48 Hours in Beijing
Two days in Beijing is nowhere near enough to see everything this enormous city has to offer, but with a little planning, you can still experience some of its most iconic sights. For our 48 hours in Beijing, we kept things focused: exploring Tiananmen Square, heading out to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China, and finishing the Great Wall experience with something a little more fun — a chairlift ride up and a toboggan ride back down.
Tiananmen Square
We started our Beijing adventure at Tiananmen Square, one of the most historically significant public spaces in China.The scale of the square is immediately striking. Surrounded by monumental buildings and landmarks, it feels less like an ordinary city square and more like an enormous open-air historical site. From here, you can also access some of Beijing's most important attractions, including the Forbidden City, making this a convenient starting point for exploring central Beijing. There are security checks and access requirements around the square, so allow some extra time rather than treating it as a quick photo stop.
The Great Wall of China — Mutianyu
No trip to Beijing would feel complete without seeing the Great Wall of China. For our visit, we chose Mutianyu, one of the most popular sections of the wall outside Beijing. Compared with some of the busier sections closer to the city, Mutianyu is surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery and offers a more immersive experience. And getting there was half the fun.
Rather than hiking all the way up, we took the chairlift. The ride itself is a great way to take in the surrounding mountains before reaching the wall. As you get higher, the landscape opens up and you start to see the watchtowers winding across the ridgelines. It's also a good option if you want to save your energy for actually walking along the Great Wall. Once we reached the top, we were rewarded with those incredible views that make the journey worthwhile.
The Great Wall at Mutianyu stretches dramatically across the mountains, with watchtowers positioned along the ridgeline. Walking along it is more challenging than it looks. There are plenty of steep steps and uneven sections, so comfortable shoes are a must. But the effort is worth it — every turn gives you another panoramic view of the wall disappearing into the mountains.There's something surreal about standing on a structure that has existed for centuries and looking out across the same landscape that generations before you would have seen.
And then came the best part. Instead of taking the chairlift back down, we hopped onto the toboggan ride. You control your own speed as you wind your way down the mountain, making the descent considerably more exciting than simply taking a lift. After spending the day walking up and down the Great Wall, flying down the mountain on a toboggan was the perfect ending.
EQUATOR & Beyond tip: If you're visiting Mutianyu, the chairlift + toboggan combination is definitely worth considering. It saves you some energy on the ascent and turns the journey back down into an experience of its own.
Field Notes:
Cash or use pay apps like WeChat or Alipay
You will not be able to access social media unless you are connected to your own data network
Accomodation : JW Mariott , apprx USD 140 per night
