11,045Reviews73Q&A
Reviews
Traveller rating
- 6,962
- 3,024
- 867
- 112
- 80
Traveller type
Time of year
Language
More
Selected filters
- Filter
- English
Popular mentions
+1
I visited the Badaling section of The Great Wall of China during the winter season in December 2019 and it was my first-time visit to Beijing. The temperature was hovering from -4°C to -1°C when I arrived at the airport with 0.8 mm precipitation. I was privileged to get to Badaling in a private car which was driven by my colleague. We took the 6th Ring Road northwards and drove for 1 hour and 30 minutes until we reached the Chaxi roundabout where we parked the car and disembarked. Private cars are restricted from this point so the city government provided free shuttle buses to get visitors to the site. We boarded the next available bus and we were taken to the drop-off site at Guntiangou Parking Lot in about 10 minutes. It was already 12:50 pm so we decided to have a quick lunch at Kentucky Fried Chicken, which is about 650 meters walk from the drop-off site. It is highly recommended to stuff yourself since climbing at a high altitude requires a lot of energy. Dining here at lunchtime is a terrible idea as it is jam-packed with people from all walks of life so expect a little difficulty finding an available table quickly. The Badaling Great Wall is divided into 2 sections - the North and the South. The latter is shorter with only 7 watchtowers to pass through but it has an easier trail and its slopes require less energy to climb. It is highly recommended for first-time climbers especially those who have kids. Fewer visitors take this route, however, although it is more advantageous to those who would like to take photos and don't want to have a large crowd in the background. The North, on the other hand, is the more preferred section for most visitors as it is longer and has more breathtaking views, showcasing its picturesque backdrop of mountain ridges. There are 12 watchtowers to pass through but its slopes connecting them wind up and down and are more dangerous especially on a snowy day like this. My colleague and I chose the North Section because there were fewer people on it during that time. One important thing to note for foreign visitors is to always bring your passport with you as there are several checkpoints at the entrance gate. Climbing through the first 5 watchtowers seemed convenient as they are all downhill paths and most of them are not that steep but the last 4 watchtowers is high-risk and unsafe. A cableway is available to take visitors back more conveniently to the ground at the Great Wall Museum if they don't wish to carry on. Mao Zedong's legendary quote "he who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man” engraved in a stone stele can be found in the 8th watchtower, which motivates people to complete the expedition. Reaching the 12th watchtower is tough but going back to where you started is more challenging. With only a quarter of your energy left, it is less exhausting to just go with the pull of gravity but you need more effort in holding yourself up to anything to keep yourself from sliding down. There is a more convenient option to descend without going through all the watchtowers again from the 12th watchtower by following a trail going to the Bear Garden. Climbing the Great Wall of China during the winter is a horrible idea. If the weather is not a concern, one good reason to visit the place in a low season like this is that it's the cheapest time to go around. Not to mention that during these cold winter months, there are fewer tourists, thus, it's less crowded. Just make sure to gear up accordingly to battle the biting cold (You may want to visit my blog for the full story of my adventure to the Great Wall of China).…
Read more
Date of experience: December 2020
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
It was a little bit difficult to find the way how it works to go there, we had a hotel in Badaling but the owner did not really help us how to manage to visit the great wall, so we did everything by ourselve and we success. At first you need to take a bus who will drive you to the entrance of the great wall. You need to buy tickets, if you want to take the cable car, no need to go to the main ticket office, you can get your entrance tickets at the cable car station too. We went in September, it was great cause almost nobody were there, the Great Wall was almost only for us, then we went down by walk, it took between one and two hours, the view is amazing, the weather was perfect, we really enjoyed it. If you are in China, just go, and I think Badalin is the best place cause the cable car will really help you to go up. Just make sure to be there early, like in a lot of thing in China, cable car close at 4 or 4:30pm…
Read more
Date of experience: September 2020
1 Helpful vote
Helpful
+1
Amazing massive Great Wall with its upper roadway and watchtowers. It is awe inspiring to walk this roadway. I've visited many parts of this Great Wall, and keep returning, Not crowded on my November visit.
Read more
Date of experience: November 2020
41 Helpful votes1 Repost
Helpful
This wall is so fascinating! It's more taller and effective than Trump's wall! I would visit this place again, to compare this wall with Trump's wall.
Read more
Date of experience: April 2020
2 Helpful votes
Helpful
+1
Only an hour's drive northwest of Beijing, the Badaling section is convenient, hosts a large souvenir market, Thousands of tourists decide to venture here. Plenty of visitors rave about this section of the wall and say a visit is a must. It's a must visit place in Beijing.
Read more
Date of experience: July 2019
49 Helpful votes2 Reposts
Helpful
