Great Wall of China (Travel)

The Great Wall of China snakes it way across northern China for thousands of miles and carries with it centuries of Chinese history and lore. It is a symbol of China’s historic detachment and sense of vulnerability – and today is one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions!

Visiting The Great Wall of China has long been on my Bucket List, as it has for many! More than 10 million people flock to The Great Wall of China annually.

The Great Wall of China was a much anticipated highlight of our 3 week trip to China. Easily accessible and about 1.5 hours bus ride from Beijing, we experienced the Badaling portion. It is as impressive as it says it is.

The Badaling section, which we visited, sees the most visitors each year. It once received 100,000 visitors in one day. (I’m glad that was not the day we visited!)

An imposing architectural wonder, The Great Wall of China is often considered one of the greatest man-made Wonders of the World. Interestingly, it is not a single wall. Rather it is a series of walls and collection of fortifications. Some sections run parallel to one another; others are circular, or are side walls. Some portions include natural barriers such as rivers and high mountains.

Measuring all the sections ever built, archaeologists and historians estimate that The Great Wall of China to be as long as 13, 170 miles, crossing 15 provinces over hills, deserts and plains.

The height and width of The Great Wall vary considerably as it snakes across the land, writhing like a giant dragon’s tail, defending China’s northern border. Heights measure from 15 feet to as high as 39 feet. Widths go up to 32 feet thick at its widest point. Dimensions at one point would have allowed 5 horses to gallop abreast or 10 soldiers to march shoulder to shoulder along the top of one section of the Great Wall.

Historians believe that The Great Wall of China dates back more than 2,000 years. Multiple dynasties and rulers contributed to its construction, beginning as early as 771 B.C. Most of the 5,500 mile stretch that remains today was built during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) with completion of The Great Wall at Badaling in 1505.

The Great Wall of China features many towers and passes due to its original purpose as a wartime defense. First proposed by Emperor Oin Shi Huang, the so-called “Long Wall” was created to defend Chinese states against nomadic tribes invading from the north. It was extended during the Han dynasty (202 B.C. and 220 A.D.) to protect trade along the Silk Road. The Ming Dynasty (A.D 1368-1644) not only extended The Great Wall, but repaired and reinforced its existing structures. Each dynasty added its own piece of history and lore to the ever-evolving Great Wall.

The Badaling section of The Great Wall is significant as the first section to be restored and open to tourists in 1957. Yet, despite its cultural and historic importance, The Great Wall of China was not listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO until 1987.

How was the Great Wall Created?

Experiencing The Great Wall of China always prompts the question: HOW was it created? No one can know for sure, but there is much conjecture with each dynasty and section offering bits to its Story. Archaeologists have determined that construction during the Ming dynasty used bricks (vs. stones) as seen mostly in the foundation and gateways. Primitive technology was used in the oldest sections of the Wall: i.e. wheel barrows, ropes, basket-and-pulley systems, along with oxen- or horse-drawn carts.

It has been estimated that the labor force of more than a million men – soldiers, commoners, and prisoners – completed much of the work. They, along with pack animals, were recruited over the centuries to build the wall. Hundreds of thousands of men probably died in the process of carrying heavy materials on their backs to the top of the ridge-lines. Speculation is that many were buried within the wall (but no proof as yet).

Getting to the Top

Something I did not anticipate ahead of time is that before one gets to the actual Great Wall, one has to ascend up a Great Hillside! Fortunately, at Badaling, they make it fairly effortless! One does not want to be worn out before one even gets to the Main Event! With the aid of an escalator and funicular to get up a steep hill, we arrived at the central elevated platform to start the climb on the actual wall.

This photo, getting onto the funicular for the return trip down, gives great perspective on how high the Great Wall was above the parking lot in the valley below!

Visiting The Great Wall

Consider the Time of Year, the Season: Our visit to China in early September was a mix of some rainy days and some hot, humid 90 degree days. Our visit to The Great Wall was perfect: not too hot, a bit overcast, and fortunately not rainy. Statistics shows the most popular times to visit are early May or October when one can expect massive crowds due to major local holidays. Fall is beautiful with comfortable, dry weather, and colorful foliage in the mountain trees. Open in the winter when one can expect less tourists, but also blankets of snow. Though beautiful, the walk is likely to be slippery and windy.

Consider the Time Spent on The Wall:

• Time: Determine how much time you have to spend; allow at least a couple of hours to get up and down as well as on the wall. Use the toilets before you enter; there are none on the actual wall. (Remember that most public toilets in China a non-western, meaning they are just a hole in the floor. And… bring your own toilet paper!)
• Distance: Determine the distance you plan to walk as you explore along the Wall. There are lots of inclines and stairs which not only take time, but energy.
• Elements: The Wall is open to the elements. Pay attention to the weather and dress accordingly. Solid walking/hiking shoes with good grips are a must for either dry or wet walking surfaces. (For sure NO FLIP FLOPS, even on a hot day!!!) Bring water for hydration.

Consider Transportation & Entrance Tickets: It is an easy Day Trip out of Beijing. Our entrance fees included transportation from Beijing, part of an Viking Tour to China Excursion Package. I’m not sure as to the actual cost of entrance. The tickets include The Great Wall Museum which we unfortunately did not have time to visit. There were a lot of tour buses in the parking lot so I imagine this is fairly typical. Even if you are not part of a larger China tour, to make the most of your time and experience, consider a tour for transportation to and admittance into the Great Wall. Most hotels are able to organize this for you.

Badaling is more than an entrance point for The Great Wall. The area at the base of the main entrance includes The Great Wall Museum as well as hotels, shops and places to dine. It is worth allowing a bit of extra time to explore and enjoy.

The Great Wall of China was a highlight of our trip to China. Injuring my knee prior to the trip was a hindrance to navigating all the steps we encountered everywhere in China, but not a deterrent! Nothing was going to stop me from experiencing this fabulous place! I was disappointed to missing The Great Wall Museum, but that is something I’ve learned to accept when traveling with a group; they cannot accommodate every need of everyone in the group. If you want to sure everything is seen/done on your wish list for any location, booking a small or private group is the way to go.

Sources

• All photos by Cher B, Skip B or Jeff H on-site, 05 Sept 2024.
• Personal Experience of Cher B and Skip B on-site at the Great Wall
• Information posted on-site at the Great Wall
• Viking local tour guide for China and The Great Wall
• DK Travel Guide: China ed. 2012

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