A Practical Guide to Visiting the Great Wall at Badaling

As a seasoned traveler with limited mobility, I've visited Beijing three times but was often discouraged by various guides. This time, I decided to fulfill a dream for my 70+ relatives and found a route that worked perfectly! Here are some key points to note when visiting the Great Wall: 1️⃣ Hero's Tablet: Located at South Tower 1 and North Tower 4. 2️⃣ Hero's Stone: Found at North Tower 4. 3️⃣ Hero's Stone Wall: Located on the pedestrian street. 4️⃣ Hero's Slope: The section between North Tower 7 and North Tower 8 is steep and crowded, so it's best to skip it. To conserve energy and maximize your experience, follow this route: 📍 Exit the high-speed train station, turn right to the North Line cable car entrance, take the cable car directly to North Tower 7, pass through the construction area, head down to North Tower 6, check out the Hero's Stone at North Tower 4, capture photos at North Tower 3, continue down to the main wall, and visit the Hero's Tablet at South Tower 1. Exit to the pedestrian street and see the Hero's Stone Wall. ‼️ Only take the one-way cable car‼️ We spent about half an hour resting, taking photos, and calling friends and family. The entire journey took about 2 hours, with 90% downhill, which can be tough on the knees. 💢 Note that the section between North Tower 5 and North Tower 3 is quite steep and can be intimidating. 🚅 We took the 8:13 AM train from Beijing North to Badaling Great Wall Station, arriving just as a tour group was descending. Initially, we planned to return at 5:27 PM, but realized it wasn't necessary and changed to 2:27 PM. ‼️ Badaling Station stops ticket checks 12 minutes early, so plan accordingly‼️ Regarding common debates: 🟡 Choose Badaling or Mutianyu: For out-of-towners, Badaling is more famous and accessible by high-speed train, especially for older relatives who enjoy taking photos. ⚫️ Some guides suggest taking the cable car to North Tower 7 and descending from North Tower 8, but this lacks experience. The slide at North Tower 4 is not available for those over 65. 🟢 The route from North Tower 8 to North Tower 12 is said to be the most beautiful, but it's mostly endless mountains. Unless you're a special forces member or a hiking enthusiast, don't bother. 🔵 Bring hot water due to Beijing's smog, which can make breathing difficult. Snacks and fruits are optional but nice for breaks. 🟣 It's best to have breakfast in the city before departing. Beijing North Station has only a small convenience store with no hot food. At Badaling, there's a kiosk at the exit, but it's reportedly expensive. The North Line cable car station sells corn and sausages. Restaurants are on the commercial street, including KFC, Subway, Mixue Bingcheng, and Zhen Gongfu, but they're 200-500 meters from the cable car station, which is a long walk. The commercial street is closest to the pedestrian entrance, about 50 meters away. It's best to eat lunch after descending from the wall to replenish energy. 🟠 Bring a small red flag for great photos!