The EXTREME 7-Day Beijing Great Wall Challenge
TOUR 7X: Stone Gorge Pass-Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu-Jiankou-Mutianyu-Gubeikou-Jinshanling
This seven-day adventure is genuinely designed for hikers' most experienced and may not be suitable for families with little children. During this program, you'll put your mind and body to the limit, as you'll endure seven consecutive days of 5+ hours of hiking. You'll have the opportunity to try your at hand at every single challenging Beijing-area Great Wall hike. All of the most popular walks are here for you to encounter, having a cornucopia of Great Wall fun and excitement. To top it all off, you'll get to camp overnight on the Great Wall itself-which is sure to be one of your most cherished memories of your China trip.
>>There are three 7-day treks. Click to compare.
BRIEF ITINERARY
Day 1: Badaling and Stone Gorge Pass, and Camping on the Wall
Get your first taste of the Great Wall on a picturesque hike to Shixia Pass. It is a "living specimen" of the Great Wall. There are high mountains, deep gullies, and dangerous passes, the Great Wall and the Walls are connected, and the piers are facing each other. The original preservation is full of broken walls. In the late afternoon, transfer to Huanghuacheng Great Wall and camp in an watchtower.
Day 2: Lakeside Huanghuacheng
It is thrilling to see sunrise rising over the Great Wall from the place you are camping. After breakfast
Set off on a hike across Huanghuacheng. The Huanghua Great Wall is majestic and precipitous, magnificent, hovering above the mountain ridges, surrounded by the Hao Ming Lake, the scenery is spectacular. The Great Wall is to guard the northern gate of the capital, and become the guardian of the Ming Tombs "thirteen mausoleums" important portal, which is the essence of the Great Wall of Ming Location. We'll move to Jiankou to relax in a cozy hostel.
New from Summer 2022 - Kayaking at the Great Wall *Get the experience of 1-hour kayaking at the foot of the Great Wall for $69.
Day 3: The Magic Jiankou
Prepare to be awestruck on a climb to Jiankou where the shape of the mountain looks like an arrow, with the collapsed ridge opening as its arrow nock. Because it was built on a cliff with a strange peak and a steep mountainous terrain, the Jiankou section is the Great Wall's essence. Stay at the same hostel as last night.
Day 4: Jiankou and Mutianyu
Admire jaw-dropping views of Jiankou at Zhengbeilou Tower. Venture from Jiankou onto Mutianyu, a section of the Wall that has Dbeen largely restored and famous for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities. The advantage of the Great Wall at Mutianyu is the beautiful scenery, the majestic Great Wall hidden among the pines and cypresses, which makes the most beautiful picture. Try the toboggan slide at the end. Move to Gubeikou, and camp on the Wall for the second night.
Day 5: Gubeikou and Jinshanling
Enjoy the sunrise sensation on the Great Wall. Trek 4.5 hours from where you camp last night to Jinshanling. Gubeikou became an essential gateway to Mongolia, the Ming dynasty's capital, and was known as "the place where the throat is strangled and tends to the Shuoshuo Desert, while the sky is left with a key to pillow the Xiongguan Pass" due to its majestic terrain. The battlefield Gubeikou was where the Chinese army fought against the Japanese invasion in the 1930s. Relax in a hostel at Jinshanling.
Day 6: Jinshanling and West Simatai
Hike 3 hours from Jinshanling to West Simatai. See both the Wall in the deteriorated wild state to the restored. Overnight in an h Hike 3 hours from Jinshanling to West Simatai. The Great Wall here meanders and twists, with a broad view. The Great Wall rises and falls between the mountains and the rivers in an incredibly majestic situation. In particular, it is densely packed with enemy towers, exquisitely constructed and of various forms. Stay in a hotel at the foot of Huangyaguan Great Wall.
Day 7: Huangyaguan Pass and the Sky Ladder
Trek four hours from the Peace Fort to Huangyaguan and the Sky Ladder, famous for its steepness and splendor. The Great Wall here is 1450 years old, and it was a necessary pass in the Ming Dynasty to defend against the Manchu invasion. This section of the Wall includes many elements of the Great Wall, including the Water Pass, beacon towers, various enemy towers of square and round shape, as well as fortresses and enemy platforms.
Today is the last day of our adventure. Return to Beijing in the afternoon.
MEMORABLE TIME
7X DETAILED TREK ITINERARY
Day 1: Shixiaguan-Badaling
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Shixiaguan (Stone Gorge) Pass is 5km southwest of the Badaling section of the Great Wall. It is one of the most intact parts of the whole Great Wall. Amidst the lofty mountains, deep gullies, and steep valleys, the Great Wall piers face each other. Although the original city walls have gone through vicissitudes and severe damage, you can still see their grand scale when you look far away.
Badaling is the top of the Great Wall and the essence of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall's vertical and horizontal military capital mountains ups and downs constituted a defense system in the depth of "layers of defense, every inch of the earth, and every step of the way."
INCLUDED
Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Huanghuacheng is the only section that sits beside the 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 Wall's highest point is a broken watchtower, and from there, you will have a broad panoramic view of the whole valley. From this summit, the Wall dives steeply downwards into the valley.
INCLUDED
Meals: B,L,D
Accommodation: Camping on the Wal
Day 3: Majestic Jiankou
Day 2: Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Day 4: Jiankou-Mutianyu
Jiankouis 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 picture is priceless with its morning fog. It 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.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn
Day 4: Jiankou-Mutianyu
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 4: Jiankou-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.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Camping on the Great Wall at Gubeikou
Day 5: Gubeikou-Jinshanling
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Gubeikou is mostly Wild Wall. It was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This section of the Wall stretches 40 miles. There are 172 watchtowers, 14 beacon towers, 16 passes, 3 water passes, 3 barbarians, and 6 fortresses along with it.
In 1933, the Chinese army fought against Japanese invasion troops at Gubeikou. In the four-month-long battles, they killed over 5,000 Japanese soldiers but sacrificed 9,000 of their own You can see that Gubeikou is not merely a relic, but it remained a battlefield in the modern world.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Camping on the Wal
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 6: Jinshanling to West Simatai
Our hike will start from Simatai, and we will make our way west along the wall into Jinshanling. The Great Wall rises and falls between the mountains and the rivers, and the situation is incredibly majestic. It is incredibly densely packed with enemy towers, exquisitely constructed and of various forms, incomparable to the Great Wall of Badaling, Shanhaiguan, and Jiayuguan. The Wall runs from a deteriorated wild state to the restored in the end to allow hikers to compare the differences between the two wall status.
Tonight, we will stay at the foot of Huangyaguang Great Wall.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L, D
Accommodation: Huangyaguan Hotel
Day 7: Huangyaguan Sky Ladder
Day 7: Huangyaguan Sky Ladder
Day 7: Huangyaguan 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 watchtowers, 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. It stretches to the top of the ridge, seemingly leads to the sky. Climbing over the ladder, we will reach the primitive Great Wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty, marking the Huangyaguan section's end.
We will end this adventure tonight.
INCLUDED
Meals: B, L
Complimentary Airport Drop-off
Day 7: Huangyaguan Sky Ladder
Day 7: Huangyaguan Sky Ladder
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.
Farm Kitchens
Day 7: Huangyaguan Sky Ladder
Farm Kitchens
From a farm-to-table lunch to a morning breakfast watchtower delivery, we offer a dining experience that reflects the unique ingredients and creativity of every part of the Great Wall we travel. After an active day on the Wall, it's time to see what other great choices are on the menu.
Have a food allergy or a restricted diet? Just let us know, and we'll make sure there are meal options available to you.