A20: Jinshanling, Gubeikou Camping, and Simatai

Find Your Tour Meeting Point at Chaoyangmen

 7:20 a.m.: Meet at Chaoyangmen Subway Station Exit A. Depart for Jinshanling Great Wall. 

7:20 a.m.: Meet at Chaoyangmen Subway Station Exit A. Depart for Jinshanling Great Wall. 

10:00 a.m. : Arrive at Jinshanling. We will hike for about 3.5 hours, from Jinshanling and across to West Simatai also referred to as "Second Valley". Jinshanling is one of the best parts of The Great Wall as it has many original features. It was crowned “Second Valley” because it was built on the Greater and Lesser Jinshan (‘Gold Mountain’) Ranges. A tablet with the Chinese inscription for Jinshanling Great Wall was set into this section. This section of the wall has been left untouched since 1570. It is a remote and relatively isolated section of the Great Wall. As there are relatively few tourists at Jinshanling Great Wall, it is a good place to explore on foot. The Jinshanling Great Wall was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and in 1567 and 1570 reconstruction 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 refurbishment of this section of the Great Wall. 

2:00 p.m.: Gourmet lunch at a local restaurant at the foot of the Great Wall.

Step 2: Camping on the Great Wall at Gubeikou

3:00 p.m.: Our local staff will transfer you from Jinshanling to Gubeikou Great Wall. 

4:00–5:30 p.m.: Walk the unrestored Great Wall at Gubeikou as the evening light settles over the mountains. Learn about this historic defensive landscape and pause for photographs of the towers and ridges.

6:30-7:30 p.m.: Let’s dine. Enjoy a mouthwatering Chinese cuisine in our camping headquarters. Later, you will be escorted to the watchtower dubbed “The General’s Tower” by our local guide, who will assist you in setting up the tent. The tent, sleeping bag, and mattress are provided. In cold weather, we will provide you with two sleeping bags in order to fight off the cold and receive a good night’s sleep. Fall asleep as you gaze upon the stars from inside the watchtower.

Good morning!

5:30 a.m.: Wake early to watch sunrise over the Great Wall. Bring your camera to capture the first light on the towers and mountain ridges.

6:30 a.m.: Enjoy a Continental breakfast. 

Step 3: Simatai Great Wall Hike

 10 a.m.: We will take you to the entrance of Gubei Water Town via our coach bus. Another tour guide will be waiting for you at the entrance to give you the tickets for the Water Town and the Simatai tour. Once you receive the tickets You can begin your adventure alone.

The Simatai section of the Great Wall is situated at Gubeikou, an old town of strategic significance and is now managed by Gubei Water Town Resort. It is among the best-preseved sections of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. The Simatai section spans 5.4 km and has a total of 35 watchtowers. Due to the safety concern, Gubei Water Town only opens the eastern watchtowers to 10 people at a time. However, you will still see the Single-sided Wall that can only be found at Simatai. Local people refer to this side of the wall as a “Heavenly Stairway” 

This is a fantastic section of the wall characterized by the delicate and unique designs and diversified structures, it incorporates a variety of the styles of other parts of the Great Wall, Simatai is reputed as the Museum of the Great Wall. Besides its picturesque landscapes, Simatai is also a treasure of historical and cultural heritage. 

You may walk and climb to the watchtower #5 and hike from there, or you can take the cable car to go up or down for an additional fee.

Step 4: Gubei Water Town Tour

Gubei Water Town lies beside Mandarin Duck Lake Reservoir beneath the steep ridges of Simatai Great Wall. Its canals, traditional-style streets, and mountain setting offer a northern counterpart to the water towns of southern China.

The water town occupies the setting of five former settlements beneath Simatai Great Wall. The historic village developed around Simatai Fortress, built during the Wanli Emperor’s reign in the Ming dynasty, from 1573 to 1620.

Gubei Water Town brings together a northern Chinese water-town setting and the Simatai Great Wall. The resort covers about nine square kilometers, or 3.5 square miles, with separate water-town and Great Wall sightseeing areas.

3:30 p.m.: We will return to Beijing via our coach bus. The drop off point is at Dongzhimen Bus Terminal, you can easily transfer from here to subway line 2 or take another bus from here back to your hotel. If you have any questions don’t hesitate your tour guide is more than happy to help.