Walking along the Great Wall of China for hours, following the mountain ridges and crossing sections where you barely encounter another traveller, is a very different way to experience one of the world’s most famous landmarks.
The Jinshanling to Gubeikou hike combines restored sections of the Great Wall, original stretches and rural trails over approximately 15 km. I did this route independently, starting at Jinshanling East Gate and finishing in Gubeikou, and I’m going to walk you through everything you need to know to do it yourself. Shall we?
Quick Facts: Jinshanling to Gubeikou Hike
| Distance | Approximately 15 km |
| Duration | Around 5 hours (allow a full day for the experience) |
| Starting point | Jinshanling East Gate |
| Finishing point | Gubeikou |
| Difficulty | Moderate to challenging |
Logistics: Hiking from Jinshanling to Gubeikou
This hike connects two different sections of the Great Wall of China, and you can walk it in either direction.
You can start at Jinshanling and finish in Gubeikou, or do the opposite. Personally, I think starting at Jinshanling makes the most sense if you have two days to explore the Great Wall, because you can combine the hike with a visit to Simatai at night.
I left Beijing around midday, travelled to Gubei Water Town and spent the night there. That evening, I visited the illuminated Simatai section of the Great Wall.
The following morning, I set off early for Jinshanling, hiked to Gubeikou and returned to Beijing by train. I absolutely loved this experience, but if you’re still deciding which section of the Great Wall to visit, I’ve put together a separate guide to choosing the best section of the Great Wall of China.
💁🏽♀️ If you gonna do Jinshanling > Gubeikou: I recommend staying in Gubei Water Town the night before. This is particularly convenient if you want to visit Simatai at night as well. But if you are thinking Gubeikou > Jinshanling: Staying in Gubeikou the previous night makes more sense for this direction.
The key is to stay near your starting point the night before, rather than spending the morning travelling from Beijing. You’ll need enough daylight to complete the hike.
How to Get to Jinshanling from Gubei Water Town?
The easiest option is to order a DiDi (China’s ride-hailing app) from the parking area at Gubei Water Town, opposite the Lawson convenience store, to the entrance of Jinshanling. When I visited, the ride cost approximately €6.20 per car (46 CNY).
Jinshanling has three entrances: East, Central and West. The East Gate is the closest to Gubei Water Town, but it closes during the winter season, usually from late November until late March. Check the official Jinshanling Scenic Area website before your visit to confirm which entrances are open.
This hike could previously be done by walking from Simatai to Gubeikou along the Great Wall. However, access restrictions now prevent you from connecting Simatai and Jinshanling directly along the wall. Jinshanling East Gate is therefore the easternmost starting point for this route when access is restricted as described here.
💁🏽♀️ If you want to save some distance, you can take a DiDi to Jinshanling’s main entrance and use the cable car to reach the wall. However, you’ll miss part of the climb, which is one of the more physically demanding parts of the hike.
🏩 Where to stay in Gubei Water Town? I recommend Yanmen Inn, a good-value accommodation option. If you’re planning to visit Gubei Water Town and the Great Wall of China at night, you can also read my guide to visiting Simatai at night and Gubei Water Town.
Jinshanling Great Wall Entrance Tickets
When I visited, an entrance ticket to the Jinshanling section cost 65 CNY (approximately €8.50) during the high season. You can buy your ticket in advance through Trip.com or purchase it at the ticket office near the parking area.
If you buy your ticket in person, keep in mind that staff may speak limited English, so communicating your plans can be a little tricky. Fortunately, they provide a useful map to help you navigate the Great Wall.
💡 Don’t assume the staff will know how to advise you about the full hike to Gubeikou. When I asked about this route, everyone told me it was impossible or closed. I’m not sure whether this was due to a lack of information or translation difficulties, but I was able to complete the route described in this guide.
For an additional 10 CNY (approximately €1.30), you can take a shuttle bus that covers around 2 km and drops you off in the commercial area near the cable car entrance.
Keep in mind that the shuttle doesn’t take you all the way up to the Great Wall. You’ll still have to climb from there.
If you’d rather avoid that climb, the cable car costs 40 CNY per journey and operates according to the seasonal schedule.
I chose to walk up. The first tower you’ll reach is General Tower, where the adventure through this section of the Great Wall begins.
Jinshanling to Gubeikou | The Hiking Route Step by Step
The Trail from Jinshanling
If you start your hike from Jinshanling Central Gate, I recommend taking a short detour in the opposite direction from the main hiking route to reach Shanlingkou.The views from there are beautiful, you can see the restored Great Wall winding its way across the mountain ridges.
Afterwards, whether you start at Shanlingkou or General Tower, follow the wall westwards, as shown on the map. The route continues to Six-Window Tower, which marks the last viewpoint on the Great Wall within the Jinshanling section.
The Military Restricted Area and the Trail Away from the Wall
After Six-Window Tower, the Great Wall continues, but this area is reserved for military activities and access is strictly prohibited. Between Teochunkou Pass and Six-Window Tower, you’ll find a small sign reading “Scenic Walk”. This trail leads towards the Jinshanling West Gate parking area, and it’s the main route indicated on the maps from this point onwards.
When you reach the Scenic Walk entrance, turn left and pass underneath the Great Wall through a very small tunnel. When I visited, there were even street vendors selling snacks near Teochunkou Pass, despite it being winter. They were familiar with the route and knew where the trail continued.
Hiking Outside the Great Wall
After passing through the small tunnel beneath the wall, between Teochunkou Pass and Six-Window Tower, you’ll begin walking along rural trails.
At first, the path runs along the base of the Great Wall, with trees on the other side.
You’ll see a few signs pointing towards the West Gate parking area, but the most useful trail markers are actually small pink dots. I spotted them on tree trunks, rocks and even trees at eye level. Whenever I wondered whether I was still following the right path, another pink mark would appear.
Some sections are steep and slippery, but I didn’t find the trail particularly difficult overall.
After a couple of kilometres, you’ll move away from the base of the Great Wall and continue towards the West Gate parking area.
Jinshanling West Gate Parking Area
The first part of the Jinshanling to Gubeikou hike ends at the Jinshanling West Gate parking area.
There’s a small shop here, and it’s your last opportunity to buy water or snacks before continuing towards Gubeikou.
Pay close attention to the next turn, because it’s one of the easiest places to get lost. On the left-hand side of the parking area, you’ll see a well-defined dirt path without any signs indicating where it leads. That’s the trail you need to take to continue towards Gubeikou.
It’s easy to walk straight past it if you’re expecting clear signposts, so make sure you look carefully before continuing. From this point until you reach the Great Wall at Gubeikou, you’ll be hiking through a forest.
Exploring the Original Great Wall at Gubeikou
Gubeikou preserves some of the most atmospheric sections of the Great Wall of China, including stretches that haven’t been restored.
Walking along this part of the wall is spectacular, but it’s also considerably more demanding than the reconstructed sections at Jinshanling. In my opinion, it feels much more exposed.
The stones are loose, and many parts of the trail have no protective walls along the edges.
Unlike the previous section, there are no pink dots marking the way. Instead, you’ll find signs indicating the different watchtowers. The problem is that you’ll be entering through an unofficial access point, so you won’t receive the map usually provided at the main entrance.
My advice is to save a screenshot of the map below before starting the hike. That way, you can check your position even when you don’t have an internet connection.
How to Reach Gubeikou Village from the Great Wall
From General Tower, it takes approximately 20 minutes to descend to Gubeikou North Gate.
One advantage of finishing the hike in this direction is that this access point doesn’t have gates preventing you from leaving after the official closing time. This gives you a little more flexibility if the hike takes longer than expected or you want to stay for the late-afternoon light to take photographs.
North Gate is also practically in the centre of Gubeikou village, so you can continue into the village without making a major detour.
Is This Guide Helping You Plan Your Trip?
If you’d like to support the blog and help me keep creating free travel guides, you can buy me an Ice Latte on Ko-fi. Every little bit helps me continue sharing the practical information I wish I’d had before visiting a place myself.
Ice Latte for the blogger ☕How to Get Back to Beijing from Gubeikou
The most direct option for returning to Beijing from Gubeikou is the train. Gubeikou railway station is approximately a 40 min walk from the Great Wall’s North Gate, or around 5 minutes by DiDi.
However, getting a ride wasn’t as easy as I expected. I spent about 30 minutes trying to order a DiDi, but nobody accepted the trip. I don’t know whether this was due to the time of day or the season, but I couldn’t find a driver.
If this happens to you and you’re starting to worry about missing the last train of the day, here’s how I solved the problem. I went into a supermarket and asked for help. Fortunately, someone managed to find a driver who could take me to the station. I paid considerably more than I would have for a DiDi, but at least I made it in time.
You can buy your train ticket online through Trip.com or at the railway station.When I travelled, the last train from Gubeikou to Beijing departed at 17:20. Make sure you verify the current timetable before your hike, as departure times can change. There’s also a luggage and passport check before boarding, so I recommend arriving at the station with plenty of time to spare.
Tips for Hiking from Jinshanling to Gubeikou
I know travelling independently around China can feel intimidating at first. I hope this step-by-step guide makes the route easier to understand and gives you the confidence to explore the Great Wall without a guided tour. Before you set off, there are a few more things worth keeping in mind.
Internet, Phone Signal and eSIMs:
You know that China has the Great Firewall, and nothing related to Google or social media platforms like Instagram or TikTok worksthere ; so I recommend that you buy an eSIM card with a built-in VPN—such as the one from Airalo—before you arrive.
You should also prepare for limited mobile coverage on the Great Wall itself. The wall stretches across remote areas, and signal can be weak or completely unavailable, especially away from the main entrances.
Download your maps in advance and save screenshots of the route maps on your phone. These can be incredibly useful when you need to check your position without internet access.
Bring Enough Water and Snacks:
You’ll find some food stalls near the entrance to Jinshanling, as well as occasional vendors along the route.
However, the Jinshanling West Gate parking area is the last place where you can reliably buy water and snacks before reaching Gubeikou.
This is particularly important in summer, when the heat and physical effort make staying hydrated even more essential. Plan ahead and carry enough supplies for the entire hike.
Wear Proper Hiking Shoes and Don’t Underestimate the Terrain
This isn’t the kind of Great Wall visit where people wander around in dresses and high heels to take photographs. You’ll encounter loose stones, steep sections and narrow stretches of original wall that can feel exposed, sometimes without any protective walls along the edges.
You don’t necessarily need technical mountaineering boots, but you should wear comfortable hiking shoes with good grip and a stable sole.
Have a Backup Plan in Case You Miss Your Transport
When I travelled, the last train from Gubeikou to Beijing departed at 17:20. That’s a fairly tight deadline if you’re planning to complete the entire route while taking your time to enjoy the scenery and photograph the Great Wall. Plan your return journey before you start hiking, and have an alternative in case you don’t reach the station in time.
Depending on your budget and how you want to continue your trip, you could order a DiDi or arrange alternative private transport back to Beijing. Spend the night in accommodation in Gubeikou. Return to Gubei Water Town and stay somewhere with a few more amenities.
I wouldn’t leave the transport arrangements until the end of the hike. As I discovered myself, finding a driver in Gubeikou isn’t always as straightforward as you might expect.
Hiking the Great Wall of China was one of my favourite experiences in the country, but it’s certainly not the only way to explore it.
How to Visit the Great Wall of China | Best Sections and; Tips
How to Visit the Great Wall of China at Night and Gubei Water Town from Beijing
Where to Stay in Beijing | Best Areas & Neighbourhoods for Every Travel Style
Continuing Your Trip Around China?
From the Harbin Ice Festival to the futuristic robots in Shenzhen, China has so much more to offer than just the Great Wall.
I’ve traveled around the country twice now, and I’m gradually updating my travel guides to share everything I’ve learned from traveling on my own. If you’re planning a longer trip and want to discover other destinations, I invite you to explore all my travel guides for China.
Until the next destination!
Guadi.
