A place must visit in lifetime, The Great Wall -China

Another wonderful perfect tour started in April school holiday in 2017 to China.It was a 20 day long trip with my family. We landed in Beijing midnight and went to our Beijing hotel by a taxi which hired at the airport. We did a day trip to Great Wall -Jinshanling section from Beijing as part of the 3 week trip in China.

Way to Jinshanling

There are several ways to Jinshanling. The easier of which is to take the tourist bus from Dongzhimen Bus Station or can get a rental car. We took the bus from Dongzhimen bus terminal  at 8.00 am to Jinshanling.One way to get there is by taking the subway to Dongzhimen station and took about 2 1/2 hours to Jinshanling. The price is 50 yuan. Once you get on the bus, except a toilet stops at Miyun highway service station,the bus has no other stop before you got to Jinshanling highway service station. The bus stops at the service  area and there's a sign for Jinshanling Great Wall  west entrance is 5 km. Got the shuttle bus ticket to the entrance.Getting off the shuttle bus, there is still a few  meters of walking before reaching the ticketing gate.

History of Great Wall

The Great Wall of China is located in northern China. It is one of the greatest sights in the world has more than 2300 years history. 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  Chinese Empires, with a total of more than 20,000 kilometers length.

It was built in different areas by different dynasties to protect different territorial borders. In the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), the Great Wall was reconstructed to be stronger using better developed construction techniques. The height of the Great Wall is 5–8 meters. It was designed to be at least three times the height of a man. The Great Wall begins in the east at Shanhaiguan in Hebei province and ends at Jiayuguan in Gansu province to the west.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Today, the Great Wall is generally recognized as one of the most impressive architectural feats in human history. In 1987,  the  Great Wall was inscribed in the list of the World  Heritage site by the UNESCO and it is the only man made structure that is visible from space. It deserves its place among "The New Seven Wonders of the World".

Entrance to the Wonder

There are two gates, East and Main gate in Jinshanling. Most people enter from the main gate and hike the wall to the east gate. At the main entrance,there is a ticket counter. Don't forget to buy some snacks and water bottles from the restaurants at the tourist area entrance. You can't find shops and toilets beyond that point before finishing the walk.

Once through the ticket check gate,you can also take the cable car up instead of walking up. Ohh!! What a unlucky moment, upon arrival, we got to know the cable car was not in service on that day. Walked on the foot path about 2km to the wall.

The Great Wall Hike

We hiked from the West Gate to the East Gate, which took just under 4 hours although that did include frequent photo stops with kids. Jinshanling  Great Wall is in a mountainous area 120 km northeast of central Beijing. It's name was derived from the greater and lesser Jinshan Watchtowers on the Great wall. This section of wall connects the Simatai Great Wall section in the east, and Gubeikou Section in the west. 

 

The Great Wall was not just a wall. It has barrier walls, battlement walls, watchtowers, gun emplacements, shooting holes, horse blocking walls, and branch cities. Those challenging sections went towards making it such an amazing experience. 

The horse refraining walls,crenelations,hollow watchtowers and warehouse towers are all unique in the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. At various guard towers we met Chinese ladies selling souvenirs, snacks, water, and books we bought a book as a souvenir.

Stunning View, Walking Challenge

Jinshanling is a popular choice to visit because of its stunning views and there are usually not many people visiting this section. The whole experience was brilliant. The walk was more challenging than I expected, some steep ups and downs and no short cuts or ways out once you start.The wall includes some very steep sections and a lot of steps. There were also a couple of sections which are in poorer condition, with little in the way of side walls and some stretches which are steep but sloping , not stepped you need decent walking shoes with good grip. Some sections are extremely steep and can be a bit challenging to climb.

Hikers need to be in good physical condition to complete this hike. You are suggested to wear hiking boots that can protect your ankles, because there are rough parts where you may easily get a hurt.

Unbelievable Structure

We were so lucky in spring weather, sunny and not too hot , Great wall with blue sky. It's splendid, it's worth visiting. Oh my goodness!!! the entire experience was amazing!! The views are absolutely breathtaking and the wall is full of miracle designs! It's really unbelievable when I walked on it. How can ancient Chinese built these on the ridge of the mountains without machine.

 

One of the most beautiful and remarkable places we have seen in the world and it was majestic beyond expectation. This is one of the most famous site in the world and a must visit in one's lifetime.It is amazing for photography. The wall and the surrounding mountains are stunning.

A Dream Came True

Most people enter from the main gate, hike the wall to the east gate, then catches the shuttle back to the service area. But unfortunately we missed the bus because we got late to the parking area due to walk with kids. Though it is expensive,we hired a vehicle to Beijing and it took 2 hours.

So exhausted.But so happy.I have dreamed of going Great Wall since a very early age and it only took many years to get there - bit worth the wait.  I’ve been fortunate to see this marvelous one of the world wonders.

The Great Wall is a China icon. The Great Wall of China is the must visit China attraction. It is a life time experience. If you insist on a full experience you should walk. This was one of the most magical days of our lives. Another Perfect Tour.....

 Remember this famous Chinese saying: "Until you reach the Great Wall, you would not be regarded as a Hero"