Exploring the Great Wall was my favorite part of our trip. There are four sections accessible from Beijing. In order of nearest to farthest they are Huanghua Cheng, Badaling, Mutianyu and Simitai. Badaling is the most popular but we chose Mutianyu in hopes of escaping large crowds and aggresive vendors. This section was built beginning during the Qi Dynasty from 550 to 570. Mutianyu also has more watchtowers and unique fortifications.
We organized our transportation through the Hotel opting to hire their van and driver for the day. It turned out this was cheaper than going with a larger tour group and saved us from the obligatory Cloisonne Factory tour. We initially hoped to hire a tour guide as well but due to the language barrier we were unable to communicate this. In hindsight, I'm glad we were able to experience the wall as a family and at our own pace. The toboggan ride that winds down the mountain was a treat after all that walking!!
Katie Ann is such a sport, she really didn't want to take this picture!!
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