You may just be interested in touring the well-preserved/restored parts of the Great Wall, leaving the wild parts as unexplored mysteries. But if you enjoy hiking, there are great rewards to be had fromexploring the uneven steps and slopes of the "Wild Great Wall". It is an experience you will remember for a lifetime.
The 5 most popular (Wild) Great Wall hiking routes are:
Why You Should Hike the Wild Great Wall?
You may know about theBadaling section of the Great Wall, which is the only exposure to this ancient wonder for 70% of tourists. It is oftenovercrowded and much of it is not the original bricks.
Thewild partsof the Great Wall, like斤hanling,Jiankou, andSimatai, are less visited and original. They are the "true" Great Wall, where you canavoid huge crowds of people, and enjoy the original essence of the Great Wall in peace.
How Long to Walk the Great Wall of China?
Great Wall Hiking Map
The Great Wall that is mostly seen and visited today was built about 600 years ago, with a total length of 8,850 km (5,500 miles). If towalk the entire length, it may takeup to 17 months with heavy hiking every day.
For most travelers, hiking on the Great Wall typically takes1–5 days. Photography tours take longer for the same length of the route.
Here below, we have selected the five most popular Great Wall hiking routes (near Beijing) at different levels:
1.斤hanling–Simatai Great Wall Hiking | Classical and Photogenic
斤hanling–Simatai Great Wall Hiking
- Hiking time:3 hours, 6 km (4 miles)
- Difficulty:★★★
- Scenery:★★★★★
- Highlights:both unrepaired and restored sceneries
Some parts of Jinshanling's Great Wall are ruined and original, but some are restored. Hiking on the Great Wall at Jinshanling, you can see15 towers and 2 forts.
Simatai's Great Wall is a fabulous part of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall, which was uniquely designed and diversely constructed. You canhike along the rugged zigzag wallon steep mountain ridges.
For history lovers:A museum with precious relics and collections recording the history and development of the Great Wall is located near Simatai.
- 1-Day Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
- 3-Day Jiankou to Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Discovery Tour
2. Jiankou–Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking | Challenging but Rewarding
Jiankou–Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking
- Hiking time:5 hours, 10 km (6 miles)
- Difficulty:★★★★★
- Scenery:★★★★★
- Highlights:both wild and restored walls
You could start your hike by ascending to Zhenbeilou Watchtower at Jiankou and proceed to the cableway at Mutianyu to descend from the Great Wall.
Stunning views of natural scenery andthe ruined wall perched on perilous ridges, many stone statues, and tablets carved with Chinese calligraphy, can be seen along the way at Jiankou.
Mutianyu's Great Wall is a complete contrast to wild Jiankou. The ancient watchtowers are completely restored to their former glory.
You will noticea big difference in walking conditions as you walk eastward to Mutianyu: the path at Jiankou is really steep and rough, whereas Mutianyu is less steep and paved.
3. Gubeikou–Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking | Full of History and Stories
Gubeikou–Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking
- Hiking time:5 hours, 10 km (6 miles)
- Difficulty:★★★
- Scenery:★★★★
- Highlights:both wild and paved walls
The Great Wall atGubeikou is craggy, but not as steep as Jiankou. What makes Gubeikou so attractive is that there area number of ancient villages and relics around where local culture is well-preserved. Panlongshan's Great Wall, on the way to Jinshanling, is less-visited, original, and one of the most recommended Great Wall hiking paths, with beautiful natural scenery.
The eastern part of Gubeikou is a military area, and you will need todescend and walk along a path through cornfields for 1½ hoursto reach the Wall again at the Jinshanling section.
- 3-Day Gubeikou to Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
- 5-Day Huangyaguan to Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking Tour
4. Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking | Best for Camping
Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking
- Hiking time:4 hours, 6 km (4 miles)
- Difficulty:★★
- Scenery:★★★★★
- Highlights:lakeside Great Wall
Huanghuacheng's Great Wall is a little different from other parts of the Great Wall. You can not only see fabulous mountain views, but alsoa quiet lake/reservoir.
Along the route, you will pass6强化,12航标塔,和32towers. Camping on the Huanghuacheng Great Wall allows you to enjoya beautiful sunrise, rising up from behind the Wall on a mountain ridge.
The Great Wall at Huanghuacheng is not as risky and challenging as the paths are smoother than at other wild parts of the Great Wall.
- 2-Day Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall Hiking and Camping Tour
- 5-Day Huangyaguan to Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking Tour
5. Huangyaguan Great Wall Hiking | Constantly Surprising
Huangyaguan Great Wall Hiking
- Hiking time:3 hours, 4 km (2½ miles)
- Difficulty:★★
- Scenery:★★★★
- Highlights:complex Great Wall relics, longest restored section
什么使得Huangyaguan长城特别well known istheGreat Wall Marathonheld every May. But what makes Huangyaguan different from other Great Wall sections are thedifferent-shaped watchtowers,diverse construction materials of different ages, andvast restoration.
During a hike, you could pass 18 watchtowers.The earliest wall relics date back to 2,000 years ago.
A fortification in the shape of the eight trigramslies below Huangyaguan's main entranceway: it wasa maze used to entrap enemies. Try to walk the zigzag lanes with many T-junctions, and see, if you can find a way through.
Tips for Hiking the Great Wall
- Thebest timesto hike the Great Wall are April to May and September to November when the weather is most pleasant.
- Wear sports shoes or hiking boots. Sunglasses and hatsare recommended when the sunshine is strong.Walking trousers and long sleevesare needed to avoid scratches when you pass through bushy areas.
- Bringhiking polesif you find them useful on uneven ground and slopes, as well asbottles of water and some snacks.
- Confirm your insurance covers hiking(scrambling if at Jiankou) before you start the trip.
- There are no toilets on the wall! Be prepared, anduse the toilet at the car parkbefore you ascend if possible.
Top Great Wall Hiking Tours
China Highlights can help you create your own unique Great Wall hiking tour according to your requirements. We can help youexplore the real Great Wall, with its ancient watchtowers, precarious battlements, and beautiful natural scenery.
Want toappreciate a sunset, picnic, and campon the Great Wall?Just tell us your interests, and we will do our best to make your dream come true.
- 1-Day Jiankou-to-Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking Tour: The most awesome Great Wall experience offers steep, wild hiking.
- 1-Day Simatai-West-to-Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour: The "most beautiful Great Wall" hiking route is a favorite with photographers.
Want something unique? China Highlights cancreate your very own customized Great Wall trip.
