Tour of the Great Wall of China - Mutianyu
The Great Wall is more than an engineering triumph is a direct link with the legendary emperors of China's past, and seems to embody our sense of China as a nation separate from the rest of the world to see the wall brick, stone, clay and wood that winds away on the slopes of rugged mountains of northern China is to imagine more than two millennia of cultural isolation and political resistance.
Many people are satisfied with a day trip, but for those who want to explore, you can run or bike along the sections, take a helicopter flight, a night next to the wall in a boutique hotel, or even sleep in a watchtower There are lifts and toboggan rides for those traveling with children Many people associate the wall with a visit to the Ming tombs, Qing Eastern tombs town Ming period Chuandixia or summer palace of the Qing era to Chendge.
The Great Wall is a series of fortifications that stretches from Shanhaiguan in the Bohai Sea, to Lop Lake in the Gobi It marks around the southern edge of Inner Mongolia that was once part of the Mongol Empire Genghis Khan.
The walls were built in northern China the eighth century BCE, although construction was sporadic During the Qin dynasty 221-206 BC, a connected Great Wall began in the project of Emperor Qin Shi Huang to unify China from the first days, the lighthouse tower was a wall that flag, the gunpowder smoke signals and were sent, creating the first telegraph system in the world.
The practice of building walls was revived with vigor in the 14th and 15th centuries, when the Ming Dynasty was struggling to contain the nomadic tribes of Manchuria and Mongolia Wall 23ft high, 23ft thick, with 25,000 battlements, has helped to strengthen sovereignty Ming.
The wall we see today the remains of the first two subsequent constructions and versions This discontinuous chain is known as the Chinese Wan Li Changcheng long wall of 10,000 Li li is a Chinese measure roughly equal to 1,640ft, or Great Wall in June 2012 administration of China cultural Heritage State said after an archaeological investigation that five years to complete the wall is a specific 13.170 69 miles.
Opened in 1958 after major reconstruction, Badaling 37 miles northwest of Beijing is the part of the wall that receives more tourists in a strategic location overlooking a long throat, the wall here has been heavily restored and is somewhat saturated with restaurants, souvenir shops and guardrails There's even a cable car, which is popular with hordes of day trippers and hotels for those wishing to stay longer.
On the upside, wheelchair users are equipped with ramps, lifts and loos available S2 railway line Beijing suburb connects Badaling at the northern terminal of Beijing in about 90 minutes A new highway also went in taxi or bus very fast.
Although not quite as popular as Badaling, this January 8 mile stretch of wall 47 miles Beijing still gets busloads of day-trippers.
The landscape is relatively lush and steep slopes a short but intense ride help you leave the crowds behind and parapets and the Ming-era watchtowers are photogenic There promenade by cable car, a chair lift and a toboggan ride, popular with children.
This section unrestored, 48 miles from Beijing, feels wilder than many other parts of the wall and a lot of people here do hike Go with a local guide and take the poles while hiking is supposed to be prohibited.
Pine forests, rocky headlands and watchtowers on steep cliffs on either side of the high ridge followed by striking Jiankou Wall Don t try a walk if the weather is stormy or too little light.
We're put these two together because a popular activity is hiking 6 2 miles from one section to the other, and a taxi or a bus you collect The wall is steep in some areas and hiking can work hot, but after the first mile, you'll be far trippers.
Jinshanling some 95 miles from the center of Beijing is where you can find a good mix of enhanced wall and dilapidated It is steep in places you will need to have your hands free if walking Some hawkers only work here, but they are quite discreet.
After extensive reconstruction, Simatai 86 miles from Beijing center will reopen in May 2014 Sources October is more likely that the setting on steep, barren hills dotted with trees is impressive Viewpoints regularly help hikers they measure their progress hiking, and there is a cable car up to the eighth viewpoint much of this section was built during the Ming dynasty, and shows the evolution of the period such as interior walls at right angles to the outer walls, to confuse the invaders and the slots for guns.
Although only 48 miles north of Beijing, Huanghuacheng can feel remarkably isolated The setting is beautiful, with spring chestnut trees and flower trees the site name has its roots in Chinese words Huangse yellow flower and Hua The wall will underwater in a tank built on Haoming Lake and a short boat ride offers dramatic angles for photos.
High and wide walls and parapets intact and some steep sections attract hikers, but a lack of stone steps or handrails and some shiny stones can make things slippery walking shoes or boots to wear.
You can walk at Mutianyu or Jiankou in two to three days.
Every year runners gather at the Great Wall to do a marathon on May 1, there is 5km, 10km, half-marathon, and full marathon Initially Jinshanling addition to the challenges of hard surfaces, mounted to burn thighs and a dry atmosphere, marathon involves steps 20.518 See for more information.
Inner Mongolia has some of the oldest sections of the wall, including Zhao Great Wall of the fourth century BC, visible near Hohhot Voyages to see the sites accessible as Jilu Gaoque and fortresses are all about the atmosphere archeology.
The weather and climate have not been kind to the wall, and in many sections there are some smooth mounds of earth.
The fortified wall in Jiayuguan on the Silk Road in Gansu Province is one of the most intact surviving ancient military buildings and, with its crenellated towers and thousands of tombs, is an impressive site.
The geological national park Yadan occupies a wide valley in the Gobi desert dotted with buttes and rock formations carved by wind, it is possible to visit the Great Wall at Yumenguan pass, which, with the Yangguan go 40 miles south marked the western limits of China during the Tang dynasty 618-907.
At first, these passages were the entry and exit points for trade Silk Road caravans with Central Asia.
Many UK tourism businesses include visits to the Great Wall as part of a wider route.
Typical is Wexas s Travel 020 7590 0610; Petrol 11-day trip to China, which combines Beijing Forbidden City, Great Wall, Shanghai, Xian and Chengdu for giant pandas and uses new since September 2013 direct BA flight from Heathrow to Chengdu 2,449 per person, including flights.
China specialist Wendy Wu Tours 0844 288 5396; made similar packages and offers free upgrades for one-way business class on visits made between 30 March and 24 October and booked before January 31.
active holiday specialist Exodus 0845 287 7581; offers 10 days of walking the Great Wall route that combines nights in guest rooms and homestays with daily increases of three to seven hours duration Also included in the trip is a visit to the Qing tombs From 1499 including flights.
Discover Adventure 01722 718444; to 10 days Great Wall of China bike trip of covering 50 miles 6 5 days, some taxing climbs along the way The journey starts and ends at Huangyaguan Juyongguan Departure 17 May and 6 September 6, all flights, hotels and inns, costs and bike meal. 1899
Otherwise, it is easy to visit many sections of the wall regardless of Beijing, using buses or taxis, forums and travel guides websites most budget conscious provide plenty of information on prices and options transport.
There are hotels in many sites, but very few are destinations in themselves.
Commune by the Great Wall 0086 10 8118 1888; ; Double rooms from 327, including breakfast, near Badaling, is a complex of 40 villas with 186 suites which won widespread praise since its opening in 2002, designed by 12 Asian architects, with interiors by a mob international designers, the site has three restaurants, a swimming pool and a private path to the wall.
Red Capital Ranch Shambhala at the Great Wall 89 1632 6695; ; Double rooms from 122, including breakfast 10 villas featuring designs inspired by Chinese themes, Manchu and Tibetan and grounds of the Qing era The complex has a restaurant and a spa Manchuria and tantric ago fragments of the wall that runs through the field.
Spring is the greenest time to visit northern China Fall is a good second choice in winter temperatures can dip well below freezing and summer is rather hot for hiking Visit the wall early morning or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds to avoid periods when the Chinese take vacations like the weekends, especially in summer, the days around May 1 labor day and the two supposedly weeks gold around the Chinese New year in January or February and October 1 national Day.
Lonely Planet Discover China in July 2013 published a short section, but carefully studied the Great Wall near Beijing, and contains a lot of useful information on buses and trains.
Stanley Stewart Thomas Cook Travel Book Award-winning Frontiers of Heaven A Journey to the End of 1995 China took the Great Wall as a focus while meditating on the stories of exile and the new and old psychological barriers.
Two general travelogues are acclaimed Colin Thubron s Behind the wall A journey through China in 1987 and Shadow of the Silk Road 2006 Peter Hessler River City two years on the Yangtze in 2001 is also very readable and insightful.
Ma Jian A Red Dust Road through China in 2001 another winner Thomas Cook is a foolproof account of a journey of three years by an insider who feels like a stranger in his native China.
Some tourist bus companies have routes that allow two hours at the wall It is hopeless if you want to stretch your legs, escape the crowds and take photos in something other than the light of the midday sun.
Some of the cheapest tours involve jade plant tours, gems showrooms and Chinese medicine centers When booking, make sure these time-wasting detours are not on the itinerary.
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