Travel and Hiking

A long hill climb takes us up on to a remote, rough, and seldom-visited stretch of unrestored Great Wall, with awesome views of the surrounding mountains.

On this hike we’ll head out to the border of Beijing Municipality and Hebei Province for a moderately difficult walk through peach orchards, up valleys, and along the Great Wall.

The Great Wall out here is rough and seldom-visited—choose this hike if you're interested in a visit to a section of wall very different to what you've seen on postcards.

In the Ming Dynasty, Zhenbiancheng was one of three important outposts on the border, along with Changyucheng and Hengling. Modern Zhenbiancheng has grown in and around the old city walls. Much of the town walls still remain, as well as archways, bricks, and stone carvings.

In more recent times, the area was the site of a major battle between the Chinese and Japanese armies, and it’s said that bullet holes can be seen in some of the walls.

Cost: ¥400 / ¥360 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/259/zhenbiancheng-great-wall-loop-hike-reverse/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Hike down to the White River and head downstream on trails, gravel tracks, and dirt roads by the riverside, passing below tall cliffs.

This is the same White River hike that we do in summer and winter, but for the Kids Club version we’re going to take it slow, with several extended stops for paddling and finding frogs, plus plenty of time to pick out a nice stick or two. We might end up coming home quite late.

You'll see the running river, leafy green trees by the riverside, impressive tall and steep cliffs made from massive slabs of rock and boulders, and hopefully the local family of herons that nest high up in the cliffs.

It’s possible to hike all the way down without crossing, but it’s also fun to get your feet wet on a few of the crossings—up to you!

Cost: ¥420 / ¥380 members / ¥240 for kids

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1906/along-the-white-river-6/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Walk from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, following stretches of restored and unrestored Great Wall and taking a detour through the pretty farmland that surrounds Hemp Village, finishing all the way over at the eastern end of Jinshanling.

The hike begins at the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall in Miyun County, very close to the border of the Beijing and Hebei provinces. Even though it’s designated as a park, this section of the Great Wall is largely unrestored. It’s not often visited either, probably because it is so far away from central Beijing.

We’ll be following the Jinshanling Great Wall from west to east, starting off on the unrestored section before heading down into the main restored area. We’ll head straight through the restored area, and on towards the Simatai Great Wall.

Cost: ¥510 / ¥460 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/793/gubeikou-to-jinshanling-great-wall-east-3/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

For this hike we plan to be up on the top section of the Mutianyu Great Wall just ahead of the ‘golden hour’, the hour before sunset in which the sunlight gets an extra filter as it passes through more of the atmosphere and (hopefully!) gives some lovely soft and warm light for photos of the Great Wall and scenery.

We'll start off the hike by following a zigzag hillside trail that rises quickly to a Great Wall tower that is almost 1,000 metres above sea level. From the tower we can see the Jiankou basin, as well as the many other sections of Great Wall in the area.

From there we'll head east, following the wall towards Mutianyu. There is some steep climbing, and you'll need a good head for heights and some balancing skills.

Cost: ¥460 / ¥415 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1652/jiankou-to-beigou-village-great-wall-sundown-hike/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Travel right on past touristy Badaling on the way out to a difficult Great Wall hike in the mountains overlooking the Guanting Reservoir in Yanqing. The climbing is steep and tough and we’ll take 4–5 hours to complete the 9km walk. We have a shorter version of this hike – on this trip we’ll do the tougher, longer route.

The Switchback

Midway through this tough hike the wall doubles back on itself in a sharp switchback, and that’s why we named this area the Switchback Great Wall. The local name is a little different: the Hunchback Great Wall!

Midway through this tough hike the wall doubles back on itself in a sharp switchback, and that’s why we named this area the Switchback Great Wall. The local name is a little different: the Hunchback Great Wall!

Cost: ¥420 / ¥380 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/517/switchback-great-wall-reverse/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

On this two day Great Wall adventure you’ll hike picturesque stretches of the wild Great Wall and camp in a Great Wall tower at Gubeikou.

We'll supply a tent, sleeping bag, and ground pad for you, as well as a farmhouse dinner and a basic breakfast. All you’ll need is a day pack to carry your essentials while hiking, leaving you free to enjoy the scenery, sunset, stars, and sunrise as we hike along the Gubeikou and Jinshanling sections of the Great Wall.

Maximum group size of 12-14 hikers; book early to make sure you get a spot!

Cost: ¥1,700 / ¥1,530 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1985/camping-gubeikou-great-wall-and-jinshanling-great-wall-5/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Hike up on to the ridgeline of the mountains opposite Miaofengshan Temple and make a big 16km loop all the way around, climbing 1,000m-plus on the way.

This trail covers most of the ‘Three Peaks’ (San Feng / 三峰) track that’s popular with trail runners. Because we’re starting in the middle, and not doing the big climb up from Dajue Temple, our version is more like a ‘mini’ Three Peaks.

Cost: ¥390 / ¥350 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/628/miaofengshan-super-loop/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Spend the day out in Cuandixia, a Ming Dynasty-era village in the mountains west of Beijing – first a walk in the hills near the village, then a good look about the old courtyards, temples, and narrow lanes of the village itself. Lunch included.

Outline of itinerary

• Arrive at Cuandixia


• Climb up to viewing point opposite the village


• Walk up main street of village and out to visit the narrow canyon in the hills behind the village; hike up to caves (optional, if trail is repaired)


• Lunch at village restaurant


• Explore the key sites inside the village


• Some free time to look about


• Drive back to Beijing

Cost: ¥450 / ¥405 for members / ¥220 for kids

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/283/ming-village-day-trip/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Take a short hike through fields and up through pine forest for an overview of the tombs complex from the ridgeline of its shield of hills, and then take a walking tour through the tombs. Price includes expensive tickets.

The hike

We start out on the outskirts of a small village in the majority-Manchu Malanyu area.

To begin with we’re on an easy track, following the old quarry road up a flat valley.

After about 20 minutes we start the climb up into the hills, a slow ascent until we get to the firebreak that follows the ridgeline.

We then follow the firebreak all the way up to one of the lower peaks in the hills here. From the clearing on the peak we should be able to spot some of the tombs down below.

From the peak we head down to a dip in the hills, and then hike out along a long valley to reach the tombs area.

The Eastern Qing tombs

The Eastern Qing Tombs are located in Hebei Province, to the northeast of Beijing and a little way outside of the Beijing municipality. As opposed to the well known Ming Tombs in Changping, the Eastern Qing Tombs are grouped quite closely together, making it easy to see a lot at the same time. The tombs are no less interesting than the Ming Tombs, and several of the tombs have their underground areas—called Underground Palaces—open to visits. In some places, the red walls and halls look a little like parts of the Forbidden City, were it to have a more open-plan layout.

In the Eastern Qing Tombs complex we can visit the tombs of numerous famous figures of the Qing Dynasty, including Shun Zhi (first emperor of the Qing Dynasty), Empress Dowager Cixi, and Qian Long (seventh and longest-reigning emperor of the Qing Dynasty). The site was chosen for its auspicious feng shui: mountains behind, and water in front.

Cost: ¥600 / ¥540 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/2075/eastern-qing-tombs-hike-and-tour/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

On this two day Great Wall adventure you’ll hike picturesque stretches of the wild Great Wall and camp in a Great Wall tower at Gubeikou.

We'll supply a tent, sleeping bag, and ground pad for you, as well as a farmhouse dinner and a basic breakfast. All you’ll need is a day pack to carry your essentials while hiking, leaving you free to enjoy the scenery, sunset, stars, and sunrise as we hike along the Gubeikou and Jinshanling sections of the Great Wall.

Cost: ¥1,700 / ¥1,530 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/636/camping-gubeikou-great-wall-and-jinshanling-great-wall-3/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com