For most visitors to Beijing, it's not a question of whether they will go and see the Great Wall, but more which part of the wall they will visit. Starting from Shanhaiguan in the east and ending at Jiayuguan in the west, the Great Wall has an approximate length of 6700 kilometers. Badaling, 70 kilometers (40 miles) northwest of Beijing is where most people go there is a cable car, tourist shops selling everything imaginable and plenty of fellow day-trippers.

Beginning in the Warring States period (475-221 BC), to prevent northern nomadic tribes from invading their territory, Chinese rulers built the Great Wall, which is known as the "10,000-li (5000 km) wall" in China and one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. And subsequent dynasties continued the project. The Great Wall averages 7.8 meters in height and is 6.5 meters wide at the base and 5.8 meters wide at the top. A watchtower was built every hundred meters. Beyond the city wall at Badaling are scattered beacon towers, on which sidewalls were constructed. These towers served as advance defensive posts to protect Badaling. Not far from Suoyao Pass out of the North Gate is a brick-structured building known as Chadaocheng. This used to be the advance command headquarters. Built during the reign of Emperor Longqing of the Ming Dynasty (1571), it housed three generals and 788 soldiers, as well as stockpiles of weapons.

Mutianyu, 90 kilometers (56 miles) from Beijing is another option. There is also a cable car and gift shops, but the crowds are a bit smaller. Made of choice material, Mutianyu Great Wall was very solidly built. The wall is 7 to 8 meters high and the top is 4 to 5 meters wide. The base of the wall is composed of thirteen layeas of green granite. The structure of Mutianyu Pass is rare in the whole building of the Great Wall.

Simitai, 110 kilometers (68 miles) from Beijing used to be the unspoiled option. it is a very steep, sweeping section of the wall and therefore very dramatic. But even there, the cable car, tourist shops and crowds have arrived.

Those with a spirit of adventure - and plenty of time - can hike from Simitai over to the Jinshanling section. It is only 10 kilometers (6 miles), but because of the steep, broken path it takes the best part of a half-day and is tricky in parts.