Walking the Great Wall of China in Plastic Bags

The Stopover That Changed Everything

Hong Kong was warm, easy, and familiar.

Beijing was supposed to be a quick stopover. A short flight. A bucket list bonus. Another UNESCO World Heritage Site to quietly check off the list.

Then I checked the weather.

And everything changed.

One day I was in 28°C Hong Kong sunshine.

The next… I was landing in Beijing after a snowstorm.

With no closed-toe shoes.

And the Great Wall of China scheduled for the following morning.

When Travel Plans Start to Unravel

We landed at Beijing Capital Airport in the early hours of the morning.

And immediately discovered something important:

Getting out of this airport is not intuitive.

For about thirty minutes, we wandered like extras in The Terminal starring Tom Hanks.

Wrong turn.

Wrong hallway.

Wrong escalator.

Repeat.

At that point, I wasn’t sure if we were leaving the airport… or joining it permanently.

Eventually, we escaped and made our way to the hotel — slightly confused, very tired, and fully aware that sleep was now a luxury.

Travel Tips – Beijing Arrival Reality Check

Allow extra time navigating Beijing Capital Airport (it’s large and not always clearly signed)
Check current visa/transit requirements before you travel (rules can change)
Keep all documents easily accessible when landing after long-haul flights

Airport Hotel Win (and Loss of Sleep)

We stayed at the Langham Place Beijing Airport, just minutes from Terminal 3.

I needed this much caffeine for my morning wake up - hotel lobby

Their 24-hour shuttle had us at the hotel in minutes — which, at that point, felt like winning the lottery.

We were even upgraded to a suite.

And it was beautiful.

Unfortunately, we barely saw it.

Because by the time we checked in, we had about 100 minutes of sleep before our Great Wall adventure began.

The Shoe Situation (a.k.a. The Beginning of Chaos)

Before we even talk about the Wall, we need to address the shoes.

Or lack of appropriate ones.

I searched Hong Kong airport in denial, hoping for a miracle.

The selection was slim. The prices were not.

One pair caught my eye.

$4,400 HKD.

Roughly $700 CAD.

For shoes I would never wear again.

That was the moment I chose chaos over capitalism.

And let’s just say… my “solution” was creative.

Socks.

Sandals.

Plastic bags.

And hotel slipper covers.

Fashion-forward? No.

Survival mode? Absolutely.

Why Mutianyu

There are several sections of the Great Wall near Beijing, but I deliberately chose Mutianyu.

It’s known for being less crowded than other sections and offers sweeping mountain views that make every step worth it.

As it turned out, the combination of early morning timing and fresh snowfall meant we would experience something rare:

Almost no crowds.

Just silence and mountains.

Snow already melted - just a damp drizzle

Private Driver vs Tour Group

I’m not a tour bus person.

I like space. Flexibility. And the ability to stop when something catches my eye.

So I booked a private driver for the day.

Mr. Wong picked us up at 6:30 a.m. sharp.

He spoke no English.

I spoke no Mandarin.

A potentially chaotic combination.

What could possibly go wrong?

As it turns out — nothing.

He was fantastic.

Arrival at Mutianyu

About 90 minutes later, we arrived at the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.

If you’re planning this trip, here’s what matters:

Bring cash.

At the time of our visit, credit cards were not widely accepted around the entrance area. There is an ATM, but it’s best not to rely on it.

How it works:

Buy your entrance ticket
Buy cable car tickets (up and down)
Shuttle bus takes you to the base area
Walk through a small village of shops to the cable car station

On clear days, you can also take a toboggan ride down — but snowfall had closed it during our visit.

There is also a walking option.

But be warned:

It’s roughly 1,000 steps uphill before you even reach the Wall.

I strongly recommend saving your energy for what’s coming next.

The Morning Everything Was Quiet

We arrived around 8:15 a.m., expecting everything to be running.

It wasn’t.

The cable car hadn’t started yet.

So we waited.

And wandered.

And watched the mountain slowly wake up.

That’s when I noticed workers carrying bags of rice up the slope.

Later, I learned something fascinating:

Sticky rice mortar was historically used in sections of the Great Wall’s construction and restoration. The starch created an incredibly strong binding material — one of those ancient engineering details that still shows up in preservation today. I am so sad i did not take a picture - lesson learned!

It’s one of those facts that makes you look at the Wall differently.

Soon after, the cable car began operating.

We were the second group up.

The Climb to Watchtower 10

The cable car dropped us near Watchtower 10.

Most people turned right toward the flatter section leading to Watchtower 6 and the toboggan route.

I turned left.

Up.

Higher meant quieter. More views. Fewer people. Better photos.

And that decision changed everything.

As we climbed, we passed something unexpected:

A graffiti wall near Watchtower 14.

Instead of carving into the ancient stones, visitors are encouraged to leave messages there — a surprisingly thoughtful way to protect the Wall while still letting people participate in it.

The Wall Moment

And then… everything opened up.

The weather was cool, damp, and misty.

And for over an hour, we had one of the most iconic landmarks in the world almost entirely to ourselves.

No crowds.

No noise.

No tour groups.

Just us.

And the mountains.

And the Wall.

We sat on the stone steps in silence.

And just took it in.

The Great Wall stretched endlessly across ridgelines, disappearing into mist and reappearing again like it was part of the landscape itself.

It didn’t feel built.

It felt grown.

It’s hard to describe what that moment does to you.

The Wall stretches over 21,000 kilometres across northern China, built and rebuilt over centuries starting as early as the 6th century, and heavily expanded during the Ming Dynasty in the 16th century.

At Mutianyu alone, there are 22 watchtowers that once formed part of a defensive system protecting Beijing and the Forbidden City.

Standing there, you don’t just understand its scale.

You feel it.

Mind-Blowing Scale

The Wall is roughly 4–5 metres wide in many sections — wide enough for horses to ride side by side.

Standing on it, trying to imagine the labour, terrain, and centuries of construction… it becomes almost impossible to comprehend.

And all you can really say is:

Wow.

Just… wow.

Walking the Wall (Fashion Disaster Included)

After about two hours, we made our way back to Watchtower 10 and took the cable car down.

And yes.

I walked the Great Wall of China in plastic bags, sandals, socks, and hotel slipper covers.

Fashion police, please look away.

Just us - sitting on damp stones on the great wall - pinching ourselves. WOW!

Back at the Base

We had a short window to explore the small shops before meeting our driver.

A hot chocolate was essential at this point.

We also visited a small museum area and couldn’t resist one of those cheesy souvenir photos with a laminated certificate.

Completely unnecessary.

Absolutely perfect.

The Journey Back

Mr. Wong met us with steamed buns for the drive back — a simple gesture that somehow made the whole morning feel even more memorable.

We headed straight to the airport.

And one final tip:

Beijing Capital Airport requires plenty of time for check-in. Aim for at least 3 hours before your flight, as passengers can be turned away if late.