Great Wall of China Tours and Tickets

There are many different ways to experience the Great Wall of China. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best experiences available right now:

• Beijing Essential Full-Day Tour Including Great Wall at Badaling, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square

• Private Night Sightseeing Tour of Beijing

• Beijing Private Transfer: Badaling Great Wall With VIP Past Pass

• Private Custom Tour or Private Tour: Beijing in One Day

• Beijing Private Tour: Mutianyu/Badaling Great Wall and Panda House

The cost of visiting the Great Wall of China depends on which section you go to, with options including Mutianyu, Juyongguan, and Badaling. For example, Badaling has seasonal entry fees: ¥45 from April to October and ¥40 from November to March. For Mutianyu, ticket prices start at ¥45 for adults and ¥25 for students and children. Both sections have additional fees for the on-site cable cars.

Yes. It's one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and, according to China's first Chairman Mao Zedong, "He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man!" If these accolades aren't enough to convince you, its Ming dynasty-steeped history and iconic scenery should do the trick.

Per one customer who booked the Beijing Private Transfer: Badaling Great Wall With VIP Past Pass, "Wonderful experience. Perfect pickup at hotel and comfortable drive to Mutianyu Great Wall. Our driver Zhang Bo really took good care of us, and helped us with the tickets on-site and accompanied us to the cable cars. We had a clear meeting point indicated to reunite with him after our tour on the wall for the transfer back to the hotel. Great service!"

Yes, there are tours of the Great Wall of China, most commonly from Beijing. The most popular section for tours is the Great Wall at Badaling, followed by the Mutianyu Great Wall and the Juyongguan Great Wall. But you can also visit unrestored sections such as the Great Wall at Jiankou.

You can visit the Badaling, Mutianyu, or Juyongguan sections of the Great Wall of China on a half- day trip from Beijing. The journey generally takes 1.5 hours each way and most travelers spend 2–3 hours exploring the Great Wall of China, walking on it, and taking photos.

Shoulder seasons (April through June, and September and October) are the best time to visit the Great Wall of China, as there’s typically warm, dry weather. Avoid the crowded Golden Week holidays at the start of May and October. Beijing winters can be icy cold and windy, while high summer (July-August) is often rainy.

It depends. Some sections of the wall are steep, others slope more gently; some sections of the wall have been restored to a smooth surface, while others are crumbling ruins; you can reach the Mutianyu and Badaling sections by cable car or chairlift, but some parts involve a strenuous hike.

When you're done visiting the Great Wall of China, Beijing has a ton of other exciting attractions and historical sites. Per other travelers, here are some of the top attractions to visit:

• Forbidden City (Palace Museum) 

• Tiananmen Square (Tiananmen Guangchang)  

• Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)

• Temple of Heaven (Tiantan)

• Meridian Gate (Wumen) 

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Beijing.