Mutianyu Great Wall
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The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the best-preserved and best-known Great Wall sections. Located 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the north of Beijing city proper, the Great Wall at Mutianyu has breath-taking scenery but fewer tourists, thus a good destination on hot holidays for a Great Wall tour at ease.
Why Visit Mutianyu Great Wall
It is one of the best-preserved sections. Watchtowers are densely distributed along the Great Wall.
Some of the watchtowers are seldom seen along other sections and are quite rare in the architectural history of the Great Wall. Examples are the Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) comprised of three hollow watchtowers, and Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower), named so because only one big corner can be seen from the paths in three sides.
The surrounding natural scenery is breath-taking. Woods cover over ninety-six percent of the total scenic area. Flowers bloom all over the mountains in spring. Grasses dress the hillside green in summer. Trees are laden with sweet fruit in autumn, and especially in October, leaves turn red or yellow, touching the mountain tops with gold. In winter, the wall is covered by snow, making it more magnificent.
About 65 kilometers (40 miles) to the north of Beijing city center, it is easy to reach from downtown area by public transport.
It has been renovated, making it easier and safer to climb. Moreover, it is equipped with a cableway and luge, possible for children and seniors to visit.
Travel to Mutianyu with Us
Basic Facts of Mutianyu Great Wall
It has a total length of 5,400 meters (5,900 yards). It was first built in Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557). In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang, two famous patriotic generals, rebuilt it in order to strengthen its defensive potential when they guarded the strategic pass. It served as the northern protective screen, guarding the capital and imperial mausoleums for generations.
It is mainly made of slabs of granite. It measures 7 - 8 meters (23 - 26 feet) in height, and 4 - 5 meters (4.4 - 5.5 yards) in width.
Both sides of the Great Wall have parapets to defend against enemies. Some parapets are saw-tooth shaped instead of the regular rectangular form. Below the parapets, there are square embrasures, the top of which are designed in an arc structure, different from the traditional round embrasures.
There are 23 watchtowers distributed at close intervals along the wall. They are located not only on the main wall but also at the distinctive "branch city". Branch cities are built on the hill ridge against the inner or outer side of the wall. For example, No. 11 Watchtower can be found on the branch wall.
Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) is 40 meters (44 yards) long, 30 meters (33 yards) wide, and 20 meters (66 feet) high. The gate is not designed in the middle, but is on the eastern side. The two-storey terrace is comprised of three hollow watchtowers, a large one in the middle and two smaller ones on two sides. It has many rooms to store grain and station troops.
Big Corner Tower (No. 1 Watchtower) is connected with Mutianyu in the west, with Gubeikou in the east, and with a branch city wall in the south. The tower looks like a corner from each angle, so it is called Big Corner Tower.
| Opening Hours | In summer: 7:00 - 17:00; 17:00 - 21:00 In winter: 9:00 - 16:30 Note: Ticket sale stops one hour before the close time. |
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| Admission Fee | Adults: CNY 40 The seniors over 60 and Children aged 6-18: CNY 20 (valid passport required) Free for children under 6 Note: If you buy an entrance ticket attached with a postcard of Mutianyu, you need to pay CNY 5 more. |
How to tour Mutianyu Great Wall
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| Mutianyu Great Wall Map (Click to enlarge) |
The scenic area has two entrances: the south entrance and north entrance. One can start the visit from either of them.
Hiking:
Go through the North Entrance, you will hike up to No. 10 or No. 8 Watchtower. Go through the South Entrance, and you will arrive at No. 8 or Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower). Upon arriving up there, you can hike either northward or southward. The northward route between No. 14 watchtower and No. 23 watchtower has the most beautiful scenery, while the southward route contains the grand Zhengguan Terrace and Big Corner Tower.
See more: 6 Things to Do on Mutianyu Great Wall of China
Cable Car:
| Single Trip | CNY 100 |
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| Round Trip | CNY 140 |
| Service Hours | Monday-Friday: 07:30-17:00; Weekends: 07:30-17:30 |
Chairlift / Toboggan:
You can also take the toboggan down from Zhengguan Terrace (No. 6 Watchtower) near the South Entrance. It is very exciting to take toboggan, and a great choice for young people. The fare is listed below.
| Single Trip | CNY 100 |
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| Round Trip | CNY 140 |
| Service Hours | Mar. 16 - Nov. 14: 8:00 - 17:00 Nov. 15 - Mar. 15: 8:30 - 16:30 |
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See more Visiting Mutianyu Great Wall: Toboggan, Cable Car, or Chairlift?
When is the Best Time for a Visit?
See more: Mutianyu Weather
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How to Get to Mutianyu from Your Hotel in Beijing
Option 1: Dongzhimen Tourist Bus Line
Departure: 8:30 at Outside Dongzhimen bus station; 16:00 from Mutianyu
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Interval: one departure per day
Ticket: CNY30 for a single trip Option 2: Qianmen Tourist Bus Line
Departure: 6:30 - 10:00 from Qianmen; 13:00 - 16:00 from Mutianyu
Duration: 2 hours
Interval: set off when all seats are taken
Ticket: CNY60 for a roun d trip Option 3: Sihui Tourist Bus Line
Departure: 8:00 from Sihui Bus Station; 14:50 from Mutianyu Great Wall
Duration: 2 hours
Interval: one departure per day
Ticket: CNY60 for a round trip Option 4: Bus line 916 Express + h23, h24, h35 or h36
Departure: 916 Express: 05:50 - 20:00 from Dongzhimen; 04:30 - 18:50 from Huairou North Avenue
Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours
Interval: 916 Express: 10-30 minutes; the H buses are many.
Ticket: CNY16
Read More: How to Get to Mutianyu from Downtown Beijing
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Where to Eat
They are the two most visited sections in consideration of the scenery, equipment, and transportation. If you plan a visit on normal days, both of them are okay. When you plan a visit during peak travel season, Mutianyu is recommended, for Badaling may be overcrowded on some big holidays and you probably cannot enjoy the scenery to the full.
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Reply
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0ReplyReply00ReplyReplyAs I understand from your info , Mutianyu bus located near exit E of MRT Dongzhimen station while we need to walk a little to Dongzhimen bus station to transfer Dongzhimen Bus line. Do I understand correctly?
2. Both bus line are directly to Mutianyu great wall and ticket office, correct? No need to connect any...
3. Do both bus operate everyday or weekend only?
4. Do I need to reserve the ticket before arrival date? If yes how and where/ or It can be walk in at that day?
00Reply2. Yes, they are direct buses and no transfer is needed.
3. See above.
4. You can purchase tickets at the spot on the visit day. For those departing from Qianmen, you can also reserve a ticket in advance from its official WeChat account.
Reply00ReplyReply2 Any discount cable car discount for senior?
00Reply2. As I know, the discount only adapt for Chinese citizens.