The Great Wall of China in Mutianyu
Hike the Wild and Restored Wall at Mutianyu, Near Beijing, China
Apr 9, 2009
There are three main sections of the Great Wall located outside of Beijing that are open to tourists- Badaling, Jinshanling, and Mutianyu. Each of the three sections represents the restored areas of the wall which have been renovated for tourists and the wild wall for adventure travelers seeking hiking and nature trails. The Great Wall at Mutianyu offers the best of both worlds with sections that are both restored and wild.
Mutianyu Great Wall is Located North of Beijing
The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is located approximately 70 km northeast of Beijing, reachable by car in about an hour. This stunning section of the Great Wall, nestled amid craggy outcropping of mountains and forest, makes up the 2 km long northern defending border of Beijing and the nearby imperial Ming Tombs.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu was built in during the Ming Dynasty in 1368 to 1644 on the old remnants of the original wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty. Consisting mainly of granite, the wall reaches heights of approximately 8 m and has a varied path of smooth, slanting stones, and very steep steps towards the wild parts of the wall.
Take a Cable Car to the Top of the Great Wall
The wall is accessible from a newly built cable car which will take visitors up the steep forested mountainside, an older open-air chairlift, or a winding mountain path for hikers. To descend from the wall, visitors may hike down, return via cable car, or take a man-made toboggan ride down the mountain.
Toboggan Ride Down the Great Wall at Mutianyu
The toboggan ride is a must for the adventurous travel as it is unique to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. The German-built steel toboggan track winds its way down through the forest in a series of hairpin twists and turns. Passengers ride down the toboggan track on an individual seated car with a hand break control to adjust speeds accordingly.
Offering spectacular views of the surrounding countryside, this section of the wall features a dense congregation of watchtowers- over 22 in total. The main Mutianyu Pass consists of three watchtowers which are connected to one another and can be viewed from the outlying towers. The watchtowers offer a perfect vantage point to catch a glimpse of the unrestored wild wall which is closed to the public. Overgrown by the surrounding forest, the crumbling wild wall peeks out from among the trees, providing magnificent photo opportunities.
Experience a Less-crowded Section of the Great Wall: How to Get to The Great Wall
Mutianyu is a less-visited as it is further outside central Beijing than the Badaling section, which is the most popular section of the Great Wall. Unlike Badaling, the wall at Mutianyu does not feature Starbucks coffee or other major tourist traps. Instead, there is nary a coffee shop in sight and souvenirs are located in a small cluster of makeshift shops crowded around the entrance ticket booth.
Although it is a longer trip from Beijing, Mutianyu is still easily accessible by local bus or taxi hired through hotel reception. Taxi hire is a relatively inexpensive way to visit the Great Wall and the driver will remain in the waiting area of the parking lot for the return trip to Beijing.
Prices are accurate as of Sepetember 2008.
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