I have visited the Great Wall at both Simatai and Badaling, and Simatai wins hands down!

The Great Wall at Badaling has been restored to the point of looking like something from Disneyland. The crowds also feel like something from Disneyland, so I felt the true power of the Great Wall was lost.

The Wall at Simatai is still quite authentic, and when we were there (March 2007), there were no crowds at all. The view was absolutely breathtaking! It was one of the best things I have done in all my trips.

A lot of good advice has already been written on what to expect, how to get there (private car is best if you can negotiate a good price), etc, so I thought I would just provide a list of what to take:

What to take:
- Backpack to carry up the wall
- Plenty of water!! The higher you get the more expensive it is. Take plenty with you, it is a hard climb.
- Suncream, hat, long sleeve shirt, sunglasses in summer
- Thermals, waterproof/windproof jacket, sunglasses (it can still be very glarey), gloves in winter
- Good, sturdy shoes
- Snacks for the climb
- Camera!!! With spare batteries
- Tissues and hand santiser for the toilets at the beginning

We were concerned that it was going to be a very hard climb (especially for my mother), but we took it slow and found it quite easy. I highly recommend Simatai!

Simatai (I have also seen it written as Si Ma Tai) is north of Beijing about 2 hours (if there isn't much traffic) by taxi. I got there by tour guide, but I recommend that you do some research and check with your hotel or bargain with a taxi to get there. I also recommend that you do your own research before you get there of the significance of the wall and the history of it. The tour guide that I had was from a Chinese company and they told me when I got there that they "were too tired to climb the wall today". If you do your research, you will be totally immersed in the history of this structure and will be able to take it on your own.

This portion of the wall is not renovated like Badaling and Mutianyu and given the distance away from Beijing, gathers less tourists. This allows the traveler to enjoy the expanse of this amazing structure. It snakes for many kilometers through the mountains and it truly impressive. I chose this portion because it has less tourists and is long enough to take in the magnitude of just what an accomplishment this is (for example: Mutianyu is only a couple of km long).

There are 2 methods on reaching the wall once your transportation arrives. You can walk up a path to the base of the Simatai section (~15 minutes uphill and some stairs) or your can take a tiny gondola halfway up the mountain and then climb the rest to the wall. I chose the walk because you can climb the whole portion.

Because this portion of the wall is not renovated, you must be cautious when climbing. The risers of the steps vary for each step. Some are 2 inches, some are 4 inches, some are three risers on top of each other and the total height is about 14 inches. Also the steps vary in size, so that some are short and some are long. It makes for some interesting climbing. Because there are many steps, check your coordination before you try. The guard walls of the wall aren't that high or in some places, are non-existent, so if you trip, you could fall over and it far enough of a fall to hurt you. Also, some portions of this wall do not have steps and are "cobble-stone like" and steep. You are advised to take care here -- especially when climbing down the wall. If it is raining, these portions can be especially dangerous.

Enough of the warnings though, although it is important that you know them. If you are in any shape, you can climb this wall. Portions are steep and will wind you, but the views are unmatched. At times on a day where the visibility is a few kilometers, you can see the wall snake up and down through the mountains well off into the distance with towers dotting the landscape. Knowing the history and how it was built, really makes it an incredible experience when you put together what you see with what you know.

Once you reach the top, the wall continues, but is a "single wall" (no walkway) and the mountain is too narrow to walk along. Again, putting together what you know with what you see is amazing.

Take many pictures because it is about 2-3 hours if you take your time and with the weather changing and the sun changing position, your pictures will be different each time.

There are a few vendors on the wall selling handicrafts and such. They aren't too pushy, so if you don't want them, just say no (or "mayo" which is no in Mandarin). On the path up to the wall, you will undoubtedly run into some "farmers" where one will accompany you up the wall. After you finish, they will ask you to buy some goods. The choice is up to you. I bought a book of pictures of different sections.

There is a restaurant at the arrival section where you can eat if you wish and go to the bathroom. Please take some water with you on the hike. It is a long climb. Also, go to the bathroom before you climb. There are no toilets.

Overall, it is an unbelievable thing to see and experience. It is highly recommended to visit this section. The number of people at any one time was about maybe 100. Sometimes I had portions of the walkway between towers all to myself.

I am told the best time of year to visit this section is the fall, where the foliage is out or changing. In the Spring, there is the potential for sandstorms and the summer is hot (~30 - 35 C and humid). The spring day I visited was fine though: mid April, ~17 C and slightly hazy with the sun poking in and out all morning. The foliage just starting to bud, so the landscape was a little brown. Still, I wouldn't change the experience for anything.

We visited Simatai in January and there were very few other people, other than the locals, there. We took the 970 bus out of Beijing to Miyun and hired a taxi from there. We were the only ones going up on the cable car to the Wall. It was a bit of a steep walk from the end of the cable car to the wall. Oh, and the WC up there was closed.
The view was awesome. To see that wall stretch on and on was just amazing. Don't miss it!

I hope that those of you who read this and are of able physical shape will avoid the McWall at Badaling and venture out to Jinshanling and Simatai, which are less-restored and less-visited sections. They are exceptional, and you do not have to share your experience with thousands-- making it far easier to imagine the time when it was an actual border post between China and Mongolia. Note that for those hiking between the two entrance gates, some locals will most likely follow you and offer water, postcards and tourist books. You may decline if you want, but you may find their company interesting as many speak passable English, and a $5 gift will make them extremely happy.