Deservedly hailed as one of the greatest man-made wonders of the world, The Great Wall of China snakes through the emerald, mountainous landscape of the country like a dragon’s tail.
Myths and Secrets, or the wrong reasons for wanting to visit
The Chinese have a longstanding saying – ‘’He who has not climbed the Great Wall is not a true man.’’ Well, not everyone will believe in that!
For a long time, it has been believed that The Great Wall of China can be seen from space with the naked eye.
Not entirely true! Some sections of the wall are visible and only under specific weather conditions.
Contrary to popular belief, The Great Wall of China is not one long and single wall, rather a series of walls and fortifications.
Legends tell a story of “Meng Jiangnu’s Bitter Weeping” – Meng’s husband died building the wall and here wailing was so bitter that a section of the wall collapsed, revealing her husband’s bones so she could finally bury them and find peace.
Facts, or a few things to know before Visiting
The wall opens up in four tidy sections – Badaling, Mutianyu, Simatai and Jinshanling.
Among these, Jinshanling is only for extreme hikers.
Simatai is, basically, a section of crumbling walls and Mutianyu is the least crowded.
In Mutianyu, take a cable car to the top, and hop on a toboggan to get back down to the bottom.
Badaling is the most easily accessed and consequently, the most crowded.
Autumn is the best time to visit The Great Wall, as the surrounding scenery transforms into a vibrant vision of various shades and hues.
Winter is another great season to go, when everything’s covered in pristine snow. Of course, you have to be prepared for extreme temperatures and slippery walks.
Secret: It’ll be worth your while; just pack accordingly!
Best views are experienced during a sunrise, a sunset or at nightfall. Don’t forget to take many, many pictures ..
