1 Day Simatai Great Wall Hiking & Gubei Water Town
- Overview
- Itinerary
- Prices
- Reviews
Tour Overview
If you are after the Great Wall at its steep and primitive, the Simatai must be your top choice. At the beginning of this one-day tour to Simatai Great Wall, our private guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer 2 hours to the scenic area. Then, let’s embark on an exciting hike on its opening east section with 10 watchtowers. From watchtower 3 to 5, pluck up the courage to climb through the steepest area on your hands and feet, and meanwhile, see the rare unilateral walls between the watchtowers 4 and 5. The following part between watchtowers 5 and 6 featuring no walls on both sides will also allow you to witness the most charming view of the Simatai; while standing on the last watchtower, take your opportunity to enjoy the panorama of this well-preserved original Great Wall. We won’t let you miss exploring Gubei Water Town with China’s southern scenery and traditional Chinese culture. Want to hike Simatai on your own? Refer to the practical information on transportation and elaborate hiking route below. ... Read more
Trip Highlights
- Personalized private tour tailored to your own schedule and interests.
- English-speaking private guide, air-conditioned private car with experienced driver.
- Take in the scenery of Simatai, the "original Great Wall" listed by UNESCO.
- Get thrill from the hike along the 10 watchtowers on its east section.
- Relax yourself in the picturesque and cultural Gubei Water Town.
Private Simatai Great Wall Day Tour
At the appointed time this morning, our guide and driver will meet you at the lobby of your self-booked hotel in downtown Beijing. After a cordial greeting, you’ll be ushered into our comfortable private vehicle for a 2-hour drive to the Gubei Water Town, through which you’ll arrive at the entrance of the Simatai Great Wall. Following the guide, stroll along a 1-kilometer-plus (0.6-mile-plus) walkway to Watchtower 2, and then formally start your hiking tour of the open area from Watchtower 1 to Watchtower 10 along the east section of Simatai. Spot the broken Watchtower 2 reinforced with steel bars, challenge yourself at the steepest part between Watchtowers 3 and 5, and get a panoramic view of the Wall on Watchtower 10. Keep in mind that walking along the wall requires quite some physical effort, especially in some very steep parts. And if you need to take the cable car, inform us in advance to reserve the ticket for you. After coming down from the Great Wall, let’s head to the Gubei Water Town to get more travel delights, including admiring quaint folk residences in the style of Ming and Qing Dynasties (1368 - 1911), exploring traditional Chinese craftsmanship like kite making and paper cutting, and appreciating interesting shows like Peking Opera and shadow puppetry. After that, you will be escorted back to your hotel in downtown area. We are always ready to offer you a tailor-made trip.
Meals: Not included, but suggestions available.
Meals: Not included, but suggestions available.
Simatai Great Wall, Beijing
Simatai Great Wall Hiking Tour
Information for Independent Travelers to Simatai
Luo Zhewen, a well-known scholar of ancient Chinese architecture, commented that “the Great Wall of China is the No.1 in the world, and the Simatai Great Wall is the No.1 in China.” Throughout the history of the world, many countries have built the Great Wall, such as Bratain’s Hadrian's Wall built by ancient Rome and Iran’s Gorgan's Wall built by the Sasanian Empire, but compared to the Great Wall of China spanning more than 2,000 years in time and covering almost the whole northern China, it is always not worth mentioning. Of all the sections of China’s Great Wall, the Simatai, known for its steepness and queerness, is the only segment of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) preserved in its original appearance and has been named the “Original Great Wall” by UNESCO. It was also rated as the first of the “World’s Top 25 Scenic Spots” by the Times newspaper in 2012.
● Basic Facts about Ticket & Service Time
-Daytime Tour:
-Night Tour:
* At night, the Great Wall is only open to the public from East Watchtower 5 to Watchtower 6, and can only be accessed by cable car up and down.
* Book your ticket on its official website or the WeChat mini program of Beijing WTown (Chinese version only) using WeChat payment or Alipay 10 days in advance. Note that a Chinese phone number is required to receive relevant messages when booking. Given its popularity, it is recommended that you book the ticket at least 24 hours ahead of time so as not to affect your travel plans. Additionally, if you need to employ a cable car ride during your daytime tour, it’s better to buy a combo ticket as it can save some money, and the specific information can be easily seen on the purchasing page.
● What Should You Pay Attention To
1. To protect yourself from being bruised by the surrounding vegetation and steep steps, you are advised to wear long pants and sturdy hiking shoes. Be sure to take a windproof jacket in spring, autumn and winter as the wind on the Great Wall is very strong, and sunglasses and sunhat are necessary as well in summer. Also wearing knee pads and bringing a hiking pole to cope with some of the precipitous sections.
2. You can only find toilet facilities at the stations on and off the cable car in the Simatai Great Wall scenic area, so remember to be prepared at the lower station after the entry if needed.
Transportation to Simatai Great Wall
From downtown Beijing, one must first get to the Gubei Water Town, and then either take a free shuttle bus or walk through the water town with the town’s ticket to reach the Simatai Great Wall. Be aware that the shuttle bus leaves for the Great Wall every hour from 10:00 to 15:00 and returns to the water town every hour from 12:30 to 16:30.
● Most Convenient Way: Non-stop Tourist Bus from Downtown Beijing to Gubei Water Town
Get on the bus at Dongzhimen Bus Station or the China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) Building, and arrive at the Parking Lot 2 of Gubei Water Town about 2 hours later, costing CNY 48 for a single trip.
● Cheapest Way: S5 Train
* Spend CNY 28 in total taking the Bus 980 or 980 Express from Dongzhimen Bus Station to Miyun Xidaqiao Station, then transfer to Miyun Bus 51 can also reach the Gubei Water Town, but it is less recommended for its long 4-hour ride.
Highlights along Simatai Hiking Route
Route: Entrance - East Watchtower 1 - Watchtower 10 - Gubei Water Town
Hiking Duration: 5 - 7 hours
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Scenery: ★★★★★
Best Time to Visit: April, May, September, and October
After passing the Ticket Check, there will be a well-conditioned trail extending to the Watchtower 2, the starting point of your Simatai Great Wall hiking tour. From here, head west to the Watchtower 1 on a long but gentle path. Alternatively, instead of going back and forth between Watchtower 1 and 2, you can head directly east to Watchtower 3, where the Wall gradually rises and the stairs become steep and rugged. The part between Watchtowers 3 and 5 is said to be the most precipitous, with sharp changes in slope and width, and you need to climb with your hands from time to time. And sometimes the strong wind may make your way up even more difficult. So be sure to always concentrate on your hiking and watch your steps. What comes next will be the famous section with unilateral walls between Watchtowers 4 and 5. Here, the ridge is as steep and narrow as being cut by axes, so that the common “walls on both sides” are hardly to be built. It is important to know that the unilateral wall still has parapets and shooting holes so that the defensive function is not reduced. The characters indicating the construction time and builder’s name can be seen on some bricks, which suggests that the strict norm contributed to the Great Wall’s firm standing after hundreds of years of wars and weathering.
There will be no crenel wall on either side after the Watchtower 5. Next, walk through the best preserved and most scenic section between the Watchtowers 5 and 6, the only open area for night tours. Continue smoothly eastward to the Watchtower 8, and on the way you’ll find that the Wall has received the “warm hospitality” of nature: Various seeds mixed in the dust have fallen in the nooks and crannies of the Wall, and now become shrubs after the “nourishment” of bird droppings blocking the way. Challenge yourself again between the Watchtowers 8 and 10, and then enjoy the panoramic view of this original wall. Looking at the mountains and rivers under your feet, you cannot help to think of the famous words said by Caesar, “I came, I saw, I conquered,” and that is the essence of hiking. After that, backtrack and descend the Wall.
● Cable Car
If you want to save some energy for the main hike on the Great Wall, perhaps avail yourself of the cable car, which takes you from the lower station near the Ticket Check to the upper station on the hillside, and then requires you to walk either on a relatively gentle path to the East Watchtower 5 or on a steep path to the Watchtower 8 to continue your journey. Note that the lower station runs from 9:00 to 16:10, while the upper runs from 9:00 to 17:30.
Ticket Price for Your Reference:
Single trip per person: CNY 130
Round trip per person: CNY 200
● Alternative Hiking Options
Feeling like you don’t have enough strength and stamina to complete the most challenging entire hike route above? Maybe follow the most popular route, walk from the Ticket Check to the East Watchtower 2 and then to the Watchtower 5 or Watchtower 8 to take the cable car down. For an even easier and more leisurely trip, you can also choose to ride the cable car directly to Watchtower 8, and then hike to Watchtower 5 and end with the cable car down.
● Tour Around the Gubei Water Town
Located at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, Gubei Water Town is a secret wonderland resembling an ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River in China. Why not pay a short visit to relish its unique charm as well if time permits? The architectural style of residential houses along clear rivers with antique stone bridges here retains the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with green bricks and black tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, each of which is full of historical and cultural connotations. Shuttling through the bustling streets, you can find myriad crafts shops featuring a variety of intangible cultural heritage items, such as kite making, tie-dye, shadow puppet play, and paper cutting, and if you are interested, personally experience some of them to feel the profound Chinese culture. When getting to the Sun Moon Island Square, prepare to feast your eyes on occasional northern folk art performances like Peking Opera, crosstalk, and acrobatics presented on that large exquisitely-carved stage. Paid hot spring treatment and cruise around the town are also available. Moreover, the night view will also make your visit worthwhile.
● Memo on Food
Although there are many food stalls on the Great Wall, their prices are actually higher than normal, so we suggest you pack some burgers, biscuits, and bottled water yourself and have a hearty breakfast at your hotel. If Gubei Water Town is included in your itinerary, you can also find a wide range of food options there, such as the traditional Chinese home-cooked dishes in the popular Barbecue House, Forever Smooth Inn Riverside Restaurant, and the Get the Moon Inn · Private Cuisine, where the average cost per person is about CNY 80 -100 (USD 11 – 14). As for specialty snacks, there is a food street with locally-famed roasted pears or pastries, which cost about CNY 20 - 30 (USD 3 – 4) per person.
Watchtower of Simatai
No Parapet Wall on Some Sections
-Daytime Tour:
| Ticket Fare | Opening Hours | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Wall | CNY 40 | 9:00 - 17:00 | |
| Gubei Water Town | CNY 140(including a complimentary ticket for Great Wall) | Sunday to Thursday: 9:00 - 22:30 | Friday to Saturday: 9:00 - 23:00 |
-Night Tour:
| Ticket Fare | Opening Hours for Sunday to Thursday | Opening Hours for Friday to Saturday | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Wall + Gubei Water Town + Round-trip Cable Car | CNY 280 | Simatai Great Wall | 17:30 - 20:10 | 17:30 - 20:40 |
| Gubei Water Town | 09:00 - 22:30 | 09:00 - 23:00 |
* Book your ticket on its official website or the WeChat mini program of Beijing WTown (Chinese version only) using WeChat payment or Alipay 10 days in advance. Note that a Chinese phone number is required to receive relevant messages when booking. Given its popularity, it is recommended that you book the ticket at least 24 hours ahead of time so as not to affect your travel plans. Additionally, if you need to employ a cable car ride during your daytime tour, it’s better to buy a combo ticket as it can save some money, and the specific information can be easily seen on the purchasing page.
● What Should You Pay Attention To
1. To protect yourself from being bruised by the surrounding vegetation and steep steps, you are advised to wear long pants and sturdy hiking shoes. Be sure to take a windproof jacket in spring, autumn and winter as the wind on the Great Wall is very strong, and sunglasses and sunhat are necessary as well in summer. Also wearing knee pads and bringing a hiking pole to cope with some of the precipitous sections.
2. You can only find toilet facilities at the stations on and off the cable car in the Simatai Great Wall scenic area, so remember to be prepared at the lower station after the entry if needed.
Great Wall Built on Mountain Ridges
Original Apprearance of Simatai Great Wall
From downtown Beijing, one must first get to the Gubei Water Town, and then either take a free shuttle bus or walk through the water town with the town’s ticket to reach the Simatai Great Wall. Be aware that the shuttle bus leaves for the Great Wall every hour from 10:00 to 15:00 and returns to the water town every hour from 12:30 to 16:30.
● Most Convenient Way: Non-stop Tourist Bus from Downtown Beijing to Gubei Water Town
Get on the bus at Dongzhimen Bus Station or the China Youth Travel Service (CYTS) Building, and arrive at the Parking Lot 2 of Gubei Water Town about 2 hours later, costing CNY 48 for a single trip.
| Departure - Arrival | Departure Time |
|---|---|
| Dongzhimen Bus Station → Gubei Water Town | 9:00, 13:00 |
| Gubei Water Town → Dongzhimen Bus Station | 12:00, 17:00 |
| CYTS Building → Gubei Water Town | 10:00 |
| Gubei Water Town → CYTS Building | 14:00 |
● Cheapest Way: S5 Train
| Train No. | Departure - Arrival | Travel Time | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing North Railway Station → Gubeikou Railway Station | S501 | 06:57 - 09:23 | 2h26min |
| S503 | 14:19 - 16:50 | 2h31min | |
| Gubeikou Railway Station → Beijing North Railway Station | S502 | 10:00 - 12:29 | 2h29min |
| S504 | 17:20 - 19:52 | 2h32min |
* Spend CNY 28 in total taking the Bus 980 or 980 Express from Dongzhimen Bus Station to Miyun Xidaqiao Station, then transfer to Miyun Bus 51 can also reach the Gubei Water Town, but it is less recommended for its long 4-hour ride.
Broken Watchtower in Sunset
Simatai Great Wall, Beijing
Route: Entrance - East Watchtower 1 - Watchtower 10 - Gubei Water Town
Hiking Duration: 5 - 7 hours
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Scenery: ★★★★★
Best Time to Visit: April, May, September, and October
After passing the Ticket Check, there will be a well-conditioned trail extending to the Watchtower 2, the starting point of your Simatai Great Wall hiking tour. From here, head west to the Watchtower 1 on a long but gentle path. Alternatively, instead of going back and forth between Watchtower 1 and 2, you can head directly east to Watchtower 3, where the Wall gradually rises and the stairs become steep and rugged. The part between Watchtowers 3 and 5 is said to be the most precipitous, with sharp changes in slope and width, and you need to climb with your hands from time to time. And sometimes the strong wind may make your way up even more difficult. So be sure to always concentrate on your hiking and watch your steps. What comes next will be the famous section with unilateral walls between Watchtowers 4 and 5. Here, the ridge is as steep and narrow as being cut by axes, so that the common “walls on both sides” are hardly to be built. It is important to know that the unilateral wall still has parapets and shooting holes so that the defensive function is not reduced. The characters indicating the construction time and builder’s name can be seen on some bricks, which suggests that the strict norm contributed to the Great Wall’s firm standing after hundreds of years of wars and weathering.
There will be no crenel wall on either side after the Watchtower 5. Next, walk through the best preserved and most scenic section between the Watchtowers 5 and 6, the only open area for night tours. Continue smoothly eastward to the Watchtower 8, and on the way you’ll find that the Wall has received the “warm hospitality” of nature: Various seeds mixed in the dust have fallen in the nooks and crannies of the Wall, and now become shrubs after the “nourishment” of bird droppings blocking the way. Challenge yourself again between the Watchtowers 8 and 10, and then enjoy the panoramic view of this original wall. Looking at the mountains and rivers under your feet, you cannot help to think of the famous words said by Caesar, “I came, I saw, I conquered,” and that is the essence of hiking. After that, backtrack and descend the Wall.
● Cable Car
If you want to save some energy for the main hike on the Great Wall, perhaps avail yourself of the cable car, which takes you from the lower station near the Ticket Check to the upper station on the hillside, and then requires you to walk either on a relatively gentle path to the East Watchtower 5 or on a steep path to the Watchtower 8 to continue your journey. Note that the lower station runs from 9:00 to 16:10, while the upper runs from 9:00 to 17:30.
Ticket Price for Your Reference:
Single trip per person: CNY 130
Round trip per person: CNY 200
● Alternative Hiking Options
Feeling like you don’t have enough strength and stamina to complete the most challenging entire hike route above? Maybe follow the most popular route, walk from the Ticket Check to the East Watchtower 2 and then to the Watchtower 5 or Watchtower 8 to take the cable car down. For an even easier and more leisurely trip, you can also choose to ride the cable car directly to Watchtower 8, and then hike to Watchtower 5 and end with the cable car down.
● Tour Around the Gubei Water Town
Located at the foot of the Simatai Great Wall, Gubei Water Town is a secret wonderland resembling an ancient town in the south of the Yangtze River in China. Why not pay a short visit to relish its unique charm as well if time permits? The architectural style of residential houses along clear rivers with antique stone bridges here retains the characteristics of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, with green bricks and black tiles, carved beams and painted rafters, each of which is full of historical and cultural connotations. Shuttling through the bustling streets, you can find myriad crafts shops featuring a variety of intangible cultural heritage items, such as kite making, tie-dye, shadow puppet play, and paper cutting, and if you are interested, personally experience some of them to feel the profound Chinese culture. When getting to the Sun Moon Island Square, prepare to feast your eyes on occasional northern folk art performances like Peking Opera, crosstalk, and acrobatics presented on that large exquisitely-carved stage. Paid hot spring treatment and cruise around the town are also available. Moreover, the night view will also make your visit worthwhile.
Gubei Water Town at the Foot of Simatai Great Wall
Gubei Water Town, Beijing
Although there are many food stalls on the Great Wall, their prices are actually higher than normal, so we suggest you pack some burgers, biscuits, and bottled water yourself and have a hearty breakfast at your hotel. If Gubei Water Town is included in your itinerary, you can also find a wide range of food options there, such as the traditional Chinese home-cooked dishes in the popular Barbecue House, Forever Smooth Inn Riverside Restaurant, and the Get the Moon Inn · Private Cuisine, where the average cost per person is about CNY 80 -100 (USD 11 – 14). As for specialty snacks, there is a food street with locally-famed roasted pears or pastries, which cost about CNY 20 - 30 (USD 3 – 4) per person.
Let Us Help?
Hope the above information will be helpful for you. Ticket booking, route scheduling, and transportation may be too cumbersome if you would like to journey on your own, but choosing our customizable Simatai Great Wall Beijing tour with private guide care and transfer service can save you from all that. If you like, a special night tour with a stay in Gubei Water Town can also be arranged for you, which allows you to enjoy a fascinating night view, sunset, and sunrise over the Simatai Great Wall, or even let’s go for a hike on the adjacent Jinshanling Great Wall the next day. Welcome to consult with our travel experts about the trip to your liking at any time.
This trip can be customized to meet your individual needs!
Tour Prices
| 1 traveler | 2-3 travelers | 4-5 travelers |
|---|---|---|
USD359 | USD199 | USD139 |
- Above prices are per person.
Price Includes
- Private English-speaking guide
- Private driver & air-conditioned vehicle
- Entrance fee to tourist sites
Price Excludes
- Accommodation & meals
- Personal expenses
- Gratuities for guide and driver
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