"Hike the two hour loop at Badaling." Great Wall - Badaling Tip by susanpingu

There are two entrances to Badaling: the main entrance near the bus parking lot (a large sign over the shops) and the other entrance at the end of the animal park (see photo). The pulley car is also located inside this park.

My sister and I took the pulley car up the Wall. After taking some photos, we agreed to meet 3 hours later. She would return on the pulley car and meet me at the parking lot.

Now I was ready to hike the Great Wall at Badaling!

At first there was some confusion as to whether I should continue hiking after an hour (and the crowds have thinned to a few people) when the Wall seemed to stretch endlessly up and down the mountains. Some people I asked had no idea if continuing farther would lead to an exit but they intended to go back the same way to be on the safe side. So I asked people who were coming from the opposite direction and good news! they had hiked an hour from another entrance.

The pictures I've taken are sequential: pulley car up, two hour hike (including resting & taking photos) and exit at the far end of the animal park. You could do it in reverse and take the pulley car down or just add another 20 mins walk down to the main entrance and visit the Great Wall Museum in the vicinity (included in the ticket but it was closed for renovation at the time of my visit). A better way, actually, and no confusion about where to exit because you'll be walking into a crowd soon enough and be so glad you've already snapped lots of pictures.

Admission (low season): 45 yuan
Cost of pulley ride : 30 yuan (one way)