The Great Wall is one of the most famous historical sites in China and also in the world, with 10 of the best sections to visit around Beijing.
This article is going to introduce you to the 10 sections, including Mutianyu, Badaling, Juyongguan, Jinshanling, Simatai, Gubeikou, Jiankou, Huanghuacheng, Shanhai Pass, and Huangya Pass.
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- Top sections of the Great Wall around Beijing
- Tips for Great Wall Hiking
- Other Main Great Wall Sections
- Explore the Great Wall of China with China Xian Tour
- FAQs about Great Wall Sections
Top sections of the Great Wall around Beijing
1. Mutianyu Great Wall – The Best Family-friendly and Scenic Restored Section
Mutianyu Great Wall is currently one of the longest open sections of the Great Wall in the Beijing area. It’s also easy to hike, quite friendly to younger children and elderly visitors.
Compared to its equally famous peer, the Badaling Great Wall, Mutianyu is less crowded. Besides, it offers a toboggan descent experience for travelers to explore the Great Wall with more interesting moments.
- Location: about 72km (44.7 miles) north of Beijing (1.5-hour drive)
- Features: Longest open section, lush scenery, less crowded, safe, and easy hike, densely distributed watchtowers
- Activities: sightseeing, hiking
- Tour Time: 5-5 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Cable cars, chairlifts, toboggans, rest areas, souvenir shops
- Suitable Travelers: Families, casual hikers
Your driver and tour guide will pick you up at the entrance of your hotel around 7 to 8 o'clock. The specific time will be confirmed with you by the guide the night before departure.
2. Badaling Great Wall – The Most Famous and Accessible Great Wall Section
Badaling Great Wall is the best-preserved section of the Ming Great Wall in China. Badaling is divided into two parts – the South Great Wall and the North Great Wall.
The south section is more gentle with fewer tourists, suitable for families; the north section has magnificent scenery, but requires better physical strength.
- Location: about 68km (42.3 miles) northwest of Beijing (1.5-hour drive)
- Features: Most popular among Chinese tourists, crowded, wheelchair-friendly
- Activities: sightseeing, hiking
- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Great Wall Museum, Great Wall Theater, disabled access, cable cars, restaurants, ATMs, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: First-time visitors, travelers with limited time
AM: Around 6:30-7:30, the guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel lobby (if your hotel is beyond the 2nd ring road of Beijing city, please come to the appointed downtown place to meet the...
3. Juyongguan Great Wall – The Easiest Great Wall Section for History and Culture Lovers
Juyongguan Great Wall is one of the three major passes of the Great Wall. It offers views of mountains, lush trees, and beautiful flowers on both sides.
The western part is more suitable for people with better fitness, while the other side is more gentle and easier to hike. Moreover, the Juyongguan Great Wall section’s well-developed wheelchair access makes it the best section for wheelchair users.
- Location: about 60km (37.3 miles) northwest of Beijing (1-hour drive)
- Features: Gentle slopes, historic buildings, better accessibility
- Hiking Time: 3-4 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Disabled access, inns, restaurants, baby carriages, parking lots, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: Families, wheelchair users
4. Jinshanling Great Wall – The Most Beautiful Section for Photography and Hiking
Jinshanling Great Wall is a perfect Great Wall section for hikers to visit around Beijing. It’ll be an impressive experience to hike from east Jinshanling to the west Simatai Great Wall in around 4-5 hours. Besides, it is also a paradise for photographers, with the most splendid view in the morning and at dusk.
There is a cable car available for visitors who want to explore stunning scenery without completing an intensive hike.
- Location: Luanping County, Chengde City, Hebei Province. About 160km (99.5 miles) northeast of Beijing (2-hour drive)
- Features: Half-restored, scenic, great for sunrises/sunsets
- Activities: sightseeing, hiking, photographing
- Hiking Time: Around 3-5 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Shops, hotels, ferry buses, cable cars, restaurants, wheelchair service, disabled access, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: Photographers, hikers
Trek the unrestored Gubeikou and Jinshanling sections of the Great Wall, then camp overnight in an ancient watchtower beneath the star-filled sky.
5. Simatai Great Wall – The Best Section for Original Scenery and Night Hiking
Simatai Great Wall is the last Great Wall attraction open to tourists, which still preserves its original appearance. It is particularly steep compared with other Great Wall sections around Beijing, more suitable for experienced hikers.
Besides, Simatai is the only section of the Great Wall in Beijing that can be climbed at night throughout the whole year, which is sure to be a highlight of your hiking journey.
- Location: about 140km (87 miles) northeast of Beijing (1 hour 45 minutes by car)
- Features: Original structure, steep, night climbing allowed
- Hiking Time: Around 3-4 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Gubei Water Town, cable cars, restaurants, tourism market, lights at night, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: Experienced hikers, night hikers
Explore Beijing's Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, and hidden hutongs, then experience a rare illuminated night tour of Simatai Great Wall at Gubei Water Town.
6. Gubeikou Great Wall – The Best Wild Section for Adventurous Hikers
The Gubeikou Great Wall section is composed of the Panlongshan Great Wall and Wohushan Great Wall (not officially opened to the public). It has not been restored at all and is appropriate for hikers and adventurers.
Since some of its walls are in ruins, hiking to Gubeikou in bad weather is not recommended. Twenty-Four Window, a unique three-story defense construction, is located at the end of Gubeikou.
- Location: about 145km (90 miles) northeast of Beijing (2-hour drive)
- Features: Unrestored, rugged terrain, fewer tourists
- Hiking Time: 5 hours
- Tourism Facilities: None
- Suitable Travelers: Adventurers, seasoned hikers
Hike 10 kilometers along unrestored Great Wall sections from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, touching genuine 600-year-old bricks far from the crowded, renovated tourist stretches.
7. Jiankou Great Wall – The Most Challenging and Spectacular Wild Section
Jiankou Great Wall is the most desolate and challenging section of the Great Wall around Beijing. Some parts of the section are almost vertical, which is quite difficult to hike, and only suitable for hiking experts.
Besides, the Jiankou Great Wall has always been an ideal place for photographers and adventurers thanks to its arduous mountains and enchanting natural beauty.
- Location: about 75km (46.6 miles) north of Beijing (1.5-hour drive)
- Features: Wild and dangerous, steep, and most challenging
- Hiking Time: 7-8 hours
- Activities: photography, hiking (for experienced hikers only)
- Tourism Facilities: None
- Suitable Travelers: Expert hikers, adventurers
A one-day hike from the rugged, unrestored Jiankou section to the well-preserved Mutianyu Great Wall for experienced hikers.
8. Huanghuacheng Great Wall – The Only Lakeside Great Wall Section Near Beijing
Huanghuacheng is the only section of the Great Wall that is connected to the lake, featuring the unique scene of an ancient wall submerged in water. Summer is the best time to visit it when the lush trees and yellow wildflowers bloom along the lake.
There is a chestnut orchard at the foot of the mountain, cultivated by the people of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), which is a great treat for foodies. It’s a child-friendly section with activities like a boat cruise and camping.
- Location: about 75km (46.6 miles) north of Beijing (1 hour 45 minutes by car)
- Features: Lakeside wall, scenic views, wildflowers in summer
- Hiking Time: around 2 hours
- Activities: photography, hiking, boat cruise
- Tourism Facilities: Parking lots, rides including speedboats, sightseeing boats, pedalo, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: Families, nature lovers
9. Shanhai Pass Great Wall – The Best Section to See Where the Great Wall Meets the Sea
Shanhai Pass is known as the “First Pass Under Heaven,” which is also the starting point of the Great Wall.
Although Shanhai Pass is far from Beijing, convenient transportation allows tourists to easily travel from Beijing to Shanhai Pass by high-speed rail and sightseeing bus.
There are numerous restaurants at the foot of the Great Wall of Shanhaiguan, serving a variety of local specialties, including seafood.
- Location: Shanhaiguan District, Qinhuangdao City, Hebei Province.About 320km (200 miles) east of Beijing (3.5-hour drive)
- Features: Starts at the sea, cultural value, scenic summer views
- Hiking Time: 2-3 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Shanhaiguan Great Wall Museum, restaurants, parking lots, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: History lovers, long-distance tourists
10. Huangya Pass Great Wall – A Peaceful Section with Fewer Crowds and Colorful Landscapes
Huangya Pass is the only section of the Great Wall located in the county seat. You have two hiking directions to choose from – towards the Huangya Sky Ladder and Taiping Village (steeper).
- Location: Huangyaguan Village, Xiaying Town, Jizhou District, Tianjin City. About 120km (74.5 miles) northeast of Beijing (2-hour drive)
- Features: Fewer tourists, colorful cliff views, peaceful hike
- Hiking Time: 3-5 hours
- Tourism Facilities: Huangya Great Wall Museum, water recreation, hotels, sightseeing cars, etc.
- Suitable Travelers: Photographers, light hikers
Great Wall Sections: At-a-Glance Comparison
- If You Only Have Half a Day: Mutianyu Great Wall
- If It’s Your First Time Visiting the Great Wall: Badaling Great Wall
- Best Great Wall for Families with Kids: Mutianyu Great Wall & Juyongguan Great Wall
- Best Great Wall for Elderly Travelers: Badaling Great Wall & Juyongguan Great Wall
- If You Love Photography: Jinshanling Great Wall & Simatai Great Wall
- Best Great Wall for Hiking: Jinshanling Great Wall
- Best Wild Great Wall Experience: Jiankou Great Wall & Gubeikou Great Wall
- If You Want a Unique Great Wall Experience: Simatai Great Wall
- Best Great Wall with Natural Scenery: Huanghuacheng Great Wall, Jinshanling Great Wall
- Best Great Wall for History Lovers: Shanhai Pass Great Wall
Tips for Great Wall Hiking
- Don’t pack too many items, but snacks and water are necessary to help you complete the strenuous hiking. Usually, 2 bottles of mineral water and some chocolate and beef jerky are enough. A power bank is also necessary just in case.
- Children are not advised to run on the Great Wall as there are many broken bricks on the ground in some sections of the wall (especially in the sections that have not been restored).
- Spring and autumn, with pleasant weather, are the best times to hike the Great Wall.
- Remember to check the weather forecast before hiking. Prepare sunglasses, sunscreen, or a raincoat.
- If you’re a photographer, don’t bring too many accessories; just a tripod.
- Start early to avoid crowds. Especially if you’re visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall.
- Book tickets in advance for Simatai Great Wall night tours.
Other Main Great Wall Sections
With a total length of more than 21,000 kilometers (13,048.8 miles), the Great Wall of China spans across 15 provinces and municipalities. Here is a list introducing other main sections of the Great Wall and their locations.
Province / Municipality |
Great Wall Sections / Sites |
Gansu Province |
Jiayu Pass Fort (Jiayuguan), The First Beacon Tower of the Great Wall, Overhanging Great Wall, The Dunhuang Han Dynasty Great Wall, Jade Gate Pass Fort (Yumenguan), Yang Pass Fort |
Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region |
The Great Wall in Ningxia |
Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region |
The Great Wall in Inner Mongolia |
Shaanxi Province |
Zhenbeitai Tower, The Great Wall around Yulin |
Shanxi Province |
Yanmen Pass, Niangzi Pass |
Beijing Municipality |
Shuiguan |
Hebei Province |
Shanhaiguan Fortress, Jiaoshan (“Horn Peak”), Laolongtou (“Old Dragon Head”), Jinshanling |
Tianjin Municipality |
Huangya Pass |
Liaoning Province |
Jiumenkou (“Nine Openings”), Hushan (“Tiger Mountain”) |
Explore the Great Wall of China with China Xian Tour
Many travelers put visiting the Great Wall at the top of their China travel list. Indeed, it’s a significant attraction that carries China’s long and heavy history.
While planning a Great Wall tour and choosing the right hiking route can be difficult for international visitors, China Xian Tour’s travel experts will provide you with the best visiting plan.
FAQs about Great Wall Sections
Which section of the Great Wall is the best to visit?
It depends on your preference. Badaling is best for first-time visitors. Mutianyu is better for families and travelers who prefer fewer crowds. Jinshanling is ideal for hiking and photography.
Why does the Great Wall of China have different sections?
Originally, the Great Wall was built in sections by different states in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. In the Qin Dynasty, the sections were connected to each other, forming a continuous, long wall.
Today, only certain well-preserved or restored segments are open to tourists, which is why we refer to them as “sections” like Badaling, Mutianyu, and Jinshanling.
What are the most popular wild sections of the Great Wall?
Jinshanling Great Wall and Jiankou Great Wall are the most popular wild sections.
What is the most beautiful section of the Great Wall of China?
Probably Jinshanling Great Wall, as even China National Geography praised it as the “Holy Land for Great Wall Photography”.
Tourists can appreciate the apricot flower in full bloom all over the mountains in spring, luxuriant green trees in summer. Then mountains will be dressed in colorful foliage in autumn and splendid snow scenery in winter.
What is the oldest section of the Great Wall?
Both the Great Wall of Qi in central and southern Shandong Peninsula and the Great Wall of Chu in Henan are the oldest; they have a history of around 2,600 years.
Which section of the Great Wall of China is the most visited?
Badaling Great Wall. It receives over 13 million visitors annually and the average number of tourists in one day in peak season is more than 30,000.
