Day 1 Beijing, Jinshanling East to West (5 hours/10 km hiking)

Pick you up at your hotel at 8am and then drive to Jinshanling East (the same spot as Simatai West). You will start the hiking around 10:30 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 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: picnic lunch/dinner with dumplings

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

Day 2 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