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Toboggan the Great Wall of China
Published by Susan Furber, Writer
Country: China 
The Experience
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 Wall crosses the mountain ridges connecting Juyongguan Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east. It is located in the Huairou County northeast of the Beijing urban area.
Mutianyu is a section of the Great Wall of China which is situated 70km northeast of Beijing. First built in the mid 6th century, it is one of the oldest sections of the wall. In 1569 , the Mutianyu Great wall was rebuilt and today most parts of it are well preserved. The wall is built mainly with granite and is 7-8 metres high and 4-5 metres wide. This part of the wall has 22 watchtowers along the 2,250 metre long stretch.
Both the outer and inner parapets are crenelated with merlons, so that shots could be fired at the enemy on both sides - a feature very rare on other parts of the Great Wall.
From the car park, a short walk past the enthusiastic store holders takes you to the base of this section of the wall. There are some choices to reach the wall. The cable cars are very scenic, but don’t take this option if you are afraid of heights. Hikers choose to ascend up the many stairs. Your cable car ticket will take you back down again after you have explored the views and marveled at the architecture of this structure, or on the same ticket, you can literally, hop on a toboggan and slide down the Great Wall of China.
The Mutianyu Great Wall crosses the mountain ridges connecting Juyongguan Pass to the west and Gubeikou to the east. It is located in the Huairou County northeast of the Beijing urban area.
Mutianyu is a section of the Great Wall of China which is situated 70km northeast of Beijing. First built in the mid 6th century, it is one of the oldest sections of the wall. In 1569 , the Mutianyu Great wall was rebuilt and today most parts of it are well preserved. The wall is built mainly with granite and is 7-8 metres high and 4-5 metres wide. This part of the wall has 22 watchtowers along the 2,250 metre long stretch.
Both the outer and inner parapets are crenelated with merlons, so that shots could be fired at the enemy on both sides - a feature very rare on other parts of the Great Wall.
From the car park, a short walk past the enthusiastic store holders takes you to the base of this section of the wall. There are some choices to reach the wall. The cable cars are very scenic, but don’t take this option if you are afraid of heights. Hikers choose to ascend up the many stairs. Your cable car ticket will take you back down again after you have explored the views and marveled at the architecture of this structure, or on the same ticket, you can literally, hop on a toboggan and slide down the Great Wall of China.
When to Go to Toboggan Great Wall
For the best weather, visit Beijing in September or October when warm, dry, sunny days with clear skies and pleasantly cool evenings are the norm. The second best time is spring, late March to mid-May, when winds blow away the pollution but also sometimes bring clouds of scouring sand for a day or two, turning the sky a livid yellow.
The number of foreign visitors is high during summer, but the Chinese themselves mostly wait until the weather cools before travelling.
The number of foreign visitors is high during summer, but the Chinese themselves mostly wait until the weather cools before travelling.
Odds n' Ends
An entrance ticket for the Wall will set you back 40 Chinese yuan for an adult, and 20 Chinese yuan for a child. At time of writing, 40 Chinese yuan is about 6 dollars US. The cable car costs 50 Chinese yuan for a round trip or just 35 Chinese yuan for a one way fare. A toboggan ride by itself is 40 Chinese yuan but the real deal is when you buy the chairlift-toboggan return ticket for 10 Chinese yuan more.
The site is open from 8 am – 4 pm daily.
The site is open from 8 am – 4 pm daily.
Want a Guide?
- Intrepid Travel
- A great tour company, with small groups, local guides and offering excellent real life travel experiences. Includes discounts off late bookings and special offers.
Recommended Places to Stay
- Golden Palace Silver Street
- A 3* hotel in a good central location in the Wangfujing area. Mixed reviews on Trip Adviser, but my experience was good, clean and comfortable accommodation.
Additional Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
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