5X 5 Day Great Wall Trek links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Wild Badaling, Shixiaguan. The program balances walking, transfers, meals and overnight arrangements across a longer section of the Wall.
Summary
5X 5 Day Great Wall Trek links Jinshanling, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Mutianyu, Huanghuacheng, Wild Badaling, Shixiaguan. 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 · Shixiaguan-Badaling
Day 2 · Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Day 3 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
Day 4 · Jinshanling to West Simatai
Day 5 · Gubeikou to Jinshanling
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 · Shixiaguan-Badaling
Shixiaguan (Stone Gorge) Pass is 5km southwest of the Badaling section of the Great Wall. It is one of the most intact parts of the whole Great Wall. Despite severe damage, the winding wall set in the lofty mountains reveals its grandeur. The wall remains relatively untouched because of its strategic location. The Shixiaguan Pass was initially built in the reign of Ming Emperor Wanli (about 1600 AD), which was then a key pass guarded by a large number of soldiers.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn or camping on the Great Wall at Huanghuacheng
Day 2 · Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Huanghuacheng is the only section that sits beside the lakes, so it is called Lakeside Great Wall. Since the lake breaks this section of the Great Wall into three segments naturally, its uniqueness might surprise you.
The Huanghuacheng Reservoir lies here, shaped like a curved moon. The Wall's highest point is a broken watchtower, and from there, you will have a broad panoramic view of the whole valley. From this summit, the Wall dives steeply downwards into the valley.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Laohe's Inn at Jiankou
Day 3 · 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. The construction of the Mutianyu Great Wall has a unique style. The Zhengguan platform, with three enemy towers standing side by side, is rare in the Great Wall. Thus, Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and Wall.
Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn
Day 4 · Jinshanling to West Simatai
Our hike will start from Simatai, and we will make our way west along the Wall into Jinshanling. Here is the classic Great Wall that hikers are very thrilled about. The Wall runs from a 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 5 · 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 with it.
In 1933, the Chinese army fought against Japanese invasion troops at Gubeikou. In the four-month-long battles, over 5,000 Japanese soldiers and 9,000 Chinese soldiers died. You can see that Gubeikou is not merely a relic, but it remained a battlefield in the modern world.
We will return to Beijing in the late afternoon.
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.
