10-day Great Wall Trek from the East Coast to the Capital
From the Northeast Coast of China to the Capital of China
This program has been crafted for serious Great Wall enthusiasts. Inaddition to being a test of strength and endurance, this tour shows youthe best sections of the Great Wall in northeast China.
Day-by-day Great Wall Trekking Itinerary
Day 1: Beijing to Old Dragon's Head
We will make the 4 hour drive to the Old Dragon's Head and Shanhaiguan Pass, the First Pass Under the Heaven. We will start our hike at Old Dragon’s Head, also known as Laolongtou. We will enter the Shanhaiguan Great Wall Museum, where we will learn about the history and military strategy of this section of wall, as well as displaying military relics. After dinner, you will tour the Old Town of Shanhaiguan.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Shanghaiguan Hotel or similar
Day 2: Jiaoshan Great Wall
The Jiaoshan Peak is two miles away from Shanghaiguan. Though relatively diminutive in size, this is the first actual mountain the Great Wall passes heading west, and so is known as “the first mountain of the Great Wall.” Jiaoshan ancient wall provides you a sense of historical vicissitude. The wall appears more and more crumbled and deformed as you forge ahead. We will drive to Dongjiakou Great Wall and overnight there.
Walk: 9 kms
Hours: 4
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Shanghaiguan Hotel or similar
Day 3: East Qing Tombs to Huangyaguan
We will make the short trip to the East Qing Tombs. which is among the finest, best-preserved and largest of the extant tomb complexes in China. Five emperors, four empresses, five imperial concubines, and one princess are arrayed based on the traditional concept of placing the most senior and most distinguished in the center.
We will also walk the Huangyaguan Great Wall and the fortress where there is a Bagua pattern, a specially designed labyrinth designed to confuse and entrap the enemy.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar
Day 4: Peace Fort to Huangyaguan and Sky Ladder
Today we'll start with Peace Fort (Taipingzhai) that starts from Banlagang Mountain in the east and arriving at Guafu Tower (Widow Tower) in the west. There are six watch towers, one battlement, and one shortcut leading to the wall.
Waking westward, we will get to the steepest segment of this section, the Huangya Sky Ladder. Stretching to the top of the ridge, this long stairway seemingly leads to the sky. Climbing over the ladder, we will reach the primitive Great Wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty, marking the end of the Huangyaguan section.
We will drive to Jinshanling to sleep tonight.
Walk: 9 kms
Hours: 4
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar
Day 5: West Simatai to Jinshanling
Our hike will start from Simatai, and we will make our way west along the wall into Jinshanling. This is the classic Great Wall that hikers are very thrilled about. wall enthusiasts have done. The Wall runs from deteriorated wild state to the restored in the end to allow hikers to compare the differences between the two wall status.
Tonight, we will camp on the Great Wall in an ancient watchtower.
Walk: 8 kms
Hours: 3.5
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Camping on the Wall
Day 6: Jinshanling to Gubeikou
Gubeikou is mostly Wild Wall. It was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Stretching for about 25 miles (40 kilometers), there are 172 watchtowers, 14 beacon towers, 16 passes, 3 water passes, 3 barbarians, and 6 fortresses along it.
In 1933, Chinese army fought against Japanese invasion troops at Gubeikou. In the four-month-long battles, over 5,000 Japanese soldiers were killed while 9,000 Chinese soldiers died. You can see that Gubeikou is not merely a relic but it remained as a battlefield in modern world.
We will transfer to Jiankou to sleep tonight.
Walk: 11 kms
Hours: 4.5
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Miss-U-Much Hostel
Day 7: Crouching Tigers Mountain
Crouching Tigers Mountain is located on the left side of Gubeikou. Down the ground, there village called River West populated with about five hundred households. The name of Wohu in Chinese means "crouching tigers" from the shape of the mountain of a pair of tigers with one pushing up and one pushing down, as two giant intrepid guards of the capital city of Beijing. The ancient status and magnificent views of the Great Wall here remain perfectly despite of age change for hundreds of years from Ming Dynasty.
We will transfer to Jiankou to sleep.
Walk: 10 kms
Hours: 4
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Laohe's Inn
Day 8: Jiankou
Jiankou is the part where the shape of the mountain looks like an arrow, with the collapsed ridge opening as its arrow nock. It is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it affords. As soon as we reach Jiankou we will see a deserted watchtower that gives you a panoramic view of the entire valley. In the early morning the view is priceless with its morning fog. This is the pinnacle of exotic Great Wall scenery.
Once we descend from the Great Wall we will spend the night at a farmer’s inn.
Walk: 10 kms
Hours: 4
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn
Day 9: Jiankou to Mutianyu
From Jiankou we will cross over onto Mutianyu, a section of the Wall that has been largely restored. Although it has gotten a face-lift, it avoids the army of tourists that plague Badaling. Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below, and if you look to your right you’ll see a large sign engraved in the side of the mountain encouraging you to “Cherish the teachings of Chairman Mao.” Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities.
We will transfer to Huanghucheng to sleep.
Walk: 11 kms
Hours: 4.5
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn
Day 10: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Huanghuacheng is the only section that sits besidethe lakes, so it is called Lakeside Great Wall. Since the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall into three segments naturally, its uniqueness might surprise you. The Hanghuacheng Reservoir lies here, shaped like a curved moon. The highest point of the wall is a broken watchtower, and from there you will have a wide panoramic view of the whole valley. From this summit the Wall dives steeply downwards into the valley.
We will drive back to Beijing in late afternoon.
Walk: 11 kms
Hours: 4
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L
Accommodation: Holiday Inn Express or similar
Complimentary Airport Drop-off
We will transfer you to the airport from your hotel in Beijing for free. It's our appreciation to you for having chosen us for your lifetime Great Wall experience.
Food on the Road
Have a food allergy or restricted diet? Just let us know and we'll make sure there are meal options available to you.
TOUR MAP
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