You might have heard of large, chaotic tourist crowds flooding the Great Wall like invaders from its past, but that’s only one small section of a very large, long wall. Even though only 10% of it remains standing today, there’s still kilometers of untouched and untoured wall to explore. This Great Wall One Day Hike from Gubeikou to Jinshanling will give you an unprecedented journey along the wall, all to yourself, as it gracefully snakes up and down hillsides that stretch as far as the eye can see.
The hike covers 10 km/6 miles and involves about 4.5 hours of walking, which begins at the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. On the Gubeikou Great Wall, you will be surrounded by breathtaking vistas of unrestored Great Wall secitions, their watchtowers wild with overgrowth, their paths twisting and winding through steep hillsides and vanishing into the distance. The Jinshanling Great Wall sections are smoother and partially restored, so the tail of the hike will be easier and will lead you to a park where you will have lunch at a farmer’s certified restaurant.