Following a Trip Advisor recommendation we asked our guide to take us to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. Whilst there are still tourist traps, the wall was relatively empty with only an occasional bottleneck at particular scenic places. The steps are worn in some areas and you need good footwear. I particularly enjoyed the descent by toboggan which rounded off... more

I was there in April last year. I agree with the other reviewers that this section of the Great Wall is a must-visit! Especially if you love history, since it's rather unspoiled and less "touristy" than Badaling. I actually drove there from Beijing with a Chinese friend of mine, so I can't give advice on transportation or tours. It took... more

We went here on the Satruday of Golden Week, so it was really crowded, but once you are up on the wall it felt like we were in the middle of no-where. They have done a good job of restoring the wall and the vegetation in the area, and we felt overall it was well managed. Our friend recommended a... more

For anyone that is deciding between Mutianyu or Simatai to Jinshanling, think carefully about what "challenging" means to you. My husband and I are 49 and 50 years old, in good shape and not overweight. Mutianyu was just right for us for a good walking work out. We had to stop for water and deep breath breaks but did not... more

We had an amazing experience viewing sunrise on the Great Wall. For about 3 hours we had this section of the wall all to ourselves! People started arriving around 8:30 and it was much different with everyone else there. The views from this section were amazing! The wall has been beautifully restored and maintained. I would not recommend it if... more

What an absolutely beautiful place. I'm very glad we came to this section of the great wall. We took the ski-lift up and tobaggon down. If I had to do it all over again, I'd take the Cable Car up, walk to the left up the hill and then return, pass the cable car and take the tobaggon down. Even... more

I highly recommend visiting Mutianyu. We went in winter and it was snowing. The views are stunning and the climb provides excellent views. My sister has also visited Badaling and said Mutianyu was far better to visit because Badaling is overcrowded with tourists and has lost its authenticity due to reconstruction of the wall to make it easy for tourists... more

Having visited both entrances accessible to the Great Wall from Beijing, Mutianyu is the only way to go! The nice touristy entrance (whose name I can't remember) was just that, nice, but several hundred steps (of varying depths) before you get onto the wall is not my idea of a pleasant experience. Mutianyu on the other hand has a chair... more

Mutianyu is beautiful. We were there December 23, 2007. We also went to Badaling. Mutianyu is superior in every way. I'm happy that we did both, but if you can only do one, my advice is to go to Mutianyu. We rode the cable car up and back and went to the left, to the end of the restored section,... more