Reaching out the Wild Badaling Section
TOUR 3X1: Jiankou-Mutianyu-Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu-Shixiaguan-Badaling
Highlights
his three-day program crams a lifetime of Great Wall memories in just 72 hours! You’ll be taken on two of the trendiest Great Wall hikes as well as experiencing Badaling, which is perhaps the most popular and most-photographed section of the Great Wall.
Jiankou-Mutianyu is fast becoming the most famous Great Wall hike, and it’s pretty easy to see why. Dramatic ruins, unrestored Great Wall, amazing views, sweeping peaks, and valleys, tastefully restored brickwork and watchtowers. Jiankou-Mutianyu has everything you could ever want in a Great Wall hike. With Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu, you’ll get to witness the rarest of sights-the Great Wall underwater!
This hike concludes with a visit to Shixiaguan-Badaling. Badaling is probably the most famous section of the Great Wall and was the first to be open to the public. However, we will hike on the unrestored portion of Badaling, which will make for a much more exciting and memorable experience.
Great Wall 3-day Trek Prices and Inclusions
A few agents claim they can do so, but that's not true. They usually mean that they may take you to the foot of the Great Wall to camp on the ground or sleep at a guesthouse. Not us. For each participant (even children), we must pay a hefty relic preserving fee to the Great Wall administration office. This fee allows you to camp on the Great Wall, hence why this program's price is higher than most. Great Wall Adventure Club is the only company approved by the Great Wall Administration Office to offer international guests camping. That is what sets us apart from other operators.
TREK DETAILS
DAY 1: Jiankou to Mutianyu
Hiking Distance: 9 kms/5 miles
Hours to Take: 4
Accommodation: Hostel at Jinshanling
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Water: Unlimited bottles
If you elect to spend the night camping, we'll be sure to wake up early to catch the sunrise over the Great Wall, so be sure to have your cameras ready!
The hiking today will cover about 10km/6miles. The Jiankou section is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it affords. Be sure to see the watchtower known as "Eagle on the peak," this tower is extraordinarily high. It forms the highest reaching point of the Jiankou section. It is the pinnacle of exotic Great Wall scenery.
From Jiankou, you 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. The Mutianyu Great Wall has undulating hills and lush forests. The hills here are steep and curved, so it is very three-dimensional. The Mutianyu Great Wall has dense enemy buildings. Such a section of the Great Wall with an enemy building at about a hundred meters is rare. In the other sections of the Great Wall, crenellation walls were mostly built on one side, while the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall had crenellation walls on both sides. The crenellation walls were bunkers for the defenders to fight against the enemy. Two crenellation walls mean fighting with the enemy on both sides, which shows how important the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is in history.
You can hike down to the parking lot, take a cable car, or take a toboggan ride (highly recommended, and lots of fun!) down to meet our driver, who will drive us to our inn for the night. Tonight, we'll overnight in a village called Huanghuacheng Village. We'll stay in a "farmotel" called "Good Fortune Restaurants & Lodge."
DAY 2: Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu
Hiking Distance: 9 kms/6 miles
Hours to Take: 4
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Camp at Huanghaucheng Great Wall
Water: Unlimited bottles
We will wake up at 7:30 AM with breakfast at the hotel. We will then continue our trek, this time from Huanhuacheng to Xishuiyu.
Huanghuacheng, like Jiankou, is fast becoming popular with hikers and tourists who are looking for something a little different in their Great Wall experience. The Wall here is a combination of both restored and unrestored areas, giving your hike a bit of variety and adventure. When you reach the middle of the Wall, you will be able to see that the countryside is swathed in yellow, as masses of wildflowers come into bloom. We will then cross over onto the Xishuiyu section.
Today's hike is quite special-part of the Wall underwater! In 1974 China built the Xishuiyu Reservoir. When the water level rose, some low-lying sections of the Wall get submerged underwater.
Today, we'll camp on the Great Wall at Huanghuacheng, the quietest and zero crowded part of the Great Wall with lakes down the mountain. Enjoy the peace under the moonlight, and wake up to welcome the sunset. Have a Chinese breakfast delivered to the Wall before you walk down.
DAY 3: Wild Badaling-Stone Pass
Hiking Distance: 10km/8miles
Hours to Take: 4.5
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Water: Unlimited bottles
After early morning breakfast, we will drive to the Badaling Great Wall. The ruined Badaling Great Wall (now officially named "Ancient Badaling Great Wall") is 10km southwest of the restored Badaling Great Wall. So, as its name hints, this section of the Great Wall is partially restored and more adventurous, while not easy to climb. Its hikers are mainly foreign travelers instead of domestic travelers, who prefer hiking at the restored Badaling Great Wall.
After about 2-3 hours of hiking, we'll cross over into Shixiaguan (Stone Gorge) Pass, 5km southwest of the Great Wall's Badaling section. It is one of the most intact parts of the whole Great Wall. Despite severe damage, the winding wall set in the lofty mountains reveals its grandeur. Shixiaguan Pass was initially built in the reign of Ming Emperor Wanli (about 1600 AD), which was then a key pass guarded by a large number of soldiers. There are sites such as official residences, the ancient castle, clay walls, and brick walls.
After another 2-3 hours of hiking, we'll walk down the Great Wall to drive back into Beijing at about 5 -6 pm. You will be dropped off at your hotel, ending your tour.
