If you're planning on going to Beijing and want to see the Great Wall - I have some valuable life experience to share with you.
A general disclaimer about visiting The Great Wall. You will walk lots of steps. Think of a lot and then multiply that by 2. And these steps are not standard sized - not even compared to the steps around it. One step may be gigantic and the next tiny - both in height and depth. Also, don't be discouraged when seemingly fragile older ladies wearing heels easily pass you. This is a normal phenomenon. It's bound to happen.
As a first timer to the Great Wall, I was taken to the most popular (touristy) portion of the wall. It was... well, I'm sure it was beautiful but there were so many people I could hardly see a few feet in front of me. And there were vendors everywhere selling their souvenirs. This section of the Great Wall is called Badaling. If you are looking for a convenient trip and like being around lots of people, this portion of the wall is just for you. It really is quite an experience. And if you're thinking "maybe it's not always like that" - I have been more than once. The second time I was thinking just the same thing and found that I was wrong. The third time (so that a friend could see the Wall) I walked the person up to the entrance and said "see ya in a while" and went to look at all the souvenirs as there were less people there than on the Wal. Although this portion of the Great Wall is not my preference, it is one of the easiest places to get to. The majority of buses to the Wall head out to here and most tour buses at hotels also go here. And it is the most preserved - meaning that they keep it restored so that you wouldn't be tripping over crumbling steps. (I apologize for the lack of pictures of this portion of the Great Wall. The times I visited Badaling were pre-common popularity of digital cameras and my pictures are away in storage.)
During yet another trip to Beijing to show friends the beauty of the Wall I found another section of the Great Wall - Simatai. If you stay at youth hostels, tours to this section are easier to find. This part of the Great Wall is mostly unrestored so there is more of a struggle to go up and down but the beauty of it all is lovely and you aren't surrounded by tourists. If you're adventurous you can take the "shortcut" near the Great Wall (read my post about getting lost NEAR the Great Wall first, though. https://sarahnardi.wixsite.com/mysite/post/getting-lost-near-the-great-wall ) that takes you near farmland. I only call it a shortcut because it takes you away from constant stairs - it may actually be longer, but it's an easier walk. If you're lucky, there will be people out offering their expertise as guides. Be sure to bargain the price before starting the walk as they will inflate the cost exponentially. This section of the Wall does NOT have any vendors, so be sure to bring water and snacks. Although, there is a zip line at the end of this section. I've not yet taken a ride on it due to either not having enough time to wait in the line or it being closed due to weather - but it looks like lots of fun.
The last section of the Wall that I have visited is Mutianyu. I found it kind of by accident and was highly impressed by my experience there. I was googling the Great Wall sections as I knew I didn't want to go to Badaling again and what other portions there were that I hadn't been to before. I also knew it needed to be convenient to get to as I wanted to spend as we were only going to be in Beijing for a layover. I happened to see a video of people riding on toboggans. It looked like lots of fun for our small group - so I determined this was where we were going. And we were NOT disappointed. My first impression was that there weren't many people - but in a good way. We didn't have to fight to get around crowds of people. Also, on the path to the entryway where lots of shops selling souvenirs and snacks. There were even restaurants! We stopped at one and had a leisurely, filling and delicious meal - slightly pricier than eating in the city, but again the convenience factor (and our hunger) caused us not to care. We had such a wonderful time there taking the scenery in at our own pace. This section is highly restored so you won't be tripping over rubble. Below are a couple videos one of my friends made about our adventures at Mutianyu.
Video Credits: Zoe Black
Video Credits: Zoe Black
Side note: the layover tour at the following link was amazing for our small group of friends. They dropped us at Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City as soon as we arrived. We later met up with the van and they drove us to Mutianyu. They picked us up at the airport with all of our luggage and we were on our way. They were flexible about how long we spent at each place and what order we did it in. They are a little pricey compared to doing it on your own or catching tour buses, but it's well worth the money if you are on a layover and want to make the best of your time. https://www.tour-beijing.com/short-tours/#.XNRhIjBKipo
If you have any specific questions about these sections of the Great Wall, feel free to ask away. Also, if you've been to the Great Wall and have had other experiences (either at these portions of the Wall and others) and/or advice, please leave a comment - I'd love to hear your input.
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