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The Great Wall at Badaling

Rating: 5 out of 5 by EveryTrail members
Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 85.2 miles
Duration: Half day

Overview :  The Great Wall at Badaling is the most popular tourist section of this landmark since it has been recently restored and is reasonably ... more »

Tips:  The Great Wall at Badaling is not an easy hike and parts of the are extremely steep, so this tour is unsuitable if you have elderly... more »

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Points of Interest

1. Jishuitan subway station

Start your journey at Jishuitan subway station on Line 2 of the Beijing subway. Come out of the subway at Exit A and turn back on yourself to head east along the north side of the main road. You'll pass three bus stations along the way, but keep going until you get to Jian Lou (also known as the Deshengmen Watchtower), from which the 919 bus to... More

2. Jian Lou bus station

There are plenty of different buses labeled 919 and plenty of bus stops, so make sure you get the right one. You need to be on the north side of Jian Lou—there's a big open square and a barrier for forming wait lines. There's also usually someone with a megaphone saying "Badaling" and water/snack stalls.

You should pay 12RMB as you get ... More

3. The journey to the Great Wall

The Great Wall at Badaling is located about 60 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of Beijing. The bus ride takes about an hour, depending on traffic. Try and get a seat on the right side of the bus (as you face forward) for a view of the deserted Beijing Disneyland, which was started but never completed. You can see the structure of the Magic... More

4. Great Wall of China at Badaling

The Great Wall of China at Badaling is the most popular section, both for international and domestic tour groups. It's been restored quite recently and boasts a slide ride down, as well as a cable car. To get the most authentic (and least crowded) experience, climb up the Wall first and take the cable car down from the Eighth Tower in the north.... More

5. 10th Tower

Buy your entrance ticket to the Great Wall from the window on the left (45RMB for an adult) and head through the barriers. Follow the steps up around to the right, through a narrow archway and you'll be standing on one of the wonders of the world. It's said that you're not a "hero" unless you've climbed the Great Wall, so here's your... More

6. Eighth Tower

You can't go wrong on the Wall, you just keep following it round. Be careful as some sections are extremely steep and the steps—on the sections where there are steps—can be high and uneven. If you look to the right as you climb and descend, you'll see mountain vistas; to the left, you'll see how the Great Wall curves over and around the mountain... More

7. Cable car

Once you've reached the Eighth Tower (you'll know you've arrived because suddenly there's a lot more people and signs in English), you can either take the cable car down the mountain or, if you have the energy, hike to the Fourth Tower in the north farther around. The route is clearly marked.

The cable car costs 60RMB for an adult single journey,... More

8. Bus to Beijing

When you get out of the cable car, follow the signs downhill to the 919 bus stop. On the way you'll pass several restaurants where you can grab some food—the quality is reasonable but expect prices fit for a tourist destination (around 30-50RMB per dish). You'll also pass the Great Wall Museum on the left side of the broad road that runs downhill;... More