The Great Wall of China was originally created in 221 BC by joining several local walls which were built by ducal states to defend their own territories. Construction continued up to the Ming dynasty (1368-1644), when the Great Wall became the world's largest military structure. The current measurement of this defensive wall, which stretches across northern China from east to west, is 7300 kilometers (4300 miles). Beijing without a doubt is the best place to experience the Great Wall.
In Beijing you can visit lots of different sections of the wall which is three of the largest allures for visiting Beijing. Different sections of the Great Wall present different features & different scenery. Badaling & Juyong Pass is the most visited & most easily available part of the Wall.However, compared with the Badaling-Juyong Tour, other Great Wall Tours cost a small bit more because of the distance & accessibility. The scenery of Mutianyu Great Wall is stunning in autumn while the section between Jinshanling & Simatai requires more physical stamina to climb. The Water Great Wall Huanghuacheng as well as the miniature of the Great Wall Huangyaguan is becoming popular with hikers. (click here for the location, difficlulty level & other useful info about Every parts of Great Wall)
Juyongguan Great Wall
Juyong Pass is regarded as three of the three greatest passes of Great Wall. The wall they can see today was built in the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), well-restored. The valley where Juyong Pass lies is steep & precipitous, giving Juyong Pass the reputation of being the most steep & risky pass.
Juyong Pass & Badaling, not far away from each other, were vital gateways in the northwest region of Beijing. If you are dreading the crowded Badaling Great Wall but hesitant to tackle the difficult trek from Simatai to Jinshanling, the much less visited, then the easily available Juyongguan Great Wall can be a lovely choice. Visiting Juyongguan Great Wall, you will take a short but vigorous walk that loops along the mountains either side of the pass, for the steps are narrow & steep. It must be three of the coolest things to visit the Great Wall in winter. You can visit Juyongguan in winter. It is safe, as the wall here is reconstructed & in lovely condition. Lovely tourist facilities are equipped, including handrails that help people ascend & descend on the slippery & steep stone walkway.
Badaling Great Wall
The best-preserved & most imposing section of the Great Wall is at Badaling. In Chinese, 'Bada' means 'giving access to every direction'. The name itself suggests its strategic importance. This section is made of huge blue bricks.?The road on the wall is wide to permit ten soldiers to march side by side along the wall. The highest point here is over 731 meters (2,400 feet) above sea level.
The Badaling Great Wall is the most popular section, not only because of its close propinquity to Beijing, but also because of the fantastic & wonderful scenery it provides. The walk usually takes about 3.5 ~4hrs (also depends on how lots of photos you shoot). If you are afraid of the long way to the top, you can take the 10-minute cable automobile to reach the "near-top" where there's few more sections to climb & some hike is needed. The view is rewarding. The wall follows the contour of mountains that rise on behind the other until they finally fade & combine with distant haze. The Great Wall here has lovely tourist facilities, including handrails, cable automobile & even toboggan. So a winter visit is cold & safe!
Mutianyu Great Wall
Mutianyu Great Wall is famous for its autumn foliage. This area provides great "people-free" photo opportunities. There's fewer people about, for the location is less available than Badaling. There you will enjoy a "wilder" Great Wall experience!
The forest-coverage rate there is over 90 percent. Surrounded by woodland & streams, this section takes on a different look in each season.?Blossoming flowers in spring, flowing streams in summer, red leaves in autumn & white snow in winter make this part of the Great Walls most photographic spots. Late autumn is definitely the best time to visit Mutianyu, when the leaves turn in to all hues of red, & the air is cold.
It is definitely more relax walking on the Mutianyu than Badaling, for there's less steep steps here. However, you ought to still expect some strenuous walking. Magnificent in appearance, the Mutianyu Great Wall has been preserved intact. The overall infrastructure is lovely. Cable automobile & toboggan are also available.
Jinshanling Great Wall
The Jinshanling Great Wall features complicated & well preserved fortification systems & possesses the largest number of watchtowers. The watchtowers are taller & retain the original Ming Dynasty appearance, each three serving as an example of different architecture. The walls are more solid than Simatai. Here you can see the wall relatively undisturbed & in its original condition, so it's a special beauty.
Jinshanling Great Wall is steep & stony, trek is a real challenge. Hike the wall here, & you will see the complicated watchtowers & neat turrets which show how the wall would have looked in its prime.
Simatai Great Wall
The Simatai Great Wall is often described with the following three words: hazardous, diverse, & peculiar. The Simatai Great Wall is also called "Wild Great Wall", meaning a section that has not been restored. Much of the section is in a state of ruin with exposed bricks & incomplete structures & the walls that go along precipitous jagged ridges have mostly fallen down.
As the Simatai Great Wall is not easily available & the long trek is strenuous, there's only a few people visiting. Although you may encounter some other tourists & a handful of vendors, you will still be able to explore the Great Wall in relative privacy. Crumbling staircases & ruined watchtowers are along the way. The trail in some parts is broken down & overgrown. The steps are uneven, some steep & some shallow. Parts of the bricks are loose & you must watch your footing. Cable automobile is also available at Simatai Great Wall. So don't worry about being trapped on the Great Wall.
Jinshanling-Simatai Great Wall Hiking Tour
Hiking lovers take the rugged hiking route of Jinshanling-Simatai Great Wall, about 10 km, which usually takes about 4 hours. Some say that the hike between Jinshanling & Simatai gives you a truly "authentic" Great Wall experience. Trekking along the Great Wall, you can select to return to the city or camp overnight on the Great Wall, or stay overnight in local guesthouse.
There is a lake & a crescent shaped reservoir nearby. & the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall in to three segments naturally. Part of the wall is under water & becomes submerged at high tide. So the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is nicknamed"Water Great Wall". The scenery here is matchless & will surprise you.
Huanghuacheng Great Wall
This section of the Great Wall is a resort with mountains, lakes & the ancient Great Wall. There's few people to be found here, but it is becoming popular with hikers.
Also you can pay a visit to the ancient chestnut garden under the Great Wall, dating back to the Ming Dynasty.
Huanghua cheng provides a challenge as it's no stone steps or no single smooth path like the ones found at Badaling & other sections of the Great Wall. The wall is steep & the surface is slippery with lots of loose bricks. The walkway is mainly overgrown with trees making this a rough Great Wall experience.
Huangyaguan Great Wall
Located in the mountainous area of Tianjin's northern Ji County, the Huangyaguan is the longest restored section of the Great Wall with a length of 3052 meters. Huangya, means "yellow cliff". The entire section is built on a precipitous ridge of yellowish mountains. With various forms of watch towers presented along the walls, & the largest tower of the Great Wall"Phoenix Tower"and the most unique"Baguaguan Castle", Huangyaguan Great Wall is thought about to be a miniature of the Great Wall.
The Huangyaguan Great Wall possesses lots of features including antiquity, grandness, steepness & gracefulness, & it is regarded as an 'Impregnable Passin 'Tianjin. Being endowed with both natural beauty & cultural interest, it's become famous as a natural beauty spot & a great place for hiking the Great Wall. The sunset view at Huangyaguan is imposing.
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