The Best Time To Visit The Great Wall of China

No trip to Beijing would be complete without a visit to the iconic Great Wall of China. Whether it’s the middle of winter or any other season, exploring this marvel is a must-do. However, to avoid crowds and make the most of your experience, it’s important to choose the right time and part of the Great Wall to visit. Here’s a guide to help you plan your trip to Beijing and discover which part of the Great Wall is perfect for you.

I’ve seen memes that depict the sort of before and after but with the Great Wall, it’s the “expectation” and “reality” when visiting the wall. Of course, the expectation is an empty wall with no tourists and the the reality, at least in these memes, is that there are a million other people crammed on the wall with you. It wasn’t our experience and it doesn’t have to be yours.

Great Wall of China, Mutianyu Great Wall, China

Get ready for your adventure to the Great Wall of China:

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How to get to the Great Wall of China from Beijing

To reach the Great Wall, there are several convenient transportation options available:

Book a Driver: Consider booking a driver through services like Klook to ensure a relaxed and stress-free journey. This option provides convenience and eliminates the challenges of language barriers.
- Private driver to Mutianyu: Book through Klook
- Private driver to Jinshanling: Book through Klook or through Get Your Guide
- Private driver to Badaling: Book through Klook
- Private driver to Juyongguan: Book through Klook
Join a Tour: Opting for a tour allows you to travel with a group and enjoy the wonders of the Great Wall together. This is a great choice if you prefer a guided experience and to have a guide so you can ask questions and learn more about what you’re seeing.
- Book a round trip bus pass from downtown Beijing to the Mutianyu Great Wall of China through Klook or through Get Your Guide
- Book a tour that heads out to the Badaling Great Wall and on to the Ming Tombs for a full daytrip. You can book this through Get Your Guide.
- Book a tour that takes you hiking along the Simatai and Jinshanling Great Wall sections through Get Your Guide.
Tourist Buses: Aside from tours through companies, there are also buses for tourists that go from Beijing out to the wall.
- Dongzhimen Tourist Bus Line
  From Dongzhimen Wai Bus Station, one can take direct Dongzhimen tourist bus line which departs at 08:30. The duration is 1.5 – 2 hours and the ticket fare is CNY 30. Subway line 2 or line 3, bus line 359, 915/ 915 express, 935/ 935 express, 942 or 966 is available to reach Dongzhimen wai bus station. The bus returns at 16:00. Tickets are available on the spot.
- Bus line 916 Express + h23, h24, h35 or h36
  It is a popular way to reach Mutianyu from Dongzhimen Public Transport Hub. One need to take bus line 916 express to Huairou North Avenue (Huairou Beidajie) Station. And then change to take bus no. h23, h24, h35 or h36 to Mutianyu Roundabout or Xinying. Afterwards, walk to the scenic area. The total single journey time is around 2-2.5 hours.
- Qianmen Tourist Bus Line
  This bus line runs directly to Mutianyu Great Wall from Qianmen Tourism Distribution Center. The bus departs at 09:00 from Qianmen and 09:30 from Shaoyaoju; the total travel time is 2 – 2.5 hours with the ticket fare of CNY30.
Explore Independently: If you’re an adventurous traveler, you can try arranging your own transportation. However, keep in mind that this method may involve communication difficulties and uncertainties. We jumped into a taxi our first day and had quite the difficulty communicating even with our hotel address written on a card, so booking ahead is highly recommended if you don’t speak Mandarin.

The Great Wall of China: Season by season

Winter: Experience the Great Wall in Tranquility

The winter season offers a unique opportunity to enjoy the Great Wall with fewer tourists. While the temperatures may be cold, you’ll have the wall almost to yourself, providing an unforgettable experience. With the right clothing, the chilly weather won’t be a problem. So, if you’re seeking a serene and peaceful adventure, consider visiting the Great Wall during the winter months.

Spring: Embrace the Mild Weather

Spring is a favorable time to visit the Great Wall, offering pleasant temperatures and fewer tourists compared to the summer months. The blossoming scenery creates a picturesque backdrop for your exploration. Just avoid the first week of May when local holidays attract crowds of Chinese tourists.

Summer: Green Landscapes Amidst Crowds

Summer is the peak tourist season for the Great Wall, mainly due to school vacations and pleasant weather. However, expect large crowds and potentially hot temperatures, especially in July and August. To ensure availability, it’s recommended to book tours well in advance during this season. While the crowds can be overwhelming, the lush green landscapes make for breathtaking views.

Autumn: Captivating Foliage and Clear Skies

Autumn is another popular time to visit the Great Wall, particularly for Chinese tourists enjoying their autumn breaks. The temperatures are cooler, the skies clear, and the landscapes adorned with colorful foliage. By choosing the right section of the wall, you can still enjoy stunning views without the overwhelming crowds. Avoid traveling during the first week of October, as it coincides with a holiday period in China.

Choosing the right section of the Great Wall

The Great Wall offers various sections to explore, each with its own characteristics and level of restoration. Here are some notable sections and their highlights:

Mutianyu: Located two hours from Beijing by car, Mutianyu is a restored section of the wall and the most popular among tourists. It’s suitable for families and offers easy access via cable cars. Enjoy breathtaking views and explore watchtowers and fortresses along the route.
Jiankou: About three hours’ drive from Beijing, Jiankou is known for its “wild” and unrestored nature. This section is challenging and recommended only for experienced hikers seeking an adventurous experience.
Jinshanling: Approximately two and a half hours from Beijing, Jinshanling is considered the most beautiful section of the wall. It combines restored and wild segments, offering a diverse landscape. It connects to Simatai and is part of a popular hiking stretch along the wall.
Simatai: Situated two and a half hours from Beijing, Simatai is known for its steep terrain. It is the only section of the wall open at night, allowing for a unique experience. Visitors can also enjoy cable cars, zip-lines, and boat trips in the nearby reservoir.
Badaling: Located two hours from Beijing, Badaling is the most popular section among Chinese tourists. It features convenient amenities such as cable cars, a Great Wall Museum, and even wheelchair accessibility.
Juyongguan: Just an hour and a half from Beijing by car, Juyongguan is another wheelchair-accessible section. It is famous for its well-preserved fort and historical significance, attracting history enthusiasts.

What to know about the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall of China

The Mutianyu section of the wall was built during the early Ming Dynasty under Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang. There are 22 towers on this 5,400 meter-long section of the wall and it snakes. It is the longest fully restored section that is open to tourists.

Mutianyu Road, Huairou District, Beijing, China

Hours: 8:30AM ~ 5:00PM
Admission: Adults: 40 yuan; Children: 20 yuan; Children under 6 are free.
Cable Car Info: You can take a cable car up to Watchtower No. 14. The lower station is near the North Entrance and is a safer option than the toboggan to get down for small children and senior citizens.
- Adults: Single Trip: 100 yuan, Round Trip: 140 yuan
- Children: Single Trip: 50 yuan, Round Trip: 70 yuan
Chairlift/Toboggan Info: We had opted for the cable car up and took the toboggan down which worked well and was fun for us. But you can go up and down at the toboggan location as well as there is a chairlift there. You can find this at the Zhengguan Terrance, or Watchtower No. 6, near the South Entrance.
- Adults: Single Trip: 100 yuan, Round Trip: 140 yuan
- Children: Single Trip: 60 yuan (There aren’t single trip options for children, but they can get round trip tickets for 60 yuan.)

Our experience on Mutianyu Great Wall

We had hired a private driver and been dropped off right where we wanted near the cable car up to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China. We waited around with one other family of four for some time wondering where the crowds of people were that we’d always seen in photos and wondering why the lift hadn’t started taking people up yet even though the signage made it clear it should have commenced by now.

The time posted to start came and then went by and still nothing started to move and all the while we were left standing outside in the wind with the sun shining above. Though the sunshine helped a little with heating us to a comfortable temperature, it was freezing.

Finally, in very broken English we gathered that the lift was frozen and they were trying to heat up something so that it would start working. We could either wait for the lift, which we wouldn’t know when would start, or we could hike up. We hadn’t planned on a hike and it was at that moment that a member of the other group waiting started flapping her arms and jumping up and down and gesturing for us to do the same.

Clearly she wanted us to keep warm via exercising and movement. And so that’s what we all did.

If you’re now picturing a group of seven strangers flapping their arms up and down, stomping their feet and jumping up and down, then you’d be picturing what ensued for the next twenty minutes or so. Eventually, I can’t say for sure how long it was, though it was long enough for us to feel the cold in our bones once again, the lift finally started up.

Hiking along this section of the wall afforded us beautiful views of the surrounding area dense with trees and was empty but for the four other people who came up just behind us. By the time we hiked back and forth and took numerous photos we were warmed up and ready to continue the day back in the city. It really can get quite warm on the wall so even visiting in the middle of winter, in the coldest part of the winter, worked out to our advantage.

We’d visited during our short break for the Lunar Holiday and apparently we were the only ones with the idea… It was a cold idea, but a good one.

The trip down from the wall was even more fun than the lift up as we got to ride down on a slide. There was a giant alpine slide that we were directed to for the drop. We boarded a little single person slide sleigh and off we went to the bottom in quick fashion.

Back down below we were met with a few stalls of people hawking goods next to the parking lot and found our driver who easily spotted us. The wall was massive, just as the Forbidden City had been the day before and we were content to have visited something that people speak of around the world when talking of trips to China.

Where to stay near the Mutianyu Great Wall

Brickyard Retreat at Mutianyu Great Wall

Situated in Huairou District, Brickyard Retreat at Mutianyu Great Wall provides a relaxing retreat in some beautiful and unique surroundings. Ideal for both leisure and business travelers, this hotel offers numerous facilities and is in close proximity to the Great Wall. Brickyard Retreat is an eco-friendly stay with spacious rooms and a great view of Beijing. Transformed from historical buildings, this stay is just 5 minutes away from Mutianyu Great Wall. If you want to see more in the region, it’s a great option as you’d only be 45 minutes from the Ming Tombs and it’s an hour from the Beijing Capital International Airport.

Book a room at Brickyard Retreat at Mutianyu Great Wall on Booking.com or on Agoda.com

Visiting the Great Wall of China is an unforgettable experience that should be on every traveler’s bucket list. By choosing the best time to visit and selecting the right section of the wall, you can ensure a memorable and awe-inspiring adventure. Book your trip, explore the wonders of the Great Wall, and create lifelong memories.

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