The Great Wall of China is quite often a must-see for tourists that find themselves in China. Which is not surprising! After all, it is a historical monolith with traces of wars and cultural events. You can climb it in different ways and at several points. Here are some routes.
Jinshanling - Simatai
Distance: 11 km.
Time: one day hike
Features: adventurous hike through a ruined section.
It is a popular hiking area, although you won't find crowds of tourists here. Jinshanling and Simatai are about 110 kilometers north of Beijing. Many hotels organize unguided day trips here. They deliver at the beginning of the route and pick you up at the end.
On this route, you can walk the sturdy and unreconstructed wall for about three hours. Here you will see protruding sections of the wall, once built to separate large groups of invaders, and sturdy oval watchtowers.
Most of the route is easy, but in some places you will have to climb up or down steep and crumbly slopes. It is also worth bearing in mind that there may be falling rocks.
The route ends in Simatai. It is recommended to visit the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square. It is also worth walking through the remaining hutongs (traditional old streets) and having a beer at a bar by Houhai Lake.
Near Mutianyui
Distance: 3 km.
Time: hike for a few hours.
Features: An easy walk along one of the reconstructed sections of the wall.
This site is located about 90 kilometers north of Beijing and is a popular day trip destination. Large tourist groups come here in large groups. There are a lot of tourists at the start, but if you move out quickly, the crowds will be left behind. The site has been heavily reconstructed, with comfortable stairs and sidewalk.
This route will be a pleasant walk along the ridge through forested hills. There is nothing much to see here. So just enjoy the surroundings. You will also pass through 20 watchtowers. Like most of the wall, the site dates back to the 14th century, but the first ramparts were here as early as the 6th century. There's also a cable car.
Most hotels and hostels in Beijing organize this trip. In summer season, you can also take a tourist bus from Dongzhimen Station.
Huanghuacheng Wall - from Huanghua to the Eighth Watchtower
Distance: 3 km.
Time: one-day hike.
Features: wild route with a small number of people.
This unreconstructed section is only 60 km northeast of the capital. A few years ago, this part was called the wild wall and was completely uncontrolled. The only people to be found here were locals offering drinks. Now the area is being looked after.
On this route there is a path through impressive steep ruins. You have to be careful as the road is quite steep and semi-ruined. It levels off after the fourth watchtower, from where you can see the deserted mountains. After the eighth watchtower the path becomes impassable - here the path leads to the road.
During your trip, visit the final resting place of 13 of the 16 emperors of the Ming Dynasty - the Ming Tombs (30 km).
From Hexi Village to Gubeikou and Panglong.
Distance: 36 km.
Time: 2 days
Features: hike through beautiful scenery with the option to camp in a watchtower or stay in a local village.
Gubeikou is an attractive ancient and wild section of the wall. Hiking here starts from Hexi Village, 80 kilometers from Beijing.
One trail leads steadily up Mount Wohu. Most of the wall has been destroyed, so it must be bypassed. However, the watchtowers are well preserved. From the highest of them, about 13 km from Hesi, there are magnificent views. It is worth sending there just for beautiful photos.
At Hexi, you can take a different route and walk along the top of the wall along a fairly level route for about 5 km. If you head north, you can come to the 18th century Chengde imperial shelter.
If you want to explore both, it makes sense to spend the night in Hesi. Many farmers rent out rooms, but the facilities there are very basic. There is not even hot water.
Jiankou Great Wall of China, from Xizhazi Village
Distance: up to 20 km
Time: 1-3 days
Features: Challenging and intriguing hike close to the capital city
This route has only recently become available. It is chosen by intrepid travelers. The wall here is white because it is made of dolomite. But there is a hiking and scenic section along densely forested mountain ridges.
Some sections are so steep that you have to climb them on all fours. Take into account that most of the rocks may collapse. There are no facilities along the way, but no one will charge an entrance fee either. We also recommend looking for a guide among the locals. In the small village of Xizhazi, 55 km from Beijing, there are simple lodges with good home-cooked food. It takes about an hour to get from Xizhazi to the wall.
Only the bravest travelers decide to walk the full 20 km from west to east. Most people try to walk the first 10 km or choose the most impressive three-kilometer section somewhere in the middle. It's easy to get to and there are no difficult sections.
On this itinerary, you can camp on the Great Wall of China itself. Get a chance to see the magical sunrise all by yourself. However, note that you will need to bring all the necessary gear with you. You won't be able to find camping equipment in small villages.
From Shanhaiguan to Laolongtou.
Distance: 4 km along the wall and tour
Time: 2 days.
Features: see the sleepy town and impressive ruins where the wall touches the water.
Shanhaiguan, the pass between the mountains and the sea, is a small town just a few hours' drive from Beijing. In the center of the city stands the First Passage Under Heaven, one of the few gates of the Great Wall. With three outer walls around it and a tower above it, the defenders took no chances.
Following the remains of the wall 4 km south, you will reach Laolongtou - "Old Dragon's Head" - the place where the wall meets the sea. The site is named after the dragon sculpture that faces the beach and marks the eastern end of the Great Wall.
Rent a bicycle to see the sights outside the city. Head to the kitschy seaside resort of Beidaihe (20km south). Also visit the Mengjiannu Temple, dedicated to a woman whose husband died building a wall. According to legend, upon hearing her sobs, the bricks scattered apart, exposing her husband's bones.
Around Fenghuang, Hunan Province
Distance: 4 km.
Time: 2 hours
Features:
The threat from barbarians did not come only from the north. In Hunan Province in southern China, there is a 16th century section of wall nearly 200 kilometers long, designed to contain the Miao peoples. The wall is not as high and wide here as its northern counterpart, but it is much less visited.
There is a reconstructed site near the historic town of Fenghuang that is a great base. The town has a strong Miao presence, and in its narrow cobbled streets you'll see many wooden houses on stilts and a 300-year-old covered wooden bridge. In the summer, it is lively and has cafes for travelers.
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Jiayuguan
Distance: no data
Time: a day for the fortress and a week if you want to explore the surrounding area thoroughly
Features: see the huge fortifications, and learn about the culture of the Turkic-speaking Uyghur people.
Far in the wild west of China lies the last fort of the Great Wall of China. Here civilized China ended and the terrifying desert began. It was a strategically important point, for with the mountains of Tibet to the south and the arid desert to the north, all trade on the Silk Road to Central Asia was directed here through the pass.
The magnificent fort itself, known as the "Impregnable Gorge Under Heaven," stands on a plain with mountains to the north and south, the same color as the desert around it. The fort was built in 1372. The outer wall is over 700 meters long and used to be patrolled on horseback. It was the last post on the way to exile for disgraced officials and fugitive criminals.
Here you can explore the frescoes and statues of the Mogao Caves in Dunhuang - a few hours west by train. In eastern Gansu Province, visit the Labrang Tibetan Monastery, wander along the Luomen Silk Road and hike the Moon Canyon and Qiliang Shan Mountains.
