Great Wall of China High Adventure Tours & Trip Packages

Great Wall of China High Adventure Tours & Trips

72 Great Wall of China trips. Tours from 53 tour companies. 79 reviews. 4.7/5 avg rating.

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High Adventure
China Natural Wonders Discovery
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By China Highlights
Local Expert
Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Shanghai, Xian

Highlights

  • Discover the Hidden Halls in the Forbidden City.
  • Walk on a Delicate Mixture of the Restored and Wild Great Wall
  • Meet the Terracotta Army and Make Your Own Terracotta Warriors
  • Witness the Closest Things on Earth to the Hallelujah Mountains
  • Walk on the World's Longest and Highest glass-floored bridge
Show more

Themes

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Photography

What travelers are saying

"I've just returned from my trip to China, a week ago. I've seen many-many interesting places of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. But most of all i liked my 2-days trip to Longshen villages with my guide Frank from chinahighlights. The day before our trip has started, in Guilin, Frank met me in hotel and told about our journey. Next 2 days we visited traditional ancient chinese villages (the biggest from them are Ping'an and Dazhai), walking around them, saw the rice-terraces landscape (it was really unbelievable). Also we had a hiking between villages, and stayed at night at ZhongLiu village. I haven't seen any tourists in this village, even chinese tourists. It was fantastic cause we've seen real chinese life of local people, including, for example, planting vegetables, collecting tea). Very quiet, fresh air, natural food. Yes, in this village almost no shops, no souvenirs, but you dont need them. All around you a hundred times better. I advice all, who wants to see real chinese life, visit this place, especially this village, stay at night there. Thanks very much to my guide Frank and chinahighlights for this trip!"

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China Highlights
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Great Wall of China, Shanghai

Highlights

  • Take on one of the most popular trips in China, packed full of experiences that will give you a great insight into China in just a short time.
  • Be dazzled by Shanghai’s neon lights and the stunning night skyline. Then, get a peek into what life was like in ancient times with a visit to the incredibly scenic Huishan Ancient Town and one of the finest examples of traditional Chinese gardens – Jichang Garden.
  • Spend the night in a charming, family-run guesthouse near the Great Wall of China – a great opportunity to experience local life – and take the chance for a short sunset hike over one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
  • Explore Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City in Beijing with a local leader who knows all the history, tips and tricks for this fascinating and historic area.
  • Witness the incredible sight of the Terracotta Army – buried for over 2000 years, this fantastic historical wonder is an excellent example of the genius and artistic prowess of man.
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Themes

Cultural, High Adventure, Local Immersion & Homestays, Transformative

What travelers are saying

"We joined the Intrepid “Real Italy Food Tour” and enjoyed it thoroughly. Our tour guide, Micol, was very knowledgeable and provided us with lots of good information. It seems Micol knew many of the staff of the venues we visited, including the pasta making class we attended. Our group of 11 travelers was extremely compatible, which greatly added to the fun and enjoyment."

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A Broad Taste of China: 13-Day Private Tour: Beijing – Xi'an – Chengdu – Guilin – Hong Kong
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By China Highlights
Local Expert
Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Beijing, Chengdu, Guilin, Hong Kong

Highlights

  • Get off the Beaten Path to Find Hidden Halls and Interesting Stories in the Fobidden City
  • Enjoy Peking Roast Duck of a Time-Honored Brand
  • Explore a Top-Ranked Section of the Great Wall
  • Witness the World-Famouse Terracotta Army and Create a Warrior by Yourself.
  • Challenge Yourself to Take a Food Adventure in the Muslim Quarter
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Themes

Culinary & Wine, Cultural, Family Friendly, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Trekking & Expeditions

What travelers are saying

"I've just returned from my trip to China, a week ago. I've seen many-many interesting places of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. But most of all i liked my 2-days trip to Longshen villages with my guide Frank from chinahighlights. The day before our trip has started, in Guilin, Frank met me in hotel and told about our journey. Next 2 days we visited traditional ancient chinese villages (the biggest from them are Ping'an and Dazhai), walking around them, saw the rice-terraces landscape (it was really unbelievable). Also we had a hiking between villages, and stayed at night at ZhongLiu village. I haven't seen any tourists in this village, even chinese tourists. It was fantastic cause we've seen real chinese life of local people, including, for example, planting vegetables, collecting tea). Very quiet, fresh air, natural food. Yes, in this village almost no shops, no souvenirs, but you dont need them. All around you a hundred times better. I advice all, who wants to see real chinese life, visit this place, especially this village, stay at night there. Thanks very much to my guide Frank and chinahighlights for this trip!"

Trip dates & details
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Trans Siberian journey - Beijing to Moscow
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Beijing, Irkutsk, Kazan Kremlin, Lake Baikal, Moscow

Themes

Cultural, High Adventure, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

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China Adventure Tour
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4.5/5 Excellent
16 reviews
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Beijing, Great Wall of China, Shanghai, Xian

Highlights

  • Explore Beijing
  • Explore one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world
  • Explore the highlights of Shanghai, visit local markets, and the trendy Xintiandi district.
  • Enjoy the famous the Symphony of Lights Cruise with unlimited drinks

Themes

High Adventure, Small Ship Cruise, Sailing

What travelers are saying

"I recently took the Best of Australia and New Zealand tour...added on Fiji and a day in Auckland...with Discovery Nomads. During the booking process they were attentive and helpful. However, the nightmare began after paying for the tour! They told us we would receive our itinerary 10 to 20 days before our trip. It was sent 4 days before departure. We booked a tour for the trans alpine train from Christchurch to Queensland which we were told after the fact, that it did not exist. Furthermore, they failed to make a transfer reservation from the airport to our hotel in Christchurch. It took a week of constant sending of emails to get credit. They never answered them! Credit was finally issued almost 25 days later. The nightmare continues...we had to call each shuttle ride to confirm as their confirmation numbers were wrong and the local company could never find our reservations. So now add the cost of all the phone calls! Furthermore, when we reached out to Discover Nomads to help us while traveling, they NEVER answered their phone or a request for refund by email. We were completely ignored and left on our own. The only saving grace was we were traveling in English speaking countries. Can you imagine this happening to you in a country that doesn't speak English? Nightmare!!!!! And no assist from this horrible company. The only communication from them was for flight delays which we found out first by checking into the airport and one response asking for how much I paid for my transfer and proof of payment. I explained that it was all electronic and requested a refund of my original payment...heard nothing again from them until seven days later they sent an email stating that a meeting point had changed. So they had my email, just refused to deal with refunds or help. In addition, they had us waiting 15 hours for a hotel room in two flights. We were not allowed to stay in hotel lobby for so long and we arrived at 1:00am. We ended up paying for an early check in. Also, all internal flights were booked with 7.5 kg cabin luggage only. We had to pay baggage fees of $45 per bag. The costs of this trip were way higher then we anticipated. We had quotes for private tours just $2,000 higher...we should have booked that as we probably spent close to that amount in other fees!! TAKE MY WARNING...DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY!!!!!"

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The Trans-Siberian Railway aboard the Tsar's Gold Train
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Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Gandan Monastery, Gobi Desert, Great Wall of China, Lake Baikal, Moscow, The Forbidden City, Ulaanbaatar

Highlights

  • Panoramic train route directly alongside Lake Baikal
  • See Beijing’s Forbidden City
  • Explore Tiananmen Square
  • Enjoy a Mongolian horseback riding demonstration

Themes

Education / Learning, High Adventure, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Train & Rail Journeys

Trip dates & details
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Other trips you may like [sponsored]
China Natural Wonders Discovery
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
By China Highlights
Local Expert
Verified by Travelstride as locally operated and in the top of their field for customer reviews, local knowledge, and safety.
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Shanghai, Xian

Highlights

  • Discover the Hidden Halls in the Forbidden City.
  • Walk on a Delicate Mixture of the Restored and Wild Great Wall
  • Meet the Terracotta Army and Make Your Own Terracotta Warriors
  • Witness the Closest Things on Earth to the Hallelujah Mountains
  • Walk on the World's Longest and Highest glass-floored bridge
Show more

Themes

Cultural, Cycling & Biking, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Nature & Wildlife, Photography

What travelers are saying

"I've just returned from my trip to China, a week ago. I've seen many-many interesting places of Guangdong and Guangxi provinces. But most of all i liked my 2-days trip to Longshen villages with my guide Frank from chinahighlights. The day before our trip has started, in Guilin, Frank met me in hotel and told about our journey. Next 2 days we visited traditional ancient chinese villages (the biggest from them are Ping'an and Dazhai), walking around them, saw the rice-terraces landscape (it was really unbelievable). Also we had a hiking between villages, and stayed at night at ZhongLiu village. I haven't seen any tourists in this village, even chinese tourists. It was fantastic cause we've seen real chinese life of local people, including, for example, planting vegetables, collecting tea). Very quiet, fresh air, natural food. Yes, in this village almost no shops, no souvenirs, but you dont need them. All around you a hundred times better. I advice all, who wants to see real chinese life, visit this place, especially this village, stay at night there. Thanks very much to my guide Frank and chinahighlights for this trip!"

Trip dates & details
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Generous cancellation

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China Tour with Panda Experience
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By Odynovo
premier
5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Why we love them
They are able to handcraft custom trip plans in over 70 different destinations worldwide.
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Chengdu, Great Wall of China, Guilin, Shanghai, The Forbidden City, Xian

Highlights

  • Wander along the Bund to experience the old and new in Shanghai.
  • Immerse in the scenic karst landscape on a Li River cruise in Guilin.
  • Visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to see the cute pandas in Chengdu.
  • Marvel at the mysterious Terracotta Warriors and City Wonders in Xi’an.
  • Explore the iconic Great Wall and ancient Forbidden City in Beijing.

Themes

Cultural, Education / Learning, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"I cannot say enough good things about Odynovo, both on the coordination end (we worked with Laura Li, who was fantastic!) to the on-site people (shout out to our airport contact in Cairo Hassan, our skilled driver Ahmed, our fun Cairo guide Mai, and our knowledgable Aswan/Luxor guide Hazem - BEST crew EVER!!!) who make your trip a seamless, safe, exciting, educational, and all-around transformative life highlight. This experience was seriously a bucket-list one for my husband and me, and I can NOT emphasize enough how important the Odynovo team was to making Egypt an infinitely easier context to navigate. If you've watched travel vloggers and social media influencers attempt to navigate Egypt on their own and complain about a negative experience, fear not - if you go with Odynovo, every. single. thing. will be taken care of. There is NOTHING to worry about, and the experience was entirely positive. The people, the food, the culture, the historical sites and stories - with Odynovo taking care of all the logistical details, these are the only things you need to focus on. I am full of gratitude for the experience I had in Egypt, and I credit Odynovo for it. I will absolutely use them in the future for other destinations, and I urge you to do the same. I know my Egypt experience would not have been nearly the same had I not gone with Odynovo. Check out our adventure here: https://youtu.be/vMlAmVk7vBY Also, a passionate recommendation from my experience: DEFINITELY make the trip to Abu Simbel!! It was a major highlight (we went in a private car that left Aswan around 9am since we'd flown in from Cairo that morning). We stopped at the High Dam first, so by the time we arrived at Abu Simbel, the tour busses were on their way back to Aswan, and we had the whole of the site almost entirely to ourselves. It was one of the most awe-inspiring moments of my life. Do it. Stay the night in Abu Simbel if you can in order to avoid the crowds. It was amazing. ✨"

Trip dates & details
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China Family Holiday
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4.5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Chengdu, Great Wall of China, Guilin, Hong Kong, Victoria, Xian, Yangshuo

Highlights

  • Though not quite visible from space, the Great Wall of China is still massive! Wander this iconic monument and learn about its history
  • Travel back in time to the era of China’s powerful Emperors in Beijing while you and your family explore the halls and courtyards of the Forbidden City
  • Experience whizzing through the Chinese landscape on futuristic bullet trains
  • The kids will enjoy meeting the pandas in Chengdu on a once-in-a-lifetime encounter. Watch these adorable creatures at play, get to know the super-cute red ones, and learn about important conservation work
  • Uncover the secrets of Chinese food in a cooking class in Yangshuo
Show more

Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"We joined the Intrepid “Real Italy Food Tour” and enjoyed it thoroughly. Our tour guide, Micol, was very knowledgeable and provided us with lots of good information. It seems Micol knew many of the staff of the venues we visited, including the pasta making class we attended. Our group of 11 travelers was extremely compatible, which greatly added to the fun and enjoyment."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list

Health Safety +

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Beijing to Tokyo: The Great Wall & Mt Fuji
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
They’ve partnered with well-known names like National Geographic and the Jane Goodall Institute to offer unique experiences unavailable elsewhere.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Great Wall of China, Hakone, Hiroshima, Imperial Palace, Kyoto, Nijo Castle, Osaka, Shanghai, Suzhou, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Tokyo

Highlights

  • Meet the ancient terracotta warriors
  • Visit the great wall of china
  • Sleep in a temple atop mt kōya
  • Get a bird's-eye view of mt fuji from a cable car
  • Stay in a traditional ryokan

Themes

Train & Rail Journeys

What travelers are saying

"We spent two wonderful weeks touring several of the best destinations in Portugal & Spain with a group of 16 people. Our guide (Fredy) was from Spain and intimately familiar with the region, including its rich history, attractions, and food/beverages. The tour was well-paced using a combinations of private vehicles (small buses and cabs), trains, and an airplane ride as well as a fair amount of walking to get around these two beautiful countries. We extended our stay in Lisbon to see more attractions and took a side trip to Fatima, Obidos, and Nazare that was also excellent. Would have liked to have a bit more time in a couple of the cities, but we'll just have to plan another trip!"

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China – Panda Conservation Adventure
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4.9/5 Excellent
87 reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Beijing, Chengdu, Great Wall of China, The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Xian

Highlights

  • Venture behind the scenes of a panda rescue center for hands-on interaction with these gentle creatures
  • Visit Xi'an and experience the unforgettable Terracotta Warriors
  • Experience the unforgettable Great Wall of China on our trip extension to Beijing
  • Experience a traditional cooking class and share a homemade meal with a local family

Themes

Cultural, Family Friendly, Nature & Wildlife, Volunteering & Community Service

What travelers are saying

"I recently returned from the Costa Rican wildlife safari. I was a bit concerned with Covid however every place was extremely clean and had places for you to wash your hands before you even walked in. This was a trip I was actually supposed to go on in 2020 however it was postponed, waiting so long the expectations were high. I was definitely not disappointed! Patricia our guide was absolutely wonderful, extremely knowledgeable and cater to our every need. I would highly recommend this vacation. Also everyone that I met in the community was extremely gracious and kind. The majority of these people work on tourism and unfortunately in the last year have not had any. Booking this trip would not only be an amazing adventure for you but it would also be amazing for the people in the community"

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6 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected. We are displaying some similar trips.
My selections:
High Adventure

Great Wall of China Reviews & Ratings

4.7/5  Excellent
79  Reviews
See all Great Wall of China tour reviews
Excellent
91
Great
34
Average
1
Disappointing
1
Terrible
0
R

Robyn

Oct 2015

Written on

An excellent way to travel with family

An excellent way to travel with family

V

Vassiliki

Sep 2015

Written on

A major reason for the very likely

A major reason for the very likely score was our tour leader Jay. He was informative, made the trip, the understanding of the culture of China, its history and the ...

K

Katrin

Oct 2015

Written on

Good mixture of program and free time

Good mixture of program and free time, local guide is a very good idea as you get much more information about the living in that country, group of max 12 is good siz...

C

Cherie

Oct 2015

Written on

I've travelled with intrepid before and have

I've travelled with intrepid before and have usually had good experiences with this company.

L

Louise

Oct 2015

Written on

The guide Jane wAs fantastic, the variety

The guide Jane wAs fantastic, the variety of destinations and a...

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Great Wall of China Tour Selection Trips

  • There are several sites along the Great Wall. All are all worth seeing but depending on your preferences you may want to focus on only a couple instead of trying to see everything in one go: 
  • Badaling is a two hour drive from Beijing and is the most popular section for tourists (often the most crowded) 
  • Mutianyu is a two hour drive from Beijing and the most restored part of the wall 
  • Jinshanling is a two to three hour drive from Beijing and is the most popular full-day hiking route with half the route in ruins 
  • Jiankou is a three hour drive from Beijing and is the most challenging and extreme route for hikers 
  • Simatai is a two to three hour drive from Beijing and is the most well-known for its architectural significance and became a World Heritage Site in 1987 
  • Juyongguan is closest to Beijing (about 1.5 hour drive) and one of the wall’s greatest forts to defend the ancient city 
  • Shanhai Pass is a 3.5 drive from Beijing, located in Hebei province, and is where the Great Wall meets the sea.
  • Most guided tours of the individual sites/sections take half a day to a full day, so planning to hit multiple sections in one day may be too ambitious.
  • Hiking along parts of the wall can be quite strenuous with a countless number of steps and average elevation gain of anywhere from 600 to 800 feet. Cable car rides are available for Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, and Simatai for those who wish to experience the wall without a strenuous trek.
  • The most popular times to visit are in the summer, with average highs around 86° F, and the fall with average highs from 46 to 64° F. Visitor counts during peak seasons can reach up to 70,000 people per day.
  • Bring plenty of water, snacks, and sunscreen, and dress in layers. The further you trek along the wall away from the base, the fewer the vendors along the way to supply refreshments.

Additional details

Great Wall of China Frequently Asked Questions  

  1. How long is the Great Wall of China? The great wall is 13,170.7 miles long; or 21,196.18 kilometers.
  2. When was the Great Wall of China built? It was built over 2,300 years ago.
  3. Why was the Great Wall built? The last time the Wall had construction done was in 1644, although construction began in 7th century by the Chu State.
  4. Who built the Great Wall? The Great Wall was built over the span of 20 different dynasties, and commanded by their leaders. The actual builders of the Great Wall were soldiers, prisoners of war, and peasants. 
  5. How long did it take for the wall to be constructed? It took the work of thousands of years, different states, and multiple dynasties to construct the Great Wall. In total, it took just over 2,500 years to build the Great Wall of China.
  6. Who has visited the Great Wall of China? The Great Wall of China has is visited by hundreds of tourists each day, and has also seen some celebrity faces. Some of the famous people who have visited include President Obama, Queen Elizabeth II, President Putin, and President Neslon Mandela. 

Great Wall of China Facts

  • The Wall is not continuous. In certain places, natural barriers such as a mountains occupy a break in the wall.
  • Just under ⅓ of the Great Wall has completely disappeared today.
  • Bricks in the Great Wall were bound together not by cement, but by glutinous rice flour.
  • A significant portion of destruction to the Great Wall took place during the Cultural Revolution (early Communist) period. Bricks from the Wall were used to build houses and farms.
  • The average height of the Great Wall is about 7.88 meters

When to Visit the Great Wall of China

Summer is potentially the worst time to visit the Great Wall.  This is the prime season for tourists, especially in sections of the Wall near Beijing, and it can be uncomfortably hot, with the average temperatures being in 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius). Not only this, but summer is when the Great Wall is most prone to monsoons.

The best time to visit the Great Wall is in either the Spring or the Fall. These times are usually much less crowded, and the weather is less demanding. Spring is slightly warmer, with average temperatures ranging from 52-75 degrees F. In the Fall, average temperatures range from 46-64 degrees Fahrenheit.

Does it cost money to enter the Great Wall?

The cost of the Great Wall depends where you enter it. In some less touristy places, local landowners may ask for a small fee to access their portion of the wall. In other more frequented spots, the price to enter is usually around $7 US dollars.

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