Jinshanling Great Wall
Jinshanling Great Wall
5
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
3:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
Jinshanling Great Wall is located in Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province, 80 miles (130 kilometers) northeast of Beijing. It used to be a sound defensive system including barrier walls, battlement walls, watchtowers, gun emplacements, shooting holes, horse blocking walls, and branch cities. Today, it is renowned as the "Paradise of Photographers" and a popular tourist destination because of its magnificent appearance and intoxicating scenery.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Anita N
Seattle39 contributions
Dec 2019
The wall at Jinshanling was amazing! The weather was cold and clear, and our small tour of 8 was the only people there. The 3.5 mile walk was more challenging than I expected, some steep ups and downs and no short cuts or ways out once you start. Just make sure you have good shoes, a snack or 2, and a bit of stamina. I highly recommend it!
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
coconutugly
Marbella, Spain2,109 contributions
Apr 2024 • Friends
Whatever you decide TAKE YOUR PASSPORT. You won’t be allowed to enter if you do this masterpiece section of the Wall. You have to leave around 7am , hire a car and driver.: we paid 1000Y for 10hours but it was totally worth it. Nobody around, and quite possibly the most beautiful part of the wall. You also have to pay 1€ for a mini shuttle bus each way. Then you walk for about 15mins up to the wall. Along the way the locals sell water and chocs ontop of the wall, so you won’t die of dehydration . Once on the wall head leftwards, and marvel. The traffic back into beijing is awful. 3 hours minimum
Written April 29, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MichaKri
Munich, Germany20 contributions
Sep 2012 • Couples
Jinshanling is a great part of the Great Wall which you can enjoy with very few up to no other tourists. You get to see original parts of the wall as well as restored sections within a beautiful scenery. There are some options how to get there. This post is about how you can take the weekend tourist bus. Generally on weekends and holidays you find more people everywhere than during weekdays. That's the same for the Jinshanling section, that is the catch for taking the comfortable tourist bus way, but the number is still very low. And as you get away a kilometer from the cablecar access you will usually find yourself alone on the wall.
The tourist bus operates on weekends and statutory holidays during the peak season (April 3rd to November 1st)
1. Take the metro to Dongzhimen bus terminus in Beijing
2. Ignore the signs that point to the bus terminal and go towards Exit B (take the right Exit)
3. Walk towards the east (early morning this is where the sun is :) ), but you can also walk having the main road on your right side.
4. After very short walk pass the bus terminal on the left.
5. You will come to an intersection, where you have to turn left.
6. Walk for about 5-10 minutes, pass many buses and you will see an outdoor bus terminal (Great Wall Terminal) on the left side
7. The first counter on the left, once you enter the driveway, sells Jinshanling Tickets which have a golden souvenir coin (120 CNY in September 2012). It includes round-trip bus ticket, admission fee, cable way, and the tourist car at the scenic spot.
Adress: 东直门外斜街 45号 (45 Donghimen Wai Xie Jie). If you get lost show this to the local people, they point you to the right direction. Ask multiple times and different people, sometimes they do not know the way and point the wrong direction.
The bus leaves Beijing at 8am (somtimes a little earlier). There might be only one bus a day. When I was there they had another one stand by in case the first one was full.
Leaves the Great Wall at 3pm, maybe a little earlier, so be there, it will leave on time & without you.
Enjoy your trip!
The tourist bus operates on weekends and statutory holidays during the peak season (April 3rd to November 1st)
1. Take the metro to Dongzhimen bus terminus in Beijing
2. Ignore the signs that point to the bus terminal and go towards Exit B (take the right Exit)
3. Walk towards the east (early morning this is where the sun is :) ), but you can also walk having the main road on your right side.
4. After very short walk pass the bus terminal on the left.
5. You will come to an intersection, where you have to turn left.
6. Walk for about 5-10 minutes, pass many buses and you will see an outdoor bus terminal (Great Wall Terminal) on the left side
7. The first counter on the left, once you enter the driveway, sells Jinshanling Tickets which have a golden souvenir coin (120 CNY in September 2012). It includes round-trip bus ticket, admission fee, cable way, and the tourist car at the scenic spot.
Adress: 东直门外斜街 45号 (45 Donghimen Wai Xie Jie). If you get lost show this to the local people, they point you to the right direction. Ask multiple times and different people, sometimes they do not know the way and point the wrong direction.
The bus leaves Beijing at 8am (somtimes a little earlier). There might be only one bus a day. When I was there they had another one stand by in case the first one was full.
Leaves the Great Wall at 3pm, maybe a little earlier, so be there, it will leave on time & without you.
Enjoy your trip!
Written October 18, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wontontraveller
Thailand11 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
It was difficult to find reliable and complete information about hiking on the Great Wall so I decided to post what we learned from our experience there. We visited the Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Simatai section to the north of Beijing. If you want to hike on really scenic sections of the Great Wall, Jinshanling is the best place. It is more mountainous and scenic than Gubeikou and much more geared towards hiking than Simatai. If you can, hike the route between Jinshanling and Gubeikou so you can see both the unrestored, original wall at Gubeikou and the partially restored wall at Jinshanling which allows you to imagine how it looked when it was first built. Simatai is now horrifically built up and touristy with the new water town development - there are guards posted at every tower and you can only visit a few of the towers - definitely not Fairy Tower or Sky Bridge in the east, nor anything west of the reservoir. We wanted to hike from Simatai to Jinshanling but the Simatai west wall is closed from the reservoir until the Jinshanling wall, we found no way to cross the reservoir or access the other side to get to Jinshanling. From the eastern side of the Jinshanling wall you have a great view of the whole Simatai section, so my advice is to avoid visiting Simatai altogether. I just hated how commercial and controlled it was there.
Since it's hard to find a good map of the whole wall, this is a general overview from West to East: Gubeikou Panlongshan wall -- closed military section (hiking trail around it to the north of the wall) - - Jinshanling wall -- Simatai West wall (closed and impassable) -- Simatai East wall (accessible only from Simatai water town).
Some hiking route suggestions:
1. Jinshanling East Gate to Six Window Tower (approx 8km, about 4km actually on the wall and the rest on the trails approaching the wall - about 2-3 hours hiking). The wall includes some very steep sections and a lot of steps. This loop can be done in the opposite direction but a bit steeper. Entrance fee is 65 yuan, summer opening hours are 5:00-19:00. There is a direct bus from Beijing Dongzhimen Station for 48 yuan (1.5 hours), I think the last bus left Jinshanling for Beijing around 4:30. There are also nice, affordable places to stay in Jinshanling (even along the path leading up to the wall) if you want to see sunrise or sunset.
2. Jinshanling to Gubeikou or vice versa (approx 12 km from one entrance gate to the other, around 6-7 hours including breaks). This is a really nice trail where you get to see many different sections of the wall. You can enter at the Jinshanling mid gate and follow the wall until Taochunkao tower, where you follow the trail towards the West Gate. You walk alongside the wall on a steep path for a while before heading north away from the wall through the countryside. Everything is well signed here and when we went there were pink spray paint markers from a recent marathon marking the way. Eventually you reach a parking lot with a small shop where a lady sells tickets for the Jinshanling wall and sodas and snacks. She will point you to the path going left into the forest towards Gubeikou. This path climbs gradually up to the wall, arriving at a big ruined tower where you start walking on the wall again. Stay on the main path and you will find your way easily. The Gubeikou wall is less maintained and sometimes you walk on the wall, sometimes next to it. Along here you will meet someone selling tickets (25 yuan). Eventually the main path splits from the wall, it gets a little confusing here but follow what looks like the most used path (or use a trail map app) and you will end up in Gubeikou town. From town you can get a minibus to Miyun (around 10 yuan) then bus 980 to Beijing (around 20 yuan), it takes about 3 hours total. Or you can stay the night, we found a room for 150 yuan at a cheap guest house.
If you want to camp on the wall, the best place is Gubeikou. In Jinshanling there are cameras everywhere and signs saying no camping. You should be able to camp in Gubeikou in one of the towers. It is officially illegal unless you get a permit (by going with a tour company) but it didn't seem like anyone would be checking. Keep in mind it will be cold and windy up there at night. Suggested itinerary would be to start early on the 1.5hr bus from Beijing to Jinshanling, hike from Jinshanling east gate (about 2 or 3 km from the bus stop to the wall going this way) to Jinshanling west gate, and start on the trail towards Gubeikou. It looked like there were places you could camp near the trail before it climbs up to the wall, though I don't know if the land belongs to someone (I didn't camp there myself). Or walk up to the wall and camp in one of the first towers there. That makes about 9-10km for day one, leaving about 6-8km for day two. On day two you can hike into Gubeikou, have lunch and get the two buses back to Beijing (see above). Of course you can do this in the opposite direction but check what time the last bus leaves Jinshanling to return to Beijing (4:30pm when I was there). Carry enough water because there aren't many water sources on the trail. You can buy small bottles of water at a few places on the Jinshanling wall but better not to count on that.
Check the weather before you visit, as any of the paths listed above would be tricky in the rain. If it's raining, you can still visit Jinshanling but stick to the areas closer to the mid gate, as the sections further away are steeper and more slippery.
Enjoy your visit! The views are absolutely breathtaking and the wall is a work of art!
Since it's hard to find a good map of the whole wall, this is a general overview from West to East: Gubeikou Panlongshan wall -- closed military section (hiking trail around it to the north of the wall) - - Jinshanling wall -- Simatai West wall (closed and impassable) -- Simatai East wall (accessible only from Simatai water town).
Some hiking route suggestions:
1. Jinshanling East Gate to Six Window Tower (approx 8km, about 4km actually on the wall and the rest on the trails approaching the wall - about 2-3 hours hiking). The wall includes some very steep sections and a lot of steps. This loop can be done in the opposite direction but a bit steeper. Entrance fee is 65 yuan, summer opening hours are 5:00-19:00. There is a direct bus from Beijing Dongzhimen Station for 48 yuan (1.5 hours), I think the last bus left Jinshanling for Beijing around 4:30. There are also nice, affordable places to stay in Jinshanling (even along the path leading up to the wall) if you want to see sunrise or sunset.
2. Jinshanling to Gubeikou or vice versa (approx 12 km from one entrance gate to the other, around 6-7 hours including breaks). This is a really nice trail where you get to see many different sections of the wall. You can enter at the Jinshanling mid gate and follow the wall until Taochunkao tower, where you follow the trail towards the West Gate. You walk alongside the wall on a steep path for a while before heading north away from the wall through the countryside. Everything is well signed here and when we went there were pink spray paint markers from a recent marathon marking the way. Eventually you reach a parking lot with a small shop where a lady sells tickets for the Jinshanling wall and sodas and snacks. She will point you to the path going left into the forest towards Gubeikou. This path climbs gradually up to the wall, arriving at a big ruined tower where you start walking on the wall again. Stay on the main path and you will find your way easily. The Gubeikou wall is less maintained and sometimes you walk on the wall, sometimes next to it. Along here you will meet someone selling tickets (25 yuan). Eventually the main path splits from the wall, it gets a little confusing here but follow what looks like the most used path (or use a trail map app) and you will end up in Gubeikou town. From town you can get a minibus to Miyun (around 10 yuan) then bus 980 to Beijing (around 20 yuan), it takes about 3 hours total. Or you can stay the night, we found a room for 150 yuan at a cheap guest house.
If you want to camp on the wall, the best place is Gubeikou. In Jinshanling there are cameras everywhere and signs saying no camping. You should be able to camp in Gubeikou in one of the towers. It is officially illegal unless you get a permit (by going with a tour company) but it didn't seem like anyone would be checking. Keep in mind it will be cold and windy up there at night. Suggested itinerary would be to start early on the 1.5hr bus from Beijing to Jinshanling, hike from Jinshanling east gate (about 2 or 3 km from the bus stop to the wall going this way) to Jinshanling west gate, and start on the trail towards Gubeikou. It looked like there were places you could camp near the trail before it climbs up to the wall, though I don't know if the land belongs to someone (I didn't camp there myself). Or walk up to the wall and camp in one of the first towers there. That makes about 9-10km for day one, leaving about 6-8km for day two. On day two you can hike into Gubeikou, have lunch and get the two buses back to Beijing (see above). Of course you can do this in the opposite direction but check what time the last bus leaves Jinshanling to return to Beijing (4:30pm when I was there). Carry enough water because there aren't many water sources on the trail. You can buy small bottles of water at a few places on the Jinshanling wall but better not to count on that.
Check the weather before you visit, as any of the paths listed above would be tricky in the rain. If it's raining, you can still visit Jinshanling but stick to the areas closer to the mid gate, as the sections further away are steeper and more slippery.
Enjoy your visit! The views are absolutely breathtaking and the wall is a work of art!
Written June 29, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
two_wily_wanderers
Johannesburg, South Africa249 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
Having visited both the Mutianyu and Jinshaling sections of the Great Wall, we found the Jinshaling section much more enjoyable. The scenery around the wall is beautiful with no encroachment from buildings or towns. The views are spectacular, with minimal crowds. The walls are restored, but not overly so. I would suggest giving yourself between three-four hours on the wall in order to hike a suitable length whilst also sitting back and just marvelling at this amazing achievement. If you plan to walk down from the wall, take note of the footpaths (maps are provided) and plan your hike accordingly. Also note, from the entrance to the wall (after all formalities) will take you approximately 30-60 minutes (length dependent upon whether you hike up to the wall or take the cable car).
We chose to you use the bus, and below are some tips:
1. We chose to take a bus from Wangjing West station towards Luanping (CNY32 per person) – comfortable two-and-a-half-hour journey with pleasant and helpful staff.
2. Exit the subway station, cross over the road and go left. The bus station is not clearly marked at the exit of the subway station, so ask around. There will be scouts offering to ferry you to the wall via minibus taxi here as well (their pitch is to tell you that there are no buses to Jinshaling – note, there is a special tourist bus to Jinshaling as well as the regular public buses to Luanping).
3. We were dropped off at the Jinshanling Service Area (gas station).
4. Here, you can take a free shuttle to the entrance. Note, the shuttle will be parked to the right of the convenience store. There is no marking on the shuttle vehicle, it looks like a minivan/station wagon - just ask the driver sitting in the vehicle. Given that we did not know where to find the shuttle bus, we chose to use a taxi. Not a long drive and cost us CNY20 – the walk to the entrance is a fair distance especially if you want to conserve your energy for the wall.
5. At the entrance, you can buy a return ticket to be ferried to the ticket office (CNY10 per person per one-way) – again a bit of an uphill walk otherwise.
6. If you are planning on catching the last bus back to Beijing, I would strongly suggest that you buy your return ticket to Beijing from inside the convenience store before you depart the Jinshanling Service Area to the wall. Inside the convenience store, there will be a person wearing a blue and yellow jacket sitting off to your right – buy your ticket here. We chose to buy the ticket on our return but unfortunately the bus was full forcing us to charter a taxi back to Beijing. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there were other tourists looking to return to Beijing, and thus shared the CNY500 cost – there is not much competition given the remote location.
We chose to you use the bus, and below are some tips:
1. We chose to take a bus from Wangjing West station towards Luanping (CNY32 per person) – comfortable two-and-a-half-hour journey with pleasant and helpful staff.
2. Exit the subway station, cross over the road and go left. The bus station is not clearly marked at the exit of the subway station, so ask around. There will be scouts offering to ferry you to the wall via minibus taxi here as well (their pitch is to tell you that there are no buses to Jinshaling – note, there is a special tourist bus to Jinshaling as well as the regular public buses to Luanping).
3. We were dropped off at the Jinshanling Service Area (gas station).
4. Here, you can take a free shuttle to the entrance. Note, the shuttle will be parked to the right of the convenience store. There is no marking on the shuttle vehicle, it looks like a minivan/station wagon - just ask the driver sitting in the vehicle. Given that we did not know where to find the shuttle bus, we chose to use a taxi. Not a long drive and cost us CNY20 – the walk to the entrance is a fair distance especially if you want to conserve your energy for the wall.
5. At the entrance, you can buy a return ticket to be ferried to the ticket office (CNY10 per person per one-way) – again a bit of an uphill walk otherwise.
6. If you are planning on catching the last bus back to Beijing, I would strongly suggest that you buy your return ticket to Beijing from inside the convenience store before you depart the Jinshanling Service Area to the wall. Inside the convenience store, there will be a person wearing a blue and yellow jacket sitting off to your right – buy your ticket here. We chose to buy the ticket on our return but unfortunately the bus was full forcing us to charter a taxi back to Beijing. Fortunately (or unfortunately) there were other tourists looking to return to Beijing, and thus shared the CNY500 cost – there is not much competition given the remote location.
Written December 31, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rajiin0110
Wappingers Falls47 contributions
After reading some reviews and doing some online search, we decided to go with Beijing Downtown Backpackers. They provided everything we needed (transportation both ways, all entrance fees and bridge toll) and none of the stuff we didn’t need (shopping stops, meals, etc), all for 260RMB per person. That’s hard to beat. What you get in return is awesome scenery, a great workout, relief away from the hustle and bustle of the city, and a tactile sense of history and time. Unlike Badaling, which has been restored to postcard perfect, the section of the Great Wall between Jinshanling and Simatai is mostly left as-is except for some spot fixes for safety. To be able to climb the eroded steps put together by hand centuries ago and walk into the crumbling watchtowers that once stood guard of the Middle Kingdom is a privilege and a humbling experience.
Note: The vendors at the various watchtowers are relaxed and friendly, but the ones at the start of Jinshanling can be pushy and they may even follow you for a short distance. Just be firm if you do not want to purchase their goods.
Note: The vendors at the various watchtowers are relaxed and friendly, but the ones at the start of Jinshanling can be pushy and they may even follow you for a short distance. Just be firm if you do not want to purchase their goods.
Written May 12, 2009
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ruyisssss
Sydney, Australia1 contribution
Jul 2017 • Family
Sad news. From June 1st, Jinshanling Great Wall section will be closed for at least the next four months. Attached photo is the official Government sign.
I was planning a trip here for a long time and was really excited from all its reviews and comments, but now, I'm a little disappointed because it's closed. I will be heading to Mutianyu (although there is a lot more tourist there and a less scenery) but travelling is all about the ups and downs right? :)
I was planning a trip here for a long time and was really excited from all its reviews and comments, but now, I'm a little disappointed because it's closed. I will be heading to Mutianyu (although there is a lot more tourist there and a less scenery) but travelling is all about the ups and downs right? :)
Written July 6, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ststephen33
San Francisco, CA39 contributions
Just got back from a fantastic 2-day hike along the Great Wall of China and a guesthouse stay at the "Happiness Courier Station" in Jinshanling. I had arranged to meet a guide in Gubeikou and then walk about 12 kilometers the first day, with a stay either on the wall (he was to provide tent and sleeping bag) and another guided walk from Jinshanling to Simitai the 2nd day (Simitai wall itself is currently closed). Weather (and my need for creature comforts) forestalled the sleep on the wall, although I could have done it regardless, so I stayed at the guesthouse. Really went beyond my expectations. The walk is indescribable (if you are reading this, you are probably already committed to the idea, so I do not need to comment on that - just do it, you will never forget it). I am really writing to recommend the guide's services and the guesthouse stay. I met the guide, who calls himself Snow, through the Great Wall Forum (also highly recommended if you need info on the Wall). He speaks very good English, is knowledgeable, and very fun to walk with - if nothing else, he knows all the ticket sellers, touts, and other local folks, so you do not get bothered at all. But the stay at his family's guesthouse was far more than I expected - it really made the trip extra special or me. I was the only guest (it is mid-October), and I had the run of the place, which is a working farm as well as a bed and breakfast. It is about as close a you can get to the main entrance to Jinshanling, and he can arrange all kinds of rides to/from wherever (Beijing, Miyun, Gubeikou - I met him in Gubeikou, and he had my luggage transported to the farm while we walked, so I only had to carry a small daypack. The guesthouse was immaculate, and the food was fantastic, and frankly, way too much to eat, and they will cater to vegetarians as well. Rates were very reasonable (720 RMB for the 2 day guided walk, 4 meals, plenty of pijiu, and 2 nights stay). You can contact him directly at [--], tel [--], or email me at ststephen33@yahoo.com if you want more information. I cannot wait to go back to Happiness Courier Station!
Written October 23, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
हरिणः
238 contributions
Jun 2017 • Solo
Jinshanling tourist bus is not operating anymore coz of Jinshanling closure due to renovation. I went to Bafangda bus station at Wangjing West station Exit C to learn this. There is a poster in English n Chinese at the bus at the bus station.
Hence I did not happen to visit Jinshanling. May be tour operators still send people there.... I would assume the Jinshanling itself is not closed but just the tourist bus going there. May be someone could confirm so that whoever plans to go there might benefit on the updated information.
Hence I did not happen to visit Jinshanling. May be tour operators still send people there.... I would assume the Jinshanling itself is not closed but just the tourist bus going there. May be someone could confirm so that whoever plans to go there might benefit on the updated information.
Written June 18, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
cabertagnolli
London, UK26 contributions
May 2017 • Couples
I will try to share my experience here as best as I can, I've visited the wall on the 16th of May of 2017.
My wife and I have used Joe as our guide, which we found here in TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294212-d4174536-Reviews-Joe_s_Untouched_Great_Wall_Hike-Beijing.html
He also uses WhatsApp: +86 186 0026 9575
My day started by realizing that I'd not told Joe that I've actually changed the Hotel I was staying in Beijing, which he was amused by and was pretty cool about. After 5 minutes he arrived at the hotel where me an my wife were. Joe then drove us to Jinshanling which was ~2.5 hours from central Beijing. The traffic in China is not for the faint hearted, but I'm quite fine with it, since I'm from Brazil and the traffic over there is pretty much the same.
Arriving there Joe has guided us to where we would buy the tickets and which direction to take once we get to the top of the trail, which me and my wife decided to skip by taking the cable car up. Be aware that there will be loads of people offering beer and guides offering their services or random people trying to be nice with you indicating where to go (sometimes very obvious directions), etc., they will be expecting a tip after doing whatever they've done, even if it was the most obvious thing you could ever think of. We have dodged everyone and got the to ticket hall where the entrance costs 65RMB. The cable car tickets you will buy further ahead once you're already inside and it costs 40RMB one way. Buy only one way if you are doing the whole hike from the west section to the east section of Jinshanling. I recommend the cable car if you would like to save your feet for the walk that leads to the wall. The walk up is a set of stairs in the middle of nowhere really, where you won't even get nice views from. Well worth the 40RMB in my opinion.
Once you get up there the views are already amazing, but it gets better, so save your battery and memory cards. Once you get off the cable car you need to walk on a short trail to get to the actual wall, and once you get inside the first tower there will be ladies selling water, beer, etc, skip them if you're not interested and take the LEFT, from there just keep walking ahead. We were lucky that the weather was excellent, clear blue skies in every direction (which is one of the benefits of this section), sunny but not too hot ~28C.
Differently from most of the reviews I've read, most of that section has been already renovated and they are renovating it further, so be quick. If you are going in the next weeks/months be aware that they will be closing that section for a complete renovation! Check with your guide before going there if that section is still open. They were already working on the roads and it will be closing soon I guess.
The walk was not as hard as we were expecting, some sections were pretty steep ramps up and steps, but we managed to do it in about 1.5hour, but have in mind we took the cable car otherwise add at least another 40min to 1hour.
You will know that you got to the end of that section once you get to a tower where there are no steps up to it and some weed growing on the path, you will need to walk back to the previous tower and go around it, then take the trail down a LOT of steps again.
It is a relatively short section, but I was really impressed with the views and how clear the air appears to be in that area. We felt at times that the we were the only ones there.
I was also impressed on how well educated Joe is, with his impeccable English, wide variety of knowledge and also very open to talk about any subject.
He kept us entertained during the whole drive to the wall and back to Beijing giving us a good introduction of why the wall was built in the first place.
I would strongly suggest Joe's services and would be definitely using him again if I have the chance to visit another section of the wall.
A list of things that I would say are essentials for the hike:
- Water;
- Sunscreen;
- Comfortable clothes;
- Non slippery shoes (hiking shoes are good but sort of an ovekill), I've walked with my Vans snickers without a problem;
- Chinese SIM card or a phone that you can call someone in case of emergency.
If you are reasonably fit you can do this walk without a problem. I'm a 95kg guy, not very fit and did it fine. I would not recommend this walk for someone with young children, on a wheelchair or with overall mobility or knee problems. Toilets available at the entrance and exit of the wall (take your own tissues though).
Good luck and I hope you guys enjoy just as much as I did!
My wife and I have used Joe as our guide, which we found here in TripAdvisor:
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g294212-d4174536-Reviews-Joe_s_Untouched_Great_Wall_Hike-Beijing.html
He also uses WhatsApp: +86 186 0026 9575
My day started by realizing that I'd not told Joe that I've actually changed the Hotel I was staying in Beijing, which he was amused by and was pretty cool about. After 5 minutes he arrived at the hotel where me an my wife were. Joe then drove us to Jinshanling which was ~2.5 hours from central Beijing. The traffic in China is not for the faint hearted, but I'm quite fine with it, since I'm from Brazil and the traffic over there is pretty much the same.
Arriving there Joe has guided us to where we would buy the tickets and which direction to take once we get to the top of the trail, which me and my wife decided to skip by taking the cable car up. Be aware that there will be loads of people offering beer and guides offering their services or random people trying to be nice with you indicating where to go (sometimes very obvious directions), etc., they will be expecting a tip after doing whatever they've done, even if it was the most obvious thing you could ever think of. We have dodged everyone and got the to ticket hall where the entrance costs 65RMB. The cable car tickets you will buy further ahead once you're already inside and it costs 40RMB one way. Buy only one way if you are doing the whole hike from the west section to the east section of Jinshanling. I recommend the cable car if you would like to save your feet for the walk that leads to the wall. The walk up is a set of stairs in the middle of nowhere really, where you won't even get nice views from. Well worth the 40RMB in my opinion.
Once you get up there the views are already amazing, but it gets better, so save your battery and memory cards. Once you get off the cable car you need to walk on a short trail to get to the actual wall, and once you get inside the first tower there will be ladies selling water, beer, etc, skip them if you're not interested and take the LEFT, from there just keep walking ahead. We were lucky that the weather was excellent, clear blue skies in every direction (which is one of the benefits of this section), sunny but not too hot ~28C.
Differently from most of the reviews I've read, most of that section has been already renovated and they are renovating it further, so be quick. If you are going in the next weeks/months be aware that they will be closing that section for a complete renovation! Check with your guide before going there if that section is still open. They were already working on the roads and it will be closing soon I guess.
The walk was not as hard as we were expecting, some sections were pretty steep ramps up and steps, but we managed to do it in about 1.5hour, but have in mind we took the cable car otherwise add at least another 40min to 1hour.
You will know that you got to the end of that section once you get to a tower where there are no steps up to it and some weed growing on the path, you will need to walk back to the previous tower and go around it, then take the trail down a LOT of steps again.
It is a relatively short section, but I was really impressed with the views and how clear the air appears to be in that area. We felt at times that the we were the only ones there.
I was also impressed on how well educated Joe is, with his impeccable English, wide variety of knowledge and also very open to talk about any subject.
He kept us entertained during the whole drive to the wall and back to Beijing giving us a good introduction of why the wall was built in the first place.
I would strongly suggest Joe's services and would be definitely using him again if I have the chance to visit another section of the wall.
A list of things that I would say are essentials for the hike:
- Water;
- Sunscreen;
- Comfortable clothes;
- Non slippery shoes (hiking shoes are good but sort of an ovekill), I've walked with my Vans snickers without a problem;
- Chinese SIM card or a phone that you can call someone in case of emergency.
If you are reasonably fit you can do this walk without a problem. I'm a 95kg guy, not very fit and did it fine. I would not recommend this walk for someone with young children, on a wheelchair or with overall mobility or knee problems. Toilets available at the entrance and exit of the wall (take your own tissues though).
Good luck and I hope you guys enjoy just as much as I did!
Written May 29, 2017
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Hello,
I’m looking at going to Jinshanling however I have read somewhere that the buses stop from 15/11/19. We were planning on going 25/11/19. If anyone could give us an idea on how the best way to get there is without using private transfer that would be great!
Written November 11, 2019
Sorry I can't help with that as we had a tour guide who arranged our transportation. However, our tour guide was terrific and may answer your question just because she's nice if you reach out to her. Her name is Sunflower and her mobile is 86 136 8114 1982
Written November 12, 2019
Bonjour,
Merci pour votre commentaire sur cette portion de la muraille. Vous pourriez peut-être m'aider sur un point : j'aurais voulu savoir s'il était possible de monter par téléphérique (et ouvert par rapport aux travaux) et si le tronçon entre le téléphérique et la porte Est est difficile ou pas (j'accompagne deux quincagénaires sans entraînement) ?
Les informations en temps réel sur internet ne sont pas très explicites, votre retour me sera très précieux. Merci beaucoup.
Cordialement.
Written August 22, 2018
Hola, nosotros subimos a la muralla a pie, pero nuestro guía nos comentó que sí que existe un teleférico para subir, aunque no recuerdo desde donde se coge.
La subida a pie es larga, pero con paciencia puede hacerse. Caminar por la muralla es cansado, hay pendientes y rampas muy empinadas, es necesario llevar calzado adecuado y ropa cómoda.
Espero haberle sido de ayuda
Saludos
Written August 22, 2018
hai . I am visiting Jinshanling great wall next month. Is there a direct bus from dongzhimen to jinshanling? if not which is the best way to reach from dongzhimen. From jinshanling service area, is there a free shuttle bus to the main gate.? .
Written August 6, 2018
Are there any recommended restaurants for meals near the Jinshanling Great Wall ?
Written July 13, 2018
When we visited, all the food shops were closed. We regretted not having brought some fruit or nuts for energy on the go. I would certainly check with your guide before you start whether or not they know places to stop and eat when you come off the wall.
Written July 14, 2018
Hello everybody, I would like to hike from Jinshaling to Simatai. Then from Simatai go to Chengde. Do you know if from Simatai there are any means of transportation to Chengde?
Thank you,
Silvia
Written April 1, 2018
Hi Pierre, I haven't found an answer and I changed my plan. My trip was from Chengde to Jinshanling and then Beijing. When I was in Jinshanling the route for Simatai was closed as I've read in some blogs, I tried to reach Gubeikou but also that route was closed so I just climbed Jinshanling. Anyway, if you want to go to Chengde from Jinshanling, there should be some buses but I do not know their schedule and where the bus stop is. I did Chengde - Luanping (here I was supposed to take a bus for Jinshanling but there were no buses that day and I just took a private car (150 cny two persons)) - Jinshanling - Beijing. If you need any other information, do not hesitate to ask!
Written May 2, 2018
buenas alguien podría decirme como distinguir el final del trekking en Jinshaling ?? lei bastante que es difícil encontrar el sendero final pero quizás alguien contó las torres o hay alguna identificación, ya que queremos realizarlo por nuestra cuenta
Written March 18, 2018
Hi everyone! I am planning to visit the Jinshanling section the second week in April 2018. I'm a photographer and would really love to photograph this section either right when it opens at 6 a.m. or later in the afternoon/evening before it closes to get the nice light (the golden hour :) My concern is it seems like most of the transportation options arrive later in the morning and leave around 3 p.m. or 4 p.m. If I take the bus there midday and stay until close is there a good option for getting back to Beijing in the evening? Are there buses back to a subway or train line? Appreciate any suggestions or insights! Thanks!
Written March 6, 2018
Ciao,vorrei sapere se,ora ristrutturata, e’ possibile percorrere il tratto Jinshalling-Simatai e se da lì ci sono mezzi pubblici per tornare a Pechino.
Written February 12, 2018
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