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The Great Wall of China has got be up there with the most fascinating landmarks to encounter on the entire planet. Visitors come from across the globe to experience this wonder of the world, and whether visiting the Great Wall of China has always high been on your bucket list, or it’s something you’ve recently thought of experiencing, here’s what we think you should know before visiting for yourself.
First of all, we wanted to offer you some information that you won’t find on every article about the Great Wall of China, so we’re kicking things off with some lesser known facts.
The Wall is Not an “It”. It’s a “Them”.
We’re talking plural, here. The Wall is, in fact, in bits, and they come in all shapes and sizes. There are wild, overgrown sections, and some which don’t allow walkers. Then there are the sections that regularly see visitors frequent them on a daily basis and look just as though you’d imagine them from photos.
The Wall Wasn’t Built to Prevent Mongols Invading
The Wall was originally commissioned by the First Emperor who passed away in 210 BC; many, many years before the emergence of the Mongols circa AD 800. At that time, the threat was from the Xiongnu (a confederation of nomadic peoples). The Mongol confrontation took place during the late 14th century, at which point the Mongols were chased out of China by defenders during the Ming dynasty.
It Cannot be Seen from the Moon
Robert Ripley, an American illustrator, included an illustration of the Great Wall in his magazine Believe It or Not and called it “the mightiest work of man” and “the only one that would be visible to the human eye from the Moon”. His statement was founded on no evidence at all, which is confirmed by the fact that he made the claim 30 years before anyone had been in space. The truth was confirmed during the first Chinese space flight back in 2003; astronaut Yang Liwei said he couldn’t see anything of it from up there!
Now we’ve whet your appetite with some interesting facts, we can move on to a few basic essentials that you should definitely pack or be prepared for when visiting the Great Wall of China:
Appropriate Footwear
This may sound like a standard one for anyone planning on a walking-based trip, but if you know of anyone who has been before, they will confirm that wearing footwear with decent grip is a must.
Water
Walking around a lot in a foreign climate means that you will want to stay as hydrated as possible to enjoy the experience as much as you possibly can.
Protection from the Warm Weather
While being in the warm weather is undoubtedly going to be pleasurable for us UK visitors, it’s important to remember to have some good headwear to keep the sunny weather off your head and neck.
Money
It’s well worth having some spare cash on you so that you can buy little souvenirs that are available to buy at the Great Wall or the surrounding areas.
Is there anything else I should know before I visit the Great Wall of China?
So, you have your heart set on a visit to the Great Wall, so now you’ll want to know the best time to go. This is mostly because heading over in the summer can be extremely hot, as we touched on earlier. High-20s to mid-30s (Celsius) is the norm in Beijing during June and July. Therefore, it’s advised to go during the cooler months. Thankfully, here at The Bucket List Company, we’re offering a 10-day adventure to the Great Wall of China in October 2018, and you can come!
While the whole experience is sure to give you ever-lasting memories, one of the trip’s highlights includes visiting the region of Huangyaguan. This is known to be a very ‘un-touristy’ area. It’s also the location of the Great Wall Marathon. Approximately a two-hour drive from Beijing, it’s a particularly quiet place with phenomenal views!
Having a tour operator, like us, handling everything for you not only makes the trip less stressful but will also allow you to appreciate the build-up more too.
Here are some of the other benefits of booking your adventure through us:
- Your trip will be led by an experienced member of The Bucket List Company team.
- Our leaders are selected and trained by us to make sure they have the correct skills and personality to give you the experience of a lifetime.
- You will be in safe hands with one of our leaders.
- Our leaders are UK-based and love what they do, with this passion coming through in the tours.
- The leader will also be supported by an in-country team of guides and crew.
- The in-country team are also English speaking.
Read more information on this amazing and unforgettable adventure here.
Or, contact us today on 0176 930 9007.
