The first thing everyone should know about this part of the Great Wall is that if you climb from Jinshanling to Simitai, which is about 7 miles, it takes very fit or very young people about 3 1/2 to 4 hours and for those who are reasonably fit, as my husband and I are, it can take up to 5... more

Avoid the crowds at Badaling! See the Great Wall in all its glory and beauty at Jinshanling. About 3 hours outside of Beijing, but worth the ride. We hiked for about 3 hours and did not see another tourist until we were half way through the hike. Warning: a souvenir seller will accompany you most of the way--try not to... more

Just having returned from Asia, I have to say - what an adventure! I work for a travel company called Explorica ((--)) and had the opportunity to visit China and Thailand for almost three weeks. Undoubtedly, my favorite part of the entire trip was visiting the Great Wall of China. I had the opportunity to visit a less frequented area... more