Bookmark This: An Unmissable Combo – Badaling Great Wall & Dingling on a Budget

When it comes to traveling in Beijing, there are a few attractions that you've definitely heard of, even if you haven't visited them. The Great Wall, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, the Temple of Heaven, the Ming Tombs... These are usually the top three picks. But honestly, the Forbidden City is so popular and there's so much to see and study that you need a full day to slowly soak it all in. The Great Wall is also a must, but it's far out in Yanqing District, about 70-80 km from central Beijing. The Summer Palace is said to be beautiful and vast, but I hear that without a guide explaining things, it’s just a big park, not terribly exciting.

A couple of days ago, a friend recommended a great travel agency called 'Busda'. They offer a Great Wall + Summer Palace one-day tour that includes tickets and a guide. Perfect! This is exactly the hassle-free, no-brainer way to travel—no need to pore over travelogues and guides. My friend really knows me well. I booked the night before, and the next day, we were off!

At 7:30 am, we headed to the scenic spot: Badaling Great Wall. Distance: about 70 km; travel time: around 1 hour 30 minutes; activity time: about 4 hours.

'He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man.' Badaling Great Wall is a symbol of the Chinese national spirit and a must-visit for heads of state, dignitaries, and VIPs from around the world when they visit China. Climbing up Badaling, you can see the wall winding along the mountain ridges like a giant dragon with no head or tail in sight—truly majestic and awe-inspiring.

We met our guide at the subway station based on the address the guide sent the night before. Right out of the station, the guide was holding a sign and waiting for us. On the bus, the guide gave a dedicated, lively, and humorous introduction to Beijing and the Great Wall. We bought round-trip cable car tickets on the bus for 140 yuan, which seemed a bit cheaper than at the site.

When we got off, the kids went wild and headed straight for the Hero's Slope.

By noon, even though we took the cable car and didn't feel too tired, we were hungry. The Badaling commercial street has a food court with lots of tasty-looking options. Years ago, when I came right after graduation, there were hardly any restaurants, and they were pricey and lousy. This time, the kids wanted beef noodles, and we got a big surprise—the restaurant told us Busda guests get a discount on meals. Awesome!

At 1:00 pm, we went to the next spot: Dingling, one of the Ming Tombs. Distance: about 40 km; travel time: around 50 minutes; activity time: about 2 hours.

Dingling is the tomb of Emperor Wanli (Zhu Yijun) and his two empresses. It was the first imperial tomb in China to be excavated in a planned way after the founding of the PRC, and its underground palace is the only one of the thirteen tombs to be opened. I remember my old history teacher telling us that the location of these tombs was chosen with great care, usually in auspicious feng shui spots, and the architecture is impressive, with magnificent above-ground structures and an extraordinarily ornate underground.

I don't know much about Ming history. I just know that Emperor Wanli is highly controversial—some call him a wise ruler, others a negligent one. Angry with his officials, he didn't attend court for over 30 years. During his reign, the Ming dynasty was strong, known historically as the 'Wanli Resurgence.' But there's also a saying that 'the Ming actually perished under Wanli.' All in all, he seems like a willful and lonely emperor. But honestly, without a good guide or a tour group, Dingling doesn't feel like there's much to see—you could zip through in ten minutes. We spent about two hours there and learned a lot of history.

We were really lucky to have a highly knowledgeable guide. Guide Xiaotian was like a walking history book, bringing both official and unofficial histories to life with vivid storytelling. We hung on every word. The stories of the tomb's occupants—one emperor and two empresses—were truly moving; they were all pitiable figures. The story of Empress Dowager Xiaojing almost brought me to tears. But the emperor's golden silk winged cap was simply exquisite—so delicate and gorgeous.

The final part of our itinerary was the Olympic venues. At 5:20 pm, we stopped to see the exterior of the Bird's Nest (National Stadium) and the Water Cube (National Aquatics Center). Distance: about 46 km; travel time: around 50 minutes; activity time: free and easy, no limit.