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The Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China​​ is an ancient defensive marvel stretching ​​over 13,000 miles​​ across northern China. Originally built over ​​2,000 years ago​​ during the Qin Dynasty and expanded in the Ming Dynasty. Today, it stands as a ​​UNESCO World Heritage site​​ and one of the world’s most iconic wonders.

Recommended sightseeing time:2-4 hours Address: Huairou District, Beijing, China

The Great Wall of China Ticket Prices & Discounts

  • Ticket (Adult)

    Conditional cancellation, Ticket pick-up not required

  • One-way Aerial Ropeway or Ground Cable Car

    Choose 1 from 2, Excluding General Admission of the Great Wall

  • Ticket + One-way North Line Aerial Ropeway

    Multiple Options Available

Best Hotels Near The Great Wall of China

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4.7/5
11333 reviews
5/5
Worth a try!
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5/5
We finally saw the Great Wall of China! An incredible sight!!! Go there you will not regret it!
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4/5
There are some steep slopes, so please be sure to be in good physical condition before going.
review picture
4/5
Amazing!
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4/5
There was fog so we couldn't see the whole Great Wall, but it was nice to be able to take the ropeway up and easily enter.
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The Great Wall is one of the must-visit tourist attractions in Beijing. Its architecture and scenery are extremely stunning, and you can also feel the strong historical atmosphere! If you want to know more detailed information about the Great Wall, such as opening hours, ticket prices, transportation and other details, then keep reading.

The Great Wall of China｜Introduction​

The Great Wall of China｜Introduction​

Source from: Jplenio

The Great Wall of China is the most representative military defense project in ancient Chinese mainland. It originated in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods (770 BC–221 BC). To defend against foreign enemies, various states built city walls one after another. It was not until Qin Shi Huang unified China that the Great Walls in different regions were connected. Since then, it has been successively reinforced and expanded in various dynasties, and finally reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty. It is approximately 21,196 kilometers long and spans 15 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions, including Beijing, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu and other places.

The main function of the Great Wall was to prevent foreign invasions, and it also served the purposes of border management and military defense. Nowadays, the Great Wall has become a World Cultural Heritage Site, attracting countless tourists to visit. Among them, the Badaling Great Wall in Beijing is the most famous. It is conveniently located, well-preserved and suitable for visiting all year round. It is one of the most beloved Great Wall scenic spots for tourists.

Opening hours: 06:30 a.m. to 16:30 p.m. every day

Address: Exit 58, G6 Beijing-Xizang Expressway, Yanqing District, Beijing

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The Great Wall of China｜Facts about The Great Wall

The Great Wall of China｜Facts about The Great Wall

Source from Unsplash: akaguglielmo

How Long is the Great Wall of China?

​​Total length:​​ Approximately ​​21,196 km (13,171 miles)​​.
• This measurement includes all historical sections (walls, trenches, and natural barriers) across 15 Chinese provinces.
• Note: Only ~30% remains well-preserved today. The Ming Dynasty section (most visited) is ~8,850 km (5,500 miles).

How Long Would It Take to Walk the Great Wall?

​​Estimated duration:​​

Route

Distance

Time Required

Entire Wall (theoretical)

~21,196 km

​

​18+ months​

​ of continuous walking

Ming Dynasty Sections

~8,850 km

​

​14–18 months​

​

Popular Tourist Route (e.g., Jinshanling to Simatai)

10 km

3–5 hours

​​Realistic factors:​​
• Physical barriers: Ruined sections, steep cliffs, and restricted military zones make a full walk ​​impossible​​.
• Only ​​4 people​​ have verifiably walked the full length (taking 17–20 months).

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Why Was the Great Wall Built?

​​Primary purposes:​​

  1. ​​Defense:​​ Protect northern borders from nomadic invasions (e.g., Mongols, Xiongnu).
  2. ​​Trade Control:​​ Regulate Silk Road commerce and impose tariffs via guarded gates.
  3. ​​Border Control:​​ Monitor immigration and smuggling.
  4. ​​Symbolism:​​ Project imperial power and unify Chinese states psychologically.

Key insight: The wall served as a ​​military corridor​​ (for troop movement) rather than just a barrier.

When Was the Great Wall Built?

​​Major construction phases:​​

Dynasty

Period

Contribution

​

​Early States​

​ (Qi, Chu)

7th century BCE

First walls

​

​Qin Dynasty​

​

221–206 BCE

Linked existing walls into unified defense

​

​Han Dynasty​

​

206 BCE–220 CE

Extended west into Gobi Desert

​

​Ming Dynasty​

​

1368–1644 CE

Rebuilt 90% with bricks/stones (structure seen today)

Total construction span: ​​Over 2,300 years​​ (completed around 1644 CE).

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How Was the Great Wall Built?

​​Construction methods:​​

  • ​​Materials:​​ Vary by region:
    • Northern plains: Rammed earth (soil compacted with reeds/wood).
    • Mountains: Granite and limestone blocks.
    • Ming Dynasty sections: Kiln-fired bricks (sticky rice mortar mixed with lime).
  • ​​Labor force:​​

    70%: Soldiers, peasants, prisoners (lifelong conscription).

  • ​​Engineering:​​
    • Walls: 7–9 m (23–30 ft) tall × 4–5 m (13–16 ft) wide (fit for troop movement).
    • Strategic features: Beacon towers, arrow slits, horse-deterring ramps.
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Buy The Great Wall Tickets

The Great Wall of China｜Badaling Great Wall Tickets​

The Great Wall of China｜Badaling Great Wall Tickets​

Ticket Type

Description

AUD Price

Adult (18-59 years)

Valid ID required

​

​$8​.57

​

Student

18-25 years; full-time undergraduate or below (excl. adult education); valid ID

​

​$4​

​

Entrance + Cable Car/Funicular (Low Season)

Adult (18-59 years) - Round-trip cable car OR funicular

​

​$38​

​

Entrance + Round-Trip Shuttle (Downtown↔Scenic Area)

All ages - Shuttle between Beijing downtown and Badaling

​

​$26​

​

Cable Car/Funicular Only (No Entrance)

All ages - Round-trip cable car OR funicular

​

​$30​

4.7/5
11333 reviews
5/5
Worth a try!
review picture
5/5
We finally saw the Great Wall of China! An incredible sight!!! Go there you will not regret it!
review picture
4/5
There are some steep slopes, so please be sure to be in good physical condition before going.
review picture
4/5
Amazing!
review picture
4/5
There was fog so we couldn't see the whole Great Wall, but it was nice to be able to take the ropeway up and easily enter.
review picture

The Great Wall of China｜Transportation Guide​

Reach China's most iconic landmark via high-speed rail, suburban train, bus, or shuttle. Choose based on budget/time!

​

​Method​

​

​

​Route​

​

​

​Key Details​

​

​

​High-Speed Rail​

​

​Beijing North Station → Badaling Great Wall Station​​

• Journey: ​​30 min​​

• Frequency: 1-2 daily departures

• ​​Book in advance​​ on Trip.com

​

​Suburban Railway (S2 Line)​​

(Most Budget-Friendly)

​

​Changping → Badaling → Yanqing​

​

• Direct access to Badaling

• Check timetables carefully

• Cashless payment accepted

​​Bus 877​​

(Direct, Non-Stop)

​​Deshengmen Bus Station → Badaling​

​

• Zero intermediate stops

• Ideal for avoiding transfers

• Operates 6:00 AM - 12:30 PM

​

​Tourist Shuttle​​

(Most Convenient)

​

​Beitucheng / Chaoyangmen → Badaling​

​

• Multiple daily departures

• Downtown hotel pickups available

• English-speaking staff onboard

​​Key Travel Tips​​

  1. ​​High-Speed Rail​​:
    • Departure times vary seasonally
    • Arrive 45+ mins early for security
    • Show passport + printed ticket
  3. ​​S2 Railway​​:
    • No seat reservations (first-come basis)
    • Scan QR code for real-time schedule
  5. ​​Bus 877​​:
    • Payment: ​​A$5 exact cash​​ / Beijing Transit Card
    • Free for children <3 ft
  7. ​​Tourist Shuttle​​:
    • Round-trip fare: ​​A$17​​ (includes bottled water & map)
    • Amenities: USB charging, free Wi-Fi
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Mainland China Travel｜Pre-Trip Preparation​

Mainland China Travel｜Pre-Trip Preparation​

Source from Unsplash: alber_catine

TRAVEL DOCUMENTS​​

​​Passport​​: ≥6 months validity + 2 blank pages

​​China Visa (L)​​: Apply at Sydney/Melbourne/Perth Visa Centre ​​4+ weeks ahead​​

​​eSIM/Mobile​​: Pre-download ​​Airalo China eSIM​​ (Trip.com 4G backup)

​​MONEY & PAYMENTS​​

​​Cash​​: Exchange ​​AUD→CNY in Australia​​ ($300–500 AUD emergency cash)

​​Cards​​: Notify bank​​ for Visa/Mastercard use (block Amex!)

​​Alipay​​: ​​Link Visa card BEFORE arrival​​ (WeChat Pay requires Chinese bank)

​​Cash Survival​​: Keep ¥100 bills for markets/street food

​​CONNECTIVITY​​

​​VPN​​: ​​Install ExpressVPN/Astrill BEFORE landing​​ (Google/WhatsApp blocked)

​​Maps/Translate​​: Download ​​Baidu Maps offline​​ + ​​Microsoft Translator Chinese pack​​

​​PACKING ESSENTIALS​​

​​Power​​: Universal adapter (Type A/C/I) + power bank (220V voltage)

​​Footwear​​: Sturdy walking shoes (Great Wall = 10K+ steps)

​​Local Know-How​​

  • ​​Cultural Tips​​: Avoid political discussions. Tipping is rare.
  • ​​Emergency Contacts​​:
    • ​​Australian Embassy​​ (Beijing): +86 10 5140 4111
    • ​​Police​​: 110
    • ​​Ambulance​​: 120
    • ​​Lifeline China (English hotline)​​: 400 821 1215
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Mainland China Travel｜Must-Have Apps​

Category

App Name

Key Features

​​Payments​

​​Alipay​

Link int'l Visa/MC cards for 90% of transactions

​​Transportation​

​​DiDi​

Uber alternative; English interface, accepts int'l cards

Transportation

​​AMAP​

Offline maps with bus/metro routes (basic English)

​​Translation​

​​Baidu Translator​​

Photo/voice translation, offline packs for Mandarin

​​Food & Discovery​

​​Meituan

Yelp + OpenTable hybrid (use photo translate for reviews)

​

​Accommodation​

​

​Trip.com​​ or ​​Ctrip​

​

Best rates for local hotels/trains/flights

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The Great Wall of China｜Badaling Accommodation​

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Questions about the Great Wall of China

  • What are 5 facts about the Great Wall of China?

    10 Things to Know about the Great Wall of China The total length of the Great Wall is 21196.18 km. ... There are 15 strategic passes from the East to the West. ... It took over 2,000 years to construct the wall. ... It is not a wall but a series of fortifications. ... Various materials were used to build the Great Wall.

  • How long is China's Great Wall and why was it built?

    The Great Wall was continuously built from the 3rd century BC to the 17th century AD on the northern border of the country as the great military defence project of successive Chinese Empires, with a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers.

  • Why did China put up the Great Wall?

    Over its history, The Great Wall served three different purposes throughout its history: to protect the Chinese Empire from foreign invaders, act as a psychological barrier between northern and southern civilizations, and protect the Silk Road Trade.

  • What is the true story of the Great Wall of China?

    The history of the Great Wall of China began when fortifications built by various states during the Spring and Autumn (771–476 BC) and Warring States periods (475–221 BC) were connected by the first emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, to protect his newly founded Qin dynasty (221–206 BC) against incursions

  • Can you walk the entire Great Wall?

    No, it's not possible to walk the entire length of the Great Wall of China. The Great Wall is not a single, continuous structure, but rather a series of walls and fortifications built over centuries. Many sections are damaged, deteriorated, or even missing, and some areas are off-limits due to safety concerns or military installations.
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