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Penalty on organized Wild Great Wall Hiking fined up to RMB 30,000

Friday, December 17th, 2010

 

This month “Standard Administrative Penalties (Trial) assessed by Beijing Cultural Relics Adminstration” goes into effect.
 
The new regulations clearly stipulate how to deal with the individual citizens and tourists who climb the wild sections of the Great Wall. Maximum penalty of RMB 500 on the individual hikers is levied on the wild Great Wall hiking behavior.
 
A clear way of punishment is made for those who have hiked the wild sections of the Great Wall which are not officially opend to the public without any permit.
 
Penalty on organized hiking of less than 10 people: RMB 1,000 to RMB 5,000 yuan;
Penalty on organized hiking with more than 10 people, a fine RMB 5,000 to RMB 20,000;
Penalty on muti-hiking trips of the wild sections of the Great Wall: the fine can be up to RMB 30, 000.
 
In addition, for the individual climbing the wild Great Wall, a penalty of RMB 200-500 will be fined. New regulations stipulate that for the individual who haven’t caused any damage to the Great Wall, the cultural relics department has the right to order them to address the problem  within a time limit with a light punishment; for serious cases, tough penalty will be given.

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Sleeping on the Great Wall, Camping on the Great Wall

Saturday, October 2nd, 2010

 

Finally we ended our 6-hour hellish march from Gubeikou Great Wall to Jinshanling Great Wall  at 5:00pm, September 26, 2010. But it’s not the end for us, it’s a new beginning since our next travel plan was to watch the sunset on the Great Wall, or specifically on the Jinshanling Great Wall. We were reminded by the ticket collector that the sun would drop below the horizon or the Wall in 20-30 minute! if missing the sunset, we would had have to waited another day, which was impossible due to my heavy schedule.
 
Not allowing ourselves to take a short break, we had to restart our walking engine and quickened the walking speed, trying to occupy a bette place on the wall to view the sunset. More haste，less speed!  I suddenly felt trembling and twitching in the legs muscles as a result of the broken balance of the continued walking speed in the past 6 hours. I had to stop, bended and sat on the roadside massaging my two legs.
 
The temptation of capturing the glowing sunset was so great, that I had no time to spoil myself and limpped with lame legs from the entrance to the base of Jinshanling Great Wall. While again clambering up the wall, I was out of breath and pooped. Perseverance is victory! I passed through 4 watch towers on the west section of Jinshanling Great Wall non-stop and located a good site for my sunset photographing.

There had been already a great number of people dotting here and there on the “bits” of the Wall waiting to see and shoot beautiful sunset photos. Most of them were professional photographers heavily armed with high quality cameras, outperforming my EOS 500D to a great extent, of which I took pride. Compared with these “crazy” photographers, I apppeared like a silly farmboy. But this never dampened my enthusiasm to view the sunset with my good eyesight as well as my clumsy shooting skill.
 
The sun slowly descended and disappeared behind the horizon combined with the mountains and the Wall in a distance, a perfect backdrop for a sunset. The dazzling sunset color bursts and paints the sky with bright hues. I pictured the sunsets through a window of a watch tower. The sunset was amazing. The red ball of fire slowly dropped below the mountains coating the Wall with dazzling and beautiful hues.
 
Sleeping on the Great Wall Tour
The Great Wall sleepover adventure can be your 2-day side trip from your whole Beijing or China trip. Overnight on the Wall under the stars or in a tent inside a watchtower, a unique and unforgettable life experience.

Camping on Jinshanling Great Wall 2 Day Tour from US$ 180
Sleeping on Jinshangling Great Wall 2 Day Tour from US$ 180
Overnight on Ruined Badaling Great Wall 2 Day Tour from US$ 150

 

Mountains and the Wall as a backdrop for the sunset

 

A framed Great Wall sunset

 

The Wall was coated with orange hues

 

Armed Phtographers on the Wall

 

The Wall overlooking the sunset

We were totally exhausted by the 6-hour trek plus one hour fighting for the sunset. I phoned Mr. Liu, our van driver, to drive the van to to the exit waiting for us and went for supper. Mr.Liu had found a nice local family run restaurant not far from the Jinshanling base. Hungry and dog-tired, we gulfed down everything eatable on the table – fried pie, fried Chinese cabbage, kebab, fried eggs and tofu cabbage soup with green bean noodle. Of course, firewater was a must – Erguotou! We three drank a bottle of Erguotou. No police here, Mr. Liu drank like a fish! He said he could manage the van for a safe driving.
 
Too much alcohol in the body, we decided to postpone our camping on the Great Wall to mid-night and took a break in the retaurant. Two hours later, our eyelids got heavier and heavier. We wanted sleep! Mr. Liu drove us to the base of Jinshanling Great Wall. Taking out the newly bought tent, including mates, sleeping bags, Paul Song and I again walked up the east section of the Wall looking for a place for camping.
 
We walked up the mountain to the Shalingkou Pass, then clambered up the Wall and turned right. The wall west of Shalingkou was less visited and few people would passed through, a perfect place for camping. It was a fine day with shooting stars all the sky. The bright moon was hanging over our heads. What a night! We made use of the flashing lights to put up the tent.
It was our fist time camping outside on the Great Wall. In, and burying oursleves in the sleeping bags, I had a feeling of going back to the years when I was a kid, coiled in a warm quilt in the cold winter. Calm, quite, peaceful, cozy, we soon fell asleep. Sleeping on the Great Wall was a pleasant experience. We were so close to the Wall, to the history and to the nature under the stary sky with a bright moon hanging high up.

Sleeping with a bright moon hanging high up.

 

Many the wall hikers got up early trying to cacth the sunrise

Around 5:00am, we were woken up by the noise of passing-by hikers who got up early trying to cacth the sunrise, I reluctantly unzipped my sleeping bag and prepared for shooting the sunrise. Not far from where we camped, up on to a square place on the wall. I stood on the square place facing east waiting for the sunrise. It was not the best place to watch the sunset on the Jinshanling Great Wall. The best site should be 4-5 towers west of Shayuling Pass, where a huge number of people standing there with cameras ready for shooting the sunrise.
 

Woken up by the noise of passing-by hikers who got up early trying to cacth the sunrise, I reluctantly unzipped my sleeping bag and prepared for shooting the sunrise.

 

A cozy tent

At 5:45 am, the sun slowly rose from the horizon of the mountains with the Great Wall as a backdrop. It was not as red as sunset last evening. The dawn began breaking, and
lightening the mountains and the Wall. The sunrise threw morning sunlight on pretty much anything. It was bright and surreal. 
  

The sun was breaking.

The sun was out.

Posted in Beijing Attractions, Beijing Great Wall, Beijing Travel, Beijing Travel Review, Beijing Travel Tips, Great Wall of China | 5 Comments »

Tips for Visiting the Great Wall of China around Beijing

Tuesday, July 27th, 2010

 

Jinshanling Great Wall (1)

Jinshanling Great Wall (2)

 
Needless to say, you must visit the Great Wall of China on your first trip to China. So, what, when, where and how?
 
The Great Wall of China was built mainly during the three dynasties – Qin Dynasty (221 B.C to 206 B.C), Han Dynasty (206 B.C.–220 A.D ) and Ming Dynasty (1368 A.D - 1644 A.D). The most powerful Yuan Dynasty and the last Dynasty – Qing Dynasty did nothing about the building of the Wall since they were “barbarians” against whom the Wall of China was supposed to have been built.
 
Actually the history tells us the Wall played no role in preventing the “barbarians”. Never did the Wall stop any invations, large or small. But the Wall did do many things: it proclaimed the frontier, it employed the thousands, it prevented defections, it displayed the mighty of the emperor.
 
The Wall is not an “it” as you think. It is a “them”, walls in the plural, and they do not form a continuous line. They are in bits built in different dynasties. Those “bits” of the Wall are scattered around the northern China stretching from Shanhaiguan in the east to Jiayuguan in the west, snaking along the southern edge of Inner Mongolia.
 
Beijing is a good place to visit the “bits” of the Wall built in Ming Dynasty. Most of the “bits” of the Wall here are tamed and reconstructed for the safety of travelers. So the tamed sections give way to wild ones – crumbling, overgrown and barred to walkers.
 
Here are some tips for your visiting the Great Wall of China around Beijing:
 
Tip # 01: The best time to hike the Great Wall of China
In Beijing, all the sections of the Wall are open to tourists all year round. The ideal months for the Great Wall hike fall on spring, early summer, autumn – later March, April, May, June, September, October and early November. If you happen to visit the Wall in summer – later June, July and August, be prepared for heat stroke prevention – sunglasses, sun cream,  sun block, hat, water. Winter Great Wall Hike is a bit challenging mainly due to the frozen weather in later December, January and early early February each year in Beijing. You are advised to dress warmly – winter hat with ear flap, ear warmers, gloves, scarf, warm jackets and ther winter accessories. The Great Wall hike is impossible only because the road access to sections is blocked due to the heavy snow. If you plan to do the hike in winter, we do suggest you check the weather report.
 
Tip # 02: Avoid weekends or public holidays for the Wall
It is better to hike the Wall during the weekdays instead of weekends. Strongly advise you not to visit the Wall during China public holidays. On these special days you will waste much of your valuable time on the way from your hotel to the Wall. On the Wall, you have to take group photos since there are a great number of people on the Wall.
 
Tip # 03: Select the right bit of the Wall (Great Wall Guide)
There are approxi 8 bits of the Wall around Beijing. 5 of the 8 bits of the Wall are legally open to tourists home and abroad. “legally open” means these sections of the Wall are tamed, repaired and controlled by a local Great Wall administration bureau. Within its administration, the entrance fees are collected, a police station is set up and security guides are dotted along Wall. These “legal” sections of the Wall are Juyongguan, Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Simatai. Jiankou and Gubeikou are not open to tourists due to their wildness and treacherousness. It is said that Huanghuacheng Great Wall will be open to the public sooner or later. Below are the tips for choosing the right bit of the Wall you most like:
1) If you don’t have much time, but you still want to have a glimpse of the Wall, especially on a busy day, choose Juyongguan Great Wall.
2) If you want to see the most gorgeous section of the Wall in Beijing, go to Badaling Great Wall.
3) If you want to the Wall with a beautiful green scenery and environment, visit Mutianyu Great Wall
4) If you want to hike the wild and original bits of the Wall, go to visit either Jinshanling Great Wall or Simtai Great, or put them together.
5) Huanghuacheng Great Wall not yet opened
6) Jiankou and Gubeikou sections of the Wall are forbidden to hike according to the official rule and regulations concerned.
  
Tip # 04: Choose the right Great Wall transportation
Take a Public Bus to the Great Wall
Badaling Great Wall: Take bus 919 back to Beijing (RMB 16) or the train from either the Badaling or Beijing North Train Station stations (RMB 17). The last bus 919 leaves at 5 PM.
Juyongguan Great Wall: You can use the same bus 919 or the the train from either the Badaling or Beijing North Train Station stations (RMB 17). The last bus 919 leaves at 5 PM.
Bus No. 919 ( Air Conditioner Bus )
Bus Terminal: Deshengmen (德胜门快车)
Destination: Badaling Great Wall, Weihe Drifting, Wenquan Holiday Village
Bus Fare: RMB 16
The first Bus: 6:00am;
The last bus: 5:00pm
Tel: 63360283
Mutianyu Great Wall: 
Bus No. 916
Bus Terminal: Dongzhimen (东直门长途站)
Destination: Mutianyu Great Wall ( actually the bus stops at Huairou Distric and then you take a mini bus from Huairou to Mutianyu Great Wall)
Bus Fare: RMB 12
Mini Bus Fare: RMB 40
Bus Operation Time: 6:00-20:00
Tel: 64671346、64608131
Jinshanling Great Wall or Simatai Great Wall
Bus No. 980
Bus Terminal: Dongzhimen Long Distance Bus Station (东直门长途站)
Destination: Simatai Great Wall. Actually the bus stops at Miyun County and then you take a mini bus from the downtown Miyun to Simatai.
Bus Fare: RMB 15
Minibus Fare: 10
Bus Operation Time: 6:00-18:00
Tel: 64671346、64608131
Take a taxi to the Great Wall
You can also charter a taxi for day trips to the Great Wall. The drive ranges from 1.5 hour to 2.5 hours from the city center according to the different sections of the Great Wall. Below are the approximate taxi fares to the different sections of the Great Wall with waiting for about 2-3 hours while touring the wall:
Beijing Mutianyu Great Wall: 85km – RMB 600
Beijing Badaling Great Wall: 80km – RMB 500
Beijing Simatai Great Wall: 140km – RMB 700
Beijing Juyongguan Great Wall: 60km – RMB 400
Beijing Jinshanling Great Wall: 160km RMB 800
Beijing Gubeikou Great Wall: 150km – RMB 750
Beijing Jiankou Great Wall: 85km – RMB 650
Beijing Huanghuacheng Great Wall 85km – RMB 600
 
Tip # 05: Book a day tour
You can easily book Great Wall Bus Tour (daily group tours) through your hotel or local tour operators. Each morning, you will be picked you up from your midtown hotel, then you will go to visit the the Wall together with other tourists. Groups are kept to about 10 passengers in a comfortable modern 22-seat coach with professional Beijing chauffeurs and English speaking tour guide.  
  
Tip # 06 Stay near the Wall
If you want to stay one night or more near the Wall, below are some of the inns and hotels for your consideration:
Juyongguan Great Wall Hotel 
the Cummune by the Great Wall
Huanghuacheng Fuwang Courtyard Farmhouse 
the Schoolhouse by the Mutianyu Great Wall
Jinshanling Hotel
Simatai Great Wall Courtyard Hotel
the Chateau Changyu AFIP Global Beijing
  
Tip # 07 Tips for Wheelchair users (Beijing Disability Travel)
Badaling Great Wall is wheelchair-friendly, the only accessible section of the Wall around Beijing.  A special flat lane is built for wheelchair users to get to the third watch tower of the Great Wall. Even two elevators are equipped for easy ascending the wall if you book the elevator service in advance. 

Jinshanling Great Wall (3)

Posted in Beijing Attractions, Beijing Great Wall, Beijing Travel, Beijing Travel Tips, Great Wall of China | 9 Comments »

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