Badaling Great Wall Hiking

At the pre-agreed time this morning, our guide and driver will greet you in the lobby of the hotel you booked yourself in downtown Beijing and then escort you to the Badaling Great Wall in our comfortable private car in about 1.5 hours. Upon arrival, the guide will accompany you on an exhilarating hike along the popular and moderately challenging North Route, from the 1st to the 11th Watchtower, which boasts steep terrain and unparalleled views. Conquer the highest point at the North 8th Watchtower and admire iconic landmarks like the Hero Monument and Hero Slope, before we hike down and visit the Great Wall Museum. Around noon, we’ll arrange a special lunch on the Great Wall for you to experience the novel UAV delivery system, which can quickly deliver simple snacks to your hands in just 15 minutes after the guide places the order via phone!

At the end of the Badaling Great Wall hiking tour, you’ll be escorted back to your hotel downtown. The whole journey is relatively easy for the young and the healthy elderly, but if you are not physically fit enough, please inform our guide or travel consultant in advance to arrange the cable car ride for you. Feel free to contact us to customize the itinerary to your preferences.

► Note: The Great Wall Museum is currently closed for renovation. Before it reopens by the end of 2025, we’ll visit the nearby Bear Garden as an alternative.

It is well worth spending a day to hike the Badaling Great Wall to enjoy both the magnificent landscape and its thick history and profound culture. As the most typical and best preserved section of the Great Wall in China, Badaling in Beijing is the most popular destination for travelers, especially those who come to China for the first time, including quite a few foreign heads of state. Since the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), it has experienced the baptism of innumerable wars, but still firmly stands on the sheer and sneaking mountain ridges, witnessing the glory of ancient Chinese military defense works.

● How to Choose between Badaling and Mutianyu Great Wall？
Badaling and Mutianyu are undoubtedly the two most well-known sections of the Great Wall and travelers often struggle over which one to visit. If you are a first-time visitor to the Great Wall, the time-honored and magnificent Badaling is indeed more recommended, as it can be called the essence of the Great Wall of China. But note that it is always overcrowded, especially during holidays and peak seasons, which may affect your traveling experience. If you expect a relatively leisurely trip, the quiet but also scenic Mutianyu may be your priority.

Public Transportation to Badaling

● Best Way: High Speed Train
The most convenient and fastest way is to take the high speed train from Beijing North Railway Station to the Badaling Great Wall Railway Station, which is directly connected to the Back Mountain (inner side of the Wall). The train ride takes 30 to 60 minutes and 7 trains are available from 7:05 to 19:26 every day.

Train Schedule

Train No.	Departure - Arrival	Travel Time	First Class Seat	Second Class Seat
G2515	07:05 - 07:39	34 minutes	CNY 45	CNY 28
G7831	07:28 - 08:05	37 minutes	CNY 48	CNY 29
D6703	08:13 - 09:06	53 minutes	CNY 40	CNY 25
G7841	11:47 - 12:22	35 minutes	CNY 48	CNY 29
D6725	12:32 - 13:02	30 minutes	CNY 36	CNY 23
G2545	19:09 - 19:36	27 minutes	CNY 45	CNY 28
G7845	19:26 - 20:02	36 minutes	CNY 45	CNY 28

After getting off the train, you can walk 15 minutes to the entrance for hiking up the Great Wall, or 10 minutes to reach the Aerial Cable Car Station and the Ground Funicular Station. The Great Wall Museum and dining area are also at the foot of the Back Mountain.

* Note that there are only 2 trains back to Beijing North Railway Station depart at 14:33 and 17:32. Although there are also many trains to Beijing's Qinghe Station, they may not be your consideration due to its long distance from downtown.

* The S2 train from Huangtudian Railway Station to Badaling is less recommended, as its drop-off point is so far from the entrance that you need to transfer to a shuttle bus.

● Economical Alternative: Bus No. 877
Bus No. 877 runs every 10-20 minutes between 6:30 and 12:30 from Beitucheng Station to Badaling Station, and returns between 11:00 and 16:00, taking 1.5 to 2 hours and costing CNY 12 (USD 2) one way. It terminates at the Front Mountain (outer side of the Wall). From here, it requires a 15-minute walk to the entrance of the Great Wall and about 10 minutes to walk to the north pulley station near the Bear Park.

* Be aware that you are likely to get stuck in traffic by bus, especially on holidays, and may need to stand all the way to the destination because of limited seats. Just select according to your needs.

Highlights along Badaling Hiking Route

Route: Badaling North 1st Watchtower - North 11th Watchtower - Great Wall Museum
Hiking Duration: 3 - 4 hours
Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆
Scenery: ★★★★★
What to Prepare: suitable sports shoes; sunglasses, sun cream, and hats on sunny days; gloves, scarves, and caps in winter
Best Time to Visit: April to June; September to October

After the entrance, start your hike from the North 1st Watchtower. No toilet is available once on the wall, so remember to be prepared before hiking at the entrance of the scenic area, or you can only reach one at the exit when finishing the tour. It is surprising to know the part between the 2nd and 4th watchtowers is the “VIP photo area” on Badaling of those foreign heads, including Nixon, Queen Elizabeth, Obama and Emperor Akihito, and why not capture your own wonderful moments here either? From the 3rd Watchtower, descend first and then climb another 100 or so steps to the 4th Watchtower, where your eyes will be caught by the iconic Hero Monument, which reads, “One who fails to reach the Great Wall is not a hero.”, and it may inspire you to continue to move forward with vigor. Proceed to the 5th Watchtower, a two-story tower with more than 30 arches under the second floor, and enjoy a panoramic view of the majestic wall surrounded by beautiful scenery from those arches used to observe the enemies.

Next, hike to the North 6th Watchtower, which is the largest of its kind on the Great Wall, and there is a ladder inside for you to climb up to explore its top. From the 7th to the 8th watchtowers, test your mettle and physical strength on the most challenging Hero Slope, whose steepest part has a gradient of more than 60 degrees, on both your hands and feet. As you wheeze, you may wonder why such a high and precipitous wall failed to stop Genghis Khan. That’s because the Badaling section was formally built after the dynasty of the great man, to prevent the Mongol’s reinvasion. As the highest point of the Great Wall with an elevation of 888 meters (2,913 feet), the 8th Watchtower is the best spot to admire and snap the sunrise or sunset over the wall, thus it is also named Sun Watching Tower. Go downhill to the North 10th Watchtower, where you will find a garret on its second floor, which in ancient times served as a temporary bedroom for garrisoned soldiers and storage of army provisions. End the Great Wall hike at the 11th Watchtower and descend the mountain from the path nearby.

If time is on your side and you are still energetic, you can explore the South Route as well, which is shorter and relatively gentle with 7 watchtowers.● Cable Car, Funicular, and Pulley
Want to make the journey a little easier? Perhaps opt to take the aerial cable car to the North 7th Watchtower, or the pulley to the North 4th Watchtower, or the funicular to the South 4th Watchtower near the entrance, and then go on a hike on the Wall. Be aware, though, that there may be hours-long queues during the peak seasons or holidays.
* Ticket Price for Your Reference:
1. Cable Car/Funicular: CNY 100 for a single trip, CNY 140 for a round trip.
2. Pulley: CNY 80 for a single trip, CNY 120 for a round trip.

● Know More about China Great Wall Museum
The museum at the foot of the Great Wall, specially built to showcase the history and culture of this great manmade wonder, houses more than 2,500 sets of cultural relics found around the Wall, mainly iron, masonry, ceramics and coins from the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC) to the Ming Dynasty. Take a closer look at a brick under glass, and you’ll find some Chinese characters engraved on it, which is its manufacturing information like maker and time. It was actually a means of supervision to prevent the occurrence of inferior walls because of cutting corners in the Ming Dynasty. It was precisely because the ancients were so rigorous and clever that they built such a strong defense line, making it impossible for the nomads to cross at that time.

● Memo on Food
Dining options at Badaling are limited, so it is recommended that you pack some easily carried snacks like chocolates and biscuits for a quick energy boost. You won’t find any food service when hiking on the Wall except to employ the UAV delivery. There are a few fast food chains at the foot of the Wall, including KFC, Subway, Starbucks, as well as Chinese restaurants Mr. Li Beef Noodle King and Qingfeng Steamed Bun Eatery. The average cost for a simple lunch per person is about CNY 50 (USD 7).

A self-guided tour to Badaling requires sophisticated advance planning in terms of time, transportation, tickets booking, and route research. We hope the above information is helpful. If you find it difficult, consider our hassle-free guided tour with private car transfer. Interested in exploring more? We can also incorporate the nearby Ming Tombs and Sacred Way in your day trip. Reach out now for personalized itinerary planning with our local experts!