Great Wall, Beijing

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Great Wall is about 5000 Km's long in China, in the north of Beijing, you can visit some parts of it, Ba Da Ling is the most popular one but very crowed even not in weekend, Si Ma Tai and Mu Tian Yu is also well protected.

I stayed in the Red Lantern hostel in Beijing and whilst I was there I met an American guy who was literally going to different parts of the Great Wall every day. He said the best part of it was the one with the dry bob sleigh ride at the bottom. I've been on one of these rides myself (http://youtube.com/watch?v=rVfojQqFMwY - sorry for the bad language!) and they are really really good fun. He also said that this part of the wall was his favourite too.

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We went with Alvin to the Juyong Guan section of the wall and were very pleased that we did. We chose to go there as we did not want to be crowded out by other tourists and we wanted to go to the Summer Palace the same day. A one and a half to two hour drive from central Beijing got us to the wall. There were other tourists (mainly Chinese) but it was not crowded and we did not see a single tout!! Climbing along the wall itself was strenuous – a steep ascent on irregularly spaced steps. Just as well we are relatively fit! For those of you who are not, this section of the wall may present a challenge. As for us, the views from the peaks made the climb rewarding.

Lonely Planet claims that this part of the wall has been so thoroughly renovated that you don’t feel like you are walking on part of history. Sorry…I challenge you have a look at the photos and see if you can tell the difference between this section of the wall and others. Cost of entry: Busy season 45 Yuan Off season 40 Yuan

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Located 10 kilometers south of the Badaling section of the Great Wall and built in an 18.5-kilometre-long valley, the pass has always been an important gateway northwest of Beijing. The slopes on both sides of this narrow pass are carpeted by a dense growth of foliage. It used to be one of the eight famous scenic spots in Beijing.

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Great Wall of China is said to be the last thing you'll see on earth in going to the space according to astronauts. So it's really one of the great wonders of the world. It was built over 2,000 years ago by the first emperor of China during the Qin Dynasty.
Visiting the site requires considerable leg power. But it's worth it. You'll wonder how this construction was made with bare hands only, considering that there were no machines during those early times. You could just imagine how many souls lost their lives during the construction of these walls. It really is a must see attraction in Beijing.

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Great Wall of China offers a convenient ride from the ticket booth below to the main attraction. You will pass through a tunnel on the way there. But be prepared to take a long hike at the top. Requires lots of energy. Don't forget to bring water.

The Great Wall is basically a gigantic staircase that snakes its way the side of valleys and hills. The steps are uneven and by the time you (if) get to the top you’ll certainly know about it as it is quite a physical climb. It was early august when we climbed the Great Wall, it was quite warm and humid and by the time I got to the “end” my tee shirt was soaked with sweat and filthy from holding on to the dirty rusting railing alongside on the way up and down. Bring a change of clothing or else don’t wear white or any bright clothes while your climbing.

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See the Great Wall in its unrestored glory.

This 10-km, 30-tower hike from Jinshanling to Simatai is not for the faint-hearted. My beer-bellied colleague tried it once but had to turn back and find his own ride back to Beijing. The view of the mountains and the crumbling Wall is really awe-inspiring. Best of all, there's no tourist traffic.

I recommend this hike to those who are fit and want to have an extraordinary Great Wall experience.

Call Simon in the number below. For 90 yuan, he'll have a minivan pick you up from your hotel at about 7am, bring you to Jinshanling and wait for you at the Simatai end. The hike is not guided so make sure you arrive in Simatai at the agreed time (4:30pm for me).