Nick and I hired a driver for the day for 600 RMB. We started off at 7:30 and went to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall — mostly to avoid the throng at the Badaling section that is closest to Beijing. It took about an hour and a half to get there, but that was fine. Once there, we went through the gauntlet of people shilling stuff — but they were mellow, as they knew we were going up and would come down at some point. We then took the cable car (i.e. skiing gondola) up to the wall, and started hiking about.
The main bit of this wall is a very steep section towards the left (I’d like to say west, but I have no idea, actually). It took us about an hour and a half to get up, but once there, it was well worth the view. It was also well worth the $150 buying some new Vasque hiking boots at REI two weeks previous! It was clear that the wall had been recently (within the past 100 years, probably 50) been restored… for example, I suspect they didn’t use 12″ square tiles back in the middle ages in China, nor did they use 1/2″ mortar. However, it did look like most of the supporting wall was original. This was confimed a bit as we got to the top and saw that the continuing section was overgrown and unavailable to tourists — that’s some old wall!
We headed back down and then through the hawker gauntlet. The first one (we forgot there were others, selling the exact same thing. After being lured by the call of “2 for 1 dollar!” Nick looked to buy two, then got haggled up to 150 RMBs for both. It appeared the real price was closer to 50 RMB (as some were calling that out), so probably more like 15 RMBs or 20 RMBs. Total tourist trap. I only imagine what’s at Badaling.
[…] Back in May, my pal Nick and I went up to the top of the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. I thought it was steep. It was. However, en route to the Ju Yong Pass, our guide laughed at me, at which point everyone else did too. […]
We went to Mutianyu in October of 2004 and were very impressed. The weather was great that day but there were very few tourists and most of the vendors were not open. We also enjoyed riding down on the tobbagon. Is it still there? You didn’t mention it.
Hope Armiger
We just came back from there in July 2006. Unfortunately it was rainy so we didn’t get the long views of the extension of the wall. but the tobbagon run is still there and working fine. We ventured up until we were at the first tower.. er the last tower that was restored. After that passage it was impossible to follow the wall. The trees and bushes had grown in the wall and it made it so we were unable to go even 20 feet past the tower. All in all a lovely sight with little tourist. I would suggest this as a must see.
Hi - we went again in August 2006 with all our kids and grandkids. The weather was wonderful and once again it was not crowded, hooray!! we were able to take wonderful pictures. Rode the tobbagan again. We rode up on the enclosed gondoal and walked- probably about a mile -mostly down hill to the tobaggan. Except for Logan (5) who ran most of the way.