After arriving from the airport the day before, heading to the Great Wall was pretty much the first thing we did in China…for good reason, it’s the Great Wall! I had seen an Instagram post the day before about the Great Wall Marathon–and let me say, that is something I will never do. Thousands of feet ascending…people were crawling on their hands and knees to get up some of those sets of stairs. And after being on the Great Wall–just walking–the Great Wall Marathon is most definitely not in my future! Congrats to those who complete, it’s amazing.
As I’ve mentioned or alluded to, I found China to be…China. I’ve traveled a lot, but the sheer number of people in China, the language barrier, and cultural norms definitely make China a fascinating place, but not one I would consider “easy”. So I figured it might be helpful to list some things which helped us navigate the Great Wall experience and make it more enjoyable.
We went to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which is closest to Beijing and one of the well-restored pieces of the Great Wall. There are different ways to get up to the Great Wall, including a cable car. You can always walk, too, if you are feeling up to it!
Don’t Be in a Hurry Getting There
Driving is really the only way to reach the Great Wall in China. I live in Washington DC, which is second only to Los Angeles in terms of crappy traffic in the United States. But traffic in Beijing is unbelievable. Just freaking unbelievable. In 2011, it was estimated that there were 5 million cars on the road, which our guide thought was probably a very low estimate. Despite the insanely high cost of owning/registering a car, restrictions on when you can drive, and the fact that’s impossible to drive because traffic is awful–traffic is still just terrible. So leave early from Beijing, try to choose a weekday when Beijingers are likely to be working not driving to the country, but be patient. Our traffic was not bad after getting out of the city.
Wear Comfortable Shoes and Clothes
This seems obvious, but wow did we see all sorts of things at the Great Wall. Stilettos, prom-like dresses, crop tops, leather pants, etc. It was decently warm and humid when we were there (May), so choose something that wicks/doesn’t show sweat and is comfortable for long periods of walking and standing. Choose shoes that don’t rub…I think that’s the key, regardless of the type of shoes you prefer. Depending on much you want to walk, you might consider more athletic type clothing instead of jeans, etc.
I wore a GapFit V Neck Tee (my favorite casual tee), with my awesome Anatomie pants, and Cole Haan ZeroGrand Wing Oxford shoes. Super, super comfortable. Everything wicks sweat and is comfortable in warm weather.
Don’t Be Obsessed with Taking Selfies
I want to walk up and throw ever single selfie stick over the Great Wall. Selfie sticks should be considered weapons, and people who only visit places to take selfies should be thrown over the Great Wall too. Do I need to say more? Be considerate of other visitors.
Read Ahead/Go With a Guide
In general, I found that many informative signs and exhibits in China are not in English. So if you are really interested in a place, including the Great Wall, either do your homework and read ahead or go with a guide if you want further information. We had a guide, and she was great at explaining the basics. Usually I like to go home (or to the hotel) and then read up/remind myself later of the history of the site.
Don’t Have a Plan
The Great Wall should be a place to have fun and explore! You can literally walk for as far as the eye can see if you want. Or you can stand and look around and marvel at the amazing feat. Or you can walk from viewpoint to viewpoint in either direction. I think one of the best things about the Great Wall experience was not saying “I have to walk as far as possible” or “we only have 30 minutes”. We had quite a few hours to explore, and it was great to feel no pressure. We literally looked in a direction and said “let’s walk that way until we feel like not walking anymore”. Some people feel like they have to say “I walked to X point on the Great Wall!”, but don’t consider the horrific air conditions or heat, etc. Enjoy your experience however makes it the most meaningful and interesting for you.
The Great Wall is definitely an amazing sight. I know there is lots of discussion about whether to go to a well-preserved section of the wall or one of the sections that remains more undisturbed/has eroded/been destroyed. I liked the preserved Mutianyu section, since you could truly see the wonder of such a feat. However, I can definitely see the appeal of an un-preserved section as well. It’s up to you and what you are interested in. If you are shorter on time, the Mutianyu section is really accessible from Beijing.
