Bus 919 (express and non-express) leave from Deshengmen Arrow Tower at high frequencies to stops in Yanqing District. It takes about 90 minutes to get to Dafutuo (大浮坨) on express Bus 919.

The sleekest way to get to Badaling is by high speed rail. Alternatively if you don't want to wait for the train or travel far to get to the railway station, there are high frequency public bus departing from the center of the city to Badaling. There is also the slower and infrequent Beijing Suburban Railway.

By bus

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From Deshengmen Arrow Tower take bus number 877 to Badaling. The last bus from Beijing to Badaling leaves at around 12:00 and the last bus from Badaling to Beijing at around 16:00. The ride takes about an hour. On your way to the bus stop, people will try to scam you into taking private buses which cost more and may not even go to the right destination. Ignore them all.

See Great Wall for general information on the Great Wall. Sections are listed from west to east.

• Lower Chenjiapu. This is a section of wild Great Wall offering a challenging hike on the crumbling stones formng narrow causeways that are the remnants of the wall. By hiking west you will reach a long restored section in Upper Chenjiapu, a favorite camping spot. The area is right at the boundary area of Yanqing District and in Huailai County. The Great Wall Fresh provides transportation from Dafutuo bus station to the farmhouse and the trailhead. The owner encourages you to have a meal at his farmhouse before setting off. (Locals refer to Lower Chenjiapu as Upper Chenjiapu and vice versa, opposite of the map.) (updated Jun 2019)
• Badaling Remnant. Located about 5km to the west of the Badaling section, Badaling Remnant is not merely an extension for overflow during peak periods for the more popular Badaling section. The combination of a more dilapidated condition of the wall and taller mountain peaks in the background give a more authentic feeling to the site compared to the perfect renovation of Badaling. 
• 40.354167116.0069441 Badaling (八达岭 Bādálǐng). The most popular tourist section of the Great Wall because of extensive, quality renovations. However, very crowded with other tourists. Give yourself about 2-3 hours to climb up the wall if you're a slow climber, an hour or less if you're speedier. The hike is a challenge with plenty of steep hills, so once you get a bit into the wall the crowd thins quickly. A cable car and a "sliding car" (sort of like a roller coaster up or down the mountain) which you can take for extra fees (~¥30/60 one/both way). Tickets to climb the wall are around ¥40 (discounts available for the young and the disabled); Audio tour service ¥15/40 for Chinese/English + ¥200 deposit.  
  • Great Wall Museum (Down the "Badaling Pedestrian Street" and up a hill behind the "Circle Vision Theater"). Closed on Monday, 09:00-16:00. Visit the under-appreciated Great Wall Museum. The walk-through exhibits provide a good overview of the wall's multi-dynasty history, along with many artifacts from those time periods and photo-worthy models of watchtowers, scaling ladders, etc. The bathrooms are also probably the cleanest you'll find at Badaling (there's even a Western-style toilet). Great Wall circle-vision theater (40y/pers). Free. 
• Shuiguan (Water Pass) (水关 Shuǐguān). Located to the east of Badaling, the Shuiguan section is sometimes referred together as the Badaling-Shuiguan Great Wall. It often happens that visitors are guided to Shuiguan rather than Badaling especially during holidays or peak periods. Besides climbing the wall, you can also visit the Genghis Khan Palace, the Stone Buddha Temple, Luotuo Peak (Camel Peak) and the Great Wall Stele Forest nearby. (updated Sep 2019)

• 40.548116.0032 Longqingxia (Longqing Gorge). This scenic area is one of the most popular day trips in Beijing. The Lonqing Gorge is called the "Little Three Gorges" because of the resemblance to the Three Gorges near Yichang. The highlight is taking a boat cruise down the scenic canyon, which had been flooded by the dam completed in 1981. Cruise tickets are available for ¥60/person that take in sights along the water including Coronet Island, a small mountain surrounded by water, and the mountain Zhongshan which looks like a big clock in the water from every angle. Another available activity is downhill rope sliding for ¥50/person, where climbers use ropes to descend in a location between two cliffs with blue sky above and clear water below during the five minute descent. 
• Yudu Mountain, Eastern Yuhuangmiao Village, Zhangshanying Town (张山营镇玉皇庙村东). A scenic hiking and family camping spot. The primary attraction is the mountain meadow, a large field with a view of the mountain. The Mountain Meadow is packed with families who have pitched tents for the day. For a quiet nearby hike, choose the route that goes to the Second Sino-Japanese War memorial on the mountain top. (updated Sep 2019)
• Guishui River Forest Park. The park is suited for cycling. A well designed wooden plank platform overlooks the Guishui River which runs from the Guanting Reservoir on the border of Hebei and Yanqing. (updated Jun 2020)
• Four Seasons Flower Valley. One of a number of areas in eastern Yanqing with flower fields. The best time to see is July–August. Disappointing especially considering Yanqing was host the 2019 Beijing International Horticultural Exhibition, an international flower festival. (updated Sep 2020)

• 40.361115.9913 Badaling Safari World (八达岭野生动物园; Bādálǐng Yěshēngdòngwùyuán), South of Badaling Great Wall (Bus 919 from Deshenmen east of Jishuitan Metro Station (line 2)), ☏ +86 10 6912 2591, fax: +86 10 5856 1360, bbsp3000@sina.com. Summer 8AM-5PM; winter 10AM-3PM. Large wild animals like tigers, lions, bears and wolves can be seen in this park from own car or park buses. Poor reputation for safety and treatment of animals. Alternatively there is Beijing Wildlife Park at Daxing District. ¥90. 
• Guyaju Caves. The 1,000 year old cave complex of a community hewn from the rock face of cliffs is an "archaeological cipher". The community halls and dwellings are huddled together in a fortified position. One idea is the community may have been founded by the Kumo Xi, a Mongolic steppe tribe on the run. As a Beijing attraction, the site is underrated and does not draw too many tourists. Bring your lunch and settle down inside one of the dwellings. (updated Sep 2019)
• Yongning town. The town is typical of small towns in China but with historical gems. It was a major garrison for troops during the Ming Dynasty. In the early 20th century it was a Catholic mission center with a church built in 1904 or 1905. The town square tower was restored in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Parishioners have beautified the Catholic church. On the weekends, there is a bustling market at the town square. (updated Jun 2020)
• 40.535617116.007414 Pingbei Sino-Japanese War Martyrs Memorial Park (平北抗日烈士纪念园) (near the entrance to Longqing Gorge), ☏ +86 10 69191919, +86 10 69191189, +86 10 69191619. 08:30-16:30. Dedicated to the many Chinese soldiers who died fighting the Japanese in the Pingbei region (a vast region which includes northern Beijing and northern Hebei Province). Inside the park is the Pingbei Sino-Japanese War Museum (平北抗日战争纪念馆), which displays around 200 photographs and artefacts. As of April 2021, the museum is closed for renovations. The reopening date will be announced later on the website. Free. (updated Apr 2021)

• Great Wall Fresh. This farmhouse homestay is near the Chenjiapu section of the Great Wall. It a popular starting point for hiking this section of the wall. They provide camping gear rental or a bed at the farmhouse. Meals at the farmhouse are ¥50 per person and very good. They offer pickup from Dafutuo bus station to the farmhouse. (updated Sep 2020)

• Commune by the Great Wall Kempinski Beijing. 11 villas designed by top Asian architects and design firms, all of which have butlers. For those with money to splurge!