JINSHANLING vs. MUTIANYU: WHICH GREAT WALL SECTION SHOULD YOU VISIT? (Crowded? Wild? Hike-Lovers?) 

Hello! Thanks for watching our vlog and joining the @oheyjelly RU-vid fam! 🥰 Glad that you found the video helpful towards your trip/itinerary planning! The Great Wall of China (all the different wall sections) is quite a spectacular historical site to visit.😄

Hello!! @allysia4 Thank you so much for watching our vlogs. We're glad to know that you found it informative and helpful. 🥰

Hello there! Thanks for watching our vlog & welcome to the @oheyjelly RU-vid fam! 😊 Yes, Mutianyu's terrain is generally kind & there are so many activities/transport options if one doesn't wish to hike 😛. Did you manage to visit Jinshanling? If you like less crowds & raw, vast green rolling mountains...this section would take your breath away!! 😍

Thanks for watching our video & leaving us such an encouraging comment! ❤️ Glad that you found our sharing useful! We'll be heading to Yunnan in July - can't wait to explore and learn more. ✨

@@oheyjelly Ooo, Can’t wait. That’s on my bucket list too while I’m here in China.

Hello there! Thanks for watching our vlogs & joining the @oheyjelly RU-vid fam! 😄 Each wall has its unique features, but the long meandering wall would be best represented by JinShanLing. There were also less crowds which allowed us to better enjoy the landscape in its entirety. There's a raw & natural beauty which i really appreciated. Some wall segments weren't fully restored, extremely steep & rocky. There are plenty of steps, and you could take time to walk, explore, climb & take in the sights, sounds and crisp clean air - but you must like hiking, and don't mind breaking into a sweat. The flipside was that there were little food choices, and lesser time on the wall for day trips. MuTianYu has more modernised infrastructure (in terms of cable car, food options, shuttle bus, general signs). It's an easier walk for someone with general fitness. If you don't like walking, there are also a variety of other transport options up/down the wall. It also has the toboggan for thrill seekers. There are definitely more crowds since it's nearer to Beijing. We also went to the Shan Hai Guan/ Lao Long Tou, which is the first Pass from the East and where the Great Wall ends in the sea. It was definitely interesting too. Ultimately, i think you may have to consider a multitude of factors - 1) how much time do you have to explore great wall? 2) how keen are you to hike, and also your physical fitness? 3) will you be taking public/tourist buses, or hiring a private transport? 4) do you prefer a more commercialized experience, or something more authentic? PS: I just returned from an early July trip to China and it happens to be their 2-month school vacation break now. It should extend till August and domestic travels are insane. Would advise you to go after August for sure. :)

@@oheyjelly thank you for the tips!! I appreciate them!! 🙏

@@davidebonazzi6734 No worries! I hope that you'll have a good trip to China's Great Wall and enjoy the scenery/hike, regardless of the crowd! :)

@harishpj2922 thanks for watching our vlog, we are happy to hear that our sharing is useful for your planning. Before this trip, I told Jelly that each wall has its unique features, but the long meandering wall that most of us imagine would be best represented by JSL. Given its location, there were also less crowds which allowed us to better enjoy the landscape in its entirety. Of course the flipside was that there were little food choices, and lesser time on the wall for day trips. MTY on comparison had more modernised infrastructure (in terms of cable car, food options, shuttle bus, general signs). It also has the toboggan option which I enjoyed. There were definitely more crowds since it was nearer to Beijing. We also went to the Shan Hai Guan/ Lao Long Tou, which is the first Pass from the East and where the Great Wall ends in the sea. It was definitely interesting too. Depending on your preferences, Ba Da Ling / Mu Tian Yu are generally for first timers to get a taste of the wall with more modernised comforts. If you have the time and don't mind a longer hike, we would say definitely try JSL or Sima Tai. We chose to take a direct express bus to each wall section, but you could also consider picking a private tour and it would likely make the travelling bit easier. Jelly was a first timer, so I'd let her share more of her thoughts. Meanwhile, have a good trip!

Hello!! Thanks for leaving us a comment! Here's my veryyyy lengthy reply...😊 Like what Mr. P pointed out, we actually visited 3 sections of the Great Wall. The 3rd section - Old Dragon's Head 🐲- is featured in another vlog, and that wall section is cool 😎 because we get to see the where wall & sea meet! Winds are also super strong at this wall section (hold onto your hats/caps!), since it's by the seaside, and there are sandy beaches and places to chill/dine by the beach. You can bring food along for a picnic even. The wall section is relatively easy to walk, and very well-maintained. MTY was wayyy too crowded for my liking (i get overstimulated by noise 😐) but i must admit that it's a easier walk - for someone with general fitness. If you don't like walking, there are also a variety of other transport options up/down the wall. I saw most tourists were super excited by the toboggan 😂. JSL presented me with a raw & natural beauty which i really appreciated. Some wall segments weren't fully restored, some were extremely steep & rocky. There were plenty of steps, and you could take time to walk, explore, climb & take in the sights, sounds and crisp clean air - but you must like hiking, and don't mind breaking into a sweat. Drawback was that food options are limited. Of course, you can always purchase a cup noodle/drinks at one of the makeshift stalls housed in a couple of "general towers" to take a break. We chose to bring along packed food & drinks instead 😀. Amenities are limited too. Mr. P HATED the cable car ride down, and so i wouldn't recommend it for people with fear of heights/suffer from vertigo. Ultimately, i think you may have to consider a multitude of factors - 1) how much time do you have to explore great wall? 2) how keen are you to hike, and also your physical fitness? 3) will you be taking public/tourist buses, or hiring a private transport? 4) do you prefer a more commercialized experience, or something more authentic? Hope this helps! Reach out if you'll like to chat more. 😊

Thanks a bunch to you both once again for your in-depth explanations and thoughtful suggestions.

@@harishpj2922 Hope that you'll have a good and insightful trip! ✨ Drop back in to update us on which wall sections you made it to! I'll be very interested to find out about your experience too. 😊

​Hi​@@oheyjelly, hope you guys are doing great!!! We wanted to share our experience of visiting Mutianyu stretch and gotta say it was a breathtaking one. All thanks to your suggestions we were so glad we chose it!!! We took the cable car to and fro and got to ascend the 'Hero Rock' at the top at the final section and get ourselves a medallion for the same 😂 it was our last day at Beijing but The Wall will forever remain in our memories ❤❤ Thanks again, take care and to more travel & memories 🤩🙌🏻

Hello! Thanks for watching our vlog & joining the @oheyjelly RU-vid fam! 😊 Yes, please visit JSL if you have the opportunity to - the scenic views are unique, and the wall infrastructure is quite authentic. Makes for a less-touristy Great Wall experience! 😍

@123tammy hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. Its not an easy hike, unless you take the cable car. It probably look easy because Jelly and I already were already in the "climb Great Wall" mode. That said, JSL was worth it, primarily because of the views. Hope you get to climb JSL someday!

@trizzinc thanks for watching our vlog, the hotel is called 金山岭长城大酒店 and a quick check on their hotel policy shows that they are able to allow foreigners to stay (some domestic hotels do not have license for foreigners), so you should be able to book a room through ctrip. Good luck for your marathon on the Great Wall ! 💪

@@tzew Perfect! Thanks for the detailed answer! Safe travels!

Hello!! We're happy to hear that you enjoyed the video & found it useful 🥰. Mr. P is the main planner for our trips, so he would know the locations best 🤭. All the best for the marathon - it sounds like it's gonna be an amazing trip for you! 💪🏻

@lisalau836 hello there, thanks for watching our vlog, happy to hear that it was entertaining for you. The arrows on the map indicated our walking route for mty. I would categorise it this way. The climb up tower 10 was steep, 10 to 14 tower was steep and the terrain flattened out after the cable car station. Walking back to 10 was a downhill before it flattened out to tower 6. From tower 6 it’s another steep descent before a steep ascent towards tower 1 Hope this helps! 🙂

@@tzew That's very helpful, thank you! I'll be travelling with an older family member and want to minimise the more strenuous walking/climbing. Is the walk from the ticket station to shuttle bus, and then from shuttle bus setdown to the cable car station, on fairly flat ground? All up would it be a 15 min walk? Which option do you think would be better once we've caught the cable car up to tower 14: (a) Walk to tower 6 and then catch the chairlift down. (b) Wander around the flat area and then catch the cable car back down?

@@lisalau836 I see. From entrance ticket counter to shuttle bus--> 10-15mins walk on flat ground through shops. Shuttle bus will eventually drop you off at a carpark area where visitors have to walk a gradient up slope upwards either towards the cable car or towards the stairs hiking point (like we did). If minimising walking/climbing is the intention, then it is best that you take the shuttle bus/ cable car and option B would be the less tiring and faster option. Option A, while mostly descent, would still be quite an adventurous stretch. 20:13 is a good pov of how steep the descent from tower 14 to 10 will be. That said, walking down the steps imo, gave us a deeper appreciation of how massive the wall really is and how challenging it must have been for builders/soldiers alike to build/man this wall. Do note that the chairlift descending point is near to the Toboggan ride (the chairlift brings up all the toboggans). But after all the walking down from Tower 14, you would likely be very tired so even that extra stretch may feel very painful on the knees. Bring along sufficient water for hydration and go at your own pace👍 Hope this helps, we would be happy to hear more on your experience post trip 🙂

@@tzew You're a legend, thank you for the detailed answer. We will definitely do option B. It is an engineering marvel, we can't wait to see it! I will report back and let you know how we go. Thanks again for your help!

@@lisalau836 You're most welcome and have a great/safe trip! ✈

@alexmelendex5404 hello there, thanks for watching our vlog and joining the oheyjelly channel. More videos coming soon 🙂

Hello there! Thanks for watching our vlogs & joining the fam! 🤗

Hello there! Thanks for watching our vlog 😍. Just as a guide, I believe we spent about 5 hours exploring/hiking/filming at each wall section - lao long tou, mutianyu, jinshanling. This excludes traveling time e.g. public bus to and fro. We planned our day largely around these bus timings, so that we can catch the bus to Great Wall & bus back to the city. There are decent bathroom facilities at the visitor centres for all wall sections. I would use the bathroom at the visitor centres before starting our hike, and after our hike to empty my bladder, before returning back onto the bus. I did not need to use the washroom in the 5 hours we were hiking...😛 Water - we brought our own drinks for the hike. Bottled water and some sweet drinks for an energy boost mid-day. If you don't want to bring any drinks, there are some small shops (jinshanling) and restaurants (mutianyu) located at the wall sections where you can purchase them.

@@oheyjelly thank very much for your response!!! God Bless !

@jacintochua6885, hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. Not sure if I understood your comment correctly but it is actually less obvious than one would think. While theoretically JSL should be quieter given that it is further away from Beijing, who knows if it would be popular with locals / seasoned hikers, especially given that it is a weekend and close to small towns around like Xin Cheng Zi and other walls like Simatai. We thought sharing our experiences would be helpful to others when planning which wall sections to visit. Cheers.

@hendrasugianto2482 hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. Unfortunately, the public buses to jsl doesn’t run on weekdays so an alternative is to look for day trips to these wall sections, which usually covers the to/fro transport and with a guide. Hope you have a good climb on the wall 💪🏼

Hello there! To add onto Mr. P's reply, i guess the easier (but slightly more costly) way is to get a private hire car + tour guide to drive you to the Great Wall sections you wish to explore. 😊 In this way, you're not restricted by the public bus timings and you can explore the Great Wall slowly. 👍🏻

@@oheyjelly thx for reply

@fidelchandra hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. To clarify, the toboggan is only at Mutianyu and the entrance point is located near Tower 6. No, you would not have to take any cable car down from Tower 6 to take the toboggan, but there is a chair lift station nearby which visitors could also opt to take down, instead of the toboggan. This chairlift also serves to bring up the toboggan, similar to that of ski lifts. Hope this helps 🙂

@royleow hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. Yes there is only one bus to JSL operating on Sat/Sun/PH. It’s good to reach at least 20mins earlier as the bus does leave quite punctually. Bus tickets cost 50rmb one way and payable in cash only. Also note that there was a sign stating that the bus runs from May-Nov, but this didn’t affect us since we were there in Sep. We reached JSL at around 10.30am, bought tix/ shuttle bus to entrance (20mins) and hiked to first tower (35mins). We had a good 3-4 hours (which was enough under the hot sun) on the wall to explore before taking 1 way cable car down. Lunch wise, JSL is not as commercialized as badaling or mutianyu, and there are no shops at the towers checkpoints. We brought our own lunch box. Hope this helps. Do like/sub if you found our tips useful, thanks!

@@tzew Thanks for the reply! Will probably be heading to Mutianyu!

@@royleow you’re welcome. If you are up for a steep climb, tower 1-6 at mutianyu will be quite a fun challenge, before that toboggan ride down. Enjoy your visit!

@94vrcommodore Hey Gordon, thanks for dropping by again! 😄 We consciously avoided their National holidays, so I would say it was quite alright in terms of crowd at the Great Wall - sufficient space to walk and no "sandwiching"! We did encounter quite a few domestic tour groups, families, school kids on excursions etc. It was the weekend....so that can't be helped (bus to Jinshanling only runs on Saturday)! 🙃 Have you visited The Great Wall before?

@@oheyjelly hey Jelly. I’ve visited China 5 years ago, but haven’t visited the Great Wall yet. That’s something I love to check out. How long were you 2 in China?

⁠​⁠​⁠@@94vrcommodorehey Gordon, we were only in China for 6 days this time, so it became sort of a 3-sections-of-the-Great-Wall focus let’s see how it goes trip. Each section had its thing we enjoyed but the wall itself is most definitely worth a visit. Just avoid visiting during their National holidays😅

@@tzew awesome. I know to avoid going to places in China during their holidays, just like when I went to the moat in Xian while it was their public holiday

@@94vrcommodorenice. Was it a human moat? 😂

@yvetthernandez6013 hi there, thanks for watching our vlogs. Are you visiting Jin Shan Ling or Mutianyu? If it is Jin Shan Ling, then yes the bus only leaves at 0730-0800hrs on weekends and public holidays between May - October. If it is Mutianyu, the bus leaves daily at 0830am. Hope this helps, happy travels!

Hello! @yvetthernandez6013 Mr. P the planner of our trips has replied your question down below. If you would like flexibility in terms of transport i.e. you can visit the Great Wall at any time of the week, there's the pricier option of hiring a private taxi/driver too. 😄

@Splotchandherminions Thanks for the support leh!

Hello there! I believe the ticket prices for JSL entrance varies depending on the time of the year you visit. April to Oct would be around 65yuan, while Dec to Mar will be around 55yuan.

@sparaglione hello there, thanks for watching our vlog. To add on to Jelly's comment, one way bus ticket from beijing costs 50yuan pp. The shuttle one way from the ticket counter to the wall entrance is 10yuan pp and the cable car one way is 40yuan pp (if you buy return there would be a slight discount at 60yuan pp). Hope this helps.