4E 4 Day Great Wall Hike links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Crouching Tiger Mountain. The program balances walking, transfers, meals and overnight arrangements across a longer section of the Wall.
Summary
4E 4 Day Great Wall Hike links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Crouching Tiger Mountain. The program balances walking, transfers, meals and overnight arrangements across a longer section of the Wall.
Route map
Route illustration. Your guide will confirm the final trail, access and travel times before departure.
Brief itinerary
Day 1 · Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 2 · Gubeikou to Jinshanling
Day 3 · Crouching Tiger Mountain
Day 4 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
Detailed itinerary
Day-by-day route details from our original tour program. Confirm the departure time, walking distance, meals, lodging and permitted campsite in your booking proposal; these may change with access and weather.
Day 1 · Jinshanling to West Simatai
Our hike will start from Simatai, and we will make our way west along the wall into Jinshanling. This is the classic Great Wall that hikers are very thrilled about. wall enthusiasts have done. The Wall runs from deteriorated wild state to the restored in the end to allow hikers to compare the differences between the two wall status.
Tonight, we will camp on the Great Wall in an ancient watchtower.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Camping on the Wall
Day 2 · Gubeikou to Jinshanling
Gubeikou is mostly Wild Wall. It was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Stretching for about 25 miles (40 kilometers), there are 172 watchtowers, 14 beacon towers, 16 passes, 3 water passes, 3 barbarians, and 6 fortresses along it.
In 1933, Chinese army fought against Japanese invasion troops at Gubeikou. In the four-month-long battles, over 5,000 Japanese soldiers were killed while 9,000 Chinese soldiers died. You can see that Gubeikou is not merely a relic but it remained as a battlefield in modern world.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3 · Crouching Tiger Mountain
This section is probably one of the most scenic places the Great Wall has to offer. “Wohu” means “Crouching Tiger” in English, because the mountain looks like two tigers, one lying on its back while the other lies on its stomach. Located in the western section of the Gubeikou Great Wall, its highest peak measures about 665 meters (2,181 feet). A watch tower is erected every 150 meters (492 feet) of the wall, overlooking a deep valley or mounted on a strategically important hilltop.
The Wall is quite high, but you don't have to be a great athlete to hike this trail. An easy 1 hour trail through the cornfields, about 1 hour of Great Wall hiking and another hour down through the farmlands will complete this nice loop. During lunch on top of the great wall we will tell you some more of the historical importance of this place.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Miss-U-Much Hostel at Jiankou
Day 4 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
From Jiankou we 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 the teachings of Chairman Mao.” Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
What we confirm
Meeting point and departure window
Admissions, tickets and local transport
Guide language, meals and accommodation
Walking level, luggage and weather plan
Return point or onward connection
Before you proceed
Share the relevant dates, group size and priorities. We will provide the current details in writing and identify anything that must be booked separately or may change with access, schedules or local conditions.
Original Great Wall stonework and watchtowers — from the Great Wall Adventure Club source site.
What makes this experience different
More than a viewpoint
Walk tower to tower and understand how the Wall follows the natural defense line.
A route for your pace
We distinguish gentler restored paths from demanding unrestored ridges before you choose.
Local route knowledge
Entrances, exits, seasonal conditions and transfer logistics are checked for your date.
TerrainStone steps, ridges and uneven historic paths
Best seasonsSpring and autumn; summer and winter need extra planning
BringGrippy footwear, water, layers and sun protection
Designed around real travelers
Every departure is matched to the group’s dates, ages, interests, walking experience and preferred comfort level. Tell us what matters most—quiet trails, photography, history, a physical challenge, family time or a broader China itinerary—and we will explain the most practical options without hiding the tradeoffs.
Questions worth asking before booking
How much time is spent walking, driving and stopping?
Which parts of the route are restored, unrestored, steep or exposed?
What is included, and what should we carry or arrange ourselves?
What changes if weather, access rules or transport schedules affect the plan?
Keep exploring
Compare more multi-day treks or talk to us about a custom route.
