1 Days

Full day Great Wall trek from Simatai West to Jinshanling

Overview

Simatai Great Wall is a relatively short span (5.4 kilometers) of the Great Wall that situated near the town of Gubeikou, roughly 120 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Simatai Great Wall is bordered to the west by Jinshanling Great Wall. After the Simatai section, which is considered the easternmost part of the Beijing area of the Great Wall, the wall swings southward, snaking east and west until it reaches Jiangjun Pass, about 40 kilometers, as the crow flies, due south of the Simatai section of the Great Wall. Like most of the other sections of the Great Wall, the Simatai section was refortified by General Qi Jiguang during the reign (CE 1572-1620) of the Wanli emperor, Emperor Shenzhong of the Ming (CE 1368-1644) Dynasty.

With 15 watch towers in the east and 20 watch towers in the west, Simatai Great Wall divided by a lake, named the Mandarin Duck Lake, which is fed by two springs, one is warm, and the other is cold. Even in winter time the lake never ices up. Both sections are linked up by a suspension bridge. Today there’s a zip line (flying fox) over the lake for travelers to slide down quickly. The hills in the west are sloping gently with well-maintained towers, and the wall is winding on the hills like a golden dragon with majestic vigor. The towers are densely dotted in the eastern section and covered the peaks thousand meters high. Major attractions in the east include the Tower for Viewing the Capital, Fairy (Angel’s) Tower, Stairway to the Heaven and Sky Bridge. Unfortunately, these places closed to the public due to safety concerns.

Detailed Itinerary

Expand all Collapse all

Day 1 Beijing - Simatai - Beijing (L)

Our local guide will pick you up at your hotel at 8 A.M and then drive to Simatai West. You will start the hiking around 10:30 am, and it will take about 3 hours to complete the hiking.

Follow your expert guide to Simatai to experience both original and restored sections of the wall. Catch scenic views of watchtowers snaking along the mountain. Some of these 2-story and 3-story towers have flat roofs, others rounded, and others pitched with upturned eaves.

You’ll hike for 7 miles (12 km) on the mostly paved ground, and there are a few stretches of unrestored pathways with stairs and steep gradients. Be sure to bring your camera! Throughout your hike, you’ll be awarded amazing views of steep slopes rising and dipping into the distance, giving you a constantly changing perspective.

This section offers arguably the most exceptional hiking anywhere on the Great Wall. It is incredibly photogenic, with over 15 watch-towers, and steep gradients that give continually changing perspectives and full, open views. There is fascinating variety in the watch-towers here. Some have two stories, others three. Some have flat roofs, others rounded, and others again are pitched with upturned eaves. This section of the wall is wild, ruined, preserved and original.

After the hike, head to a local farmer's restaurant to have lunch. Meet and chat with the farmers over a home-cooked Chinese meal. End your tour with a drop-off at your original departure point in Beijing.