Mutianyu Great Wall
From June 27 to August 31, the Mutianyu Great Wall will offer night tours, and the opening hours of the scenic area will be extended to 21:00. During this period, watchtowers No. 10 through No. 15 will be lit up, and visitors can enjoy performances featuring acrobatics and traditional Chinese opera.The Mutianyu Great Wall is one of the best-preserved and best-known Great Wall sections, and the longest section of the Great Wall in China. 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 making it 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. 4 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 on 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 the downtown area by public transport.
It has been renovated, making it easier and safer to climb. Moreover, it is equipped with a cable car, possible for children and seniors to visit.
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| Magnificent Mutianyu |
Basic Facts of Mutianyu Great Wall
It has a total length of 5,400 meters (5,900 yards). It was first built in the 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.
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| Discarded cannon at Mutianyu |
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 tops 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, 20 of which are open to tourists. 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.
Best places to go in the Mutianyu Great Wall
1. Hero Slope, No. 20 Watchtower
2. Zhengguan Terrace, No. 4 Watchtower
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3. Big Corner Tower, No. 1 Watchtower
4. Graffiti Wall, No. 14 Watchtower
5. Night Tour of Mutianyu Great Wall
Travel to Mutianyu with Us
How to tour the Mutianyu Great Wall
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Usually, there are the following three routes for visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall:
1. The Most Popular Route - West Route:
Cable car↑ → No. 14 Watchtower → hiking about 1.5 hours to No. 20 Watchtower → another 1.5 hours back to No. 14 Watchtower → Cable car↓
2. The Most Challenging Route - East Route:
Chairlift or hiking (South Entrance)↑ → No. 6 Watchtower → hiking about 1 hour to No. 1 Watchtower → another 1 hour back to No. 6 Watchtower → Hiking/Chairlift/Toboggan↓
3. The Easiest Route - Middle Route:
Cable car↑ → No. 14 Watchtower → touring about 2 hours to No. 6 Watchtower → Hiking/Chairlift/Toboggan↓
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See more Visiting Mutianyu Great Wall: Toboggan, Cable Car, or Chairlift?
Opening Hours
Day Time:
November 16 to March 15: 08:00 - 17:30
March 16 - November 15: 07:30 - 18:00; extended to 18:30 on Saturdays and Sundays.
Night Time:
17:00 - 21:00, last admission at 20:30
Lighting time: 18:00 - 21:00
Notes:
1. Ticket sales stop one hour before closing and entry stops half an hour before closing.
2. The service hours of the cable cars, chairlifts and toboggan are the same as that of the Mutianyu Great Wall.
Tickets
Day Tour:
| Tickets | Adults | 6 - 18 and 60+ |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance ticket | CNY40 | CNY20 |
| Entrance ticket + Shuttle bus (round trip) | CNY55 | CNY35 |
| Entrance ticket + Cable car/Chairlift/Toboggan (round trip) | CNY180 | CNY160 |
| Entrance ticket + Shuttle bus (round trip) + Cable car/Chairlift/Toboggan (round trip) | CNY195 | CNY175 |
| Entrance ticket + Cable car (one-way) + Chairlift/Toboggan(one-way) | CNY240 | CNY220 |
| Entrance ticket + Shuttle bus (round trip)+ Cable car (one-way) + Chairlift/Toboggan(one-way) | CNY255 | CNY235 |
1. Entrance ticket: Children under 6 years old enjoy free entry;
2. Cable Car/Chairlift/Toboggan: Free for children under 1.2 meters (3.9 feet);
3. If you buy an entrance ticket attached with a postcard of Mutianyu, you need to pay CNY5 more and pick it up at the manual ticket window or self-service ticket machine.
4. If you choose to take the cable car to ascend the Great Wall and then take the chairlift or the toboggan to descend, you need to purchase two one-way tickets separately, as these two facilities are operated by independent operators.
5. The entrance to the scenic area is about 6 kilometers (4 miles) away from the ticket gate, so you need to take a shuttle bus. Visitors taking the tourist buses can go directly to the ticket gate and do not need to take a shuttle bus.
Night Tour:
Children under 1.2m (3.9ft) are free of charge.
How to buy the tickets
2. Tickets can be booked 15 days in advance on the Mutianyu website.
When is the Best Time for a Visit?
Although it is suitable for a visit all year round, the best time is April, May, September, and October, when the temperature is favorable, neither too cold nor too hot. But try to avoid the May Day Holiday (from May 1st to 5th), and the National Day Holiday (from October 1st to 7th) when there will be more tourists.
See more: Mutianyu Weather
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How to Get to Mutianyu from Your Hotel in Beijing
Option 1: Qianmen Tourist Bus Line
Departure: 08:00 - 10:00 from Qianmen; 13:00 - 16:00 from Mutianyu
Duration: 2 hours
Interval: set off when all seats are taken
Ticket: CNY80 for a round trip Option 2: Dongzhimen Tourist Bus Line
Departure: 9:10 at Dongzhimen Public Transport Hub; 13:00 - 16:00 from Mutianyu
Duration: 1.5 - 2 hours
Interval: one departure per day
Ticket: CNY80 for a round trip Option 3: Bus line 916 Express to Huairou North Avenue + h23, h24, h35, or h36 to Mutianyu Roundabout Station
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
Where to Eat
Tips for Visiting Mutianyu Great Wall
1. It is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes and choose clothes of appropriate thickness according to the weather.
2. Essential items include sunscreen, sunglasses, a raincoat, and a hiking stick.
3. Bring enough food and water to replenish your energy.
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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