7 Day Great Wall Trek

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. Amidst the lofty mountains, deep gullies, and steep valleys, the Great Wall piers face each other. Although the original city walls have gone through vicissitudes and severe damage, you can still see their grand scale when you look far away.

Badaling is the top of the Great Wall and the essence of the Great Wall of the Ming Dynasty. The Great Wall's vertical and horizontal military capital mountains ups and downs constituted a defense system in the depth of "layers of defense, every inch of the earth, and every step of the way."

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn

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: Camping on the Wal

Day 3 · Majestic Jiankou

Jiankouis the part where the shape of the mountain looks like an arrow, with the collapsed ridge opening as its arrow nock. It is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it affords. As soon as we reach Jiankou, we will see a deserted watchtower that gives you a panoramic view of the entire valley. In the early morning, the picture is priceless with its morning fog. It is the pinnacle of exotic Great Wall scenery.

Once we descend from the Great Wall, we will spend the night at a farmer’s inn.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Good Fortune Inn

Day 4 · Jiankou-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. Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below, and if you look to your right, you’ll see a large sign engraved in the side of the mountain, encouraging you to “Cherish the teachings of Chairman Mao.” Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Camping on the Great Wall at Gubeikou

Day 5 · Gubeikou-Jinshanling

Gubeikou is mostly Wild Wall. It was first built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and rebuilt in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). This section of the Wall stretches 40 miles. 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, they killed over 5,000 Japanese soldiers but sacrificed 9,000 of their own You can see that Gubeikou is not merely a relic, but it remained a battlefield in the modern world.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Camping on the Wal

Day 6 · Jinshanling to West Simatai

Our hike will start from Simatai, and we will make our way west along the wall into Jinshanling. The Great Wall rises and falls between the mountains and the rivers, and the situation is incredibly majestic. It is incredibly densely packed with enemy towers, exquisitely constructed and of various forms, incomparable to the Great Wall of Badaling, Shanhaiguan, and Jiayuguan. 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 stay at the foot of Huangyaguang Great Wall.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Accommodation: Huangyaguan Hotel

Day 7 · Huangyaguan Sky Ladder

Today we'll start with Peace Fort (Taipingzhai) that starts from Banlagang Mountain in the east and arriving at Guafu Tower (Widow Tower) in the west. There are six watchtowers, one battlement, and one shortcut leading to the wall.

Waking westward, we will get to the steepest segment of this section, the Huangya Sky Ladder. It stretches to the top of the ridge, seemingly leads to the sky. Climbing over the ladder, we will reach the primitive Great Wall built in the Northern Qi Dynasty, marking the Huangyaguan section's end.

We will end this adventure tonight.

Meals: Breakfast, lunch