3Aa Great Wall Trek links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Xishuiyu. The program balances walking, transfers, meals and overnight arrangements across a longer section of the Wall.
Summary
3Aa Great Wall Trek links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Xishuiyu. The program balances walking, transfers, meals and overnight arrangements across a longer section of the Wall.
Route map
Schematic route · not to scale
Route stop
Brief itinerary
Day 1 · Beijing-Gubeikou-Jinshanling
Day 2 · Jiankou-Mutianyu
Day 3 · Lakeside Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu
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 · Beijing-Gubeikou-Jinshanling
Hiking Distance: 10km/6miles
Hours to Take: 4.5
Accommodation: Camping in a watchtower
Meals: Lunch and dinner
Water: Unlimited bottles
9:30 am: We will pick you up from your hotel and drive directly to the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall, where we will begin our two-day hike on the Wall. It is 2.5 hours of driving.
Today we will hike for around 10km/6 miles. The Gubeikou Great Wall is winding, ups and downs, with many enemy buildings and different forms. Gubeikou has a dangerous terrain. In the middle section of Shanhaiguan and Juyongguan, steep mountain roads are dangerous, which is where Qing emperors go to the northeast to worship ancestors, hunt, and patrol.
The Jinshanling Great Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, while 1/4 of it is restored, allows you to have a more intimate experience with the Wall. This afternoon, you'll watch the sunset while walking along the Wall.
Then we'll take you to have a gorgeous Chinese countryside style dinner served by a local housewife. Before it gets dark, we'll go up to the mountain and sleep overnight in a watchtower. We'll prepare the necessary camping facilities, including tents and sleeping bags, so you don't have to bring anything but yourself. Here it is the sound sleeper's paradise - let the mountain valley and the Great Wall echo your snoring sound!
Day 2 · Jiankou-Mutianyu
Hiking Distance: 9km/6miles
Hours to Take: 3.5
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Accommodation: Great Wall Farmotel
Water: Unlimited bottles
If you elect to spend the night camping, we'll be sure to wake up early to catch the sunrise over the Great Wall, so be sure to have your cameras ready!
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 extraordinarily high and forms the highest reaching point of the Jiankou section.
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. The Mutianyu Great Wall has undulating hills and lush forests. The hills here are steep and curved, so it is very three-dimensional. The Mutianyu Great Wall has dense enemy buildings. Such a section of the Great Wall with an enemy building at about a hundred meters is rare. In the other sections of the Great Wall, crenellation walls were mostly built on one side, while the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall had crenellation walls on both sides. The crenellation walls were bunkers for the defenders to fight against the enemy. Two crenellation walls mean fighting with the enemy on both sides, which shows how important the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is in history.
You can hike down to the parking lot, take a cable car, or take a toboggan ride (highly recommended, and lots of fun!) down to meet our driver, who will drive us to our inn for the night. Tonight, we'll overnight in a village called Huanghuacheng Village. We'll stay in a place called "Good Fortune Restaurants & Lodge."
Day 3 · Lakeside Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu
Hiking Distance: 10km/8miles
Hours to Take: 4.5
Accommodation: Great Wall Farmotel
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Water: Unlimited bottles
We will wake up at 7:30 AM with breakfast at the hotel. We will then continue our trek, this time from Huanhuacheng to Xishuiyu.
Huanghuacheng, like Jiankou, is fast becoming popular with hikers and tourists who are looking for something a little different in their Great Wall experience. The wall here is a combination of restored and unrestored areas, giving your hike a bit more variety and adventure. When you reach the middle of the wall, you will be able to see that the countryside is swathed in yellow, as masses of wildflowers come into bloom. We will then cross over onto the Xishuiyu section.
Today’s hike is quite special-part of the wall underwater! In 1974 China built the Xishuiyu Reservoir. Some low-lying sections of the wall are submerged underwater.
Following our hike today, our driver will take us back to Beijing, where you will be dropped off at your hotel, ending the tour.
In the afternoon, we will drive back to Beijing and arrive at your hotel around 5:00 PM.
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.
