Great Wall of China

We highlight the different ways travellers can experience this famous UNESCO Heritage Site, which can be seen from space!

Check out one of Wendy Wu's China tours, like this one. ‘The Great Wall’ is the first English-language movie shot by acclaimed Chinese director Zhang Yimou. Yimou is best known for the epic films ‘Hero’ and ‘House of Flying Daggers’. "The Great Wall" film was shot completely in China. Cast included Matt Damon, Andy Lau, Jing Tian and Willem Defoe. The plot centres on the legend of Taotie. Furthermore, the film pays attention to monsters who scale the Great Wall every 60 years to feed. The Great Wall of China is one of the most recognisable landmark on Earth. When it comes to bucket lists, The Great Wall is always mentioned. The Great Wall is celebrating 30 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

6 Regions to Explore

Juyongguan Great Wall Section - “For the first-time visitor”
Draped over a great mountain pass, Juyongguan is one of the closest sections to Beijing – just 31 miles. This popular section was built during the Ming Dynasty. In fact, this wall is built over the 5th century ruins of a previous wall. Due to its important strategic location, Juyongguan been restored frequently over the years. Traversing a huge valley, the wall is easily accessible by most people. It does notneede any step-climbing – just simply walk on and walk as far as you like! The Juyongguan Great Wall features on most of Wendy Wu's Classic Group Tours including our popular 16-day Wonders of China tour.

Gubeikou to Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall - “For the hikers and adventurers”
In this section, travellers can put themselves into the shoes of those who walked this incredible structure hundreds of years ago. As they hike for approximately six hours from the Gubeikou to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. The trek follows stretches of restored and unrestored parts of the wall. Guests get the chance to breathe in the dramatic landscapes along the way. This route is available on selected Discovery Tours including the 17-day A China Adventure tour.

Huanghuacheng Section of the Great Wall - “For nature lovers”
For those looking for something different, you can witness the Great Wall emerging from a lake! Huanghuacheng snakes through the hills about 40 miles from Beijing. It is known to be particularly picturesque due to the lake below. Built in 1575 and just partially restored today, this is the perfect place to get an idea of the wall’s original structure. Climbs can be steep, but conquering a pass not only instills a great feeling of pride, it also gives wonderful views. Not to mention the surrounding landscapes. Travellers can explore this part of the wall in Wendy Wu's new 17-day Enchanting China tour and their 21-day Land of the Dragon tour.

Mutianyu Great Wall Section - “For the avid photographer”
Those looking for a luxurious way to visit the Great Wall can enjoy the chance to sip champagne on the beautiful Mutianyu section with Wendy Wu Tours. Travellers can take a cable car to the top where they can admire the views of the wall. Watch as the wall snakes over craggy peaks and breathtaking woodland. This is one of the best preserved sections of the wall and is renowned for the classic watchtowers that dot the landscape. This experience can be found in Wendy Wu's new 5* luxury 18-day China & Spiritual Tibet tour.

The Great Wall at Simatai - “For those looking for something a little bit special”
Taking a 2 hours to drive to from Beijing, Simatai is more than worth it for its incredible sunsets. Simatai affords incredible views as it snakes north through dramatic valleys and ridges to Jinshanling. Part-renovated, the wall offers a challenging climb further up the mountain. For those wishing to just take it easy and enjoy the sunset, the walk is easier. Travellers can enjoy the magnificent sunsets at Simatai on Wendy Wu's active 15-day China Explorer tour.

Hike different sections of the Great Wall on your tour
Meanwhile, it is only possible to hike from Gubeikou to Jinshanling on our China Adventure tour. Customers wishing to do this hike in conjunction with another tour, we have created a ‘Great Wall Hike’ pre-tour or post-tour extension. This extension can be added to any tour starting or finishing in Beijing.

Finally, prices are from €550pp based on two people sharing, the tour includes: