Great Wall at Beijing
The original function of the Great Wall was for military defense. The wall winds 6,300 kilometers from west (the dessert in Jiayu Guan in Gansu province) to east (Shanhai Guan on the coast of Pacific Ocean). From 475 B.C. to 221 B.C.was the period that many duke states fought for territory. Some of the duke states such as Yan, Zhao and Qin, they bordered on the Hun and other ethnic groups. So the fortresses were built with soldiers on guard to prevent the ethnic groups from invading. Those fortresses were the origin of the Great Wall. The beacon towers on either side of the wall transmitted the news about the invading enemies using smoke during daytime and fire during nights. The Qin Great Wall crosses the provinces of Gansu, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Shanxi, Hebei and Liaoning. The Great Wall we see today was rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). They made the Wall higher and thicker. Granite stones were used for the foundation and cyan bricks for the other parts. Most of the wall was 7 to 9 meters high and 3 to 5 meters wide. Every 300 to 500 meters, there was a two-storied watchtower. Soldiers watched and shot on the second floor and slept and stored weapons on the first floor.
The Great Wall traverses Beijing about 200 kilometers (124 miles). There are five parts of the Wall open to the public within this distance.
Badaling Great Wall八达岭长城
	It is 75km (47 miles) from the center of Beijing, 882 meters (2900 ft) above the sea level. It was restored in 1981. You can walk three kilometers on the Wall that opens to the public. The speciality of this piece of the Wall is that it is popular to Chinese tourist. There are about 5,000 tourists per day in average. The top number of people can be over 80.000 per day. Most of the tourists are Chinese from all over China.
	Hours: 06:00 - 22:00
	Admission: 35 yuan ($4.5) from 1, Nov to 31, Mar
	40 yuan ($5) from 1, Apr to 31, Oct
	Cable car: 30 yuan ($4)/one way, 50 yuan($6)/round trip
Juyongguan Great Wall居庸关长城
	Juyongguan Great Wall is restored in 1997, five km long of the Wall are open to the public. The rake goes up gradually from east to west. It receives 3,000 tourists per day in average. The speciality of this piece of the Wall is that it was shaped as a circle, so you can start to climb either from the east or from the west. If you start from the west, you will have to go through a group of very narrow steps. It only allows one people to pass at one time. In the morning, taking photos from east part is better.
	Hours: 06:00 - 20:00
	Admission: 35 yuan ($4.5) from 1, Nov to31, Mar
	40 yuan ($5) from 1, Apr to 31, Oct
	Free of charge for children who are less than 1.2 meters tall.
Mutianyu Great Wall慕田峪长城
	It's 80 km from the city center. The average tourists per day is not more than 1000. Most are foreigners. All of the other pieces Great Walls were built either on the top of the barren mountains or lonely desert except Mutianyu. The Mutianyu Great Wall winds through the green mountains, which are covered with fruit trees and flowers. That makes the Wall more beautiful and poetic. But you have to walk 25 minutes from the parking lot to the Great Wall entrance without taking the cable car. You can climb up either from the right side or the left side. The right side is better. If you don't like hiking, take a cable car up and a slide (toboggan)way down.
	Hours: 06:00 - 20:00
	Admission: 35 yuan ($4.5) from 1, Nov to31, Mar
	40 yuan ($5) from 1, Apr to 31, Oct
	Cable car: 35 yuan ($4.5) for one way and 55 yuan ($7) for round trip
	Rope Way: 35 yuan ($4.5) for one way and 55 yuan ($7) for round trip
	Slide Way: 35 yuan ($4.5) down only
Simatai Great Wall 司马台长城
	It's 140 km from the city center, at a sea level of 986 meters. It's the most pristine part of the Great Wall. This piece of the Wall looks original. Some pieces even clapped. The average tourists is 250 per day and most of them are foreign tourists. If you hike for 10 km from Simatai Great Wall, you will get to Jinshanling Great Wall which belongs to Hebei Province.
	Hours: 07:00 - 19:00
	Admission: 30 yuan ($4)
	Free of charge for children who are less than 1.2 meters tall.
	Cable car: 30 yuan ($4) for one way and 55 yuan ($6) for round trip
Jinshanling Great Wall 金山岭长城
	From Simatai Great Wall, walk along the left side about 5 km is Jinshanling Great Wall. Some backpackers walk from Jingshanling to Simatai. It takes you 4-5 hours. This is the most beautiful and magnificent piece of whole wall. Up and down, narrow and wide, it's fun to see the two beacon towers and 67 watchtowers along the route.
	Hours: 24 hours
	Admission: pay 30 yuan ($4) respectively at Jinshanling Great Wall and Simatai Great Wall.
We have transportation service to the Great Wall everyday. Travelers in our hotel should make reservation one day in advance. Travelers in other hotels should make reservation two day in advance. Tour reservation: 879893726 13611129854