Route map
Route illustration. Your guide will confirm the final trail, access and travel times before departure.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 · Beijing to Old Dragon's Head
Leave Beijing for the Bohai coast and begin at Old Dragon’s Head. The setting shows the defensive line meeting open water rather than a mountain pass. Continue to Shanhaiguan and its Great Wall Museum for historical context, then enjoy the old town after dinner. The drive is approximately four hours.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Shanhaiguan Hotel or similar.
Day 2 · Jiaoshan Great Wall
Jiaoshan introduces the first substantial climbs of the trek. Follow the Wall as it leaves the coastal plain, pausing where the view opens toward Shanhaiguan. Deteriorated sections require a measured pace and careful placement of your feet. The final program clarifies whether the night remains near Shanhaiguan or follows the transfer mentioned toward Dongjiakou.
Walking distance: 9 km. Walking time: 4 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Shanhaiguan Hotel or similar.
Day 3 · East Qing Tombs to Huangyaguan
Visit the Eastern Qing Tombs before continuing to Huangyaguan. The tomb complex provides a cultural interlude between hiking days, with ceremonial structures set against wooded hills. At Huangyaguan, explore the fortress and its distinctive maze-like street layout. Settle into the hotel listed for this part of the route.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar.
Day 4 · Peace Fort to Huangyaguan and Sky Ladder
Follow the defenses from Taipingzhai toward Huangyaguan and the Sky Ladder. The route gains height through a succession of towers before reaching the steep stairs. Higher sections reveal a different construction character from the restored fortress below. After the walk, continue with the transfer toward Jinshanling described in your confirmed program.
Walking distance: 9 km. Walking time: 4 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar.
Day 5 · West Simatai to Jinshanling
Spend the day on the Jinshanling–West Simatai ridge. The planned walk is approximately eight kilometers, allowing time to look at tower construction and the mountain views between climbs. Older stonework and repaired ramparts appear along the same defensive line. A camping night is part of the planned plan, subject to a permitted site being available.
Walking distance: 8 km. Walking time: 3.5 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Planned Great Wall camp, subject to permission.
Day 6 · Jinshanling to Gubeikou
Continue westward toward Gubeikou through increasingly weathered fortifications. The terrain makes the military logic of the pass easier to understand: towers command ridges and narrow approaches through the hills. Learn about the area’s twentieth-century fighting without losing sight of the much older defenses. Overnight in the Gubeikou area as confirmed.
Walking distance: 11 km. Walking time: 4.5 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Miss-U-Much Hostel.
Day 7 · Crouching Tiger Mountain
Explore Crouching Tiger Mountain, or Wohu, on the western side of Gubeikou. The name refers to the shape of the mountain, while the surviving Wall provides views over villages and valleys below. This additional walking day broadens the route beyond the usual through-hike. Afterwards, transfer toward Jiankou for the next stage.
Walking distance: 10 km. Walking time: 4 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Laohe's Inn.
Day 8 · Jiankou
Use today to explore a selected Jiankou route before the crossing to Mutianyu. The old towers sit amid steep ridges and encroaching vegetation, making this one of the more demanding landscapes on the journey. Your guide adjusts the walking line to local access and conditions. Return to a countryside inn after the hike.
Walking distance: 10 km. Walking time: 4 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Good Fortune Inn.
Day 9 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
From Jiankou, make the transition to Mutianyu’s repaired ramparts and substantial watchtowers. This final mountain traverse lets you compare two distinct Great Wall experiences within one day. Descend by the method agreed in your proposal, then travel toward Huanghuacheng for the last hiking stage.
Walking distance: 11 km. Walking time: 4.5 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Good Fortune Inn.
Day 10 · Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Finish beside the Huanghuacheng reservoir, where the Wall drops toward the water between wooded slopes. The day combines ridge walking with connecting trails and viewpoints over the lake. After the final descent, return to Beijing in the late afternoon. Any city hotel night follows the accommodation arrangement in your confirmed quote.
Walking distance: 11 km. Walking time: 4 hours. Meals: Breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Holiday Inn Express or similar.
Planning your visit
The itinerary includes consecutive active days and some exposed, unrestored terrain. Walking figures are planning estimates; the final route, camp and daily lodging depend on access and the group’s ability.