Beijing

Travelers' Takes

Great Wall at Ba Da Ling

More Photos
Kathryn
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
6
Reviews
22
Photos
Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-5 of 6
Editor Pick

A Magnificant man Made Structure

  • October 13, 2025
  • Rated 5 of 5 by garymarsh6 from Gravesend, United Kingdom

The Great Wall of China.

The Great Wall of China is one of the most wonderful sights you are likely to see on your trip to china. It is a magnificent structure that apparently can be seen from outer space although there is some debate whether this is true. It stretches for over 5000 miles across the whole of china from the desserts in the West right to the sea in the East over mountains. Building of the great wall started approximately 476 years BC and was finally completed during the Ming Dynasty in about 1644.

The wall was originally built to try and stop the Northern nomadic tribes from invading China and they just kept building and building the wall. The wall was built by local people soldiers and criminals. Many lost their lives during the construction of the wall but there has never been an accurate account of exactly how many died.
There are a variety of landscapes the wall is built on including the mountainous region about 40-50 miles north of Beijing. It’s absolutely amazing to think that these people moved all these stones rocks and boulders to make this great wall on the top of the mountains. Many parts of the wall are unsafe and in a state of disrepair due to wear and tear caused by weather and also local people stealing the stones to build their own houses.

The part of the wall we visited is one of the most visited parts of the Great Wall at Badaling which is only about 45 miles from Beijing. Here the wall has been repaired and you are able to walk up either side. There is a small charge of about 45 Yuan which is just under a pound. We were advised once we got to the wall to turn right because that is the easiest route. Mind you it seemed like the whole of China was there as well and all were told to take the right hand side. There were hundreds of school kids all looking at those funny white westerners wondering where we came from some brave little chaps said Hello but that was about all they could muster,
There were groups of men and women whether they were out on days out from their works I don’t know then there were tourists from all over the world Italians, French, German, Japanese, Americans, Australians and New Zealand.

The wall is quite wide and apparently it had to be wide enough so that rows of horses five abreast could walk along the wall where ever they were needed fast. As the wall is on the top of the mountains you can imagine that the steps were of differing heights some short steps some long some tall some short. It really is quite wearing on the legs. I laughed and asked is this really the easiest route? Along the wall are small look out posts where soldiers would be stationed looking out towards the north in case of invasion. The system they used to alert invasions were smoke signals a small puff of smoke used to go up and one bang on the drum to indicate 100 invaders, 2 bangs of the drum which meant there were about 500 invaders and 3 bangs would mean there were about a thousand. This was relayed along the wall between watch towers so that the army could be mobilised as quickly as possible. They were particularly worried about invasion by the Mongols who were particularly fierce warriors.

Reaching the peak of the first watch tower we looked down into the valley below. The watchtower gave commanding views for miles around. Ahead we could see another watch tower they are obvious for as far as the eye can see. We made it to the fourth watch tower before having to return to the meeting point. The wall just goes on and on and on higher and higher into the mountains and down into the valleys as far as the eye can see. It really is a remarkable sight.

Thinking that it would be a doddle going down let me stress right here and now it certainly isn’t. It really plays on your calves and you certainly know you have walked the Great Wall. On our way down it started to rain and this made the path very slippery and we saw several people take a tumble so be aware of this. There were paintings for sale near to the entrance of the wall which were very cheap and at one of the look out posts there were some stalls set up to sell trinkets and a camel you could pose with and have your picture taken with the views of the great wall in the background. At the bottom of the wall there are some cannon guns that had been used on the wall in the past from the 1800’s and apparently they still worked but were just there for show.

Reaching the meeting point down below in the square we then walked to the coach park we passed lots of little shops selling souvenirs and nick naks from small items to massive jade sculptures. All shops expect you to haggle over the prices. There are restaurants and cafés here too selling all kinds of foods.

If you are not feeling up to walking there is a cable car ride that you can take to the summit of the Great Wall at Badaling and there is also some kind of slide adventure thing you can take down a little bit like a toboggan run which looked fun. It is very commercialised here and by driving a few more miles further you can reach parts of the wall and it is practically deserted no other tourists or sight seers for miles around. Sadly in places the wall is but a ruin and can be very dangerous to walk on great care needs to be taken when walking on the wall.

If you ever go to China the great wall is a definite attraction to see and experience.

From journal Highlights of China

Editor Pick

The Chinese Great Wall at Badaling

  • February 29, 2025
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SeenThat from Tel Aviv, Israel

A dream of years, my visit to the Great Wall posed a huge obstacle: Is it possible to take a clean photograph of the colossus? Would millions of visitors step aside while I laboriously aim my camera? I had no illusions.

As explained elsewhere, the visit to the Wall became a literally turning point during my first visit to the Middle Kingdom. Having spent most of my life in warm climates, I pay little attention to temperatures. Yet, in Badaling, I stood atop the colossus with a fierce wind – almost a hurricane in my private definition - and suffered temperatures of -10°C during a cold January. I was forced to recognize the existence of really cold weather; but I was rewarded with clear sights – no other humans were nearby.

As with everything else in life, and especially in China, the important "T" while visiting Badaling is the "T" of "Timing."

Badaling

Badaling is known also as the Juyongguan Pass r the North Pass; it was the last defense before Imperial Beijing. The section is made of stone and bricks from the nearby hills; it is 7.8 meters high and six meters wide. Originally it could hold five horsemen riding abreast.

Location

Being a spot close to Beijing – abut seventy kilometers from it - Badaling is the best maintained and restored part of the wall, but also the most visited one.

Getting there

The best way to arrive there independently is taking the metro till Jishuitan Station and from there to continue by bus. The bus station is not exactly at the exit from the metro, since there are several bus stations there, each serving a bus or two. Bus 91 is the last one from the metro exit, of course. The price is 10Y and the bus leaves only when full; the way takes about one hour.

Practicalities

The entrance costs forty Yuan. Before the entrance there is a cluster of souvenirs’ shops and restaurants. Souvenirs – including Wall pictures carved on stone - are sold along the wall as well.

Length

About 6700 kilometers are spanned by the Wall from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. Most of the ancient walls have eroded away over the centuries, and very few sections remain today.

Rationale

Traditionally, people in East Asia migrated from north to south. New Chinese Dynasties emerged from the north; eventually, Han Chinese people pushed all other ethnic groups southwards – for example as it happened with the Thais and Dais. Thus, every new dynasty considered repairing and improving the Wall a vital priority.

Restoration

The Badaling section of the wall was restored in 1957 with the addition of guard rails. It runs for several kilometers after which are the un-restored sections, but the restoration took place for as long as the eye can see, thus the traveler has the illusion of seeing the wall at its full splendor.

Watchtowers

Communication between the army units along the length of the Great Wall was done through signal towers placed upon hills; several of those can be seen near Badaling.

History

The Great Wall of China is called Chángchéng in Mandarin – literally meaning the "Long Wall." This fortification was constructed several times between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the Chinese Empire northern border from the Mongols, the Jurchen and the Xiongnu.

Most of the current wall was built during the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century. During certain periods in history, more than a million soldiers stop atop it and guarded China, while the number of men that died during its construction is estimated to be up to three million.

A New Type of Troy

Around 1600AC, the Manchu invasions began, but the Ming army held off the Manchus at the heavily fortified Shanhaiguan Pass for many years.

However, the Manchus crossed the Great Wall in 1644, when the Shanhaiguan Gates opened by Wu Sangui, a Ming general who disliked the Shun Dynasty.

The Manchus seized Beijing, and established the Qing Dynasty, the last ever dynasty that held until 1912. The Manchus annexed Mongolia and Manchuria, extending the empire borders beyond the Wall; thus, its repairs and construction were discontinued until modern tourists defined a new reality.

Reward

During my visit, I got clear sights of the wall running for kilometers, tracing the steep hills borderline without a soul in sight. The place displayed a weird beauty: the entrance is at the bottom of a narrow valley among steep hills and from there the wall climbs on both sides dividing the barren hills at what seems like a random line.

Standing there it is hard to avoid the thought that even if the wall was taken away, crossing the rugged terrain while riding a horse would be impossible even for an actor in a Jackie Chang movie. Thus, as all slaves-built big enterprises of crazed despotic leaders, it is useless. Exactly that characteristic transforms it into a beautiful sight, a work of art in an open air museum.

From journal Big Capital, Small Pleasures

The Great Wall of China: Ba Da Ling

  • October 15, 2025
  • Rated 5 of 5 by ToddieD from Snoqualmie, Washington

There's nothing to beat a little jet lag than immediately heading over to the Great Wall of China for a little aerobic activity. We got into Beijing around midnight the night before and left for the Great Wall at about 10am the next morning. Within a few minutes we'd left the grime of the city and were passing through carpets of green trees on red rock mountains. It was utterly unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

Fast facts about the Wall: construction began in the 5th century BC and continued to the 16th century. It covers over 6,000km across China. We were on the Badaling Pass, where most of the tourists go. Even on a day when it is not that crowded, it's pretty crowded with people. But the view is unparalleled and the thought that you are walking on a piece of history is pretty awe-inspiring. And what a workout: there are stretches where you're walking up 40-degree slopes. It was glorious. The weather was perfect, about 80°F with a nice breeze.

From journal A Weekend in Beijing

Editor Pick

The Great Wall of China: Badaling

  • February 18, 2025
  • Rated 4 of 5 by John Lamb from Colorado Springs, Colorado

Badaling is the most popular section of the Great Wall and the one that most tour buses go to. Because of this, it also the most crowded section of the Wall. However, it is also majestically restored and looks beautiful crawling over the hills like a snake. And during the winter it wasn't near as crowded as I am sure it is during the summer.

We had two hours at the Wall which wa barely enough time to hike to the top and down again. There are two ways to go at Badaling. We went south and up to the high point. The Wall might want to think about being renamed the Great Staircase of China. It goes up and it is steep. Most of the steps are very tall, but there are a few shorter ones mixed in to make things interesting. At the top, the wall seems to stop. There is a nice stone tower and it is a good place to take a rest and look out over the Wall before heading back down.

The guidebook claims that Badaling is only good for a small glimpse of the Wall and a "I Climbed the Great Wall" t-shirt. Well, I bought the t-shirt (it costs only three dollars by the way) and even if the area was touristy, seeing the Great Wall was wonderful and beautiful no matter what section it was.

From journal Beijing Over Chinese New Year

Editor Pick

The Great Wall of China

  • February 19, 2025
  • Rated 4 of 5 by akakd from , Arizona
"...hiking the Great Wall of China is never an ordinary affair."--William Lindesay from Alone on the Great Wall.

Said to be the only man-made structure viewable from the moon, you'll be absolutely awestruck by the GREAT WALL!

We climbed the Wall, as many do, at Badaling, 42 miles northwest of Beijing. This is a grand section of the Wall, set in a steep, forested mountain range. Once you maneuver through the "Great Mall" of Souvenirs at the base of the Great Wall, you'll have a decision to make. The path to the right is the one most frequented by tourists & is an easier climb. The path to the left is less crowded, much steeper, & affords the best view. We chose the path to the left.

The incredible steepness & high rise of the stairs were astounding, as was the fiercely steep descent. For part of the descent, I turned & went down backwards. Two things struck me about the people we encountered on the Wall, mostly Chinese. The young girls came dressed up in high heels & nice pantsuits, dresses, or skirts. Also, several children had on Mickey Mouse shirts--it's a small world after all! I'm so glad we went.

As William Lindesay said, The Great Wall is the "...world's most spectacular open-air museum." I concur.

From journal Magical Mystical Beijing

Sort by: Most Recent|Positive|Negative|Most Useful
1-5 of 6
Been here before? How was it?
Review This Attraction

Compare Beijing Rates

1. Enter travel information

City

Each selected website will open a new window.

xClose it

Compare Rates

Oops! Your pop up blocker is on. To continue, please click each travel provider to find the best deal.