The Great Wall was always a dream destination for me. I've now been twice, to two very different sections: Mutianyu and Jinshanling. My friend Anthony came with me both times. If you're trying to decide which part of the Great Wall to visit, here's how they compare and which one I'd pick for you.

The quick answer

  • Mutianyu is best if you have young kids, older travelers, anyone who isn't very fit, or you just want an easy day trip from Beijing.
  • Jinshanling is best if you're in generally good shape and want the rugged, beautiful, less crowded Great Wall. It's my favorite, and Anthony agrees.
The rugged, unrestored Great Wall at Jinshanling winding over brown mountains
Jinshanling
The restored Great Wall at Mutianyu winding along the mountain ridge
Mutianyu

Getting there from Beijing: take a Didi

We always travel by Didi (China's version of Uber). It's not that expensive, and the driver takes you right where you need to go at the wall. Public buses are much harder to figure out if you don't speak Chinese.

We also didn't book a tour. I don't like tours unless it's the only way to get somewhere, because I want to go as fast or as slow as I like. That said, I have friends who took a tour and really enjoyed it, so it's a good option if you'd rather not plan anything.

Mutianyu: the easy first visit

Mutianyu was a great first Great Wall experience. It's about 70 kilometers from central Beijing, roughly a 1.5 to 2 hour drive, so it makes an easy day trip from downtown.

At the bottom there are nice souvenir shops and places to eat. We took the cable car up to the top. Mutianyu also has a chairlift, and a toboggan you can ride back down. Once we got up there, we found a Subway sandwich shop, which was honestly shocking. The wall itself was nice, the views were great, and there were plenty of other people up there enjoying them too.

John on the stone steps below a watchtower at Mutianyu

Jinshanling to Simatai: the Great Wall I'd always dreamed of

For my second trip, we chose Jinshanling because it's known as one of the most rugged and beautiful parts of the Great Wall. It's about 130 kilometers from downtown Beijing, so plan on 2 to 3 hours each way.

There were very few people, which made it feel so much more authentic. Parts of the wall are steep and crumbling, but honestly, that's what made it perfect for me. It was exactly the experience I'd always dreamed of.

A crumbling watchtower with arched windows at Jinshanling

One of my favorite moments: a local farmer let me ride his horse about 3 kilometers up a trail to the wall entrance for about $12. You won't get that at the busy sections!

John riding a local farmer's horse at Jinshanling

It's also outside the Beijing area, so I was able to fly my drone there, which I couldn't do at Mutianyu. If you fly, check the current drone rules before you go.

Mutianyu vs. Jinshanling at a glance

  • Distance from Beijing: Mutianyu is about 70 km (1.5 to 2 hours). Jinshanling is about 130 km (2 to 3 hours).
  • Crowds: Mutianyu had plenty of people. Jinshanling had very few.
  • Getting up: Mutianyu has a cable car, a chairlift and a toboggan. At Jinshanling, I took a horse up the trail!
  • Fitness: anyone can enjoy Mutianyu. Jinshanling has steep, crumbling parts, so you need generally good fitness.
  • Food: Mutianyu has restaurants at the bottom (and that Subway at the top). Jinshanling has people selling water and snacks inside some of the towers.
  • Drones: I couldn't fly at Mutianyu, but I could at Jinshanling.

Quick tips

  • Take a Didi instead of the bus, especially if you don't speak Chinese.
  • Bring water. At Jinshanling some towers sell water and snacks, but don't count on it.
  • Be honest about your fitness. Pick Mutianyu if anyone in your group needs it easy.
  • Check before you go. Sections of the wall sometimes close for repairs, so look up what's open for your dates.

Which section should you visit?

If you're traveling with young kids or older family, or you just want an easy taste of the wall, go to Mutianyu. If you're reasonably fit and want the Great Wall you've seen in your dreams, go to Jinshanling. For me, it's not even close: Jinshanling to Simatai is the best part of the Great Wall.

Watch my full Jinshanling hike in the video above, and see Mutianyu in my 48 Hours in Beijing video, which also covers the Forbidden City. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for more adventures across China. Want something completely different? Read about Christmas with China's reindeer herders.

Explore every place I've been on the interactive map.