Great Wall Hiking with Camping for Five Days

 The hike will start at Gubeikou, a relatively unvisited part of the Great Wall that is in its natural and unrestored state. After a few hours of hiking we'll pass over into Jinshanling, where restored brickwork and massive watchtowers dot the land. 

 
The next day we'll continue the hike at Panlongshan, a strategic point on the Great Wall that is a bit of a challenge due to its steepness and condition.  
 

Our next hike will be at Xiangshuihu, which is set against a backdrop of lush forestry. We'll soon cross over onto the Jiankou Great Wall, which features dramatic peaks and ruins.  
 

The next day we'll resume the hike on Jiankou, and after a few hours, we'll come to Mutianyu, one of the most famous and popular sections of the Great Wall, but one who has escaped the tackiness of other popular Great Wall spots.  
 

On the last day, we'll hike at Huanghuacheng, which is fast becoming popular with hikers. About halfway through the hike, we'll pass over into Xishuiyu, and as we walk along with the ruins of the wall here, you will get to see something exceptional, the broken Great Wall running underwater.

 This tour starts with a visit to the East Qing Tombs, the burial site for most of China's last ruling dynasty. You'll then be taken to the Great Wall at Huangyaguan, which features classic brickwork, imposing watchtowers, and immense natural beauty. In fact, Huangyaguan is designed to be a miniature representation of the entire Great Wall, allowing you to get a keen insight on the structure in a much shorter time than it would take to walk the entire wall! You'll hike at Huangyaguan for two days before embarking for the classic Jinshanling hike, a restored piece of wall that will gradually deteriorate into its natural state as we cross west onto the Gubeikou section of Great Wall.  
 

Our next hike will be at Huanghuacheng, which features classically restored brickwork and some stunning scenery. About halfway through the hike we'll pass over into Xishuiyu, a little known section of Great Wall that is unrestored, meaning that the “wild wall” starts to take hold.  
 

The next day you’ll start hiking at Jiankou Great Wall, which features dramatic peaks and ruins that are a photographer's dream. You'll soon hike over into Mutianyu, one of the most famous and popular sections of Great Wall, but one who has escaped the tackiness of other popular Great Wall spots

This five-day program is the perfect way to explore the wilder side of the Great Wall. We start at Badaling, the portion left in its natural state with no tourists. The hiking here is a challenge, but it eases a bit when we reach Shixiaguan, a largely intact portion of the Great Wall set against a lovely backdrop of mountains and rolling hills. The scene then shifts to Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu, a hike featuring both restored and unrestored Great Wall, and which features a Great Wall bonus, a portion of the wall underwater!  
 

We’ll then set off for Jiankou, which has become one of the premier Great Wall hiking spots due to its breathtaking ruins and mountain setting. We’ll soon cross into Mutianyu, one of the Great Wall’s most photographed sites and which has played host to countless world leaders and dignitaries. The toboggan sleigh ride on the way down should not be missed!  
 

Our final leg brings us to Gubeikou, a strategically vital part of the Great Wall, which even saw action in the 1930s against the Japanese invasion. It will lead us to Jinshanling, a section famed for its watchtowers and remarkable brickwork. It is here, in one of Jinshanling’s watchtowers, where we will camp overnight. We finish at the western portion of Simatai (the rest is closed for the time being), a steep part the hiking is more challenging than usual.