The Great Wall of China is such an iconic attraction, and must be on every individual’s travel bucket list. Because the Great Wall runs for thousands of kilometres through mountains, deserts, grasslands and nice provinces, it is almost impossible for tourists to explore it in its entirety. This guide therefore aims to help tourists make the best of their visit to the gigantic Great Wall of China.
Because of its length, the Great Wall is divided into numerous sections; with the most popular sections being around north and east Beijing.
Juyongguan Great Wall is the closest section to Beijing, which makes it ideal for those who do not have much time to spend at the attraction. It is also handicap friendly and happens to be one of the Great Wall’s three greatest mountain passes. .
Badaling Great Wall is probably the most famous section of the wall. It is close to Beijing and has been well restored, thus making it the most popular section among groups of tourists, and hence the most crowded. .
The Mutianyu Great Wall section is ideal for day trips. After Badaling, this is also the second most redeveloped section. It is surrounded by greenery and is less congested; offering a fantastic experience. .
The Simatai Great Wall is known for its architecture. Although it has had less renovation in comparison to some of the sections mentioned above, and has some ruins, it is well preserved. The section also has less challenging areas as well as those that are more challenging. It is said to be the best section of the attraction. .
The Gubeikou Great Wall section offers visitors a look at the wild and original section of the Great Wall of China, while the Jinshanling Great Wall is un-restored and wild, and beautiful. This means that it attracts more foreign tourists and fewer hawkers. . The most dangerous section of the Great Wall of China is the Jiankou section. Visitors are responsible for their own safety when hiking this steep and broken section.
Although the Huanghuacheng Great Wall section offers picturesque views of the lake, the wall and the surroundings, and smaller crowds, it is more challenging that some other sections. .
Hikers can thus choose to explore the section that appeals to them the most. While families tend to stick to the less challenging sections, visitors looking to truly appreciate the Great Wall and its surroundings tend to pick the sections that have had fewer renovations carried out and are thus more rugged and challenging.
While the attraction is open to visitors all year round, early summer, spring and autumn are the best times to visit. Those visiting during the summer months will have to be prepared for the scorching heat, which will make a visit extremely tiring. It is also best for visitors to be prepared for rain, as summer is also when it rains. Winter brings with it extremely hard conditions to hike. Heavy snow and ice will make it impossible for visitors to explore the Great Wall. .
