Gubeikou to Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking

In the morning, at the time confirmed with you the day before, our guide and driver will meet you at the lobby of the hotel you booked on your own in downtown Beijing, and then accompany you on a 2-hour private car ride directly to the Gubeikou Great Wall. Once there, the guide will take you through the Gubeikou Town and hike along the Great Wall on Panlongshan Mountain (Circling Dragon Mountain) to the Zhuanduokou Pass of the Jinshanling Great Wall, where you’ll then be escorted back to your hotel. Trekking eastward along the overgrown road, imagine how the commander stood on the General’s Tower and deployed troops according to the favorable terrain, delve into the function of those holes of the 24-Window Tower, be moved by the legend behind the Taochun Tower, and climb up to the highest West Five-window Tower to overlook the magnificent panorama of the Great Wall. Although there are no cable car facilities available during this hike, it is generally not too difficult for those who exercise regularly. Rest assured that you can find us online to serve you whenever you have an idea or a puzzle of this exciting odyssey.

Gubeikou, which means “Old North Gate” in English, remains an important pass that connects the northeast and Beijing. As one of the most complete Great Wall systems in the history of China, it has witnessed countless wars and historical changes. It is the only “double-layer Great Wall” in China, that is, a section parallel to the remaining Great Wall of the Northern Qi Dynasty (550 - 557) was built during its second construction in the Ming Dynasty. Broadly speaking, it consists of two parts of the Great Wall, one on the Wohushan Mountain (Crouching Tiger Mountain) in the west with complex terrain and steep steps and the other one the Panlongshan Mountain in the east with more gentle slopes. The entire Gubeikou Great Wall has not undergone restoration and retains its original sense of vicissitude, allowing you to experience the unique grandeur and desolation of China’s great manmade wonder. Abandoned, it is a stark contrast to the more tourist-friendly Great Wall sections. Its dilapidated walls and the bullet holes on the various watchtowers will make you feel as if you were in that war-torn era.

● Basic Facts of Gubeikou
Entrance Fee: CNY 33
Opening Hours: 08:30 - 16:30
* You can purchase your ticket when you get to the site, as it is relatively less visited compared with other sections of the Great Wall in Beijing.How to Reach the Gubeikou Great Wall
Public transport to Gubeikou is kind of cumbersome, requiring transfers in any case. Specifically, you can refer to the following two ways:

● S5 Train + Bus Mi25
Take a high-speed train at Beijing North Railway Station and arrive at Gubeikou Railway Station in about 2.5 hours, costing CNY 12 for a single journey. Next, walk about 300 meters (984 feet) south from the station exit to the Gubeikou Railway Station Bus Stop to take the Bus Mi25 to Gubeikou Erzhan Bus Stop, which takes about 0.5 hours and costs CNY 2. Note that the Bus Mi25 runs from 06:00 - 17:30 every day. After getting off the bus, walk about 300 meters (1,640 feet) further to reach the Gubeikou Town, the entrance of the scenic area.

	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

● Bus 980 Express + Bus Mi25
At Dongzhimen bus stop, take 980 Express to Miyun Xidaqiao stop, and then transfer to Bus Mi25 at the Miyun Xidaqiao Gas Station stop cross the road to Gubeikou Erzhan stop. The whole journey takes about 3.5 to 4 hours and costs CNY 27.

Bus 980 Express	Operating Time
From Dongzhimen bus stop	06:00 - 20:00
From Miyun Xidaqiao stop	04:30 - 18:30

Highlights along Gubeikou to Jinshanling Hiking Route
Hiking Route: Gubeikou Town - Gubeikou Great Wall Entry - General’s Tower - 24-Window Tower - Detour the Military Zone - Jinshanling Great Wall West Entrance - Taochunkou Pass - Zhuanduokou Pass - Jinshanling Great Wall Exit
Hiking Distance: 12 km (7.5 mi)
Hiking Duration: 5 to 6 hours
Difficulty: ★★★☆☆
Scenery: ★★★☆☆
What to prepare: long sportswear, sneakers, sunhats and sunglasses
Best Time to Visit: April to June; September to October

Upon arrival, first across the Gubeikou Town, which had been witness to the development of the Wall, when it served as a vital military stronghold during the Ming Dynasty. Walk past rural life, farmlands and bushes, and finally be excited to see up close and ascend the Great Wall on the Panlongshan Mountain which leads you eastwards to Jinshanling. Along the way, weeds have grown on both sides of the path and most parapets and towers are lost to nature. There are also crumbling stones and steep ascents, but the route is generally not that difficult to walk. With a short gentle climb, reach the General’s Tower, a critical commanding post. Just picture what an advantageous location it is to look over the surroundings. Gubeikou was the site of a fierce patriotic war 80 years ago, and this tower was the strategic point being fought for. Today, you can still see the bullet holes all over. Continue to walk forward and you’ll arrive at the 24-Window Tower. It’s interesting to know that people used to count arrow holes to distinguish watchtowers on the Great Wall. Due to little protection and natural erosion, only three walls are left supported by iron shelves, yet its magnificence remains.

In front of the 24-Window Tower, there is a white board stating “Closed Military Zone. No Thoroughfare”. To bypass the forbidden zone, you need to come down to the foot of the Great Wall and hike through the bushes along a 3-km (1.9-mi) trail parallel to it, and it takes 2-2.5 hours. Later, the west entrance to the Jinshanling Great Wall will come into view. Keep hiking forward for a while and you’ll reach Taochunkou Pass, from which you’ll set foot on the Great Wall again. Unlike Panlongshan Mountain which is totally wild, this section is at least partly repaired, so it requires less energy to hike on. The next stop will be the Taochun Tower, whose name comes from a legend that a kind-hearted girl named Taochun once lost her life here as she brought water up to the Wall builders. Afterward, get to another highlight, the West Five-Window Tower, the highest point of the west line. Climb up to it to overlook the surroundings and maybe appreciate a spectacular sunset meanwhile. Proceed to pass through several towers and platforms and finally get down to the exit at Zhuanduokou Pass.● Alternative Hiking Options
Note that there is no cable car on the Gubeikou Great Wall, so you can only tour here on foot. For the elderly or children with average physical strength, perhaps follow the above most popular route but end your hike at the 24-Window Tower, and then descend along the nearby mountain path. This part has relatively flat roads and still allows you to savor the original Great Wall. Or if you are an experienced and adventurous hiker, take on the challenge of hiking back and forth along the section on the Wohushan Mountain, which has not been restored at all. 

● Memo on Food
It is suggested that you not only have a full breakfast in the hotel this morning but also bring some high-energy snacks like burgers or chocolates, because you won’t find any food stands on either the Gubeikou or Jinshanling Great Wall. A few bottles of electrolyte water are also very necessary. If you think it’s inconvenient to carry too much to take public transportation, get them in Gubeikou Town. For a simple meal, maybe patronize the Shuntong Rainbow Trout Breeding Center, the only restaurant near the foot of the Jinshanling Great Wall, which serves local specialty rainbow trout and some other home-cooked dishes. The average cost per person here is around CNY 90 (USD 12).

► Dinner Suggestion in Downtown Beijing
When returning to the downtown area, it is recommended that you try some authentic Beijing flavors at any branch of Tian Xing Ju that is handily located to you. This time-honored brand offers diverse local snacks and dishes and has garnered many municipal-level awards. Be sure to taste their classic Steamed Pork Buns. Another typical signature snack is Fried Sausage - actually made of starch, crunchy and tasty after being dipped in garlic sauce. The façade is easy to spot with a wooden Chinese-style decoration. The average cost per person here is CNY 31 (USD 4).

Hope the above information will be of some help to you. It has to be said that a self-guided tour does expose you to certain hassles and difficulties, such as transfers and the long time required when taking public transportation, as well as the unnecessary time consumption in the planning of specific touring routes. Thus, why not choose our customizable Great Wall Beijing tour from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, in which you will enjoy worry-free transfers between downtown Beijing and Gubeikou and attentive guide service? The above itinerary only covers the west section of Jinshanling, and if you are a hiking enthusiastic up for a further exploration of its east section, which is longer and more challenging, and enjoying a sunrise over the Great Wall, then feel free to contact our travel experts in advance to extend this tour.