Hi, I have some points to say to help u. First, you do not need a group tour if you go there alone. You can manage the trip all by yourselves. It's quite easy to go. Second, I think the wall you described is Badaling Great Wall. It is the most popular section. You can take bus no.919 at Deshengmen Gate Station. The bus ticket is CNY 12. The entrance fee is CNY 45, the cable car is CNY40 for a single trip and CNY 60 for a round trip. Have a clear idea of these prices and good trip!

Wow. That's a huge help! Thank you sooooooo much. Are there other parts of the wall you would recommend we go see? Do we just take a bus to get there from Badaling? Am I allowed to ask you questions about the Forbidden City and Tinenimen Square as well? Your knowledge is amazing.

Yes, besides Badaling, Mutianyu and Juyongguan are also nice choice. These three walls are repaired, so they are safe.

From Badaling, you can go to Juyongguan by taking bus no.919 (快,meaning fast). Other wall sections are too far away from Badaling, so the transportation is not so easy and you should plan another day to go.

Any question is welcomed.

Is it recommended to bring your own lunch or buy it at the wall? My wife and I want to walk on the wall for a while, and don't want to turn back just to get food and water.
Would you suggest hiring a guide for the Forbidden City and/or Tienenimen Square? Our hotel is going to be the Hilton in Wangfujing so it's very close to these two locations. Do we still take the same bus you recomended earlier to get to the wall?

Hi, Mr.Matt, I recommend you to bring your own lunch because the food and drinks sold on the wall are much expensive than the ordinary prices. A guide for the Forbidden City is necessary for you will be helped understanding the background history. For Tiananmen Square, you can visit it by yourself. Yes, you still need to take bus no.919 to get to Badaling Great Wall. Take bus no.5 at Tiananmen Square and get off at Deshengmen Station, and take bus no.919 at Deshengmen Station and arrive at Badaling Great Wall. Nice trip!

THANK YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!! Your advice is priceless. Where can I find a respectible tour guide who won't rip me off and still be well worth the money for The Forbidden City?

Well, you can hire a guide at the service center in the Forbidden City. It is legitimate and can be trust.

About how much should we expect to pay? How much should we tip them when our tour is over?

Well, you can go to the Meridian Gate (Wu men) and the Gate of Divine Prowess (Shenwu men) for paid tour guide service. The price is charged differently according to your routes and duration:

For groups no more than five people:
Central axis: 1 hour, 200 yuan
Central axis and west route: 1.5 hours, 300 yuan
Central axis, west route, and Treasure Gallery: 2.5 hours, 400 yuan

Besides, an extra 20 yuan per person will be charged for groups of more than 5 people.

Or you can choose an audio guide at the two entrances. The deposit is 100 yuan per unit, and the rental fee is 40 yuan per unit in English. Remember to return it at the end of your trip and get back your deposit.

Ms. Sleepyhamster, we will be up in beijing in just under 3 weeks. How's the weather out there? I see it's not over 60 degrees F. What will it be like up at the wall? Will it be colder? Windier?
How early and late do the buses operate? My wife and I want to get out to the wall as early as possible and stay as late as possible. But I would hate to be stranded at the Great Wall!
Where's the best places to eat? My wife and I love to try "local" flavors not found here in the US.
I'm sorry if I'm asking too many questions, but we're so excited to be actuly going to CHINA!!!!

Hi, Mr.Matt,
Beijing is getting warm in the end of April and early May. It is windy on the wall.

The bus no.919 runs between 06:00 and 18:30. Plan your time! You can go to Badaling Restaurant. It has a variety of dishes of Sichuan flavor or Guangdong flavor.