Many of the most popular sections of the Great Wall can easily be reached from Beijing. The various sections of the wall differ in a wide range of aspects.
If you choose to visit the Great Wall with a one-day excursion your choices will have to take into account practical considerations. Some sections can be reached by bus or train while for others it is advisable to resort to the support of travel agencies.
Great Wall of China
The second day in Beijing is dedicated to a visit to the Great Wall of China (万里长城, WanLiChangCheng). Depending on which section you choose to visit, different programmes are possible.
As it is recommended to visit the Great Wall by taking part in a guided tour, your choice will somewhat depend on the general programme offered.
Excursions to the Great Wall from Beijing
These are the main section that you can easily visit on a day-excursion from Beijing:
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BaDaLing (八达岭), the closest and most visited section of the Great Wall, located within the borders of Beijing Municipality. It was built during the Ming Dynasty Period. It features imposing, wide walls with large fortification works and watch towers. Winding up along the ridges of a rugged mountain landscape, it is a beautiful sight. While very impressive, it is not the best choice for those who seek to satisfy their fascination with ruins. Over-crowding is also a major drawback in this choice. Nearby the Great Wall Museum provides detailed information on the history, function and construction of the wall. BaDaLing can be reached by bus and train. A very convenient option is offered by a high-speed train service from Beijing North Station (北京北站, BeiJingBeiZhan) that takes around 35 minutes at a cost of 30 yuan. Another advantage for those with little mobility is the lack of steep paths and the presence of a cable car and other services;
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MuTianYu (慕田峪), a beautiful section of the Great Wall located in the Municipality of Beijing, first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty and rebuilt during the Ming Dynasty. The natural landscape of the area, dominated by forests, is very beautiful and the architecture of the section, which comprise numerous watchtowers in different configuration and style, is very elegant. Restoration works here have been more discreet and respectful of the material reality. This section offers a perfect balance between beauty of the context, authenticity of the architecture, easiness in reaching and visiting the site. A landmark not to be missed is the ZhengGuan Terrace (正关台, ZhengGuanTai), a rare defensive structure resulting from the combination of three watchtowers. From the point of access you can reach it by hiking or by chairlift and a fun toboggan track can be used for the descent. MuTianYu is popular but usually not too crowded. Independent travelling by bus is possible. A special bus line leaves from DongZhiMen Station, a main subway station in the centre of Beijing. The journey lasts less than 2 hours and costs 30 yuan;
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SiMaTai (司马台), a beautiful section where restoration works have been limited to consolidation. Consequently the wall here is often in a state of ruin, which makes the scenery particularly fascinating. The work is built through a dramatically changing terrain and features an interesting variety of configurations and technical solutions. Watchtowers exhibit different styles. The Simatai section is close to GuBei (古北水镇), a quaint ancient water town that be reached by bus from DongZhiMen Station in Beijing in around 2 hours at a price of 50 yuan.
There are many other sections but these are the most popular and most tour operators include them in their programmes.
Again, when making a choice you should consider the overall programme. In some cases visits to the Great Wall are coupled to other visits. Typical pairings are the following:
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1) BaDaLing and Ming Tombs;
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2) SiMaLian and GuBei water town.
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