Day 1 · Beijing to Old Dragon's Head
Travel from Beijing to the Bohai coast, where Old Dragon’s Head carries the Wall to the sea. Explore the defenses at Shanhaiguan, visit the Great Wall Museum and take in the old town before the mountain stages begin.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Shanhaiguan Hotel or similar
Day 2 · Jiaoshan Great Wall
Leave the coastal setting behind for Jiaoshan, where the Wall begins its climb into the mountains near Shanhaiguan. Follow the historic ramparts through increasingly rugged scenery, with the day’s accessible walking section set by your guide.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Shanhaiguan Hotel or similar
Day 3 · East Qing Tombs to Huangyaguan
Visit the Eastern Qing Tombs for an introduction to the imperial burial landscape and its ceremonial architecture. Continue to Dule Temple, noted for its historic wooden structure and Guanyin statue, with Huangyaguan serving as the base for the next Wall stage.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar
Day 4 · Peace Fort to Huangyaguan and Sky Ladder
Explore the Huangyaguan area, including the defenses around Taipingzhai, also known as Peace Fort. The planned route continues toward the steep Sky Ladder and older mountain remains; the guide will confirm which sections are accessible for your group.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Huangyaguan Hotel or similar
Day 5 · West Simatai to Jinshanling
Explore the Jinshanling and West Simatai side, following the direction and exit confirmed by your guide. Alternating repaired and weathered stretches, frequent towers and successive hill crests give this stage its distinctive rhythm.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Camping on the Wall
Day 6 · Jinshanling to Gubeikou
Walk the Gubeikou–Jinshanling corridor in the direction shown in the daily route. Gubeikou’s weathered ridges and Jinshanling’s substantial watchtowers provide a varied picture of the Wall, while connecting paths allow the walk to follow the permitted access for the day.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Miss-U-Much Hostel
Day 7 · The Magic Jiankou
Devote the day to Jiankou’s dramatic ridgeline and unrestored towers. Mountain approaches and uneven surfaces make this a careful, guided walk, with stops at suitable viewpoints rather than a fixed promise to reach every tower.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Laohe's Inn
Day 8 · Jiankou to Mutianyu
Begin on Jiankou’s rugged mountain side and follow the agreed route toward Mutianyu. Weathered towers and broken masonry gradually give way to restored ramparts, ending with a descent arranged to suit the day’s conditions and your group.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Planned overnight: Good Fortune Inn
Day 9 · Huanghuacheng Lakeside
Walk above Huanghuacheng’s reservoir, where the Wall descends toward the water and crosses the surrounding hills. Views toward Xishuiyu reveal the unusual relationship between the historic defenses and the later reservoir landscape.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Planned overnight: Holiday Inn Express or similar