Just off the speedin' track

Badaling Station

The Great Wall and the grand gorge give visitors the full measure of man's power and nature's force. The Badaling Great Wall has parts that were built and reinforced during the Ming Dynasty to defend Beijing against the Mongolians. It is one of the best preserved of all the sections of China's Great Wall. The northern part of Badaling is steeper and offers better views. More information about the Great Wall is available at the nearby Great Wall Museum and Great Wall National Theater. The Longqing Gorge is 10 km northeast of Yanqing district and covers 119 square km and is spanned by a massive concrete dam that is more than 70 meters high. Depending on the season, visitors will see a waterfall or, in winter, an icefall－as if it were frozen in time. There is the option to take a boat along a river flanked by cliffs, and enjoy imposing views of the mountains along the way. Many winter art festivals have been held at the gorge, where visitors can also pay tributes at the surrounding temples, scattered and hidden in a grove of trees in the mountains. A Guinness World Record-holding 258-meter elevator shaped like a dragon takes visitors to the top of the dam, while the journey from the mountain top to the bottom of the gorge is also a thrilling experience.