1-Day Great Wall Hikes
Spend a day walking between historic towers, with transport from Beijing.
Explore Great Wall hiking tours →Great Wall Adventure Club · Since 2003
Great Wall Hiking Tours from Beijing
Find your way onto the Great Wall: a day among the towers, an overnight under the stars or a longer trek through China’s mountain landscapes.
Explore the toursWhy book with us
A Great Wall specialist trusted since 2003
The best route is the one that fits your time, interests and walking ability. We explain the terrain and travel involved so you can choose your Great Wall experience with a clear picture of the day ahead.
Since our beginnings in Beijing in 2003, we have built journeys around local route knowledge and practical coordination. Guides, drivers and the team behind each departure work together to keep the itinerary coherent from pickup to return.
Our past guests and projects include Google, British Airways, NASA, NBC Olympics and 19 Kids and Counting. That experience with varied groups also informs the way we plan for couples, families and independent travelers.
With headquarters in the United States and long-established roots in China, our team helps connect your travel plans with the people and arrangements on the ground.
Explore your way1-Day 1-Day 1-Day Signature Experience2-Day 3-Day 4-Day 5-Day 6-Day 7-Day 9-Day 10-Day 12-Day
From one trail to a full expedition
Start with the number of days you have. Then compare where each route goes, how much walking it involves and the kind of overnight experience it offers.
1-Day Sunrise Hikes
Head out before dawn for the first light across the Great Wall ridges.
Explore 1-day sunrise hikes →1-Day Sunset Hikes
Explore in the afternoon and plan your walk around the evening light.
Explore 1-day sunset hikes →2-Day Great Wall Adventures with Camping
Stay beyond the day visit, with an arranged campsite and a second morning outdoors.
Explore Great Wall camping tours →3-Day Great Wall Treks
Use a long weekend to explore several sections and the connections between them.
Explore 3-day great wall treks →4-Day Great Wall Treks
Choose four days of mountain walking, village stays or a coastal starting point.
Explore 4-day great wall treks →5-Day Great Wall Treks
Build a substantial walking week around a series of contrasting Great Wall trails.
Explore 5-day great wall treks →6-Day Great Wall Treks
Follow a six-day route through varied defenses, from old mountain paths to prominent passes.
Explore 6-day great wall treks →7-Day Great Wall Treks
Give the Wall a full week, with time to appreciate the differences between each section.
Explore 7-day great wall treks →9-Day Great Wall Treks
Travel from coastal landmarks to inland ridges on an extended nine-day program.
Explore 9-day great wall treks →10-Day Great Wall Treks
Compare ten-day itineraries with a wider range of Wall landscapes and walking days.
Explore 10-day great wall treks →12-Day Great Wall Treks
Explore a twelve-day journey that combines a broad Great Wall route with time in Beijing.
Explore 12-day great wall treks →History beneath your boots
Hike the Great Wall—from the sea to the mountains.
The Great Wall changes from one valley to the next. At unrestored sections, old masonry follows rough mountain ridges; elsewhere, repaired steps and towers make the defensive architecture easier to explore. Your guide helps explain those differences as you walk.
For a coastal beginning, consider Old Dragon’s Head at Shanhaiguan, where the Ming Great Wall meets the Bohai Sea. Longer routes connect this landmark with passes and mountain sections inland, revealing how the defenses adapted to very different settings.
Explore Great Wall Treks from the Sea
A starting point1AA 2AK
Popular ways to go
1AA Gubeikou-Jinshanling
Follow the Gubeikou–Jinshanling corridor, comparing weathered ridges with more substantial towers on a full day of walking.
See the journey →2AK Guided Camping
Combine contrasting Great Wall sections with an overnight camp, then continue toward Jiankou and Mutianyu on the second day.
See the journey →Beyond the Wall
Complete your China journey
Build around your Great Wall visit with Beijing sightseeing, a hotel stay or a private journey to another part of China.
Beijing Adventure
Make room for imperial sites, neighborhood walks and practical city transfers.
Explore beijing adventure →China Adventure
Link Beijing with other cities and landscapes through a privately planned itinerary.
Explore china adventure →Beijing Hotels & Special Rates
Compare convenient hotel locations, room arrangements and available rates.
Explore hotels →
Traveler testimonial
A journey worth remembering.
“They routinely went above and beyond the call of duty to make my trip smooth and unforgettable.”
Scott Hanson
American TV sportscaster · China traveler, July 2012
In his account, Scott recalls attentive planning and Joe’s clear explanations, punctuality and knowledge of the route.
Read more traveler storiesTell us the trip you have in mind.
Tell us who is traveling, when you can visit and how you like to explore. We will suggest a workable route for your group.
