THE GREAT WALL SUNRISE SENSTATION (HIKING TOUR 1R1 & 1R2)

SUMMARY

Dream of watching the magnificent sunrise over the Great Wall? Get to the Wall before the dawn at Jinshanling to catch this unforgettable moment. The wall from Jinshanling to 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 challenge 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. 

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 that would bottleneck and slow them down, limiting the invaders to moving single file, 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 the backs of mules. The architecture and engineering a feat that would challenge us even today.”

>> Introducing 1R2 (Great Wall Sunrise Hike at Gubeikou).

Your guide will meet you at your hotel around 2:30 am in summer or 3-4 am in spring, fall or winter, or at the airport. It is going to be 2.5 hours of drive from Beijing to Jinshanling and West Simatai. Watch the sunrise and listen to your heartbeat!  
 

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 original appearance of the Great Wall. Incorporating a variety of 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.
 

After about 90 minutes of hiking, we will eventually pass over into the Jinshanling Great Wall. 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.
 

When we finally reach the park at Jinshanling, we'll stop by a local farmer's restaurant for a late lunch before we head back to your hotel in Beijing or the airport if you are lying over in Beijing.