your guide will meet you at 8am and then drive to Simatai West. You will start the hiking around 10:30am, and it will take about 3 hours to complete. A lunch at a local farmer’s restaurant will be organized after the hiking before returning to the city. This section offers arguably the finest hiking anywhere on the Great Wall. It is extremely photogenic, with over 15 watch-towers, and steep gradients that give constantly changing perspectives and wide, open views. There is fascinating variety in the watch-towers here. Some have two storeys, others three. Some have flat roofs, others rounded and others again are pitched with upturned eaves. This section of the wall is wild, ruined, preserved and original. On a clear day, it is difficult to fail to take good photographs here. 

Depart from your hotel in downtown Beijing at approximately 6:00 am. Enjoy a simple breakfast before starting the trip to the Jinshanling Great Wall. Start your 3-hour hike on the eastern section of the wall at 10 am with plenty of photo opportunities of the surrounding foliage, architecture, and towers along the way. Be surrounded by ancient architecture to marvel at the along this 6 km hike. Take time to enjoy the breathtaking sights along the parapets on this relatively less crowded section of the wall with room to stop and admire the views. This section of the Great Wall offers a look at each unique tower along the way, ensuring there is always something new to discover. After the included lunch, your adventure will conclude and you will be transferred back to the city. Hotel pick up is only available from select hotels located within the second ring road in central Beijing.

Benefit from early morning pickup at your hotel in Beijing city center, and then relax in air-conditioned comfort on the 2.5-hour journey to the Jinshanling Great Wall.  Located 140 kilometers (87 miles) northeast of the imperial capital, the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China connects to the Simatai and Gubeikou sections to the east and west, and is acclaimed for its brick-built watchtowers and dragon-like form as it snakes across the mountains. Get 3.5 hours to explore the wall and go for a peaceful walk without the usual tourist crowds to enjoy the amazing views. Break for a typical lunch at a local restaurant before the drive back to Beijing, where you will get dropped off at a subway station for your convenience.