Simatai Great Wall, located in the north of Miyun district, Beijing, is adjacent to Gubeishui town an about 150km (95miles) away from the urban area of Beijing. Simatai reservoir divides the Great Wall into east and west sections. It is the only Great Wall in China that retains the original appearance of the Ming dynasty, so it is a valuable world cultural heritage.
Basic Facts about Simatai Great Wall:
- The total length of Simatai Great Wall is 19 kilometers (11.8miles), which was built in the Ming dynasty
- The length of section in Simatai Great Wall scenic spot is 5.4 kilometers (3.3 miles), and thehighest pointof the Great Wall is “Fairy Maiden building”, which can only be reached by climbing “Heavenly Ladder”. The ladder is 100 meters high, slope 85 degrees, almost vertical, which needs to be brave enough to conquer it.
- There are 34 watch towers in total, 18 towers arein the west and 16 towers are in the east.
Why Choose to Visit Simatai Great Wall:
- Simatai Great Wall is the only section of the Great Wall open for night tour in China. Thus, visitorsmay have chancesto see the night view of Great Wall as well as Gubei Water Town, which may leave an impressive travel experience on visitors.
- Due to the steepness of the Great Wall here, it is an important strategic area and difficult to access, which just like the Chinese old saying goes “If one man guards the pass, ten thousand men are unable to get through”.
- In 2012, Simatai Great Wallwas rated as “the top 25 scenic spots in the world” by the Times newspaper.
How to Buy Entrance Tickets:
- Price of Entrance Tickets:
| Admission Fee (Simatai Great Wall) | CNY 40 |
| Admission Fee ( Gubei Water Town) | CNY 140 |
Notes: 1.The maximum immediate tourist capacity of simatai Great Wall: no more than 1200 people in normal weather ( instant tourist capacity), no more than 600 people in windy weather (wind speed ≥15 m/s), no more than 450 people in rainy or snowy weather, no more than 220 people in thunderstorm weather. In order to ensure tourists would have a great travel experience at Simatai Great Wall, visitors had better make a reservation online and book the tickets of the next day to 10 days.
- Beijing Miyun Gubeishui Water Town international tourist resort offers free shuttle bus for tourists who buy tickets of Simatai to there through the Gubei Water town. The last return time forthe shuttle bus is 16:30, so please make an appropriate travel plan.
- Opening area: From East Tower NO.2nd to East Tower NO.3rd
- Opening time:
Daytime:
| Winter Time (Nov.-Mar.) | 8:00-17:30 |
| Summer Time (Apr.-Oct.) | 8:00-18:00 |
| Site-cleared Time | 16:30 |
Night time:
| Winter Time (Nov.-Mar.) | 17:30-21:30 |
| Summer Time (Apr.-Oct.) | 18:00-22:00 |
Price of Cable car:
| Single Trip CNY 90 | Round Trip CNY 160 |
When is the Best Time for a Simatai Great Wall Tour?
Although Simatai Great Wall is suitable for sightseeing all year round, visitors will enjoy the most breathtaking scenery in Spring and Autumn. The weather is warm and pleasant in Spring. In Autumn, the maple leaves turn red and cover the mountain, which just like an oil-painting.
Tips: Visitors had better avoid the official holidays in China, because many Chinese citizens choose to travel on official holidays. As a result, most Chinese tourist attractions are overcrowded and traffic jams are quite common.
Official Holidays in China
| Chinese New Year | Around January or February |
| Winter vacation | January-February |
| Labor Day | May1st -3rd |
| Summer vacation(for students) | July-August31st |
| Mid-Autumn Festival | Around mid-September |
| National Day | October 1st-7th |
How to get to Simatai Great Wall？
- Driving Route:People can drive along the Jingchengexpressway and get off the expressway at Exit Simatai. The total length of this route is about 140 kilometers, which could take about 2h.
Toll: about CNY 60
- Tourist bus: The tourist bust departs from Dongzhimen to Gubei Water Town directly, and it would take 2 hours.
| Monday to Friday | Weekend and official holiday | |
| Departure Time | 8:00, 9:00, 12:00, and 15:30 | 09:00,12:00, 14:00 and 15:30 |
| Return Time | 13:00, 17:00 and 21:00 | 12:00, 17:00, 19:00 and 21:00 |
Price of bus ticket: about CNY 48 per person（Single Trip)
Take 980 road from dongzhimen, get off at Miyun west bridge station, and transfer to Bus Mi51 road to Gubeishui town
- Bus:Take Bus 980 at Dongzhimen Station and get off at Miyun Bridge West station, and then transfer to Bus 51 to Gubeishui Town.
Gubei Water Town:
Gubei Water Town, located in Gubeikou Town, Miyun district, is close to the most beautiful and part of Simatai Great Wall. The night view there is most attractive for tourists and it becomes a new landmark of Beijing night tour. The scenic area has 430,000 square meters of exquisite architecture of Ming and Qing Dynasty. The area is a resort with unique northern style at the foot of the Great Wall, which integrates sightseeing, leisure, business exhibition, creative culture and other tourism activities together.
