The Great Wall of Gubeikou
The Great Wall of Gubeikou
4.5
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience The Great Wall of Gubeikou
The area
Address
Best nearby
We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location.
Attractions
4 within 6 miles
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
230 reviews
Excellent
152
Very good
62
Average
16
Poor
0
Terrible
0
Traveller_Oldie
Charleston, SC279 contributions
Aug 2020 • Friends
This area gives you a wonderful experience of the wall and a much better feeling of all the work gone into building it. The wall is unrestored and in some places a bit dangerous, but definitely the way to go AND very few people. The hike up is a little steep, but certainly easily managed.
Written August 15, 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.
tamaletown
Perth, Australia1,670 contributions
Aug 2019 • Solo
Lovely little town , model traditional village. Best in Beijing, apparently! It is really cute, with heaps of charm. If you are travelling independently, I would definitely recommend an overnight here. You can do some nice walks from the village (including on the Great Wall) and within the village itself. Heaps of photo ops!
Written January 27, 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.
Coloradotraveler88
Denver, CO6 contributions
Nov 2017 • Couples
We decided to see the great wall of China from Gubeikou to Jinshanling using the Lonely Planet book as our guide. We followed some of their advise and also found a Trip Advisor article. However, we felt like we definitely would’ve done things differently if we had more information.
Getting from Beijing to Gubeikou
The bus 980 from Dongzhimen transport hub was easy to find. Follow signs for 980. If there are two 980 buses in a row get on the further away one....usually it is the more direct one. You need to have exact change and just pay as you get on the bus. 17¥ per person. They let you get on with your bags and don’t make you out them under the bus. The bus makes a few stops in Miyun but stay on until the bus line ends at the bus station. Don’t let them convince you to get off early. Once you get to the bus station walk out and turn right. Avoid the obnoxious taxi drivers. Cross the large busy street and then turn right again. Walk 100 yards or so and there will be a bus stop that has a 25 on the sign indicating bus 25. This bus is very intermittent so you may need to wait for over an hour (some tourists said they waited 2.5 hours!) The alternative is a small minibus that may stop and offer to take you. It should cost ¥15 per person. The bus should drop you off in Gubeikou right before the big tunnel.
Gubeikou
Turn right and walk down the road. You don’t need a ticket to enter town. There are a million guest houses. The first one is a bit expensive but the next few were clean and cost ¥150 for a double. Should include heat/AC and hot water. Skip the guest house with the store attached to it...it had a very small shower, was cold and the owner tried to stiff us for extra money!! There is one that says ‘barbecue’ in front of it and it had good food...especially the Kung Pao Chicken!
Climbing the wall
If you start hiking before 8am you don’t need to buy a ticket, otherwise you will need one at ¥25 per person. Getting to the wall itself can be confusing. Start where you got dropped off by the bus (also where you would buy a ticket) and walk down the road where the guesthouses are. Take you first big left (just past the BBQ place) and walk up the hill towards a large archway with a temple on top. Take the stairs to the right (they will check your ticket there) and then turn right at the top to start hiking toward Jinshanling. The path is easy to follow. Just follow the red dots, arrows and pieces of cloth. At one point you will get to the 24 window tower (only 15 windows left) and will need to follow the yellow arrow left off the wall to avoid the military zone. The soldiers may yell at you from across the fence but just ignore them. (We came across a guided tour group around this section and the guide ignored the soldiers too.) The trail off the wall is well marked. Eventually you come to a new wooden building and lots of new trash cans. Follow them and it will lead you back toward the wall where you walk along next to the wall for a while before getting to the restored section in Jinshanling and pay ¥55 per person for a ticket. Hike as long as you want exploring this section and then head down toward the parking lot. There is no bus back to Gubeikou but they did call a taxi for us for ¥80 otherwise the shuttle you back to the train to get back to Beijing. Jinshanling is under major construction and will be changing a lot in the next few years, likely with way more tourists so beware this section may be more crowded than expected/desired.
Getting from Beijing to Gubeikou
The bus 980 from Dongzhimen transport hub was easy to find. Follow signs for 980. If there are two 980 buses in a row get on the further away one....usually it is the more direct one. You need to have exact change and just pay as you get on the bus. 17¥ per person. They let you get on with your bags and don’t make you out them under the bus. The bus makes a few stops in Miyun but stay on until the bus line ends at the bus station. Don’t let them convince you to get off early. Once you get to the bus station walk out and turn right. Avoid the obnoxious taxi drivers. Cross the large busy street and then turn right again. Walk 100 yards or so and there will be a bus stop that has a 25 on the sign indicating bus 25. This bus is very intermittent so you may need to wait for over an hour (some tourists said they waited 2.5 hours!) The alternative is a small minibus that may stop and offer to take you. It should cost ¥15 per person. The bus should drop you off in Gubeikou right before the big tunnel.
Gubeikou
Turn right and walk down the road. You don’t need a ticket to enter town. There are a million guest houses. The first one is a bit expensive but the next few were clean and cost ¥150 for a double. Should include heat/AC and hot water. Skip the guest house with the store attached to it...it had a very small shower, was cold and the owner tried to stiff us for extra money!! There is one that says ‘barbecue’ in front of it and it had good food...especially the Kung Pao Chicken!
Climbing the wall
If you start hiking before 8am you don’t need to buy a ticket, otherwise you will need one at ¥25 per person. Getting to the wall itself can be confusing. Start where you got dropped off by the bus (also where you would buy a ticket) and walk down the road where the guesthouses are. Take you first big left (just past the BBQ place) and walk up the hill towards a large archway with a temple on top. Take the stairs to the right (they will check your ticket there) and then turn right at the top to start hiking toward Jinshanling. The path is easy to follow. Just follow the red dots, arrows and pieces of cloth. At one point you will get to the 24 window tower (only 15 windows left) and will need to follow the yellow arrow left off the wall to avoid the military zone. The soldiers may yell at you from across the fence but just ignore them. (We came across a guided tour group around this section and the guide ignored the soldiers too.) The trail off the wall is well marked. Eventually you come to a new wooden building and lots of new trash cans. Follow them and it will lead you back toward the wall where you walk along next to the wall for a while before getting to the restored section in Jinshanling and pay ¥55 per person for a ticket. Hike as long as you want exploring this section and then head down toward the parking lot. There is no bus back to Gubeikou but they did call a taxi for us for ¥80 otherwise the shuttle you back to the train to get back to Beijing. Jinshanling is under major construction and will be changing a lot in the next few years, likely with way more tourists so beware this section may be more crowded than expected/desired.
Written November 5, 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.
Eszter S
Budapest, Hungary93 contributions
Oct 2018 • Couples
We did a 1 day hiking tour from Gubeikou to Jinshanling Great Wall. There is no need for a tour guide for the hike itself, can be self-organized. We rented a car plus driver to take us to Gubeikou (from Beijing) and take us back from Jinshanling. We agreed on the plan and the price via e-mailing while still in Europe a few days before our trip. The driver did not really speak English but we could communicate via WeChat about the exact pickup time etc. The driver and car costed 1300 Yuan (October 2018). We had to leave very early to avoid the Beijing traffic jam, the route was about 120 km from our hotel and took 1.5 hours (the way home was almost 3 hours as we got into the evening traffic jam).
The driver dropped us down at the entrance to the Gubeikou Great Wall. Entry fee was 25 Yuan per person. The hike starts with some stairs to an outlook, and there is no sign there which way to go so we used GPS and data to find out which direction is to Jinshanling and followed that path. There were rarely any people on the wall, even though it was a Sunday. We met a few hikers every now and then but no crowd. The Gubeikou Great Wall is an unrestored part but the view was spectacular and it was a comfortable hike. After a few hours we got to a point where you have to get down from the wall as there is a military zone and soldiers are keeping it closed from public (as far as I know it's a shooting practice field so you don't want to accidentally get in there :) we could hear the shooting a couple of times while hiking. So once you got off the wall the hiking trail takes you through a forest, there is only one way to go so you cannot get lost. Then you get to the part to enter Jinshanling Great Wall, there are signs that show the way but the distances on the signs cannot be trusted, once it said 1200 meters and then 300 meters later it said 1500 meters left, then it was 800.. and so on. Then you finally get to the Jinshanling Great Wall, the entry fee was 65 Yuan per person. This is a fully restored part so you can see the Great Wall at its best, it is quite spectacular and there are various exit points, so once you are tired from all the stairs you can leave, but make sure you check the signs how far the next exit point is. It was really worth it, I would recommend this trek to any hike lovers.
The driver dropped us down at the entrance to the Gubeikou Great Wall. Entry fee was 25 Yuan per person. The hike starts with some stairs to an outlook, and there is no sign there which way to go so we used GPS and data to find out which direction is to Jinshanling and followed that path. There were rarely any people on the wall, even though it was a Sunday. We met a few hikers every now and then but no crowd. The Gubeikou Great Wall is an unrestored part but the view was spectacular and it was a comfortable hike. After a few hours we got to a point where you have to get down from the wall as there is a military zone and soldiers are keeping it closed from public (as far as I know it's a shooting practice field so you don't want to accidentally get in there :) we could hear the shooting a couple of times while hiking. So once you got off the wall the hiking trail takes you through a forest, there is only one way to go so you cannot get lost. Then you get to the part to enter Jinshanling Great Wall, there are signs that show the way but the distances on the signs cannot be trusted, once it said 1200 meters and then 300 meters later it said 1500 meters left, then it was 800.. and so on. Then you finally get to the Jinshanling Great Wall, the entry fee was 65 Yuan per person. This is a fully restored part so you can see the Great Wall at its best, it is quite spectacular and there are various exit points, so once you are tired from all the stairs you can leave, but make sure you check the signs how far the next exit point is. It was really worth it, I would recommend this trek to any hike lovers.
Written December 1, 2018
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.
Joseph P
Chicago, IL63 contributions
Nov 2016 • Couples
My wife and I hiked with Beijing Hikers, which were both professional and affordable. The hike itself was breathtaking. Right after the first uphill, you're treated with gorgeous mountains and copious snaking views of the Great Wall. This is an unrestored section, so the paths are narrow, but there was only our group on the wall, so we had it to ourselves. It had snowed a few days before, so the paths were a bit slippery, but going slow helped us not slip. Really an amazing section of the wall and very happy we got to see it.
Written November 23, 2016
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.
alpalio
London, UK16 contributions
Jun 2018 • Couples
We stayed in Gubeikou for two days and did two treks, the coiled dragon loop (circa 2.5 hours around Gubeikou) and the longer 6 hour hike to Jingshanling. Absolutely great seeing the wall in (nearly) its raw state with great views of the mountains and countryside. We only saw a handful of other walkers on the days we were there (warm early June) so it was perfect to avoid the crowds on the more touristy areas of the wall such as in badaling. However, I think the Gubeikou town is gearing up to attract more tourists in future years. Go before it gets taken over!
Written June 5, 2018
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.
DandJandFam
London, UK162 contributions
Apr 2018 • Couples
We had a 7 or 8 hour trek - it felt as if we were off the beaten track. This part of the Wall has not been renovated and so is rough and crumbling - in parts we walked along a path just a few feet wide with 20 to 30 foot drops on either side.
Due to the presence of a military base it is not possible to walk the entire length on the Wall and we had to descend and walk through fields for about an hour or so.
This section of the Wall is quite rugged but not as steep as the other sections we walked on during our 5 day trek.
A big plus for us is that we saw very few tourists during the day
Due to the presence of a military base it is not possible to walk the entire length on the Wall and we had to descend and walk through fields for about an hour or so.
This section of the Wall is quite rugged but not as steep as the other sections we walked on during our 5 day trek.
A big plus for us is that we saw very few tourists during the day
Written May 10, 2018
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.
Paul H
21 contributions
Jul 2016 • Couples
Hiked the coiled dragon section and a little further onwards in July. Was a sunny day and exceptionally hot but we were well prepared with lots of water, sunscreen etc. The hike is of moderate difficulty but in the summer conditions I would consider it challenging even with good fitness. Aim to set out in the morning or evening to avoid the midday heat. This is the wild wall so expect narrow paths, exposed edges and some rough terrain. Saying that it is not paticulary dangerous with some common sense but maybe not for the faint hearted. Even with all the above this was a fantastic experience and a highlight of our trip to China. We didn't pass a single person in 5 hours of hiking. As real and authentic as you can get.
Written July 14, 2016
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.
alex m
Los Angeles, CA5 contributions
May 2016 • Couples
I and my wife often travel around the world, this is my first time to post on TA because of our Beijing great wall trip.
last week we made 3 days stopover in Beijing, we made a big decision: hiking on the Great Wall, after studying many info in many froums, we choosed two routes to hike through: gubeikou to jinshanling and jiankou to mutianyu. after arriving at, we had a rest and visited the forbidden city and jingshan park on first day and prepared the exploring. before we departed, we found a private driver who is recommended at least twice in the searching, LaoWang, who could speak in english, he gave us quick response and gave us many advices and useful information on the hiking, he made a timetable for us, and pick us up at our hotel. Second day, we went to the gubeikou, LaoWang took us to the gubeikou village, started at a Gate building on the hillside, named "BeiMen", LaoWang prepared some bottle water and snacks for us, borrowed a stick to my wife, we departed on 8:30, arrived at the jinshanling on 15:30, the whole hiking is so great and fascinating, the unrestored great wall is so grand and majestic. third day, LaoWang took us to passed through many mountains for over 2 hours, arrived at XiZhaZi village, this section, from jiankou to mutianyu, is short than last day. we climbed to the ZhengBeiLou tower firstly, and hiked about 5 hours on the wall, almost same feeling, and we like better the unrestored wall comparing with restored section at mutianyu. this trip is almost our best one in our travel experience.
we should thank LaoWang very much, he is mid-aged, honest and reliable, on time, very good driving, never over speed, and no detour. we strongly recommend him, his email is bjengdriver@gmail.com, his WhatsAPP is 8618210845233.
we hope to explore the jinshanling to simatai, and the xiangshuihu water great wall......
last week we made 3 days stopover in Beijing, we made a big decision: hiking on the Great Wall, after studying many info in many froums, we choosed two routes to hike through: gubeikou to jinshanling and jiankou to mutianyu. after arriving at, we had a rest and visited the forbidden city and jingshan park on first day and prepared the exploring. before we departed, we found a private driver who is recommended at least twice in the searching, LaoWang, who could speak in english, he gave us quick response and gave us many advices and useful information on the hiking, he made a timetable for us, and pick us up at our hotel. Second day, we went to the gubeikou, LaoWang took us to the gubeikou village, started at a Gate building on the hillside, named "BeiMen", LaoWang prepared some bottle water and snacks for us, borrowed a stick to my wife, we departed on 8:30, arrived at the jinshanling on 15:30, the whole hiking is so great and fascinating, the unrestored great wall is so grand and majestic. third day, LaoWang took us to passed through many mountains for over 2 hours, arrived at XiZhaZi village, this section, from jiankou to mutianyu, is short than last day. we climbed to the ZhengBeiLou tower firstly, and hiked about 5 hours on the wall, almost same feeling, and we like better the unrestored wall comparing with restored section at mutianyu. this trip is almost our best one in our travel experience.
we should thank LaoWang very much, he is mid-aged, honest and reliable, on time, very good driving, never over speed, and no detour. we strongly recommend him, his email is bjengdriver@gmail.com, his WhatsAPP is 8618210845233.
we hope to explore the jinshanling to simatai, and the xiangshuihu water great wall......
Written May 24, 2016
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.
Tyler C
Vancouver, Canada31 contributions
Jun 2014 • Friends
Coming to China, the Great Wall was on the top of my list like most people. However, I didn't want to see the touristy parts of the wall where it is basically rebuilt and fully redeveloped. I wanted to see the authentic and unaltered part of the wall further away from the city. We stayed at the amazing Great Wall Box Hostel, which was built on the original wall. It was a very close walk to the wall, where we hiked for about 5 hours in the blistering sun. The entire hike we saw only two other groups, which was a nice change from the hustle and bustle in Beijing. The hike was on top of the wall in a single track trail with breathtaking views and picturesque scenery. This was by far the best thing I did in China, and would recommend this part of the wall and the hostel to anyone visiting the area.
Written August 15, 2014
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.
I would like to know if there's any way of travelling from Mutianyu to Gubeikou using public transport (buses) as a cheaper alternative to private car/taxi? Thanks
Written August 23, 2019
The app Rome2rio says you need a taxi and train (approx 3 hrs and $20). Taxi will take 1.5 hrs and around $60. I would go taxi- door to door, more direct, quicker, less stress/hassle, for not much more. Cheaper also if there are several of you traveling. In fact I would get hotel to organise car driver for the day to do both Great Wall sites (there and back) from Beijing. Total cost probably less than $120-$150.
Written August 23, 2019
WE are looking to book a tour of the Great Wall in the few short hours we have during our layover...the night tour Great Wall at Gubeikou Water Town has been proposed to us. Is this a good choice? Is it worth doing? Thank you
Written August 4, 2017
best time early morning just after sunrise if you can make it there .
Written August 7, 2017
hi has anyone done the 3 day hike with Top China. Gubeikou-jinshanling-simatai, wohushan-Jiankou, Jiankou-mutianya?
Written March 14, 2017
Showing results 1-4 of 4
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing