SUMMARY
While the eastern portion of Simatai is closed for the Watertown Resort, the western half is still open to hikers. To ensure that more foreign travelers can see this beautiful portion of the Great Wall, we have priced at an incredibly affordable rate lower than other travel agencies. The wall from Jinshanlingto Simatai has just slightly been restored, and its original appearance of more than 400 years old has been best preserved. Because it is full of challenges and with splendid and charming scenery, this section of the Great Wall has been the favorite destination of hiking lovers from all over the world.
For a private tour, we typically start the time from 8 am from your hotel and return to your hotel at about 5 pm. For a group tour on a coach bus, we begin at 7:30 am from Chaoyangmen Subway Station and return around 6:30 pm.
Please visit this section of the page for the detailed itinerary of the private tour. For Group Tour, please visit A5 Group Hike page.
Highlights
>> Did you know we have 7 one-day hikes. Click to compare ALL.
PLATINUM PACKAGE
Private or Semi-private English Tour including private transfers, tickets, and meals. Your guide will walk with you for every step from hotel pickup to drop-off and on the Great Wall!
GOLD PACKAGE
Use our top-rated professional private transfer service and tour by yourself. You can pick Volkswagen Passat, Buick Minivan, or luxury Mercedes and BMW. Everything is the same as the Platinum Package, except that you pay less.
SILVER PACKAGE
GROUP HIKE A5 ($75 and with discounts)
If you travel alone and seek a group tour for social and economic reasons, please sign up for our A5 Group Hike to Jinshanling and West Simatai. Same hiking trip but with less cost.
"We chose to hike the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall and we had the most fantastic guide we could have hoped for. My husband is a real history buff and our guide Oliver knew absolutely everything about the wall's history and there wasn't a question he couldn't answer. He took us for the most amazing lunch afterwards too. This was our favorite excursion after 3 weeks in Asia and we truly feel it.
I also want to note the agent I booked the tour with online - Angela - was so helpful. You read about a lot of company scams where you pay up front and the guide never shows up, but Angela reassured me and her customer service was excellent and she answered all my questions. She even let us pay half up front and the last half on the day of the tour to reassure me the company was legit. I highly recommend using the Great Wall Adventure Club if you want the tour of a lifetime!"
- Voyage48182042068, TripAdvisor, Experienced June 2019
Your guide will meet you around 8:00 am at your hotel. It will be 2.5 hours of drive from Beijing to Jinshanling and West Simatai.
The West Simatai Great Wall is separated into eastern and western halves by a valley, with a rainbow-like chain bridge over the valley. The hills in the west are sloping gently, with 20 watchtowers remaining in good shape. The Simatai section of the Great Wall is one of the few sections to retain the Great Wall's original appearance. Incorporating various characteristics of other sections of the Great Wall, Simatai also displays some unique features of its own. It is often described with the following five words: perilous, dense, diverse, artful, and peculiar.
The Great Wall at Jinshanling is one of the Great Wall's best-preserved parts with many original features. It got its name because it was built on the Greater and Lesser Jinshan ('Gold Mountain') Ranges. The Jinshanling Great Wall has not been repaired since 1570. It is a remote and relatively isolated section of the Great Wall. As there are relatively few tourists at Jinshanling Great Wall, it is an excellent place to explore on foot.
According to one hiker, this is what you should expect to find at Jinshanling:
"Meticulous detail is evident in the construction of the wall. Everywhere consideration has been given to deterring and defeating invading armies. The uneven steps meant to slow down advancing armies should they make it onto the wall. The narrowing curves and paths would bottleneck and slow them down, limiting the invaders to moving single files, making them vulnerable to the defending army. Far down the mountain, each brick was crafted by thousands of workers and carried up the mountain on mules' backs. The architecture and engineering a feat that would challenge us even today."
When we finally reach the Jinshanling park, we'll stop by a local farmer's restaurant for a late lunch before we head back to your hotel in Beijing.
The steep, crumbling staircases and watchtowers provide a fitting introduction to the enormity of he challenge ahead. And, see them during the sunset!
The longest day hike we have for 8 hours and 16 km from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, and to West Simatai.
Catch the sunrise and sunset on the Great Wall by sleeping in an ancient watchtower.
In the past 17 years, Great Wall Adventure Club has served over 82,400 individuals and numerous illustrious groups from the world. The Club has, and always will, guarantee our 100% commitment to quality, excellence, and the most exceptional service to ensure that your stay in China is the best experience you will ever have.
The Great Wall of Jinshanling was built in the first year of Longqing (1567 AD) based on the Great Wall built by Xu Da by Qi Jiguang, the Chief Military Officer of Jizhen and Tan Lun, Governor of Jiliao. It is the Great Wall's essence, known as "the Great Wall of Ten Thousand Miles, Jinshan unique show" reputation. The barrier wall, text brick, and horse stopping stone are the three best of Jinshanling Great Wall, known as "the paradise for photography lovers."
The Great Wall of Jinshanling is located at Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province, and Miyun County, Beijing, Yanshan Branch, east of Simatai Great Wall, west of the Great Wall with the ancient north entrance.
The Great Wall of Jinshanling is a national critical cultural heritage protection unit, national scenic spot, national 4A level tourist attractions, and listed in the World Cultural Heritage List. On November 15, 1992, the Asian "flying man" Ke Shuangliang successfully flew over the Great Wall of Jinshanling on a motorcycle.
Copyright © 2003-2023 Great Wall Adventure Club, USA & China - All Rights Reserved.
Your payment is fully refundable if you have to cancel because of the pandemic restrictions.
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.