Famous Sections of Great Wall

Great Wall of China is not located only within one area, but the vast north China from east to west as a military defense system. With a length of 8,851.8 kilometers, it is a great challenge and takes an unbelievable long time to hike all parts of it. Beijing is the most popular destination to see Great Wall due to its history as capital, convenient location and transportation.

For the many sections, Great Wall at Badaling and Mutianyu Great Wall in Beijing are the most welcomed ones, followed by Juyongguan Pass, Jinshanling Great Wall in Beijing and Jiayuguan Pass in Gansu. Here, we pick up some famous sections of the Great Wall with information on their location, highlights and best time to visit for you to plan a Great Wall tour on your own time and interest.

Great Wall at Badaling – the best preserved and most popular section

As the No.1 of China tourism and top Beijing attraction, Great Wall At Badaling is located 60 kilometers northwest of Beijing and many leaders and celebrities in the world had been during their visit to Beijing. This section, the earliest one opening to public, belongs to the Ming (1368-1644) Dynasty Great Wall and has 16 beacon towers in the 3,741 meters long distance.
Recommended visiting time: 3 hours
Best time to visit: April, May, September and October
How to get there: take bus 919 or 877 at Deshengmen Bus Station (CNY12, 6:00-19:00)

Great Wall at Mutianyu – the most beautiful section

Great Wall at Mutianyu is considered to be the most beautiful section and the essence of Great Wall in China. It is situated in Huairou County of Beijing, about 73 kilometers north of Beijing downtown and needs 1.5 hours drive. The wall also belongs to Ming Great Wall and features for the dense beacon towers and beautiful surrounding. You won’t be disappointed whenever you come here.
Recommended visiting time: one day
Best time to visit: it has different beauty in different seasons, just go there as you like.
How to get there: take bus No. 916 at Dongzhimen and transfer to 936 at Huairou North Street stop, get off at Mutianyu Great Wall.

Juyongguan Pass – the north portal to Beijing

An important pass of the whole Great Wall, Juyongguan Pass is 53 kilometers north from Beijing, It is the north portal to Beijing and reputed as one of the four passes of the wall because of its strategic location. Don’t miss the splendid City Wall, endless crenel and beautiful stone carvings at here.
Recommended visiting time: three hours
Best time to visit: September and October
How to get there: take bus No. 345 at Deshengmen and transfer to 68 at Shahe stop or take bus No. 919 at Deshengmen and transfer to 68 at Nankou Dongjie stop, get off at Juyongguan stop.

Great Wall at Jinshanling – find the original feature of the wall

Great Wall at Jinshanling is 125 km northeast of Beijing and beloved by the hikers due to its strategic location among mountains and difficult to access. Many experts said this section of the wall is the essence of Ming Great Wall since it has not been reconstructed and keeps the original status. Be carful when climb the wall since many parts are ruined. Recommended visiting time: one day
Best time to visit: May to October
How to get there: take bus No. 974 or 942 outside Dongzhimen. You can buy the admission ticket of Jinshanling first, which include the round trip bus fare.

Shanhaiguan Great Wall – the east end of Great Wall

Reputed as the First Pass under Heaven, Shanhaiguan Great Wall in Qinhuangdao City is the eastern end of Great Wall and stretches into the sea. The folklore of Meng Jiangnu's Bitter Weeping well-known among Chinese people is originated from here when the wall was first built in Qin Dynasty (220BC-202BC). At here, Great Wall, sea and temple meet your desire for natural beauty and historical sites.
Recommended visiting time: four hours
Best time to visit: summer (July to August)

Jiayuguan Pass – the western end of Ming Great Wall

Located six kilometers south west of Jiayuguan City, Jiayuguan Pass is the western end of Ming Great Wall and an important pass along the ancient Silk Road, being the best preserved and the most spectacular ancient military castle. In the long history, the solemn Jiayuguan Pass witnessed the war and melting between central China and Western China.
Recommended visiting time: two hours
Best time to visit: May to October

Other sections of Great Wall

In addition to the sections we mentioned above, there are many other sections of the Great Wall located in over ten provinces and cities, including Qinghai, Gansu, Ningxia, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, and Liaoning. Following sections are also worth a visit.

Take a Tour to See Great Wall Now:
3 Days Dunhuang & Jiayuguan Tour
1 Day Great Wall at Badaling & Ming Tombs Tour
11 Days Nostalgic Tour: Chinese Kung Fu & Ancient Cities
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