The Great Wall of China at Badaling.

It winds up and down across deserts, grasslands, mountains and plateaus, stretching approximately 8851.8 kilometers from east to west of china. Was built and restored under many dynasties and it is believed that approximately 500.000 people took part in building the wall.


If you have to choose one thing to see in Beijing it’s definitely be The Great Wall of China, any part of it will be fantastic. I seriously melted when I saw The Great Wall for the first time. It was so incredible and peaceful, unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.


It was a full day trip but it was so stunning, we rented a private bus to take us to the Great Wall. There are several different spots where you can visit along, we choose Badaling and end our day trip with a quick visit to Longqingxia for the winter and snow festival.

A handful of sections of the Great Wall are accessible from Beijing. Badaling, though heavily commercialized, is quite accessible. Emptier but also heavily restored is nearby Juyongguan. The far sections Simitai and Jinshanling are wild, rambling, and beautiful, and you need a reasonable level of fitness to hike either of these. Mutianyu is good middle ground—it’s less crowded, restored but not sterile, and although the climb to the wall is strenuous, there is a cable car.


Badaling is a specific part of the Great Wall, and it’s by far the most widely visited. Not only is it closest to Beijing, it also has the most convenient transportation to/from the location and within the location itself. That said, it is one of the most crowded.

You can take the bus or train and be there within an hour from Beijing. Compared with other sections, most stairs are not very steep and they are equipped with handrails, so it is a relatively easier climb. And this section has been equipped with cable car and pulley to save energy, and it even has some facilities to make it easier for seniors and the disabled.

Driving yourself is very simple. There is a single highway that doesn’t have a lot of traffic unless it’s a holiday. There are plenty of parking spaces and parking lots wherever you want to go. The signage is clear, in English, and you can see parts of the Great Wall all along the highway there! Once you get outside the city, traffic should clear up.

Chinese and foreign visitors can crowd Badaling, making your visit terrible if you don’t time your visit. Avoid Summer, Winter, Weekends, and Holidays. I went during Lunar New Year and as you can see in the pictures highly recommend to go some other time. 


The angle is crazy - I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s 45° or stepper. 

 Even if you’re an experienced trekker, trying to go up and down these steps takes patience!


... and we end our day with a stop at Longqingxia. 

It is like a dragon.

The Chinese say the great wall is a dragon winding over the mountains.

When you look at pictures you can see that’s a fact. It really does look like a dragon.


It was with any doubt the highlight of my trip to China. 

Have you ever been to the Great Wall of China? If not, what other Wonders of the World have you been to?