Great Wall of China
A guide to the best sections of the Great Wall near Beijing — each requiring a dedicated half-day or full day. Sections are ordered from most accessible and family-friendly to most remote and adventurous. The Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, stretching over 21,000 km across northern China.
Trip Stops
- 1
The top recommendation for most visitors — beautifully restored with 22 densely packed watchtowers, lush forest covering 90% of the surroundings, and far fewer crowds than Badaling. Unique features: battlements on both inner and outer sides (most sections only have one), plus the only toboggan ride in the world on a Great Wall section for the descent. Fun fact: Mutianyu's wall is actually older than the famous Badaling section — the original fortification dates to the 6th century Northern Qi dynasty, pre-dating the better-known Ming Dynasty reconstruction.
📍 Huairou, Beijing, China
- 2
The most visited and iconic section of the Great Wall — the first to open to tourists in 1957 and the section where world leaders from Nixon to Thatcher to Gorbachev have walked. Fully restored, broad, well-equipped and easily reachable by high-speed train in under 30 minutes from central Beijing. Fun fact: Badaling has a daily visitor cap of 65,000 people — and on peak holidays still feels overwhelmingly crowded. It sits 1,015 metres above sea level at its highest point.
📍 Yanqing, Beijing, China
- 3
Known as the 'Photographer's Paradise' — 10.5 km of wall with 67 watchtowers, mixing partially restored and wild unrestored sections for dramatic contrast. Rated by many as the most visually stunning section near Beijing, with sweeping ridge views in all directions. Fun fact: the watchtowers here are uniquely diverse — round, square, flat-roofed, domed, two-storey and three-storey — because the construction was supervised by the legendary general Qi Jiguang, who experimented with different designs to maximise defensive effectiveness.
📍 Luanping, Hebei, China
- 4
Designated by UNESCO as the 'Original Great Wall' — the only section that retains its completely unaltered Ming Dynasty appearance. Famous for its knife-edge ridges, 39 watchtowers, and the spectacular night tour overlooking the illuminated Gubei Water Town below. Fun fact: the bricks here are individually stamped with the date they were made and the army unit that produced them — making Simatai the only section where you can read the 'signature' of the soldiers who built it 500 years ago.
📍 Miyun, Beijing, China
- 5
One of the most historically significant and least-touristy sections — never renovated and featuring a rare 'double-layered wall' where a second wall was built parallel to the first during a second construction phase. Two sub-sections: Wohushan ('Crouching Tiger Mountain') and Panlongshan ('Coiling Dragon Mountain'). Fun fact: Gubeikou has been the site of more battles than any other Great Wall pass — its strategic valley position made it the key gateway into Beijing from the north, fought over from the Liao dynasty through to the Japanese invasion of 1933.
📍 Miyun, Beijing, China
- 6
The only lakeside Great Wall section in the world — parts of the wall are partially submerged in Haoming Lake, creating a surreal 'Water Great Wall' effect. Surrounded by hills with over 100 ancient Ming Dynasty chestnut trees, including an 800-year-old 'King Tree'. Fun fact: Huanghuacheng was so painstakingly and expensively constructed that the supervising general, Lord Cai, was executed for mismanagement and waste of imperial resources — even though the section became one of the strongest on the entire Wall.
📍 Huairou, Beijing, China
- 7
The most dramatic and photogenic wild section of the Great Wall — built entirely from white dolomite rock on a near-vertical ridge, with its famous W-shaped 'Arrow Nock' formation visible from miles away. Strictly for experienced hikers only. Note: Jiankou is officially closed to independent visitors as of 2024 — guided tours with licensed operators are the only legal way to access it, and visiting is subject to periodic closure for conservation. Fun fact: Jiankou sits 1,141 metres above sea level on one of the steepest ridges in the entire Wall system — its landmark 'Sky Ladder' section is nearly vertical, and the 'Eagle Flies Facing Upward' stretch requires using your hands to climb.
📍 Huairou, Beijing, China
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