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This was a day I had been looking forward to for a very long time. Visiting one of the true wonders of the world. The Great Wall of China has been high up on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. I was nervous though. Would it live up to my expectations? Would I arrive in a similar situation to the Terracotta Warriors? (masses of tour groups shuffling along, killing each other to take a picture.) I knew I wanted to do it as cheap as possible, avoid organised tours and the tourist traps that go on there. I think I achieved my goal. The Wall was incredible! To be there felt surreal and was truly a real highlight, of not only this trip but since the beginning of my travels. There were many choices on offer when deciding what specific location of The Wall I would visit. In the end, I chose Mutianyu, located 70km northeast of Beijing.
Why Mutianyu?
Deciding on what part of the wall to visit can make or break the day, I was well aware of this and wanted to get it right. The most popular area visited by tourists is Badaling. This, from what I understand, is where the majority of the tour groups go to. For this reason, alone I could not consider it a viable option. My hostel offered a tour, as I am sure most do in Beijing. This tour claims to take you where no one else goes. I had a feeling though that they all claim this and at 300CNY it was a bit out of my price range. I like the freedom of doing these things myself and on my own time schedule anyway, so maybe, even if it was not so extortionately priced, I still would have opted against it.
Mutianyu has a reputation for being busy, but not overly busy. It’s not a place where tourists arrive by the busload and it’s quite convenient to reach using public transport. This swung it for me. I knew there was going to be some amount of tourists wherever I went, I was ready for that. Once it was not overcrowded and I had some space for myself, I was going to be happy.
Getting There
For most things in China, I have found www.travelchinaguide.com to be very useful. This was no different. Although there were some details left out, their instructions on how to get there were more than enough. The journey starts at Dongzhimen Bus Station. Luckily there is a metro station connected to here that runs on Line 2 and Line 13. The nearest station to my hostel, Leo Hostel, is seven stops from here and cost 4CNY. Make your way out of the underground and into the bus station. Luckily, this is well signposted, as is each bus number when you get inside. Two buses run from here to Huairou North Avenue, the 916 and the 916 Express. It is highly unlikely you will have to wait any longer than ten minutes. Make sure you have the exact change. The cost is 12CNY per person and the bus can take as long as 80 minutes. The bus is quite clean and comfortable and the journey is a relatively easy one.
I must warn you that on two occasions we were boarded by men telling us we have arrived and to get off the bus. These lovely men will then try to sell you a minivan/taxi to bring you to the wall. You are left with no choice really if you depart the bus unless you wait for the next 916 to pass. Stay on the bus! You will be told by either the driver or conductor when to get off, they seem to presume any westerner on the bus is making their way to the wall. When you get off this bus, you are going to be swamped by taxi and minibus drivers. Politely decline their less than bargain offers and cross the road to get your connecting bus. The bus will be going back in the direction you came, but it will take you to your destination. You are still going to be hassled by drivers. It is best to ignore their ‘advice’ and wait for one of the H23 or H24 buses. The H23 runs a lot more regularly, so this is the one you will more than likely get.
I ended up waiting for 30 minutes for the bus. But, after talking to a man who had been already scammed by a driver that morning and was now over 5 hours into his journey to the wall from Beijing, I had no issue waiting. The ticket for this bus costs 3CNY and the journey took about twenty minutes. Again, you will be told when to get off. Continue walking down the road for a couple of minutes and you will find yourself at the entrance to the Visitor Information Centre and Ticket Kiosk for The Wall. Take note that to return to Beijing, your journey is the exact opposite to this and just as easy!
Entrance Fees
I felt here was where I made one mistake from my visit. When buying the tickets, they will automatically try to sell you tickets to enter The Wall, a shuttle bus ticket and a return ticket for the cable car. I was not interested in anything but the entrance ticket. Being the cheapskate that I am, I thought it would be no problem to avoid paying for the shuttle bus and walk to the entrance. I was completely unaware that this was a 40-minute uphill walk in the heat! Needless to say, this left me feeling tired and sweating before I even got there.
For the sake of 15CNY, just get the bus, you won’t regret it. I would, however, advise you to avoid paying for the cable car and the luge. Both of which cost 120CNY for a return ticket. I can see that the cable car is fine for those less fit for the walk up to the wall itself. The luge, however, looked like a total money racket. The only way you will truly enjoy the luge is if there is nobody in front of you on the way down, a highly unlikely event. Instead, I stuck to just paying the entrance ticket, 45CNY. A price more than reasonable for visiting one of the wonders of the world.
On The Wall
You should arrive at the steps to the wall fresh and ready to go, unlike me, who was drenched in sweat and legs heavy. Presuming you have not paid for either of the two alternative ways to get to the top, then head for the Southern Entrance next to the Stone Museum. The steep incline will take about 40 minutes to reach The Wall itself. There are many places to stop along the way if you are feeling in need of a rest. At the top, you will have a choice between watchtower 7 or 8. I went straight to 8 with the intention of walking from 8 to 1.
The Wall is spectacular! It was an amazing feeling to reach the top of the hill and finally be on it. It is no walk in the park though. The Wall is full of steep inclines and sharp declines. Watchtower 8 is quite central to the Mutianyu area of the wall. You could go either way really but I made my way towards tower 1. By no means was this easy, but with plenty of water breaks and photo opportunities along the way, it took me just over an hour. The downside to this area is that it is all new bricks and none of the old Wall is really still visible, bar a few steps here and there.
The map on the back of the ticket highlights a non-tourist area beyond tower one, which was my reasoning for choosing this direction. Unfortunately, The Wall has been sealed and there is no access to the old Wall. I am sure this is for safety reasons, but it was disappointing none the less. After a much-needed break, I made my way back to tower eight and slightly beyond, before I felt like enough was enough. With still the walk back to the bus, which could take nearly an hour in the early afternoon sun, I felt like it was time to go.
The wall was exactly what I had hoped for and I left feeling like I had not missed out on anything by choosing to go to Mutianyu. It would have been nice to walk on the old Wall, but in reality, that regret won’t live long in my memory. Bring plenty of water and wear clothes that allow an unnatural amount of sweating to go unnoticed and you will have an amazing time. I would recommend this area of The Wall for your visit, without a doubt. Easy to get to, well priced and in no way at all overcrowded. Exactly what I wanted and had hoped for. Visiting The Wall is on the majority of people’s bucket list, including mine, and I am delighted to say that has now been ticked off. Today was a day I will surely never forget!
Total Cost = 83CNY – €10.50/£9.30/$12.20
If you wish to read more about my time in China, including a visit to The Terracotta Warriors, click here.
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