Route 3X2: Shixiaguan-Badaling-Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Jiankou-Mutianyu + Sleeping on the Great Wall for Two Consecutive Nights in Two Different Watchtowers

Day 1 Trek & Camp: Beijing- Ruined Badaling-Shixiaguan (B+L, appx. 7km/4.5miles, 5 hours)

Your English-speaking guide will pick you up from your hotel at about 8:00 am.

The ruined Badaling Great Wall (now officially named “Ancient Badaling Great Wall”) is 10km southwest of the restored Badaling Great Wall. So, as its name hints, this section of the Great Wall is partially restored and more adventurous, while not being easy to climb. Its hikers are mainly foreign travelers instead of domestic travelers, who prefer hiking at the restored Badaling Great Wall.

After about 2-3 hours of hiking, we’ll cross over into Shixiaguan (Stone Gorge) Pass, 5km southwest of the Badaling section of the Great Wall. It is one of the most intact parts of the whole Great Wall. In spite of serious damage, the winding wall set in the lofty mountains reveals its grandeur. However, a castle in Shixiaguan was pulled down during the Great Leap Forward. Nevertheless, the wall remains relatively intact because of its strategic location. Shixiaguan Pass was originally built in the reign of Ming Emperor Wanli (about 1600 AD), which was then a key pass guarded by a large number of soldiers. There are sites such as official residences, the ancient castle, clay walls and brick walls in the village.

Following our day of hiking on the Great Wall we'll take you to have a gorgeous Chinese countryside-style dinner at Mr. Duan's Restaurant. Mr. Duan is a famous Great Wall photographer and is the winner of several national photographing competitions. His wife (middle in the left photo) and her niece will cook traditional Chinese dishes and dumpling for you. Mrs. Duan will 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 lots of vegetables (great for vegetarians), and soup. She changes her menu daily, so you may have different dishes from the above. What's more important is that all the vegetables she uses are planted in her yard, so it is organic and fresh!  Rice and Chinese dumpling are also fresh and of genuine local flavor.  Beer and other drinks are free!

Before it gets dark, we'll go back up the Great Wall in order to set up our tents and other equipment in a watch tower.  We'll prepare the necessary camping facilities such as sleeping bags so you don't have to bring anything but yourself. If you prefer sleeping in a local hostel or a farmer's house, you certainly can without extra charge. However, during the winter, we'll only overnight in a local hotel for safety reasons, because the temperature on the Great Wall is usually 10 degree Celsius lower than it is on the ground.

Day 2 Trek & Camp: Gubeikou-Jinshanling (L, D, 10 kms, 4-5 hours of hiking)

After an early morning breakfast we will be driven to the Gubeikou Great Wall. At Gubeikou, we’ll get started on our trek. The Gubeikou Great Wall occupies a strategically important location, which is difficult to access. Situated between Shanhaiguan Pass and Juyongguan Pass, and about 62 miles to Beijing, it is the bastion protecting the northern gateway to the capital.

There are 14 beacon towers, 143 watchtowers, 16 strategic pass, three citadels and many other military constructions. Many of them are famous cultural relics, such as the Big Flower Beacon Tower of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Fairy Tower, General Tower, and the dominant Wangjing Tower. We’ll hike until we reach the landmark of the General Tower. We will have lunch on the wall, and the countryside in front of us will provide the perfect backdrop. In the afternoon we will cross over into Jinshanling.

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 Jinshanling Great Wall 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). Poems and tablet writings can be found on the Jinshanling Great Wall left from the time when Qi Jiguang directed the rebuilding of this section of the Great Wall. There are more than 100 watch towers along the Jinshanling Great Wall. ‘Watching Beijing Tower’ is on the highest point, from which you can see Beijing. The Jinshanling Great Wall is second only to the Badaling Great Wall in its completeness.

We'll drive about 2 hours to arrive at Jiankou, Great Wall to have another unique opportunity to camp in a watchtower at Jiankou tonight! You'll be able to spend the night on the Great Wall under the glow of the stars at the Zhengbeilou Watchtower. Zhengbeilou tower looks down on the rugged Jiankou section of the Wall to the west and toward Mutianyu in the east, making it a great spot for the amateur photographer. It is this panorama that adorns many postcards and advertisements of the Wall. Our local supplier, who owns a local restaurant and inn, will carry the tent and sleeping pads for you and place them in the watchtower. This will takes about 40 minutes, as he has to reach the Great Wall by climbing a mountain path from his restaurant at the foot of the mountain. He will also cook for you a BBQ dinner, which will include Chinese wheat buns or pancakes, kebabs (beef, pork or chicken), vegetables, photo chips, and fruits, along with two bottles of local beers, spirits and other colas. While he is setting up your camping equipment and making your meals, please make sure to let him know your gratitude for all of his hard and dedicated work!

Day 3 Trek: Jiankou-Mutianyu-Beijing (B+L, 3.5 hrs of hiking)

After waking up you will enjoy a nice hot breakfast in the Zhengbeilou Watchtower.

The hiking today will cover about 10km/6miles. The Jiankou section is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it affords. Be sure to see the watchtower known as “Eagle on the peak”, this tower is extremely high and forms the highest reaching point of the Jiankou section. This is the pinnacle of exotic Great Wall scenery.

From Jiankou you will cross over onto Mutianyu, a section of the wall that has been largely restored. Although it has gotten a face-lift, it avoids the army of tourists that plague Badaling. Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below, and if you look to your right you’ll see a large sign engraved in the side of the mountain encouraging you to “Cherish Chairman Mao”. Mutianyu is often visited by leaders of foreign countries.

You can hike down to the parking lot or take a toboggan (highly recommended, and lots of fun! extra fee.) down to meet our driver. We will then have a lunch at a local restaurant. After that, we'll  drive back to Beijing and drop you off at your hotel.

Back home, you'll then need to upload all the fantastic pictures you recorded on your Great Wall trek!

This is the only program you'll find that allows you to camp on The Great Wall for two nights in two different watchtowers, just like the watchmen of ancient times! Sleeping under the stars on The Great Wall is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!