About Great Wall at Mutianyu & Simatai/ Jinshanling

Well, you’re here in Beijing; the capital of China and city filled with great history and attractions. Of course, you’ll want to visit the most famous Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind that China has to offer: The Great Wall. This notice is to provide some knowledge on visiting this fantastic site. So sit back, grab a Tsingdao, and read on.

Since you’ve probably been asking around about the Great Wall, you’ll probably know that there is a selection of different locations to visit. Though there are currently 4 locations of the Great Wall that tourists may visit, we recommend 2 sites over the others for various reasons. Those sites are Mutianyu and Simatai. We do not recommend the ever-so-famous Badaling site, for it is crowded beyond belief (especially in peak seasons) and many of our guests have come back complaining about the hassle that they received from various merchants.

Mutianyu and Simatai are our two top recommended sites. Mutianyu is recommended for visitors looking for a casual way to experience the Great Wall. While on the other hand, Simatai is best reserved for those who are more adventurous and daring, for it is much less maintained, less crowded, and also much further away.

Mutianyu

This location is comprised of over 2km of well preserved wall. Mutianyu’s construction was began around 550 A.D. It is connected with the Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou Gateway in the east, and was built along steep ridges and deep valleys. Evidence and history also shows that it was also a military strategic point for Beijing during the 1400’s. Mutianyu is renowned for it’s unique fortifications; a sign of it’s military importance.

Even without it’s interesting history, Mutianyu offers it’s own benefits. It is the most well managed part of the Great Wall. The scenery is also incredibly beautiful with surrounding mountains densely covered with plants and ancient trees. It is especially beautiful in the Autumn season when the trees burst into colour with vibrant shades. As mentioned before, this section is also better preserved than Simatai, offering more safety to our guests. The route to Mutianyu also cuts through some very beautiful locations, so while on the 2.5 hour long bus ride to the site, you may see some of Beijing’s beautiful countryside. If you are visiting the Great Wall, Mutianyu is very convenient for time.

To visit Mutianyu, you can ask the reception. Our price is 200rmb for round-trip transportation including the entrance fee to the Wall itself.

Simatai & Jinshanling

Around 3.5 – 4 hours drive from Beijing in northeastern Miyun County, Simatai is renowned for its incredible topography. “Built in the Ming Dynasty general Qi Ji Guang, it is one of the few stretches of the Wall that still preserve the original construction features of that period. It not only incorporates differing characteristics from other Wall sections, but also displays some features not found elsewhere. To the west 20 watchtowers look out over gently sloping hills. To the east are 15 watchtowers atop peaks up to 1,000 meters high. The views are unparalleled.”

This section of the Great Wall is most recommended for the more daring and adventure-seeking travellers. The wall is minimally maintained at this location and there are parts of the wall that have collapsed completely, and travellers may have to walk around. We encourage our guests to take care while visiting the less maintained locations of the Great Wall, for the terrain is very physically demanding, and the stairs may be hazardous.

Generally we difinitely recommend Great Wall at Mutianyu!

Great Wall at Mutianyu