Admission Fee: CNY 25 (children); CNY 45 (adults)
Cable Car:
Children: CNY 35 (round-trip); CNY 25 (single trip);
Adults: CNY 65 (round trip); CNY 45 (single trip)
Slideway:
Children: CNY 40 (round-trip);
Adults: CNY 65 (round trip); CNY 50 (single trip)
Opening Hours: 07:00 - 18:30 (Apr. 1 to Oct.31); 7:30 - 17:30 (Nov.1 to Mar.31)
Best Traveling Time: Spring and autumn especially in May, September, and October
Location: Mutianyu Great Wall is located in the Huairou District, 73km northeast of the city center.
Introduction: With a length of 2,250 meters (1.397 miles) opened to the public, it is one of the sixteen top attractions in Beijing. It is a gorgeous section which connects Juyongguan in its west and Gubeikou in its east. Due to its geographic location, it was once the northern fort that protects the capital and the imperial tombs of ancient China. It was awarded the National 5-Star Tourism Scenic Spot in 2011.
History: According to historical documents, it was built on the foundation of the Wall of Northern Qi (550 - 577) by Xu Da (the general of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang in the Ming Dynasty). Mutianyu Pass was built in 1404 and was rebuilt in 1569. Today, it is one of the most well-preserved walls from the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).
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| Mutianyu Great Wall Map |
Overview: The wall has unique characters in its construction, with densely placed watchtowers and crucial passes. There are in total 25 watchtowers along the stretch of the 3,000-meter wall. Among them, the 'Zhengguantai' in the northeast is the most typical, having 3 watchtowers standing on the same terrace. The doors are set up in the small tower on both sides.
There are battlements on both the outer and inner parapets, while most other walls have battlements only on the outer parapet. This directly indicates the strategic location of it. Moreover, this section consists of supporting side wall with both the outer and inner sides attached to the mountains.
It is magnificent as it undulates acutely from 486 meters to 1039 meters and snaking its way along the mountains. In addition, the vegetation coverage (96 percent) ranks No.1 among all the other walls.
Scenic Spots: Besides the charming natural landscape, extensive tourism facilities are offered in the scenic spot. For example, the cable car system is fully automatic and is regarded as the 'No.1 cable car of the Great Wall'.
There is also the China Dream Stone City nearby, where rare stones from all over China are exhibited. It is now the biggest stone museum in Asia, where visitors can learn about Chinese culture where stones are concerned.
Taking the cable cars that runs along the Shibide Slideway is exciting. One should not miss the 'gallop' experience of sliding down from the Muzhihao Tower to the bottom. The 1,580-meter slides is made of stainless steel and the locals called it the 'dry-land sledge'.
Transportation:
A. Tourism Special Line No.867 departs at 07:00 and 08:30 from Dongzhimen Long-distance Bus Station, and departs from the Scenic Spot at 14:00 and 16:00 daily.
B. Visitors can also take public bus No. 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou District and then by taxi to reach the scenic spot.
C. Visitors from the Capital Airport can take buses heading north via Jingmi Road to Huairou District, and then go westward from Roundabout of North Yingbin Road.
Dining: There are various restaurants and eateries along the route both to and from the scenic area. Following are some which are favored by locals and tourists: Chang Cheng Shan Zhuang (Great Wall Hotel), Man Xing Agriculture Courtyard Resort, Red Chestnut Mountain Villa, Qing Shan Ju, Xiaolongpu Restaurant and Xinshuangquan Restaurant.
Accommodation: Great Wall Hotel at the foot of the mountain would be a good choice. Called 'Chang Cheng Shan Zhuang' in Chinese, the hotel has a group of classical and elegant Chinese buildings. It can accommodate up to 200 people at any one time. A standard room, including breakfast, costs only CNY220.
Nearby attractions
It takes about three hours to tour the scenic area, afterwhich visitors can take a bus (from its parking lot) to Hongluo Temple (also called Red Snail Temple). Being the largest temple in northern China, it is a national 4-star tourism scenic spot within Huairou District.
There are buses back to Beijing city from Hongluo Temple.
There are many other attractions, such as: Yanqi Lake Amusement Park, Qinglong Gorge Tourism Resort, Beijing Lakeview Water Park, Baiquan Mountain, Huairou Survival Island Tourism New Concept Base, Xiangshui Lake Scenic Spot, Huanghuacheng, Huairou Shengquan Temple Scenic Spot and Huaibei International Ski Resort.
Recommended China Great Wall Tours:
4-Day Beijing Travel: to the most popular attractions in the city
Essence of Beijing Tour: 5-Day to visit Badaling and more highlight attractions
Essence of China Tour: 8-Day of China Small Group Tour of Beijing - Xian - Shanghai
Best China Resorts: 10-Day of Beijing - Xian - Guilin - Yangshuo - Guilin - Shanghai
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