Beijing: The Great Wall of China

Our third day in Beijing brought us to perhaps the most iconic tourist attraction in China, the Great Wall of China. To avoid the crowds, we ventured an hour outside of Beijing to the Mutianyu section of the Wall. Here, we boarded cable cars and road to the top of the mountain. I could barely contain my enthusiasm as the Wall began to peak out from above the tree tops.

Contrary to popular belief (and what your guide will most likely tell you), you cannot see the wall from outer space. Still, the Great Wall is nothing short of impressive. My dad simply stared in awe at our surroundings for much of the time there, remarking that he never imagined he would see the Great Wall in person.Visiting one of the Seven Wonders of the World was rather surreal for all of us.

After climbing endless steps and taking hundreds of photos, we prepared to leave the Great Wall. And like most things in China, even getting off the Great Wall was an opportunity for some toursity fun. So we hopped on single person bobsleds and tobogganed down the side of the mountain. Totally fun, totally unsafe, and totally worth the overpriced ticket.

To get to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, I would highly recommend hiring a guide and driver. While there are many companies which offered guided trips, I greatly enjoyed our experience with Hi-tour Travel. 

Barry Xu 
Director of Marketing 
Hi-tour International Travel Service 
Cell Phone: 13901107220
Telephone: 86-10-63961002
Email: barrytour@hotmail.com