The honest truth about the Wall underfoot
The Great Wall was built as a defensive fortification, not as a gentle promenade, and it shows. It runs along the spine of steep ridgelines, so it rises and falls sharply, and the steps were never meant to be uniform. Some are shallow, others are knee-high; some stretches are smooth, others are worn and uneven. Even on the restored sections you will meet gradients that get the heart going.
Because of this, choosing the right section matters more than anything else you decide about your visit. The difference between an easy, joyful morning and an exhausting scramble comes down almost entirely to where you go. The good news is that one section in particular is far kinder to older legs than the rest, and that is where we take our guests.
Mutianyu: the best section for older travellers
Mutianyu is our firm recommendation, and the reason is simple: it is beautifully restored, well maintained and, crucially, served by a cable car. The cable car carries you smoothly up the steep hillside and sets you down right on the Wall itself, so you skip the long, punishing climb that puts so many people off. From there you can stroll a gentle, even stretch at your own pace and take in the views, having spent your energy on enjoyment rather than the ascent.
Mutianyu is also noticeably less crowded than Badaling, the most famous section, which means more room to walk, more time to take photographs and a calmer atmosphere overall. And when it is time to come down there is a wonderful added treat: a toboggan run that whisks you back to the base on a gentle metal slide, with a brake you control yourself. It is great fun and entirely optional; the cable car will bring you back down too if you prefer. For comfort, scenery and sheer ease of access, Mutianyu is hard to beat.
The other sections, honestly
Badaling is the closest section to Beijing and the most famous, and it does have a cable car. But it is also by far the most crowded, often uncomfortably so, with coachloads of visitors arriving throughout the day. The press of people can make walking awkward and photographs frustrating, which is why we steer our guests towards the calmer Mutianyu instead.
Jinshanling and Simatai are the wild, dramatically scenic sections, much loved by serious walkers and photographers for their partly unrestored, rugged beauty. They are also steep, demanding and far less forgiving, with long climbs and uneven ground throughout. They are wonderful for the genuinely fit and sure-footed, but for most travellers over sixty we would not recommend them as a first visit to the Wall.
Making your visit comfortable
A few simple choices make all the difference. Go early in the morning, both to beat the worst of the crowds and to walk before the heat builds. Spring and autumn offer the mildest, clearest weather and the most comfortable walking conditions, so we time our visits accordingly wherever we can.
Wear sturdy, well-fitting shoes with a good grip, as the surface can be slippery and uneven, and bring water, as there is little shade on the Wall itself. Take the cable car in both directions if you would rather conserve your energy; there is no obligation to walk any particular distance. The most important rule is to walk only as far as feels good and to turn back whenever you wish. The Wall will be just as magnificent from where you stop as from any point further on.
How we arrange it
On our private escorted China tours we take you to Mutianyu with a private guide and include the cable car, so reaching the Wall is effortless. You travel out from Beijing by private car rather than on a crowded coach, which means a comfortable journey, a relaxed pace and the freedom to set off early and arrive ahead of the crowds.
China is now visa-free for UK passport holders, which has removed one of the biggest hurdles to visiting. Our tours include UK flights, are ATOL protected and start from under £2,300, and we grade every itinerary by pace, from Easy to Steady to Active, so you can choose a holiday that matches how you like to travel. Your guide is on hand throughout your time on the Wall, ready to help with steps, photographs and anything else you need.
Where to walk and where to photograph
At Mutianyu the most rewarding stretch runs along the restored ramparts between the watchtowers, where the Wall snakes away over forested hills in both directions. This is where the classic photographs come from, with the Wall curling into the distance and the mountains layered behind it, and at Mutianyu you can usually capture it without a crowd in the frame.
You do not need to walk far to find these views. A gentle stroll of a few hundred metres from the top of the cable car brings you to some of the finest vantage points, so even a short, easy walk delivers the postcard scene. Pause at a watchtower, catch your breath, and let the sheer scale of it sink in. That moment, more than any distance covered, is what people remember for the rest of their lives.
