Day 1 Beijing, Daheigou - Chenjiapu, Gubeikou (6.5-7 hours, 11 km hiking)

Pick you up at your Beijing hotel at 7am and drive 2 hours to Chenjiapu. You will take a Subway sandwiches for lunch on the way. Once arriving at the village, we will continue further into the deep valley at Daheigou (literally Grand Black Valley). The starting section is completely original, ruined and crumbling, no other people at all. This section of the Wall is actually the border between Beijing and Hebei Province. The Wall rises up steadily in the first 2 hours. There’s a special part, the so-called U Wall. If the artisans built the Wall on a straight line, there would be a defense post for enemy. The artisans eventually completed the Wall on a U shape cliff and stopped the possible attack from enemy. Passing by the U Wall, we will get to a top watchtower and have picnic lunch here at noon. We will descend on the Wall in the rest of 4.5 hours despite a few slow ups and downs. When approaching Chengjiapu village, the Wall is almost the same sea level as the village. A late lunch (or early dinner) is organised by our driver after the hiking. We will then drive 3 hours to Gubeikou and will arrive at late night.

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: picnic lunch/dinner

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

Day 2 Jinshanling East - Gubeikou, Beijing             (7-7.5 hours, 14 km hiking)

Finishing breakfast by 7:30am and drive 30 minutes to Jinshanling East (or Simatai West). A 40-minute walking up will lead you to East-Five-Eye watchtower on the Wall. You may take a few breaths before reaching the Wall, and will be rewarded by the breathtaking panoramic view of this amazing human constructions. Once standing on the top of the Wall, you could see Simatai, Jinshanling and Gubeikou in a clear day, what a spectacular view! We will walk mainly on brick steps at Jinshanling section and some of them are big. This section of the Wall is very popular among keen photographers for its intact watchtowers, beacon towers and other solid constructions. The steps rise up and down constantly and scenery is changing at every watchtower. Take a short break and some photos here, we will then walk westward to Jinshanling. We will get through Shalingkou and Zhuanduokou and then off the Wall at Taochunkou. The hiking continues for 1 hour from Taochunkou to Jinshanling West, where a late lunch is organised. After the lunch break, we will head to 24-Eye Watchtower at Gubeikou, we could see the panoramic view of the Crouching Tiger Hill in a distance if weather permits. The rest of 1.5 hours’ walking on the Dragon Hill is relatively flat and easier. Our driver is waiting for us at the parking lot at Panlongshan. We will drive 2.5 hours back to the city. 

Jinshanling & Gubeikou Great Wall

Jinshanling is the name given to the wall situated on the Jinshan Mountains. Its earliest section was built in the 6th Century but most of what you see now also dates from the Ming Dynasty. The walkway along the top is paved with square bricks providing a level surface wide enough to construct batteries. Poems and tablet writings can be found here, left from the time General Qi Jiguang directed building of this section of the Great Wall. Barrier walls were built leading to the enemy to protect the towers. Some of the towers were storerooms for food, hay and weapons. 

In 1378 (the 11th year of Emperor Hongwu's reign in the Ming Dynasty), General Xu Da ordered this section of the Great Wall rebuilt. Gubeikou has probably seen more battles than any other parts of the Great wall, including some of the most famous in Chinese history. On the southern slope of Gubeikou stands a temple dedicated to Yang Ye, a famous Great Wall garrison general of the Song Dynasty. this is one of the oldest temples dedicated to this general in China. In WWII there’s fierce flighting between Chinese and Japanese armies for weeks, and a cemetery for some 300 Chinese soldiers is preserved close to the Wall.

Meals: breakfast/lunch