Great Wall Trekking
Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall Trekking
Hike 15 km from the restored Jinshanling great Wall to the Wild Gubeikou Great Wall. The scenery is stunning, the hike is intense, the photo opportunities are endless... and the local food is very good
- Key Info
- Discounts & Inclusions
- Hiking Distance: 15km
- Hiking Duration: 1.5 days
- Departure time: 8:30am
- Back in Beijing: 12:00am (day 2)
- Hike level: 3
- Price: 1300¥/215$
Meeting/drop-off point: Lama temple subway exit B (How to get there?)
Discounts:
Kids younger than 18 receive 10% discount.
Kids younger than 7 receive 50% discount.
Included in the price:
English speaking guide and transport,
Accommodation
Meals as described in the Itinerary
Entrance tickets, hiking sticks, water
Gubeikou Jinshanling Simaitai Great Wall Trekking in Winter
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The happy prospect of another expedition with China Hiking. We join the crowded highway heading out of Beijing. Many are leaving a crowded place in order to spend their free time among more crowds. But we are heading for solitude, to a wilder section of the wall where there are no vendors or garbage bins.
This solitude is remarkably easy to find. The watchtowers stand alone. There are two main seasons up here. The green season and the brown season. At this time of the year (the last part of the green foliage season in our case) wild apples and berries can be picked and enjoyed en route. The sun is shining and there is a pleasant breeze.
The wall never fails to impress as it snakes across the landscape. The shapes of distant hills layered into the horizon in various shades of grey. It is a photogenic place and I have never witnessed any hiker up here who has been disappointed with the views.
I have brought a bicycle with me. I like to think it’s the first one that has ever made it to this section of the wall. It’s not a real one, but a model. A gift from a friend who cannot be here because of work commitments, but who I hope will appreciate being remembered. This mini-bike looks remarkably at home nestled among the stones of the watch towers and crennelations of the wall borders. I can’t help thinking about the sentries and guards who watched over this place. They would have found these full sized metal and aluminum horses incredibly useful. It was to be hundreds years before other invaders brought bicycles to this land.
Fred and I rxchange comments of enthusiasm about the place. We never get bored of being here. As guide and customer respectively we feel privileged to be allowed to come back to the Great Wall.
It is our favourite wall in the world.
Heidi and Fred support the local people. A nearby farmhouse supplies dinner. The food is ferried up a steep path to the campsite on a huge wooden plank. Delicious. Later, this and the accompanying wine and beer, induce an exchange of songs from a variety of different countries. This takes place around the crackling campfire at this time of the year. During the brown season it is strictly forbidden as the risk of starting a bush fire is too great.
Banter joins the sparks on random trajectories when darkness descends. As the moon and stars appear the conversation topic switches briefly to constellations. Everyone is in a good mood. Our tents, mats and sleeping bags are in position to transport us to sleep.
. . .
After a sumptuous outdoor breakfast at the farmhouse, which includes noodle soup and current buns, we conclude the journey by hiking the remaining few kilometers to the minibus with our clothes smelling of campfire smoke and the desire to repeat this unforgettable experience at some point in the future. In my case hopefully before the green season is over!
Gerald Bagge
The actual tour also delivered. We had a delicious homemade lunch at a farmh...
The actual tour also delivered. We had a delicious homemade lunch at a farmhouse before setting off on the hike. The hike ranged from easy to moderate, had great views of the Wall, and we hardly encountered other tourists along the way (just as we had hoped. Our tour guide John was friendly and engaging, as were the driver and his wife. When my husband started feeling sick and decided not to continue on the hike, they helped him off the Wall and took him to our homestay.
We ended the day with another delicious farmhouse dinner and stayed overnight at the farmhouse. The accommodations were spartan but sufficient (and our room had a nice view of the Great Wall). Our only complaint is that we thought towels would be provided and because we don't speak Chinese we couldn't ask the hosts. (Our guide John was camping out by the Great Wall with the other couple on the tour).
If you're considering a non-touristy alternative to the Great Wall, I'd highly recommend ChinaHiking.
Visited April 2016
Visited March 2016
Visited March 2016
This is my second overnight trip organized by Heidi and Fred. Wouldn't visit the Great Wall with any other outfit. John was our exceptional guide ...
This is my second overnight trip organized by Heidi and Fred. Wouldn't visit the Great Wall with any other outfit. John was our exceptional guide for our small group of 5 visitors from every corner of the globe.
Once you get away from the restored sections, you get to experience the true nature of the hilly landscape with incredible vistas of the surroundings.
Lunch at a local house and dinner/homestay at a farmhouse offered a unique experience of terrific food and hospitality of our hosts.
While the trees had already started to bloom in Beijing, it was a little early for the trip. However, if you go on a hike this week, you will be amazed by the apricot flowers!!
Loved this trip and will be back for another adventure in the future!!
Visited March 2016
Visited March 2016
Visited March 2016
Add Review
Private tours are great way to travel if you have a group of friends, family or colleagues ready to explore nature. Also for school trips or company team building activities a private tour is the way to go. We have experience guiding trips with up to 60 people from international schools and companies. Price of private tours will vary depending on the number of people, the chosen transport and accommodation. Let us know your desires and we will customize a trip for you. Open tour
Are you planning far ahead but your favorite trip is not on our schedule at the time you’re coming to China? Are you an indepentdant traveler that wants to keep the costs as low as possible? Just let us know your favorite trip and starting date at least 6 weeks in advance and we will add your trip to our hiking agenda. As soon as we have 6 people joining the trip we are good to go!
Private tour prices for Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall hiking and home stay ( 2 days)
Prices are per person and include:
Pick up and drop of by private bus at your hotel (Please let us know the pick up address.)
English speaking guide, entrance tickets, hiking sticks
All meals as described in the itinerary and water for during the hike
Overnight stay in the farmhouse .lunch, dinner, breakfast
Group Size | Price pp in CNY | Price pp in USD | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Adults | Kids <18 | Adults | Kids <18 | |
2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
4 | 2100¥ | 1890¥ | 318$ | 286$ |
5 | 1900¥ | 1710¥ | 287$ | 259$ |
6 | 1750¥ | 1575¥ | 265$ | 238$ |
7 | 1600¥ | 1440¥ | 242$ | 218$ |
8 | 1500¥ | 1350¥ | 227$ | 204$ |
9 | 1400¥ | 1260¥ | 212$ | 191$ |
10 | 1300¥ | 1170¥ | 197$ | 177$ |
15+ | please contact us for larger group prices |
Day 1: Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall
Hiking distance: 15km / 4-6h
Farmhouse stay
Incl. meals: lunch, dinner
Day 2: Gubeikou Great Wall
Hiking distance: nil
Incl. meals: breakfast
Highlights
Wild & restored Great Wall
Authentic farmhouse meals
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Upcoming trip:
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Detailed Itinerary
From the meeting point our van will head North East for about 2 hours to the border of the Beijing and the Hebei province.
The hike starts with a climb of the infamous staircases of the Jinshanling Great Wall. The Jinshanling section has a total length of 10km with intact watchtowers almost every 100 meter. As we walk south, the Great Wall becomes less renovated, tourists become sparse and new views unfold. Just before we reach the restricted military zone we take a detour of the wall and up a hill top where you have a fantastic 360 degrees view of the Great Wall winding on the mountain ridges. We head down a small dirt trail that leads to a local farmer who will serve us an excellent lunch.
With renewed strength we follow a 5 km trail that curls alongside the wall, over the hills, trough a small forest and pops out of the bush at the General tower of the Gubeikou Great Wall. Here we have reached the highest point of the day and another magic place for pictures. The last part of the hike is entirely on top of the Great Wall again. It’s a 5km walk on top the Wild Great wall where will go trough and climb up numerous watch towers. There are no steep climbs on this sections but the trail can be slippery so be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall Trekking
By sunset we arrive at a farmhouse surrounded by the Great Wall köpa priligy. Our hosts will cook a fantastic dinner accompanied by beers. Next day after breakfast we walk out the valley and trough a small folk village where our driver will be waiting for us. By lunch time we will be back at our meeting point.
Level 2: Medium-Strong
These are hikes where you need a good physical condition. Hikes marked as level 2 are usually long day hikes and might include a steep uphill hike and/or trails where you need some balance.
Planning a trip ahead or want a private tour?
Private tour prices for Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall hiking and home stay ( 2 days)
Prices are per person and include:
Pick up and drop of by private bus at your hotel (Please let us know the pick up address.)
English speaking guide, entrance tickets, hiking sticks
All meals as described in the itinerary and water for during the hike
Overnight stay in the farmhouse .lunch, dinner, breakfast
Group Size | Price pp in CNY | Price pp in USD | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Adults | Kids <18 | Adults | Kids <18 | |
2 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
3 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
4 | 2100¥ | 1890¥ | 318$ | 286$ |
5 | 1900¥ | 1710¥ | 287$ | 259$ |
6 | 1750¥ | 1575¥ | 265$ | 238$ |
7 | 1600¥ | 1440¥ | 242$ | 218$ |
8 | 1500¥ | 1350¥ | 227$ | 204$ |
9 | 1400¥ | 1260¥ | 212$ | 191$ |
10 | 1300¥ | 1170¥ | 197$ | 177$ |
15+ | please contact us for larger group prices |
Please fill out the details in the form below to submit your request for a private or open tour.