Skip to content »
Skip to second navigation »

May

01

2012

Jun

30

2012


Climb and Conquer the World's Longest Man Made Structure, The Great Wall of China

Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief

Country: China

The Experience

The Great Wall of China spans an impressive 6,400km, and is not only the largest structure built by man in terms of surface but also in terms of mass. Beginning in the east from Shanhaiguan to Lop Nur in the West, this massive defense system cuts the southern edge of Inner Mongolia with stories of dynasties from long ago. It has been speculated that in order to build the Great Wall it took over 2 to 3 million Chinese people over the course of several centuries. Earlier parts of the Great Wall date back to 200BC, and the final sections being added during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) which spanned just over 200 years. For the most part little remains of the most revered sections of the Great Wall, which were built between 200BC – 220BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Haung, so to catch the last glimpses of these sections be sure to put this on your list of priority destinations.

Photos

Map

Puzzle

When to Go to Great Wall China

The best time to visit the Great Wall of China is May, followed by the rest of the summer season, June through August. May will leave you at ease to explore the Great Wall without the crowding of other more tactless tourists, and mounds of wild flowers are just coming into bloom. You are only mildly at risk of spring rains, but it’s well worth the risk for the payoff of a tranquil and serene experience. If you aren’t adverse to a little bit of a briskness in your weather, September and October are also good times to visit for a not so typical experience of the Great Wall.

Odds n' Ends

Popular sites to visit, include Badaling, also known as the “North Pass”. This section is approximately 2 hours away from Beijing and is one of the easier sections to climb, for these reasons and the fact that it has been heavily restored by the present Chinese government, makes this site very popular with tourists. This portion of the Great Wall is 25.6 ft high and 16.4 ft wide. Mutianyu is located in Huairou County about 45 miles from Beijing and approximately three hours from Beijing. This added distance allows for some filtration of the tourist masses. The appeal of this section is the remarkable incline. Simatai section is approximately 75 miles from Beijing, in Gubeikou Town, northeast of Miyun. The appeal of this particular part of the Wall is the way the it clings to the mountain due to such a steep incline. It’s appearance is that of the original Ming Dynasty, and remains very much beautifully in tact.

Want a Guide?

Essential China - GAP Adventures

More Experiences Nearby

Toboggan the Great Wall of China
The toboggans are lined up and released in groups of four or five. The road ahead is a smooth metallic ride of twists and turns with occasional straights for momentum gaining speed. The air is crisp, the view is hilly and like any downward ride, the end comes about way too quickly and you just want to go back up and go again. The difference is, there is no snow capped peaks or even ski resort landscape, in fact the location is China and I am tobogganing down the Great Wall. Well not literally, but close enough. The Mutianyu Great ...30 miles away.

Video

Video Wall

You are now being transfered to our Video Wall

Books and DVDs

China Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
Welcome to China: vast, ambitious, proud, and transforming like never before. Speed down alleyways on your Beijing bicycle, slurp steaming noodles in the shadow of a Shanghai skyscraper and wake up spellbound to the desertscapes on Xinjiang. Whether you seek the Terracotta Warriors of ancient Xi'an or a few moments with the pandas of Chengdu, this bestselling guidebook will take you through the heart of China.
The Great Wall: China Against the World, 1000 BC - AD 2000 (Paperback)
The Modern Marvels: The Great Wall of China (2005)
The Great Wall of China (Modern Classics) (Paperback)

Elsewhere on the Web

Great Wall of China - Wikipedia.org
"The long wall of 10,000 Li".
360 degree virtual tour of the Great Wall of China.
Great Wall of China - New 7 Wonders.com
The Great Wall of China was built to link existing fortifications into a united defense system and better keep invading Mongol tribes out of China.
Travel Report China - Voyages.gc.ca
WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Media References

Saving the Great Wall From Being Loved to Death - NY Times.com (newspaper)
THE Great Wall of China was up there, above the treetops, hidden from view as our small group followed our guide, Yan Xinqiang, up a narrow, rutted trail toward a remote section of the wall known as Jiankou.
The Great Wall Of China? What a Scream. - NY Times.com (newspaper)
OUR last family outing to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, 50 miles north of Beijing, was a fairly typical China experience. We walked for a couple of hours on the path atop the wall, adults taking in the history, children running, trudging and grumbling up the endless steps, playing hide-and-seek in the occasional guard tower.
Photo Gallery: China - National Geographic.com (magazine)
unlight brightens the flanks of China's Great Wall—one of the most ambitious construction projects in human history. The wall was a barrier between China and "barbarian" lands.
Great Wall of China Overrun, Damaged, Disneyfied - National Geographic.com (magazine)
Archaeologists last week announced the discovery of a new section of the Great Wall of China near the Mongolian border—the northernmost segment ever found.

Language Guides

Mandarin , Portugese , Russian , Vietnamese are some of the languages spoken in China. If you know of a freely available phrase book or podcast for one of the missing languages, let us know!

Discussion

Experienced this and have something to share? Experienced something like this somewhere else? Looking for advise or travel companions? Use this space to leave your mark. Our writers and editors are more than happy to help answer your questions.

People with experience


People who wish to experience


Recent Tweets

Listed below are the most recent comments made on Twitter for "great wall china":