getting to Laoniuwan

[sinatavist]

hi everyone, I'm flying into China and would like to start my trip by visiting Laoniuwan.

I've travelled northern Shanxi before, but it's not clear to me which airport (Datong or Taiyuan) would give easier access to laoniuwan? So far I can tell, you have to go via Shuozhou and then via Pianguan.

as an independent traveller, is a private driver the only way to reach wangjiazhai and laoniuwan?

[chinoook]

Last year I walked the Laoniuwan section. I aproached from central Gansu and I was told that the fastest access was first to go to Huhehaote (!) and take a bus from there wich brought me right to the place where the boats for Laoniuwan go.


-chinoook

[sinatavist]

so what was the place from which you got transport to Laoniuwan?

[chinoook]

Originally Posted by sinatavist

so what was the place from which you got transport to Laoniuwan?

Huhehaote.


-chinoook

[sinatavist]

if coming from Pingyao, would the fastest way be via Shuozhou? I've read there's a direct bus from there to Laoniuwan. Otherwise I imagine you could take bus to Pianguan and from there to Wangjiazhai.

Coming from Huhehaote, what destination should I ask for at the bus station? (if I want to take a ferry to Laoniuwan)

the wall sections in the forum photo threads on Laoniuwan are accessible from the village of Laoniuwan?

thanks for all you help

[chinoook]

Originally Posted by sinatavist

if coming from Pingyao, would the fastest way be via Shuozhou? I've read there's a direct bus from there to Laoniuwan. Otherwise I imagine you could take bus to Pianguan and from there to Wangjiazhai.

Coming from Huhehaote, what destination should I ask for at the bus station? (if I want to take a ferry to Laoniuwan)

the wall sections in the forum photo threads on Laoniuwan are accessible from the village of Laoniuwan?

thanks for all you help

I do not have my Shanxi map here but if I remember correctly there was no one who knew Laoniuwan on the bus. I went to the closest point on the map and was lucky that I finally went by.

To get to Laoniuwan GW you need to take a boat. You will be close enough to the place the boats run if you get off at the bridge crossing the Yellow River.

Take into account that at the GW there you will not find any infrastructure and will not be able to get back. You will have to walk to the next villages. This will take about a whole day. And it is unclear how long you might need to get back to bus infrastructure from there.


-chinoook