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Goodness, Gracious, Great Wall of China!

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This is a continuation of my Japan/China trip report. See also Back from China and Japan Trip! 5 Takeaways, Worth it: JAL Premium Economy Award Seats, Better Than Expected: AA Premium Economy Shanghai PVG to DFW, Hits and Misses from our day at Tokyo DisneySea, Take this Line and Shove It (Literally): Shanghai Disneyland Hits and Misses, Dormy Inn Shibuya Jingumae Hot Spring in Tokyo, Highlights of our Tokyo Shenanigans, Surprise Upgrade at Hyatt Regency Tokyo Bay, Our Machiya Rental in Kyoto, The Deer Really Do Bow! Day Trip to Nara, Japan, Highlights of our time in Kyoto, Japaan, Was Universal Studios Japan Worth the Time and Money?, Two Nights on Miyajama Island, Highlights from Our Whirlwind Day in Osaka, Japan, Beijing, China: Airport Confusion, No Photos, and We Don’t Speak Russian, Grand Hyatt Beijing Review, Goodness Gracious Great Wall of China (this post)

My favorite part of our 6-day China trip was visiting the Great Wall of China. It was epic!

Booking the Tour/Arrival

From Beijing, there are three popular sections (and several less popular sections) of the Great Wall of China that you can visit. I decided to book a tour to the Mutianyu section through Klook (affiliate link). Specifically, I booked Mutianyu Great Wall Day Tour by Bus with Options tour. I picked this tour because the tour company, MUBUS, has its own visitors center and buffet lunch at the Great Wall village. Our tickets were $25 each, including the buffet lunch.

My daughter and I took a Didi (Uber) to the meet-up point, and then boarded a bus to Mutianyu. The bus ride to the Great Wall was around 90 minutes each way. Our English-speaking tour guide relayed some history and interesting facts along the way (while also giving us some uninterrupted time to snooze). She explained our cable car/chairlift options and booked our choices during the 90-minute bus ride (we paid via Alipay app).

The village area at the base of the mountains is vey pretty!

A landscaped garden with a large, decorative flower arrangement in the center, featuring a wavy, arch-like structure made of greenery and flowers. The garden is surrounded by a paved area, with trees and hills in the background under a clear blue sky.
Topiary at Mutianyu Great Wall village

We took a group photo near the entrance:

A group of people is posing for a photo in front of a building with Chinese characters on it. They are standing behind a red sign that reads "I ❤️ 中国 I ❤️ 长城" with "Mutianyu Great Wall" written below. The sky is clear and blue.

As a group, we walked to the MUBUS visitors center. The guides explained the process to get where we needed to go based on our tour preferences. Then, we had about 5-6 hours on our own.

The image shows a building with signs in both English and Chinese. The signs indicate it is a service center for "Mubus," offering a return bus service from Beijing to the Mutianyu Great Wall. The building has a modern design with a combination of wood and stone elements. There are large windows and a vending machine visible near the entrance. The sky is clear and blue, and there are trees on the left side of the image.
MUBUS building

Next, we boarded a public shuttle bus to the cable car/chairlifts:

The image shows the side of a bus with the text "MUTIANYU GREAT WALL" and Chinese characters written on it. A person wearing a hat and a checkered shirt is entering the bus. The reflection of people and surroundings can be seen on the bus's surface.

We had to show our passports 4 times during our visit to the Great Wall of China.

Touring the Great Wall of China

The Mutianyu section has 23 watch towers:

This image is a map of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. It includes various labeled points of interest such as the North Arch Gate, Zhengguan Pass, the Grand Turret, and different sections of the wall like the Outer and Inner Branch Walls. The map also shows facilities like the Upper and Lower Cable Car Stations, North and South Ticket Entrances, a restaurant, a museum, and a speed slideway. There are images of the wall and facilities, along with contact numbers and a legend indicating different routes and services.

Most people take one of two routes:

  • West Route: Enclosed cable car to Tower 14 and walk to Tower 20+, return on enclosed cable car. The walk from 14 to 20 is very steep.
  • East Route: Open chairlift to Tower 6 and walk to Tower 1 and back, with return on open chairlift or via toboggan slide.

These two routes are the most common because you can buy a round-trip ticket for either route (which are run by different companies). However, based on my online research, my daughter and I decided to do the Central Route, which involved buying a one-way ticket on the enclosed cable car to Tower 14, walking mostly downhill to Tower 6, and riding the toboggan back down the mountain. This route costs a little more money because we had to buy two one-way ride tickets. However, I’m so glad we took this route because it was less crowded than the alternatives.

Boarding the cable car:

The image shows a cable car station with two gondolas labeled "Mutianyu Great Wall." The gondolas are orange and black, with transparent windows, and are numbered 13 and 22. The station has a green floor with yellow text indicating a "Pick-up area." A red rope barrier is visible near the gondolas. The brand "Doppelmayr" is displayed on a sign above.

The views were spectacular!

The image shows a series of cable cars traveling over a lush, green forested hillside. In the background, a section of a historic stone wall is visible, likely part of the Great Wall of China. The sky is clear and blue, providing a bright backdrop to the scene.

And finally, we were at the top of the Great Wall of China! I felt giddy. I couldn’t believe I was actually there!

The image shows a section of the Great Wall of China winding over lush green hills under a clear blue sky. The stone wall features battlements and a pathway, with trees and vegetation surrounding the area.

A person is standing on a section of the Great Wall of China, surrounded by mountainous scenery under a clear blue sky. The wall is made of stone bricks, and there are a few other people visible in the distance.

A person is walking up a stone staircase on the Great Wall of China. The wall stretches into the distance, surrounded by lush green mountains under a clear blue sky. The person is wearing sunglasses, a gray shirt, and shorts, and is holding a water bottle.

From Tower 14, we headed East and began the walk to Tower 6. We looked forward to the towers because they provided some shade. It was hot! (in the 90s).

A view of the Great Wall of China, showing a long stretch of stone steps and walls extending into the distance. Several people are walking along the wall, surrounded by lush green hills and forests. The sky is clear, and the scene is brightly lit by sunlight.

View from inside the next tower:

A view through a brick archway shows a lush, green mountainous landscape under a clear blue sky. In the distance, a cable car is visible, suspended on wires above the hills.

Cats like the Great Wall of China, too. We saw several.

A tabby cat is lying on a stone surface in the shade, next to a brick wall with a small arched window. Through the window, green foliage is visible in the background.

We had to be careful while walking because the steps were narrow and missing pieces. Workers were fixing/restoring some sections:

Two workers are repairing a section of the Great Wall of China. One is standing on the wall, applying mortar to the bricks, while the other is standing on the walkway, also working on the wall. They are surrounded by tools and materials, including buckets and brushes. The background features a scenic view of green mountains under a clear blue sky.

So many stairs!

A person is standing on a stone staircase of the Great Wall of China, taking a selfie with a smartphone. The sky is clear and blue, and the person is wearing casual clothing with a jacket tied around their waist. The stone walls of the Great Wall are visible on either side.

We saw some cannons:

A section of the Great Wall of China with a cannon placed on a stone platform. The wall is made of gray bricks, and there is a gap between two sections of the wall. In the background, green hills are visible under a clear blue sky.

About halfway to Tower 6, we heard music and went down some stairs to discover a little snack shop. We treated ourselves to some ice cream bars:

a person holding a chocolate covered popsicle

I tried to just soak it all in because I knew our time there would just fly by.

A section of the Great Wall of China under a clear blue sky. The stone pathway is flanked by brick walls, with two people walking along it. Lush green hills and distant mountains are visible in the background.

A person with a backpack is walking down a stone pathway on the Great Wall of China. The wall stretches into the distance, surrounded by lush green mountains under a clear blue sky.

Riding the Toboggan Down

My daughter and I were a bit nervous to ride the toboggan down the mountain. The maximum age to ride the toboggan is 60, so I wondered if it was a really wild ride.

There was no line for the toboggan when we arrived. Our tour guide warned us that the line can be quite long in the later afternoon. The starting line had an employee who timed our departures with flags. We could control our speed by pulling back on a lever.

Toboggan ride at Mutianyu Great Wall of China
Toboggan ride at Mutianyu Great Wall of China

Once we got rolling, my daughter and I both had a blast! It was so fun!

A person is riding a toboggan down a metal slide at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. The slide is surrounded by a safety fence, and lush green trees are visible in the background. The Great Wall can be seen at the top of the hill. The image has text indicating the location and date.
My daughter on the toboggan

After we got to the bottom, we boarded the public shuttle bus to take us back to the village area.

Lunch and Shopping at the Village

If you don’t like Chinese food, the village has a Subway and a Burger King:

The image shows the entrance to a building with multiple signs. At the top, there is a sign for "Great Wall Supermarket." Below it, there is a pink sign with Chinese characters and the word "ICE CREAM." Another sign below reads "SUBWAY" with additional Chinese characters. A police car is parked in the foreground on the right, and a few people are visible near the entrance. There are trees and a power line in the background.

The image shows the exterior of a Burger King restaurant. The building is made of gray bricks and features the Burger King logo prominently on the wall. Below the logo, the phrase "Home of the Whopper" is visible. There are maroon umbrellas with the Burger King logo providing shade for outdoor seating. The sky is clear and blue, and there are some trees in the background.

We headed to the MUBUS building for the buffet lunch. I had low expectations, but was pleasantly surprised with the vast array of food choices. The food was delicious!

The image shows a buffet setup in a restaurant. There is a long table with various dishes in black pots and stainless steel chafing dishes. Each dish has a label in front of it. The table is decorated with flowers and other decorative items. In the background, there are large windows and a person walking near a drinks refrigerator. The setting appears to be well-lit and spacious.

After lunch, we had some time to shop. There were many shops and stands that all had basically the same merchandise and required haggling.

A person is standing on a paved street lined with trees. Above, colorful umbrellas are suspended, creating a decorative canopy. The street is in a sunny area with buildings and shops in the background. The person is wearing a light-colored t-shirt, denim shorts, and white sneakers, with a jacket tied around their waist.

These BJ (for Beijing) t-shirts were very popular, and we saw many Chinese tourists wearing them. I don’t feel like it translates well for Americans though.

A black T-shirt is hanging on display. It features the text "I ❤️ BJ" in large white letters with a red heart symbol. The shirt is part of a market or store setting, with other items visible in the background.

There is no chasing allowed 😂:

The image shows a sign with a red circle and a diagonal line crossing out two stick figures running, indicating no chasing is allowed. Below the symbol, there is text in both Chinese and English that reads "Prohibit chasing." The sign is mounted on a dark surface.

We had two departure time choices from MUBUS, and we took the earlier bus back to Beijing. We were wiped out!

I am still in awe that we were able to walk on the Great Wall of China. We lucked out with beautiful weather. Walking on the wall is a bit taxing due to all the stairs and hills, so I’m glad I made it there while I’m still young-ish.

Next up: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven

 

Author: Nancy

Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.

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