Great Wall Sunset Hike at Jinshanling and West Simatai
(followed by
gourmet dinner)
TOUR
1S3: Beautiful Sunset Views at Jinshanling Great Wall
Popularity Ranking: 
*Ranked by the quantity of signups of
all 1-day hiking routes.
Impossible is a word to be found
only in the dictionary of fools. -Napoleon Bonaparte
WELCOME TO THIS WEBPAGE!
Hello, and thank you for taking the time to visit our website! We
know that making a choice about your China trip can be a very big
decision, and that's why we want to make sure that you have as much
information as possible at your disposal. No other tour operator
will give you this much info, and we take it as a point of pride in
making sure that our clients are the most informed before their
departure. Unlike many Chinese sites, our pages are all in English,
and if you find any issues or errors in anything you read, please do
not hesitate to contact us. Once again, thank you for visiting Great
Wall Adventure Club!
Highlight
•Witness something that most travelers
never get to see-both the sunrise and sunset over the Great Wall.
This view will take your breath away, and will be one of the most
photogenic opportunities of your China visit.
•On this hike you will get the best of both Great Wall worlds, both
majestically restored wall, as well as wild and dramatic unrestored
Wild Wall, making the hike much more interesting than others.
•Dinner as well as your own personal guide is included!
Departure:
Our Great Wall hiking is a
private service. What this means is that you can hike on the Great
Wall at any time at your convenience. If you
would much rather be part of a group for
the experience for economic and social reasons,
we'll check to see if there are more signups for the same date as
your own. We'll keep you updated whenever there are more. If you
would like to keep your tour a private one, please let us know and
we'll assign you a guide and driver.
Detailed Hiking Itinerary: (10 km/6
miles on mountain, 3 hours
of hiking)
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In order for you to catch the sunset we’ll be starting
your tour later in the day. You will be picked up from
your hotel between 10 and 11am, and from there we’ll
drive out to the Simatai West Great Wall. The Simatai
West to Jinshanling path-and-wall-top walk is about 11
kilometers (7 miles). You’ll take in 37 watch towers: 14
watch towers on the Jinshanling section and 23 towers in
the Simatai West portion.
While the eastern portion of Simatai has been
permanently closed, the western section of the Simatai
Great Wall is still open to hikers. The Simatai section
of the Great Wall is one of the few sections to retain
the original appearance of the Great Wall. It’s very
varied in makeup. Simatai has many characteristics of
other Great Wall sections, and some unique features of
its own. It is often described with the following five
words: perilous, dense, diverse, artful, and peculiar.
The Simatai Section of the Great Wall was originally
constructed in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550–577). It was
rebuilt and extended in the early Hongwu years
(1368–1398) of the Ming Dynasty. Like most sections of
the Ming Dynasty Great Wall often visited today, this
section also underwent construction under the
supervision of General Qi Jiguang (1528–1588).
After about ninety minutes-two hours of hiking we will
eventually cross into the Jinshanling Great Wall. The
Great Wall at Jinshanling is one of the best preserved
parts of the Great Wall with many original features. It
got its name because it was built on the Greater and
Lesser Jinshan ('Gold Mountain') Ranges. The Great Wall
at Jinshanling was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in
the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), and in 1567 and 1570
rebuilding of the Wall was mainly directed by General Qi
Jiguang (1528–1588). The most special features of this
section are the 31 watchtowers. According to the
different terrain, the watchtowers were built in
different shapes: tall or short, rectangular or square,
with three to five embrasures. Most watchtowers are one
or two floors. A rare three-floor watchtower can be
found at the west end of the Jinshanling section (which
unfortunately is currently a military restricted area).
Before we climb down from the Jinshanling Great Wall,
we’ll stay in order to view the sunset over the Great
Wall. This experience will be a nature lover’s delight,
and is also a great opportunity for photos. It is sure
to be a moment you will never forget, and we guarantee
it will be a highlight of your China experience.
After climbing down the wall we’ll have dinner at a
nearby guesthouse. The housewife here is going to serve
you Kong Pao Chicken, Stewed beef and potato, Green
Pepper and Pork, Fried Tofu in Spicy Sauce, Fried Egg
Tomato, Sweet and Sour Chicken, and vegetables (great
for vegetarians), and soup. What's more important is
that all the vegetables she uses are planted in his own
yard, so it is organic and fresh!
Following dinner we’ll drive back to Beijing, where you
will be dropped off at your hotel, ending your tour. If
you are catching a flight or train, we'll send you to
the airport or station for a modest fee.
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Note: Please remember to bring your own
snacks and the following:
* Tough hiking boots, sunscreen and sunglasses
* Backpack, and snacks or energy/protein supplements you
want to have before dinner
* Extra cash for driver/guide tips
* Don’t forget your camera!
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