TOUR 1X: Hike from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, and to West Simatai for 16 kms
Why hiking the Great Wall for 16 kms a day like an iron man?
This tour is strictly for more serious hikers who are in good health and good physical shape. This section is not as easy as other places to hike because you are walking for up to 8 hours on the mountains.
Gubeikou and Jinshanling have some of the best vies of the Great Wall; they are breathtaking. Also, they are not as busy as other sections, so it could feel you have the Wall to yourself, which is a big plus for your experience.
Tour 1X: 16 kms iron man's legend
At around 7.30 am, you will be picked up by our professional driver.
We will then drive for about 2 hours to reach the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. A place that links the southern and northern areas of the Yanshan Range is a place known as Gubeikou. It's roughly 125 kilometers away from Beijing. Gubeikou has served as a route of strategic importance back in ancient times. It was known as the passageway to the city.
Today, Gubeikou Wall is more than 20 km and consists of four parts: Wohushan, Panlongshan, Jinshanling, and Simatai. Our tour guide will go into detail about its history when you are there in person. Gubeikou was one of the most critical passes used to repel the Japanese back in the early 1930s. Gubeikou is an entire section of the Great Wall for hiking and camping. This section of the Great Wall has 143 beacon towers, which all vary in size so much so, some can fit less than ten and some can fill up with as many as 100 soldiers!
A famous Great Wall specialist said: "The Great Wall is the best of Chinese architecture, but Simatai is the best of the Great Wall." Built on a cliff, Simatai is exceptionally steep. This section of the Wall is known for its legends and historical relics.
Simply put, the Gubeikou sections are unique and possess many characteristics and beautiful landscapes. Learning about its history is breathtaking. Wait until you hear the legendary stories while personally been there living in the past!
Jinshanling Great Wall is located in Luanping in Hebei Province. Jinshanling Great Wall started its construction in 1567-1586. It is one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall. It is an excellent hike for visitors to see the real Great Wall untouched and an experience where you will learn how this section was built for military defense. When you are here in person, it will feel like you have gone back in time. Jinshanling was listed as one of the world's cultural heritage sites in 1987. It is one of the most popular sections for tourists who love adventure and learn about the Great Walls history. It is said that the Jinshanling Great Wall is the most beautiful and best-preserved stretch of the Great Wall.
We will make our way to a local farmer's restaurant for lunch. This farmer also has a photo gallery of the Great Wall for those who are interested in photography.
The Simatai West section called the Second Valley. It is also unrestored and is ruins. This part of the Wall is known as the real Great Wall as it hasn't been touched or refurbished, this brings you back in time to when it was first built! You will also get to see how the Wall was designed for practical purposes, such as the defense against enemies and how the Great Wall was supposed to keep them out. There are 'obstacle-walls' built perpendicular to the parapets - a feature quite unique to the Second Valley part of Jinshanling Great Wall.
After your adventure, we will return you to your hotel by 8 pm that afternoon. You can reminisce about your experience.
Review from Lana
I can't overstate how fantastic our experience with Great Wall Adventure Club was. Everything from the original booking (online and communicating by email) to coordinating once we arrived in Beijing, to the tour itself, went as smoothly as it possibly could have.
We only had 36 hours in Beijing, and we couldn't miss the wall! Our family of 5 (2 parents and 3 teenagers) chose to do the Gubeikou to Simatai route. No crowds, incredible scenery, and mostly original wall.
It is a significant hike (lots of uphills) but we're a hiking crew, so it was ok, but not for those looking for a leisurely stroll. Our guide, Oliver, was fantastic. So friendly, knowledgeable, and just a regular guy who was great to spend time with. The lunch after was also terrific and included in the tour. Because of our scheduling limitations, we asked that they drop us at the airport directly after our tour, and they were happy to do so. Would gladly recommend GWAC. to anyone.
- Angela H., Experienced October, 2019
Inclusions and Prices of This Iron-man's Tour
Inclusions
- English-speaking guide with well-experienced tour guide;
- Professional driver and nice vehicle;
- General admissions;
- Gourmet lunch included and free bottled water;
- Free membership card;
- Hotel pickup & drop-off;
- Airport pickup & drop-off at a low fee;
Service Packages
PLATINUM PACKAGE
Private or Semi-private English Tour including private transfers, tickets and meal. 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.
Budget Version of This Hike (A6)
If you travel alone and are seeking a group tour for social and economic reasons, please sign up our A6 for the same hike but with less cost. Click below bullton for A6 details.
Trip Map
Hiking Photo Gallery
Other Same-day Great Wall Hiking Tours to Consider
There are many Great Walls to the north of Beijing, all of which were defensive fortresses that guarded the border at that time. They were built according to the terrain, and each segment has its own characteristics. Check our full list of day hikes, and sunset, sunrise hikes.
Contact Us
WeChat: GWAC2015
Message us on WhatsAppWhat to expect with the 16 kms walk?
The Gubeikou Great Wall is located in the southeast of Gubeikou Town, Miyun County. It consists of the Great Wall at Wohu Mountain, the Great Wall at Menglong Mountain, the Great Wall at Jinshanling and the Great Wall at Simatai. In 1933, the Gubeikou Anti-Japanese War was waged here. The remains of more than 360 soldiers were buried at the foot of the Gubeikou Great Wall.
The entire Gubeikou Great Wall has not been artificially repaired, and it has a vicissitudes of life. The broken walls and bullet holes make people feel like they were in the war-torn era. Under the rays of the setting sun, people burst into tears.
The Jinshanling Great Wall is winding and winding, with a wide field of vision, dense enemy buildings, and majestic. The Great Wall is surrounded by mountains and mountains, and the forest is vast. It is suitable for hiking and photography in spring, summer, autumn and winter.
The Jinshanling Great Wall was included in the World Cultural Heritage in 1987 as part of the Great Wall.
The Jinshanling Great Wall was built in accordance with the principle of "stopping by danger and using the danger to block the ground" proposed by Qi Jiguang. It was built along with the ups and downs of the mountains. The walls are lower where the mountains are steep, and the walls are higher where the mountains are relatively gentle.
The Great Wall of the Simatai West Line was severely damaged, but the exposed wall foundation still showed its solidity. The warm sunlight in the morning was softly sprinkled on the city walls, and also on the vigorous vegetation below and below the city walls, so that the broken walls of wild grass and gravel revealed a cruel beauty. Although most of the steps on the Great Wall on the Western Line have been damaged, this section of the Great Wall is the most complete ancient wall of the Ming Dynasty. On the wall of the wall, the characters carved during the Wanli period can be seen.
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