For 20 years, Samantha Brown has traversed continents, experienced culture, and tasted adventure applying her…
The Easiest Way to See The Great Wall of China
When I finally had an opportunity to see the Great Wall of China, I could hardly believe it.
It’s been a dream of mine to visit this Wonder of the World for as long as I can remember. Imagine, a structure built by humans over 2,300 years ago that’s longer than the United States! That’s right. This wall stretches over 13,000 miles and is the only man-made structure you can see from space with the naked eye.
I was able to visit the wall during a stay in Beijing. The Balading section is just a two-hour drive from the city, which makes it pretty convenient to visit. It also means this is the most trafficked section of the Great Wall– sometimes garnering up to 70,000 visitors a day!
Like any touristy place, there’s vendors selling all sorts of over-priced trinkets and souvenirs. If you’re into that, great. If not, don’t let it cloud your experience– this is truly one of those tourist-filled destinations that’s worth visiting, no matter how many people try to get you to buy a commemorative t-shirt.
You can opt to hike up to the wall, but I decided to save my stamina for hiking the wall itself. Luckily, there’s a cable car that will take up right up to the top. So if your mobility is limited, fear not! You will still be able to take in the majestic beauty.
Have you been to the Great Wall? What did you think? Share your travel tips and highlights in the comments!
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That cable car looks cool. I was there in 2005 and we hiked up. People don’t realize how much of a work out that is! It’s still one of the most amazing sites I’ve seen.
Been there twice. Definitely need to avoid Badaling section of the wall because it’s overcrowded. Mutianyu is pretty cool once you hike up the mountain past all the tourists.
You cannot see the Great Wall of China from space with the naked eye. http://www.universetoday.com/25364/can-you-see-the-great-wall-of-china-from-space/
I agree that the wall at Mutianyu might be a better option, and it’s about the same distance. My tip would be to get there early. I arrived at 9:30am and it was virtually empty. By the time I made my way down two hours later, it was a bit crowded.
The Jiankou part of the wall is a lot less traveled and no vendors. It is a bit more difficult to navigate and not restored, but a much more pleasant experience.
I believe the myth that ‘you can see it from space’ was coined by a 19th Century geographer who claimed you could see it from the Moon. Of course, nobody had been to the Moon at that time, so it couldn’t be disproved 😀
A good place to see the wall from Beijing is at the Juyong Pass … but you need to get there VERY early!