Travel to the Great Wall of China – A First Timers Guide.

Planning to travel to the Great Wall of China? This friendly first-timers guide shares the best sections to visit, how to get there, top tips, and more.

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!

Travelling to the Great Wall of China is a bucket-list experiences that well and truly lived up to the hype. After living and travelling across China for the past year, I must admit seeing the Great Wall has definitely been the highlight.

I remember stepping off the shuttle bus and just thinking, “Wow, I can’t believe I am really here.” Even though I’d seen a million photos, it felt completely different just standing in front of it in real life.

I remember just standing there for a minute taking it all in. It was one of those travel moments that just hits different, it felt a little surreal.

Great Wall of China Travel Guide

However, I know planning a trip to the Great Wall can come with lotssss of stress and research, that’s why I have put together this guide.

Whether you want dramatic views, fewer crowds, or a once-in-a-lifetime toboggan ride down the mountain (yes, you can ride a toboggan down the Great Wall! I will share more on that later), this guide will help you plan your perfect Great Wall adventure.

From choosing the best section to understanding tickets, tours, weather, and transport, here’s everything first-timers need to know before visiting the Great Wall of China.

✨ P.S. A trip to Beijing and The Great Wall of China is perfect to do alongside other amazing cities in China like Xi’an, Zhangjiajie, Chengdu and Guilin.

🚆 You can take this exact route using China’s High Speed Rail: Beijing → Xi’an → Chengdu → Zhangjiajie → Guilin.

Travelling to the Great Wall of China

Best Time of the Day to Visit the Great Wall

If you want the best experience at the Great Wall of China, go as early as you can. Evidently, arriving right when the site opens means fewer crowds, cooler temperatures, and softer morning light that’s perfect for photos.

By late morning and early afternoon, popular sections like Mutianyu and Badaling start to fill up with Chinese tour buses. In particular, weekends and Chinese National Holidays get really busy.

We arrived at The Great wall of China for around 8 a.m. and honestly the first hour felt like we had the wall to ourselves!! We booked an early morning private transfer and could pick our own pick-up time.

👉 Book an early morning private transfer to the Great Wall here (this is the one we booked).

Choosing Which Section of the Great Wall of China to Climb

One of the most confusing parts about planning a Great Wall trip is choosing the right section. The Wall stretches over 21,000 kilometres, so of course not every part is equally accessible or well-restored.

The most popular and tourist-friendly sections near Beijing include:

• Mutianyu – the best choice for first-timers
• Badaling – the busiest and most developed
• Jinshanling – perfect for hikers and photographers
• Simatai – ideal for a quieter experience and night tours
• Jiankou – wild, rugged, and only for experienced hikers

If it’s your first time travelling to the Great Wall, Mutianyu is the clear winner. It offers incredible scenery, a fun chairlift and toboggan, and far fewer crowds than Badaling.

We chose to travel to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China and absolutely loved it.

👉 You can purchase tickets to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall here.

The Best Section of the Great Wall of China for First-Timers

So, the real question is, what is the best section of the Great Wall for first-timers? The answer is Mutianyu.

Mutianyu combines everything you would want for your first visit to the Great Wall of China. Insane views, easy accessibility, fewer crowds, and restored paths that make the climb safe for all fitness levels. It’s also incredibly family-friendly.

Why I personally recommend Mutianyu:

• Less crowds: Although I went during a peak season (summer) and I still had space to enjoy the views. The key is to arrive early (8am).
• Super Clean & Organised: Mutianyu is genuinely one of the best-maintained and most efficient sections of the Wall. I also found it so easy to navigate.
• Choose Your Difficulty: You can explore both gentle, easy sections or tackle the steeper parts, whatever suits your comfort level.
• Fun Extras: To make your trip to the Great Wall even more exciting than it already is, at Mutianyu you can take a chairlift up and the toboggan down. Yes, a TOBOGGAN down the Great Wall of China!!! This is perfect if you’re travelling with kids, or if you are just a big kid at heart like me.

The Great Wall of China Toboggan Ride – Is it worth the hype?

Yes, you can really slide down the Great Wall of China on a toboggan and YES its definitely worth the hype.

The Mutianyu toboggan is a long, winding track that zigzags down the mountain. It’s sooo much fun and suitable for most ages.

A few tips for the Great Wall of China Toboggan Ride:

👉 You’ll need to take the chairlift up to use the toboggan down. So, make sure you purchase the correct ticket. You can purchase the chairlift and toboggan upon arrival, or you can purchase it here in advance (which I highly recommend to avoid long queues upon arrival).

👉 Weekends and public holidays can mean a queue builds up to ride down on the toboggan, but it usually moves quickly. When I saw the queue to go down, I honestly thought we would be hours waiting, but we waited no more than 30 minutes.

🎟️ Purchase your tickets for the toboggan in advance, we got ours here.

How to Get to the Great Wall of China from Beijing

Mutianyu and Badaling are both under two hours from central Beijing, but transport varies depending on your comfort level and budget. Here are my recommendations for travel/transport to the Great Wall of China:

Travel to the Great Wall of China by organised tour (easiest option)

If you want a stress-free day, choose a guided tour that includes transport, tickets, and sometimes lunch. This is ideal for first-timers.

The most popular types of tours for the Great Wall of China include:

• Small-group Mutianyu tours (affordable and social)
• Private Great Wall tours (best for comfort and flexibility)
• Combined day tours with additional Beijing attractions.

Travel to the Great Wall of China by private car or transfer

A private driver is the most comfortable option and often the fastest. Many travellers prefer this route as it lets you arrive early, beating the crowds. You stay in control of your schedule, and it’s surprisingly affordable when travelling with friends or in a group.

👉 This is the option we went for and you can check it out here.

Travel to the Great Wall of China with public transport

There is a public bus to Mutianyu, but it requires transfers and can be slow. Badaling is easier to reach via the high-speed train, which connects directly from Beijing North Station.

For convenience, I would recommend an organised tour or private driver for first-time visitors.

💡TIP: If you are like me and like to beat the crowds, I would highly recommend an early pick-up, that way you will arrive before the Chinese tour buses arrive.

Great Wall of China Tickets

Tickets vary by section, but here’s what you should know:

• Mutianyu requires two fees: Entrance ticket and shuttle bus fee (mandatory from the ticket gate to the cable car/chairlift entrance).
• Cable car, chairlift, and toboggan are optional add-ons
• Prices change slightly by season, so always check before you go or pre-book online.
• You can purchase the exact same tickets we bought for the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China here.

💡Tip: I highly recommend buying tickets in advance, especially during weekends, summer, and Chinese holidays. Pre-booking also allows you to skip the queues and head straight to the entrance.

Where to stay near the Great Wall of China

Most travellers stay in Beijing and take a day trip to the Wall, but if you want a peaceful mountain escape, there are some amazing hotels near Mutianyu.

Recommended hotels near The Great Wall of China Mutianyu:

Floral Hotel·Lanting Hot Spring Hotel

Perfect if you’re looking for a cosy, relaxing stay with soothing hot springs to unwind after a long day of exploring.

Shiyue Shanman Garden Hot Spring Resort Hotel

Peaceful escape with beautiful mountain views and relaxing hot springs right on your doorstep.

Brickyard Retreat

Voted one of the most Instagram-able hotels in Beijing

🏢 I book all of my hotels in China with Trip. They provide the best prices and the most options in China as they are actually a Chinese owned company.

FAQS about travel to the Great Wall of China

Mutianyu or Badaling? Which Should You Choose?

This is the biggest question I had before visiting the Great Wall of China. So, if you’re torn between the two most famous sections, like I was, don’t worry. I have wrote out the pros and cons for you. Here’s a quick comparison:

My recommendation: Mutianyu wins for most travellers. The experience feels more authentic, relaxed, and enjoyable.

Best time of the year to Great Wall of China (Weather)

Honestly, I do not think you can say there is a right or wrong time to go to the Great Wall of China. However, it’s still important to prepare for the weather at different times of the year, so you can plan accordingly:

• Spring and autumn offer the best conditions, with mild temperatures, clear skies, and beautiful scenery, especially the golden colours in autumn.

• Summer, on the other hand, is hot and humid, so visiting early in the morning is your best bet to avoid the heat.

• Winter brings freezing temperatures, but the Wall looks incredibly peaceful and almost magical when covered with light snow.

I visited the Great Wall of China in July, right in the middle of summer. We arrived at around 8am and the sun was already splitting the trees, which I loved! But by the time we made it halfway along the Wall, we were absolutely sweating. The humidity was no joke.

That said, the sunlight hitting the Great Wall and the mountains was unbelievable, and we honestly had the best day.

Just make sure you’re prepared for the heat if you’re visiting in summer: wear light clothing, pack sunscreen, and drink plenty of water.

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Final Tips for Travelling to the Great Wall of China

• Arrive early to avoid the midday crowds. We arrived for 8 a.m. and it was perfect. We had the wall practically all to ourselves for the first hour there.

• Bring snacks and water. There are little shops at the beginning, but options are limited at the top.

• Choose Mutianyu for the best first-timer experience.

• Wear sunscreen. The sun can be intense even in winter.

• Book your tickets or tour in advance, especially during peak seasons.

Bring comfortable walking shoes. Some sections are very steep!

• Wear layers during cooler seasons, as temperatures can change quickly on the mountain.

• Avoid visiting on major Chinese holidays unless you love crowds.

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Affiliate Disclaimer: Some links in this post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate and participant in other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!