Great Wall of China...Check!

We knew going into this trip that the Great Wall was going to be one of the highlights. There’s a reason it’s one of the 7 Wonders of the World. That’s why we rented a private driver for the day to make our experience that much better. He picked us up from our hostel early and drove us out to the Mutianyu section of the wall about 2 hours outside Beijing. There are many different sections of the wall outside of city to see, but after extensive research, we decided to go to Mutianyu and I’m so glad we did! It’s much less touristy than the closer Badaling & the more remote Simatai section was closed for renovations.

After a scenic drive, we arrived around 8:30AM and opted to hike up the stairs to the wall rather than taking the ski lift or cable car. We are young after all. Despite it being spring time and the flowers starting to bloom, it was brisk outside to put it lightly. We could see our breath as the gigantic, winding wall got closer. Once there, we just stood in awe at the thing. It seemed to wind on forever. I couldn’t help but wonder how such a massive, impressive structure was built among such difficult terrain thousands of years ago! Because we got an early start, there was hardly anyone there! We shared the first kilometers of the wall with a group of Chinese students on a field-trip.

We spent those first few hours hiking up and down the steep stone steps, walking through one ancient watchtower after another & just taking it all in. It was spectacular to see the wall as the builders intended it. This section had been rebuilt to restore it to its former glory & I’m glad we got to revel in that.

 About 2 hours into it, we realized that it had started to snow!!! We weren’t expecting that but it turned out to be really special. Hiking the wall in the snow is something not many people can say they’ve experienced and it was indeed mystical! It really started to come down as we approached this particularly steep section which made for a surreal ascend. We were completely comfortable despite the weather conditions because of the exercise. Some parts were very rigorous and difficult for us to complete.

At around 11AM, we reached the end of the remodeled wall and I realized we had really made some good time. We wanted to explore further so we decided to go on to the unrestored sections. Our driver had told us that we might not be allowed to go on because they monitor these dangerous sections and don’t let visitors through. Needless to say, I was really bummed. However, at this last watchtower, there was no security, so we simply walked on. We ended up going about 7 watchtowers and another hour further up to this really high, crumbling watchtower where we ate lunch in complete isolation. It was a special moment to share together.

I think I enjoyed these original sections better. Yes the hiking was much more difficult and dangerous, but it felt like a more authentic experience. Stone fragments, bushes and trees were growing on top of the ancient wall which really made it look & feel ancient. We had the entire place to ourselves so we spent a lot of time wandering around the crumbling towers and turrets.

After lunch, we started the long hike back and passed a bunch more people! All the tour buses had arrived in the late afternoon, and we were grateful to have had the place to ourselves for a few memorable hours. There are lots of ways to get back down to the city of Mutianyu from the wall, but one stood out. We heard about the toboggan ride beforehand, and it was a ‘When In Rome’ moment when we decided to slide down the Great Wall on a luge on a metal track. It was very fun and exhilarating to relax & cruise down the wall after 5½ hours hiking it.  Check out the video below!


Sliding Down the Great Wall of China