Route map
Route illustration. Your guide will confirm the final trail, access and travel times before departure.
Detailed itinerary
Day 1 · Shixiaguan-Badaling
Begin at Shixiaguan, southwest of Badaling, where the Wall follows a narrow mountain pass. The first walk introduces older defenses in a setting quite different from Badaling’s main visitor area. Pause to examine the surviving masonry and the way the ridges shape the defensive line. Tonight’s arrangement may be a countryside inn or a permitted Huanghuacheng camp.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Good Fortune Inn or camping on the Great Wall at Huanghuacheng.
Day 2 · Jiankou Trekking
Explore Jiankou on a route selected for the group’s ability and current access. Forest approaches lead to weathered towers and views across the valley. Broken steps, vegetation and uneven surfaces make careful footing essential. After the walk, descend to a village inn for dinner and a chance to recover before tomorrow’s crossing toward Mutianyu.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Laohe's Inn.
Day 3 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
Continue from Jiankou toward Mutianyu, noticing how rougher masonry gradually gives way to repaired ramparts. The contrast brings the Wall’s different preservation conditions into focus. Take time at the towers to look back over the mountains before descending. The evening is spent at the countryside lodging listed in your confirmed program.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Good Fortune Inn.
Day 4 · Jinshanling to West Simatai
Today’s walk explores the Jinshanling and West Simatai ridge, with the exact direction set by the accessible entrances. Towers, steep steps and stretches of older stonework provide a varied day underfoot. Compare the defensive details as the route moves between less-restored and repaired sections. The planned program includes a camping night, with the permitted location confirmed in advance.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Overnight: Planned Great Wall camp, subject to permission.
Day 5 · Gubeikou-Jinshanling
Walk the Gubeikou–Jinshanling corridor and consider the mountain pass’s continuing military importance, including its role in the fighting of 1933. The route combines unrestored ridges with larger towers nearer Jinshanling. After descending, transfer toward Huangyaguan, where the overnight stay places you close to the next day’s trail.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch. Overnight: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar.
Day 6 · Huangyaguan
Finish at Taipingzhai, also called Peace Fort, and follow the Huangyaguan defenses toward the steep Sky Ladder. The long staircase leads toward higher ground and older stretches of the Wall. The guide sets the turning point according to the group and trail conditions. After lunch, travel back to Beijing to conclude the trek.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch.
Planning your visit
Expect six active days with steep stairs and uneven ground. Confirm the exact walking distances, permitted camp, inn names and final Beijing drop-off in your proposal.