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Walking the Great Wall: request for information

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  • Walking the Great Wall: request for information

    A friend contaced me about setting up a trip to the great wall. Maybe you guys are able to help?

    What I want to do is plan a trip to China primarily to walk on the Great Wall for anywhere between 3 - 6 days............. visiting the sections with the most spectacular scenery and are accessible without any (or at least the very minimum of) beauraucratic run-around.

    I'm willing to piece it together in any of a number of ways; ie. 3, 4, 5 or 6 trips of 1 day each; 3 trips of 2 days each; 3 trips - 3 days for 1 trip, 2 days for another trip, 1 day for another. You get the idea - maximum flexibility.

    So to my way of thinking I need to determine what's the best city to fly into...Beijing probably. Then I need to string together a few trips that might either be run by a touring agency, sponsored by the Chinese government or whatever is best. If i'm going to visit the wall from more than one location then I need to know how to make the transportation arrangements locally. What I definitely want to avoid is getting stuck in major metropolitan areas for any lenght of time.......just what's needed to get to a train station, bus station, or airport....and get out of town fast. I don't want to sightsee the cities, I want to sightsee the Chinese wilderness. I'm probably only going to get one shot to do this and it won't be for an extended period of time - 10 to 15 days max - so I have to make the time really count.

    Any help you can give to steer me in the right direction will be greatly appreciated. Maybe the most effecient way of doing this kind of trip is to go thriugh a travel agency that specializes in this kind of thing. But to be honest with you there is something about doing a solo run that I really prefer if that's possible.
    ZhongwenMovies.com

  • #2
    I can't help you, but I am curious why it's such a big attraction - at the risk of sounding like an ignoramus, I must ask, what's so fascinating about a giant stone wall ?

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    • #3
      Well, if you go look around in the China sectionof the site, you'll see some photographs of the "giant stone wall". It's quite impressive and fascinating. People have actually tried to walk the entire thing, from one end of western china to the sea. I wouldn't exactly recommend it, but, to each his own.

      I meant to respond to this a while back, but I was "in jail...". So, here goes.

      You can take a taxi from Beijing to Badaling, Simatai, and Mu Tien Yu; three different areas of the refurbished great wall, all within a two hour drive of Beijing. Some taxi cab drivers will tak you the distance, some won't. I have pictures of each of these, either in the site, or, in the Photo Library. Each is worth viewing, each should only take a day of your time, and not any more.

      In the western part of China, near Xinjiang province, in the Gebitan (Gobi Desert), I saw the Great Wall, or what's left of it. It's just a mound of dirt in some areas. Not worth the trip for that, but the Gebitan is one of the most beautiful places I've been to. Interesting place, as are the nearby Buddha caves. Again, look in the Photo Library.

      Near the sea on the east, the wall enters the ocean. Haven't been there, saw pictures, not sure it's worth trip.

      In other areas of northern China, you'll find areas of the Great Wall that are either in total ruin, or, in fairly good condition, with all variations inbetween. The refurbished areas are primarily near Beijing.

      The only place that I know of for a good evening view (lighted), is Badaling, and it's very impressive towards dusk. If you plan your trip for the afternoon and stay past sunset, the lighting of the wall is incredibly beautiful. Yes, I have pictures of this too, but I'm not sure I put it in the Photo Library yet. Remind me if I haven't.

      I wouldn't spend weeks on the wall. A day at each place is more than enough. There are far more places to see in China; don't waste too much time at the wall.
      Experienced Community organizer. Yeah, let's choose him to run the free world. It will be historic. What could possibly go wrong...

      "You're just a jaded cynical mother****er...." Jeffpeg

      (more comments in my User Profile)
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