Beijing: Great Wall Hiking Jinshanling & Simatai West

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/9

Duration9h

GroupUp to 10

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

The Wall Splits Into Two Versions, and You Walk Both

You hike three hours across restored and original Great Wall sections at Jinshanling and Simatai West with an English-speaking local guide, covering beacon towers, watch towers, and unrestored stone work. Lunch, water, entrance fee and transport from Beijing are included. The return happens between 5–6 pm, so plan no evening plans.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hike Great Wall from Simatai to Jinshanling

Arrive at Kylin Tower, Simatai West
Hike westward on Great Wall
Explore restored and unrestored sections
See watch and beacon towers
Meet local farmers and try home food
Get off wall at Shalingkou or Zhuanduokou

The Experience

The restored sections look almost new — stone fitted tight, steps even, the kind of wall you see in postcards. Then you turn a corner and the untouched parts appear, and it's a shock how different they are. Crumbling, uneven, the stones worn by centuries, the path narrower and rougher. That's the real draw of this Beijing Great Wall hike at Jinshanling and Simatai West: you're not just walking one version of the wall, you're walking the contrast between them, and it changes how you understand the place.

The day starts early with pickup from your Beijing hotel, then a drive out to Simatai West where you'll reach the wall at Kylin Tower. From there you walk westward toward Jinshanling, covering both sections in about three hours of hiking. It's medium-level — not a scramble, not a stroll — which means most people can do it if they've got decent fitness and knees that cooperate. The guide is English-speaking and local, which matters because they'll point out details you'd miss alone: the beacon towers that once signaled with fire, the watch towers positioned to see approaching armies, the way the wall follows the ridge line like a spine. You'll also meet local farmers who live near the wall and sometimes offer home-made food, which is one of those moments that feels less like a tour stop and more like an actual encounter.

The photography is genuinely good here — the unrestored sections especially, with their weathered stones and the way light hits the towers at different angles depending on where you stand. Bring a proper camera if you have one, though a phone works fine too. At Jinshanling you can exit at Shalingkou if you're tired, or push another 30 minutes to Zhuanduokou if you still have energy. Either way, you'll have lunch after the hike, unlimited bottled water during it, and the entrance ticket is included, so you're not stopping to buy anything or figure out logistics. The return to Beijing happens between 5 and 6 pm depending on traffic, which means you're back in the city by evening.

One practical note: there are no toilets along the wall itself, only at the entrances of Simatai West and Jinshanling, so plan accordingly and bring your own toilet paper. Trekking poles are available if you ask your guide, and they do help on the steeper sections. The group stays small, which keeps the pace manageable and the experience less crowded than the more famous wall sections closer to Beijing.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup in Beijing, an air-conditioned vehicle with experienced driver, a personal English-speaking hiking guide, entrance ticket to Jinshanling, unlimited bottled water during the hike, lunch after you finish, and return transport to your hotel by early evening. Trekking poles are available on request.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by Great Wall Hiking

Is this one for you?Right for travelers who want to see both restored and untouched Great Wall sections in one day without arranging transport or tickets themselves — the small-group format and local guide are what make the three-hour hike feel less like exercise and more like being shown around by someone who knows the place.