Great Wall Tours
- Our Great Wall Tours can show you to the following sections of Great Wall:
- Tour to Badaling Section of the Great Wall;
- Tour to Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall;
- Tour to Simatai Section of the Great Wall;
- Tour to Huanghuacheng Section of the Great Wall tour;
- Tour to Gubeikou Section of Great Wall tour;
- Tour to Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall;
The Great Wall, one of the seven construction wonders in the world, originated as a military bulwark in ancient times.Constructions of Great Wall started in the 7th centruy B.C.The well-preserved sections of the Great Wall in Beijing are China's most attractive tourist sites and acclaimed as the acme of perfection.Lengthening over 600 kilometers, the wall climbs up and down, turns and twists on the high mountain ridges, crossing the northern part of Beijing with numberous watchtowers and becon towers.The mainly sections include Badaling, Juyongguan, Gubeikou, Simatai, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng and Yanhecheng. If you have only one day for sight-seeing in Beijing, Great Wall should be on the top of your must-see list. Our package tour is a private tour, no other passengers will share the car with you.
To Badaling Section of the Great Wall-Badaling Great Wall
Gadaling section of the Great Wall is located on the ridges of Jundu Mountains in Yanqing County, more than 60 kilometers northwest from Beijing. As its name implies, it gives access to every direction. In the history, it is a defensive outpost of the Great Wall, and its function was to protect the Juyongguan Pass.
This section of the Great Wall was built in 1505, or the 18th year of the Ming Emmperor Hongzhi's reign. The wall, built with huge stone slabs on the outside, is 7.8 meters high on the average, some even reaches 14 meters. The base of the wall, built with large rectangular slab of granite stones, is about 6.5 meters wide on the average. Its top floor is paved with square bricks which made the floor very orderly and smooth, and wide enough for five horses to gallop abreast and ten people to march shoulder by shoulder. On both sides of the road, outer parapet and inner parapet were set. The outer parapet, or the rampart wall, is crenellated with merlons almost two meters high. Built for the purpose of defense, there are holes on the top of the wall called watchhole, and peepholes under the wall called embrasures. the inner parapet, which is 1 meter high, was used to prevent the horses and gharries from overturning from the mountains. The wall is narrow on the top and broad on the bottom forming a ladder-shaped structure. This made the wall stands firmly on the rise and fall ridges.Along the wall, there are many beacon towers. Being the important structures of the massive defense system-Great Wall, they were used to transmit military message. In those pre-electricity days, probably fire and smoke were the most efficient ways for communication. One shot with one one smoke meant the enemy was about 100 men; two shots with two smokes meant 500 men, and three shots with three smokes meant more than 1000 men. By this way, a message could be transmitted over more than five hundred kilometers within a few hours.
Badaling fortress, with an elevation of 600 meters, was built in 1505. A gate-tower stands at either side of the fortress. The tablet inscribed with "the Outpost to Juyongguan Pass" is hung on the eastern gate and another one " the Lock on the Northern Gateway" on the western gate. A road links the two gates, and the place looks so thrilling that one man alone could keep 10,000 enemy soldiers at bay. It is believed in ancient times that Juyongguan Pass was the gateway to Beijing, while Badaling was the lock on this gate.
Badaling section of the Great Wall is the most famous and best-preserved section of the Great Wall. The wall threads its way through a jumble of mountains like a giant dragon. It was also the earliest section to be open ot the tourist amoung all the parts of the whole Great Wall, with its dangerous mountain slopes, splendid scenery, and distinctive four seasons.
The Great Wall, one of the seven construction wonders in the world, originated as a military bulwark in ancient times.Constructions of Great Wall started in the 7th centruy B.C.The well-preserved sections of the Great Wall in Beijing are China's most attractive tourist sites and acclaimed as the acme of perfection.Lengthening over 600 kilometers, the wall climbs up and down, turns and twists on the high mountain ridges, crossing the northern part of Beijing with numberous watchtowers and becon towers.The mainly sections include Badaling, Juyongguan, Gubeikou, Simatai, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng and Yanhecheng. If you have only one day for sight-seeing in Beijing, Great Wall should be on the top of your must-see list. Our package tour is a private tour, no other passengers will share the car with you.
To Mutianyu section of the Great Wall-Mutianyu Great Wall
Located in Huairou District about 70 kilometers northwest of Beijing, Mutianyu section of the Great Wall was originally built during the Northern Qi Dynasty in the mid-sixth century, and what now remains is the main restoration made during the Ming Dynasty. Connected with Juyongguan Pass in the west and Gubeikou in the east, Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, built along steep ridges and deep valleys, used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs during the Ming Dynasty.
According to historical records, in 1368, or the first year of Ming Emperor Hongwu's reign, construction o fthis section of the Great Wall began on the foundation of the wall of Northern Qi under the supervision of General Xu Da. In 1404, Emperor Yongle's second reign year, the Mutianyu Pass was erected and given the present name. And in 1569, the famous patriotic generals Tan Lun and Qi Jiguang rebuilt and restored this part.
Mutianyu is mostly in good condition at present. Built along the rising and falling ridges, it is one of the most dangerous parts of the Great Wall. Outside the wall the mountains are steep while within the wall the land is gentle. Built mainly with granite, the wall is 7-8 meters high and the top is 4-5 meters wide. Differing from other parts of the Great Wall, in Mutianyu section, both the outer and inner parapets are crenellated with merlons, so that shots could be fired at the enemy on both sides, which forming a complete defense work. There is a close cluster of watchtowers in unique shapes and difverse structures. Totally 22 watchtowers have been built at regular intervals along its 2,000-odd-meter span, indicating its military and strategic importance.
Built in 1404, the Mutianyu fortress consists of three terraced watchtowers, one bigger in the center and two smaller on both sides. The three watchtowers are connected each inside and compose a realy seen structure amonst all sections of the Great Wall. A gate was opened into the southern side of the platform to provide entrance to south of the Great Wall.
Northwestern part of the Mutianyu is its essence, which includes such impregnable natural barriers of the Great Wall as "Arrow Nock", "Eagle Flies Facing Upward", "Bull's Horn Ridge", "Beijing Knot(where three different converging sections of the Great Wall meet)", and "Nine-Eye Tower(a watchtower with nine embrasures like eyes)".
The surrounding natural environment of Mutianyu is most attractive. Here the mountains are densely covered by verdant plants and trees. With vegetation, green pines and cypresses covering 90 per cent of the area, the scenery here are beautiful all the year round. The dragon-like Great Wall winding in this green ocean, offers a spectacular scene.
To Simatai Section of the Great Wall-Simatai Great Wall
Simatai Section of the Great Wall, located in the north of Miyun County, 120 kilometers northeast of Beijing, holds the access to Gubeikou, a stragegic pass in the eastern part of the Great Wall. First built during the Northern Qi Dynasty and rebuilt several times in the Ming Dynasty, this section keeps the originally features of the Ming Great Wall.
Hanging precariously onto the Yanshan Mountains, Simatai Great Wall is known for its steepness, ingenuity and unique. Ingeniously conceived and uniquely designed, Simatai had different characteristics. Compareing with other sections of Great Wall, Simatai is densely dotted with beacon towers. Its structure is unique in that it contains single and double walls and assumes a trapezoidal shape. The watchtowers are round or ablate in shape and composed of two or three floors. Even the roofs of the tower are also diverse: some are flat, some look like the awning of a boat, and some are domical shapes. No matter the famous specialist of Great Wall, Professor Luo Zhewen, said:Ħħ The Great Wall is the best of the Chinese buildings, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall.Ħħ
Simatai Great Wall is separated into two parts by a valley, namely the east part and west part. Linked with the Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall in Hebei Province, the west part appears gentle with 18 well-preserved watchtowers dotting here and there. Comparing with the west part, the east part is somewhat steep and cliffy. 16 diversified watchtowers densely scattered on the brows of razorsharp cliffs, this part is the essence of Simatai, including such famous attractions as Wangjinglou (Watching Beijing Tower), Xiannulou(Fairy Tower), Tianti(Heavenly Ladder) and Tianqiao(Sky Bridge).
With an elevation of 986 meters, Wangjinglou is regarded as the summit of Simatai Great Wall. It was said that when he looks into the distance from here, once can get a panoramic view of the rolling mountains and Beijing City in bright days, while lights shimmering faintly in downtown Beijing at nights, hence its name.
To Huanghuacheng Great Wall-Huanghuacheng Great Wall
It was built in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), located at Jiuduhe Town, Huairou District, 65 kilometers (40.39 miles) from Beijing City. This section of the Great Wall at 10,800 meters (about 6711 miles) long is a resort with mountains, lakes and the ancient Great Wall.
When summer comes, the entire village under the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is immersed in a sea of yellow wild flowers ('Yellow flower' is 'huanghua' in Chinese). Consequently, this village got the name Hunghuacheng, and this section of the Great Wall is called Huanghuacheng Great Wall.
On a cliff by the Great Wall are two big Chinese characters 'jin tang' which means being very firm and strong. In fact, there is a legend about the origin of these characters. In the Ming Dynasty, the Emperor ordered a general named Cai Kai to build the Great wall here. But it took many years to accomplish the construction. So the emperor became very angry while at the same time some traitorous ministers scolded that Cai Kai had spent too much money in building it. As a result, Cai Kai was beheaded. Later, the emperor asked ministers to check the construction. They found that the Great Wall was strongly fortified. The emperor realized that he had treated Cai Kai unjustly. Then he ordered craftsman to carve these two Chinese characters. So the Huanghuacheng Great Wall is also called the Jintang Great Wall; the lake under it is Jintang Lake.
Going to Huanghuacheng Great Wall, you have four things to do at least. First, you should take photos. Since the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall into three segments naturally, its uniqueness might surprise you. And the Huanghuacheng Reservoir lies here, shaped like a curved moon. Second, go to visit the chestnut garden under the Great Wall, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. The ancient chestnut trees still grow very well. Third, climb up the steepest section of the Huanghuacheng Great Wall, Shibadeng. It is like a dragon, ready to fly into the blue sky. Fourth, look at Yaoziyu Castle. It was built in the Ming Dynasty, still well-preserved. In the castle, there is an ancient Chinese scholar tree. It is said that touching it could bring you a blessing.
To Gubeikou Section of Great Wall-Gubeikou Great Wall
Located along the Yanshan Mountain range in the northeast of Miyun County, south of the hill country of Panlong Mountain and Wohu Mountain, Gubeikou Great Wall occupies a strategically important location which is difficult to access. Situated between Shanhaiguan Pass and Juyongguan Pass, and about 62 miles to Beijing, it is the bastion protecting the northern gateway to the capital.
The first section of the wall was built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 557). Centuries later, General Xuda ordered to rebuild it in the early Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). The defensive capability of the wall was enhanced by adding more stone. When Qi Jiguang was appointed chief commanding officer of Ji Garrison (one of the eleven garrisons in Ming Dynasty), he laid another line of brick wall beside the original one, thus forming the unique Gubeikou double-lined Wall.
Today the famous Gubeikou Great Wall stretches for more than 25 miles. There are 14 beacon towers, 143 watch towers, 16 strategic pass, three citadels and many other military constructions. Many of them are famous cultural relics, such as the Big Flower Beacon Tower of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Fairy Tower, General Tower, and the dominant Wangjing Tower.
The Gubeikou Great Wall construction rates highly as an architectural achievement. The scenic highlights include Wohushan Great Wall and Panlongshan Great Wall.
Wohushan Great Wall: 'Wohu' means 'Crouching Tiger' in English, because the mountain looks like two tigers, one lying on its back while the other lies on its stomach. Located in the western section of the Gubeikou Great Wall, its highest peak measures about 2,181 feet. A watch tower is erected every 492 feet of the wall, overlooking a deep valley or mounted on a strategically important hilltop. A professor from Beijing University compares the Great Wall to a huge cursive script work with the watch towers providing the pausing or transitional strokes. Because this section of the Great Wall is not opened up to tourists, it retains its fascination today as its raw condition is still evident.
Panlongshan Great Wall: West of Wohushan Great Wall, it is located in the middle section of Gubeikou Great Wall, where most of the historical wars took place. In ancient times, both warring parties placed emphasis on securing the Panlongshan Great Wall, because each knew that once the wall was captured, the Gubeikou Great Wall would be readily occupied. The whole wall measures about 3.1 miles. Of its over 40 watch towers, the General Tower is the most famous. It is located at the commanding elevation of Panlongshan Mountain, from where wars were directed. There are four arrow windows on the north and south sides respectively, while each of the east and west sides has three arrow windows. This section of the wall is of unique construction: it is made up of earth walls, stone walls and brick walls. And it is also preserved in its original state.
To Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall-Juyongguan Great Wall
Located 50 kilometers from Beijing in a ravine flanked by mountains in Changping District, the Juyongguan Pass of the Great Wall provided impregnable protection to northwest Beijing and was one of the most important fortifications of ancient times.
According to the historical records, Juyongguan, a place of strategic importance of bygone days, got its name about 2,000 years ago. The present structure with a total area of 33,500 square meters dates from the Ming Dynasty. Walls descend from the top of mountains on both sides of Juyongguan Pass to link with the stronghold of the pass. Two subsidiary passes were built - Nankou to the south and Badaling to the north.
The Juyongguan Pass has two gates, and a walled-in enclosure was built at the southern gate. Inside the pass is a marble platform called Yuntai(Cloud Platform) finely built in 1268, or the 5th year of the Zhiyuan Reign of the Yuan Dynasty. 9.5 meters in height, 27 meters in width and 310 square meters in area, it was also called Guojieta (Crossing Street Dagoba), since its arch spanned the main street of the pass and there used to be three dogobas on the top of the platform, which were unfortunately destroyed in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties. Later a temple was bulit on teh site, but was also destroyed. On the terrace are the remains of stone pillars and balustrade richly decorated with dragon heads, flowers and other carvings. In the middle of the base of the platform there is a hexagonal arched door, which is more than 7 meters high and 6 meters wide enough to allow the passage of horses and carriages. Both side of the arch gateway are decorated with carvings of the Yuan Dynasty of Buddhas, four Heavenly Kings, Buddhist gods, animals and flowers and what is more, Buddhist sutras in Chinese, Sanskrit, Tibetan and three other minority languages, which are valuable to the study of Buddhism and ancient languages. These beautiful relief works are rarely seen in China, and are undoubtedly brilliant representation of carvings of the Yuan Dynasty.
Reputed as the "number One Imposing Pass under Heaven", Juyongguan Pass witnessed many important and significant events in Chinese.Many battles took place, such as the wars prior to the decline of the Liao, Jin, and Yuan dynasties. In 1644, the troops of Peasant Uprising led by Li Zicheng took over Beijing and entered the city from here. HOwever, it was because of weakness of the Ming government and poverty of the people but never due to any possibility of weakness of the Great Wall.
Besides its stragegic significance, Juyongguan Pass was also famous for its charming scenery. As early as the Jin Dynasty, the famous scenic spot of Juyong Diecui was listed as one of the Eight Great Views of Yanjing, as there are lush trees around the pass like layers of green waves. And the Guangou Ravine in which the pass stands stretches 20 or so kilometers. The ravine is luxuriant wooded, and the scenery is captivating. It is said in ancient times that Guangou boasts 72 famous scenic spots.