GWPA31- Discovery Great Wall Hiking: 
​Three-day Chenjiapu, Jinshanling to Gubeikou (private)

Day 1 Beijing - Chenjiapu - Gubeikou (5 hours, 8 km hiking)

We will pick you up at 8 am at your hotel in Beijing and then drive to Chenjiapu village.We will start the hiking at 9:30 am, and it will take 5 hours on this original part of the Wall. We will have a late lunch after the hiking and then drive to Gubeikou for overnight. The driving will take up to 3 hours.

The wall at Chenjiapu village connects Badaling in the north and is vital to protect the capital in the Ming Dynasty. There were also fierce battles between Chinese and Japanese invades in World War II. There’re almost no people on this section. The major part of the Wall is original, ruined and slippery. Only a few watchtowers were restored and preserved. Currently the Wall is the border between Beijing and Hebei Province, and was the border between Han Chinese and nomadic Mongolians in ancient times. The Wall rises up and down on the mountain ridges with solid granite foundation and bricks steps. It’s strong wind and freezing cold here in winter.

Meals: lunch, dinner

Accommodation: local farmer’s guesthouse with private bathroom and shower at Gubeikou village

Optional upgrade: camping by the Great Wall can be organised upon request

Day 2 Jinshanling East to West (5 hours/10 km hiking)

Finishing breakfast by 8am and drive to Jinshanling East (the same spot as Simatai West). You will start the hiking around 8:30 am, and it will take about 5 hours to complete the hiking. We will prepare sandwiches as picnic lunch on the Wall. We will drive back to Gubeikou village after the hiking.

A 40-minute steps walking up will lead you to East-Five-Eye watchtower at Jinshanling East/Simatai West where you could have a panoramic view of both Simatai in the east and Jinshanling in the west in far distance. You may take a few breaths before reaching the Wall, and will be rewarded by the breathtaking panoramic view of this amazing human constructions. Take a short break and some photos here, we will then walk westward at Jinshanling. We will have a lunch break at Taochunkou after 3.5 hours walking, and then get off the Wall to walk through farming field for 1.5 hours until Jinshanling West.

This section offers arguably the finest hiking anywhere on the Great Wall. It is extremely photogenic, with over 50 watch-towers, and steep gradients that give constantly changing perspectives and wide, open views. There is fascinating variety in the watch-towers here. Some have two storeys, others three. Some have flat roofs, others rounded and others again are pitched with upturned eaves. This section of the wall is wild, ruined, preserved and original. On a clear day, it is difficult to fail to take good photographs here.

Our driver will take us to Gubeikou village (20 minutes driving) after the hiking. You’re free to explore the village in the afternoon. You will learn dumplings-making instructed by the host in late afternoon. The dinner is served with dumplings and other local produces together.

Meals: breakfast/picnic lunch/dinner with dumplings

Accommodation: local farmer’s guesthouse with private bathroom and shower at Gubeikou village

Day 3 Jinshanling West to Gubeikou (5 hours/10 km), Beijing

We will drive to Jinshanling West in 20 minutes after breakfast, and start at the spot where we finished the day before. Walking through the jungles and bushes for 40 minutes, we will reach the 24-Eye Tower at Gubeikou. You will have a panoramic view of Gubeikou: Coiling Dragon Hill (Panlongshan) and Crouching Tiger Hill (Wohushan) in far distance. Continuing the hiking toward General Tower, which was bombed by Japanese in WWII. The Wall is becoming more ruined and delayed in the remaining 2 hours when approaching the village. We will walk straight to the local restaurant when completing the hiking.

Gubeikou, along with the passes at Shanhaiguan in the east and Juyongguan in the west, was a key strategic target in military campaigns since ancient times. Protecting these three passes was considered vital for keeping Beijing safe from the Mongolian nomads. There was also a fierce battle between Chinese and Japanese in the 2nd World War. The vistas of the sinuous Wall snaking its way over the ridges of the Yanshan Mountain are breathtaking.

We will drive back to Beijing after lunch. We will have a stop at the Olympic venues for 30 minutes and will walk around the venues: Bird Nest and Water cubic.

Note: we can organise a shower after the hiking if you go straight to airport or train station.

Meals: breakfast/lunch