Day Trip to the Great Wall of China: The Essential Travel Guide

When visiting Beijing, you’ll definitely want to include a day trip to the Great Wall of China. It is a stunning piece of history and easily accessible from the city. With over 10 famous sections of the wall within day trip distance, the hardest part is deciding which section to visit and how to get there. Let’s take a look at your options.

Disclosure: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase.

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About the Great Wall of China

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The Great Wall of China is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as being one of the 7 New Wonders of the World. Located in Northern China, the Great Wall is 13,170 miles long (21,196 km) made up of multiple different sections, each of which was built individually by various states and dynasties to protect their territorial borders. It dates back over 2,300 years old and yet many of the original parts of the wall are still standing, receiving more than 10 million visitors per year.

5 Fun Facts about the Great Wall of China

1. The Great Wall of China is the world’s longest wall and biggest ancient architecture.
2. The Great Wall is on average 16 – 26 feet tall (5 – 8 meters). It was designed to be 3x the height of a man.
3. About 30% (2,000 km) of the Great Wall has eroded or disappeared due to human damage.
4. Since 1644 when the Ming Dynasty fell, there has been no further work done on the Great Wall for protection purposes, but reconstruction and conservation efforts began with Badaling in 1957.
5. The Jiankou section of the Great Wall is the section that appears most often in pictures, books, and postcards due to how steep and winding this section is.

Learn more about the Great Wall of China and it’s history.

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Preparing for a Day Trip to the Great Wall of China

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Taking a day trip to the Great Wall of China does not take a lot of planning, but there are a few key things to keep in mind.

The Best Time of Year to Visit

The best time to take a day trip to the Great Wall of China is generally spring or autumn. You’ll find better temperatures and the scenery surrounding the wall will be lush and photogenic.

• Spring offers optimal temperatures and the mountains surrounding the Great Wall return to their vibrant green state. If you’re lucky, you’ll also catch some flowers blossoming along the wall.
• Summer brings very hot temperatures and the bulk of the rainfall in the area. As the Great Wall of China does not offer much shade, make sure to take sunscreen. You’ll also find the Great Wall is the busiest during the summer months.
• Autumn may be considered the best season to visit the Great Wall. The weather is moderate and the trees start to turn beautiful shades of red, orange, and yellow. Avoid the first week of October as that is the National Day Holiday and can bring over-crowding.
• Winter is simply cold. It can get below freezing and the wall may be dusted in snow. Plan accordingly. That being said, you are more likely to avoid the crowds in the winter.

What to Take With You to the Great Wall

As with any day trip, you’ll need to take a few items with you to be comfortable all day.

• Wear walking shoes with good traction. There are a lot of stairs as well as smoothed over rocks.
• Take a camera and some money for refreshments and souvenirs. Alternatively, you can take snacks and water with you.
• Due to the lack of tree coverage, take sun protection, like sunglasses and sunscreen.
• In Spring, Autumn, and Winter, you will want to take a coat with you due to the cooler temperatures in the mountains. I recommend you dress in layers to accommodate the changing altitudes and temperatures.

Day Trip Options: Group Tours or Private Tours

The Great Wall of China is a popular day trip from Beijing for both domestic and international tourists. Whether you should join a group tour or visit with a private tour depends on a few things, including how much you want to spend and if crowds really bother you.

• Group tours sold in Beijing will be primarily made up of domestic Chinese tourists and head to the wall during peak hours.
• Group tours sold online are more likely to have international tourists, particularly if they are from an English speaking provider or website. They also will usually head to the wall during the peak hours.
• Private tours offer the big advantage of running on more flexible hours and locations. Rather than arriving in the morning with the tour groups you can skew your hours to the afternoon to avoid the crowds. You can also visit some of the harder to reach sections of the Great Wall for more isolation. Of course, this comes with the added price tag.

Most of the group tours will set you loose to explore the Great Wall of China on your own, so I would not put a lot of concern in what type of group tour you join.

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Deciding which Section of the Great Wall to Visit

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There is not a “wrong” answer on which part of the Great Wall to visit so much as what do you want to get out of the trip. All of them will provide the experience to walk along this incredible piece of history. However, some areas are wild, others are half-restored, and some are fully restored. There is also a varying degree of ease for getting to each section and exploring the area.

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The 10 Sections of the Great Wall of China Near Beijing

There are 10 famous sections of the Great Wall of China near Beijing. Listed from West to East they are:

1. Badaling: Restored / Crowded
2. Juyongguan: Restored / Crowded
3. Huanghuacheng: Restored / Moderately crowds
4. Jiankou: Wild / No crowds
5. Mutianyu: Restored / Moderate crowds
6. Gubeikou: Wild / No crowds
7. Jinshanling: Half-restored / Moderate crowds
8. Simatai: Wild / No crowds
9. Huangyaguan: Restored / Crowded
10. Shanhaiguan: Half-restored / Moderate crowds

Three of these sections are easily accessible for a day trip to the Great Wall of China from Beijing. They are Badaling, Mutianyu, and Jinshanling. Badaling is closest and busiest, Mutianyu is next and one of the most popular areas, and Jinshanling is furthest and best for hiking. Let’s take a deeper look at these sections.

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1. Badaling

Badaling is the most popular section of the Great Wall with Chinese tourist groups and is generally very crowded. In fact, in the first week of May and October there may be up to 70,000 tourists per day at the Badaling section of the Great Wall. This section is fully restored.

Distance from Beijing: 1.5 hours / 45 miles (72 km)

Hours of Operation: 6:30am – 7:00pm April 1 – October 31
7:30am – 6:00pm November 1 – March 31

Entrance Fee: 40 yuan April 1 – October 31 + cable car 40 yuan/direction
35 yuan November 1 – March 31 + cable car 40 yuan/direction

I would not recommend choosing this section, unless you want to do it yourself and avoid the cost of a tour. This is the only section of the Great Wall that you can easily reach by high-speed trains and public buses which can also make it the cheapest section of the Great Wall to visit.

Do It Yourself By Train

The high speed train departs from Beijing North Railway Station and can reach the Great Wall at Badaling in just 20 minutes.

Do It Yourself by Public Bus

Getting to Badaling by public bus is straight forward. Take Bus 877 direct from Deshengmen. It will take about 1.5 hours to reach Badaling and only costs 12 Yuan. All buses stop 400 m southwest of the valley-bottom rollercoaster station, not at the main parking lot entrance with the cableway, another kilometer west.

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2. Mutianyu

Mutainyu is considered the most magnificent and fully restored section of the Great Wall. Due to this, it is one of the most popular sections of the Great Wall for foreign tourists. Additionally, it is the most child-friendly section. I highly recommend this section as it is easy to reach and simply stunning.

Distance from Beijing: 1.5 hour drive / 45 miles (73 km)

Hours of Operation: 7:30am – 6:00pm March 16 – November 15
8:00am – 5:00pm November 16 – March 15

Entrance Fee: 40 yuan (20 yuan for children under 12) + transportation option

• Shuttle bus (one way): 10 yuan
• Shuttle bus (round trip): 15 yuan
• Cable car (one way): 100 yuan (or 50 yuan kids under 12 years old)
• Cable car (round trip): 120 yuan (or 60 yuan for kids under 12 years old)
• Ascent by lift and descent by toboggan: 120 yuan (or 60 yuan for kids under 12 years old)
• Descent by toboggan: 100 yuan (or 60 yuan for kids under 12 years old)

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3. Jinshanling

Jinshanling is most popular for those looking to hike the Great Wall, particularly for those interested in hiking from Jinshanling to Simatai. It is half restored (near Jinshanling) and half wild (near Simatai) and features the most beautiful original architecture. It should take about 3 hours to hike between the two.

Distance from Beijing: 2.5 hours drive / 80 miles (130 km)

Hours of Operation: 6:00am – 6:00pm April to October
7:00am – 5:00pm November to March

Entrance Fee: 65 yuan April to October
55 yuan November to March

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My Day Trip to the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall of China

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I ultimately chose to go to Mutianyu on a day trip from my hostel in Beijing. The tour was ¥280 and included:

• Breakfast (¥20)
• Transportation
• Entrance ticket (¥40)
• Lunch
• Guide: The guide doesn’t truly guide as you are on your own at the wall. In fact, he provided no additional information to what was posted on the signs.

There are also a few things not included in the tour:

• Drinks at lunch (optional)
• Cable car up to the top of the Great Wall and back (¥120): They claim the cable car to the top is optional but you don’t have time to hike up to the top and back in the three hours given, so it’s a bit misleading.

My overall take away from my tour was that visiting the Great Wall is super easy and a must do! Also, the food was pretty good. The prices of tours can be a bit high, but for the ease of travel, it is worth it! I also was fortunate as I was able to visit in autumn and see the leaves starting to change color. The air was brisk, and there was not as much pollution out near the wall. It is simply stunning and truly completed my China tour.

Tips for Visiting the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall of China

If you decide to visit the Mutianyu Section, here are some tips to help navigate the area.

• The cable car takes you up to tower 14 and it is suggested to turn left at the top and hike up to tower 23. This is the last one in the tourist area.
• The towers are not numbered on the wall despite the signs labeling them below.
• You’ll know when you reach tower 23 as it is at the top of steep stairs and has a sign posted saying “Do not go beyond this point, it is not a tourist area.” in some similar wording. This simply means that from tower 1 – 23 have been restored and beyond that has not so it is not guaranteed “safe”. In essence, the main difference is that the sides of the walls and towers may be crumbling instead of perfect rectangular angles, but as we were told, this is the real historic part, so go check it out. Bonus: it’s not as crowded!
• The toboggan down and second cable car are available at tower 6.
• There are snacks, drinks, photo opps, and souvenirs all available on the top of the wall. Make sure to negotiate down the price!

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Tips for Taking Pictures of the Great Wall of China

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The Great Wall of China is breathtaking. You will want to take a LOT of pictures. Besides, you’ll need the photo breaks from climbing all of the stairs. Here are some tips for getting better pictures of the Great Wall:

• The further away you get from the tower 14, the less crowded it will be.
• If you stand at the highest points of the wall you can see it stretch over the hills in the distance, which is truly incredible.
• There is zero shade on the wall unless you hide in a tower, so if you want to avoid the harsh sun angles, try to take an early morning tour or to take a private tour later in the day.

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Plan More of Your Trip to China

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Headed to other parts of China? Read on to find more planning tips around China.

• Beijing: Busiest City in China
• Day Trip to Mount Hua and the Infamous Plank Walk
• Long Distance Train Travel in China
• Shanghai: Modern Day China
• Zhjiajiao: Visiting a Watertown
• How to Visit the Terracotta Warriors & What Else to Do in Xi’an
• Chengdu: Visiting the Giant Pandas
• Day Trip to Leshan Buddha from Chengdu
• Guilin: Finding Oz in China
• Guangzhou: Introduction to China

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