall again, but you may as well follow it all the way down to the road from here, where you’ll be able to catch the H21 bus back to Huáiróu from the lower one of the two large car parks.
THE COILED DRAGON LOOP
A2½ hours
This scenic but manageable hike starts and finishes in the town of Gǔběikǒu and follows a curling stretch of the Wall known as the Coiled Dragon. From the Folk Customs Village (the southern half of Gǔběikǒu), walk up to the newly reconstructed Gǔběikǒu Gate (古北口关; Gǔběikǒu Guǎn) but turn right up a dirt track just before the gateway. You should start seeing yellow-painted blobs, left over from an old marathon that was run here: follow them. The first section of Wall you reach is a very rare stony stretch of Northern Qi Dynasty Wall (1500 years old). It soon joins up with the Ming dynasty bricked version, which you should continue to walk along (although at one stage, you need to follow yellow arrows down off the Wall to the left, before rejoining it later). Around 90 minutes after you set off, you should reach a big sweeping right-hand bend in the Wall (the coil), with three towers on top. The first and third of these towers are quite well preserved, with walls, windows and part of a roof (great for camping in). At the third tower (called Jiangjun Tower), turn left, skirting right around it, then walk down the steps before turning right at a point marked with a yellow 'X' (the marathon went straight on here). Follow this pathway all the way back to Gǔběikǒu (30 minutes), turning right when you reach the road.
GǔBěIKǒU TO JīNSHāNLǐNG
A6½ hours
This daylong adventure takes in some ancient stone Wall, some crumbling unrestored brick Wall and some picture-perfect, recently renovated Wall, as well as a 90-minute detour through the countryside. Bring plenty of water and enough food for lunch. Follow the first part of our Coiled Dragon Loop hike, but instead of leaving the Wall just after Jiangjun Tower, continue along the Wall for another hour until you reach the impressive 24-Window Tower (there are only 15 windows left these days). Here, follow the yellow arrows off the Wall, to avoid a military zone up ahead, and walk down through the fields for about 25 minutes. Take the first right, at another yellow arrow, beside a vegetable plot, and climb the path back towards the Wall. After about half an hour you'll pass Qing Yun Farmhouse, where you may be able to buy food and drinks (but don't bank on it). It's a 25-minute climb up to the Wall from here (at the fork, the left path is easier). At the Wall, walk through the cute doorway to get up around the other side of the tower, then continue along the Wall to the restored section at Jīnshānlǐng. You'll have to buy a ticket from someone at Xiliang Zhuandao Tower, from where it's about 30 minutes to Little Jinshan Tower (for the path, or cable car, down to the west gate), or about 90 minutes to East Tower with Five Holes (for the path down to the east gate, from where it's a 30-minute walk to the bus back to Běijīng).
Huánghuā Chéng 黄花城
Location 77km from Běijīng
Price ¥3 (unofficial)
Hours No official opening hours
Less touristy than other parts of the Great Wall close to Běijīng, Huánghuā Chéng (黄花城) is an extremely rewarding, and impossibly steep, section of the Wall. Undulating across the hillsides east and west of a small reservoir and offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, it has undergone only partial restoration and is refreshingly free of the hawkers who can make visits to other sections a trying experience. There are good opportunities for hikes too.
Strikingly free of crowds, Huánghuā Chéng allows visitors to admire this classic and well-preserved example of Ming defence, with its high and wide ramparts, intact parapets and sturdy beacon towers, in relative isolation. The patchy and periodic restoration work on the Wall here has left its crumbling nobility and striking authenticity largely intact, with the ramparts occasionally dissolving into rubble and some of the steps in ruins.
From the road, you can go either west (left) towards Zhuàngdàokǒu or east (right) up the stupidly steep section, which rises from the reservoir and eventually leads to Jiànkòu (after about two days). For the eastern route, cross the small dam, pay the enterprising local who sells unofficial ¥3 entrance tickets, and follow the path beside the reservoir. Walk up the steps just after the small shop-cum-cafe until you reach a metal ladder which is used to access the Wall. The Wall climbs abruptly uphill through a series of further watchtowers before going over, dipping down, then climbing again, even more steeply than before.
To head west, climb the path that leads up to the Wall from behind Ténglóng Hotel and which ends at a watchtower which leads onto the Wall itself. The Wall on this side of the road is almost as steep as on the eastern side and, in places, equally smooth and slippery. The views from the top are stunning, though, and you can continue from here to Zhuàngdàokǒu village (45 minutes); turn left off the Wall at its lowest point.
4Sleeping
Ténglóng HotelGUESTHOUSE$
(滕龙饭店, Ténglóng Fàndiàn %010 6165 1929; r with/without bathroom ¥120/60; W)
One of a number of small guesthouses in Huánghuā Chéng. Most are on the river side of the road, but this friendly place, accessed via steps on your left just before the Wall, clings to the hillside on the other side and offers fine views of the Wall. Rooms are basic, but clean and sleep three to four people.
No English is spoken, but the restaurant, with terrace seating, has an English menu (mains ¥20 to ¥60).
8Getting to Huánghuā Chéng
Bus
From Dōngzhímén Transport Hub (Dōngzhímén Shūniǔzhàn) take bus 916快 to Huáiróu (¥12, one hour, 6.30am to 7.30pm). Get off at Nánhuáyuán Sānqū (南花园三区) bus stop, then walk straight ahead about 200m (crossing one road), until you get to the next bus stop, called Nánhuáyuán Sìqū (南花园四区). From here take the H14 bound for Èr Dào Guān (二道关) and get off at Huánghuā Chéng (¥8, one hour, until 6.30pm). It only runs about once an hour; taxi drivers hover by the bus stop to test your patience (¥100 one way). Returning from Huánghuā Chéng, you can catch either the H14 or the H21, which passes the bus station in Huáiróu, where the 916快 originates. The last 916快 from Huáiróu back to Běijīng leaves Huáiróu at around 7pm.
Taxi
A taxi is around ¥700 to ¥800 return for a day trip from Běijīng.
Bādálǐng 八达岭
Location 70km from Běijīng
Price Apr-Oct ¥40, Nov-Mar ¥35
Hours Summer 6am to 7pm, winter 7am to 6pm
The mere mention of Bādálǐng (八达岭) sends a shudder down the spine of hard-core Wall walkers, but this is the easiest part of the Wall to get to – you can even get here by train – and as such, if you are really pushed for time, this may be your only option. You’ll have to put up with huge crowds of domestic tourists, a lot of souvenir hawkers and a Wall that was completely renovated in the 1980s and so lacks a true sense of historical authenticity. But the Bādálǐng Wall is highly photogenic, as well as authentically steep, has good tourist facilities (restaurants, disabled access, cable cars etc) and can be visited on a half-day trip from Běijīng.
Běijīng’s most visited chunk of brick-clad bastion ticks all the iffy Great Wall boxes in one flourish: souvenir stalls, T-shirt flogging hawkers, restaurants, heavily restored brickwork, little authenticity, guardrails and mobs of sightseers. On the plus side, the scenery is raw and striking and the Wall, which snakes off in classic fashion into the hills, is extremely photogenic. It dates to Ming times (1368–1644), but underwent particularly heavy restoration work during the 1950s and 1980s, when it was essentially rebuilt.
There is a cable car (缆车; Lǎn Chē 1 way/return ¥80/100; h8am-4.30pm) from the bottom of the west car park, and a toboggan ride (¥80/100 one way/return; called a 'sliding car' on the signs here), which descends to the east car park. There is also disabled access. ATMs can be found in the west car park.
China Great Wall MuseumMUSEUM
(中国长城博物馆, Zhōngguó Chángchéng Bówùguǎn included with ticket to Bādálǐng section of Wall; h9am-4pm Tue-Sun; 
g877)
This museum offers a comprehensive history of the Wall, from its origins as an earthen embankment in the far-off Qin dynasty (221–207 BC) to the Ming-era battlements you see today. There are decent English captions and it’s a good way to get a sense of just how astonishing and extensive a structure the Wall is. The museum is just south of the east car park.
4Sleeping & Eating
Commune by the Great WallLUXURY HOTEL$$$
(长城脚下的公社, Chángchéng Jiǎoxià de Gōngshè %010 8118 1888; www.communebythegreatwall.com; r from ¥2500; a
iW
s)
Positioned at the Shuǐguān Great Wall off the Badaling Hwy, the Commune may have a proletarian name but the design and presentation are purely for the affluent. There is a kids club. Reservations are essential.
Ātài BāoziCHINESE$
(阿泰包子 ¥20-32; h7am-4pm)
Just up from the east car park at Bādálǐng, this place does OK dumplings, as well as rice and noodle dishes. It has a picture menu, so you can point and pick.
8Getting to Bādálǐng
Bus
The 877 (¥12, one hour, 6am to 5pm) leaves for Bādálǐng from the northern side of the Déshèngmén Gateway, about 400m east of Jīshuǐtán subway station. It goes to the east car park at Bādálǐng. From there, walk uphill a little, turn left through a covered souvenir-shop strip, then left again at the end and uphill to the ticket office, which is between two large fortified archways. Buses return to Běijīng from just south of where they drop you: you'll see the queue of people waiting for them. The last bus back leaves at 5pm (4.30pm November to March).
Taxi
Expect to pay around ¥600 to ¥700 for a round trip.
Train
Getting here by train is the cheapest and most enjoyable option. Bādálǐng train station is a short walk downhill from the west car park; come out of the train station and turn left for the Wall (about 1km).
Trains (¥6, 70 to 80 minutes) leave from Běijīng north train station, which is connected to Xīzhímén subway station, at the following times.
Tuesday to Thursday 6.12am, 8.34am, 10.57am and 12.42pm
Friday to Monday 6.12am, 7.58am, 9.02am, 10.57am and 1.14pm and 1.35pm
On your return, trains leave from Bādálǐng train station at:
Tuesday to Thursday 1.40pm, 3.08pm, 5.30pm, 7.34pm and 9.33pm
Friday to Monday 1.33pm, 3.43pm, 4.14pm, 5.30pm, 7.55pm and 9.31pm