HIGHLIGHTS

Stay overnight on the Great Wall and experience sunset and sunrise. This unique tour offers you two memorable experiences on the Great Wall. The early morning hike along the Great Wall on top of the mountain range gives you breathtaking views in relative isolation, while spending the night just by the Great Wall under the evening stars offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that is not to be missed.

Description

Get away from the crowds visiting the great wall and have an adventure you'll be talking about for years. This trip is suitable for active participants only. Children must be of 6 years old or more and be able to hike for 2-3 hours along the steep mountain path to the wall. 

The difficulty of the hike can be tailored in advance of the booking and this is recommended for those less active. 

For this tour the guides have chosen one of the peaceful section of the Great Wall near the border of Beijing, which is less touristy, more natural and "wild". The portion of the Great Wall you will visit was built around mid 16th century during the Ming Dynasty and acted as a key military stronghold. The Great Wall snakes its way through fantastic natural scenery in the mountains. Many watchtowers dot this part of the Great Wall, from which you can see the capital city on clear days. The Wall is very steep and rocky with loose stones at times, but the views it provides are spectacular. During our hike, we’ll also spend some time walking on the mountain road so you can get a glimpse of the villages, farmland, and fruit trees that surround this part of the Wall.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS TOUR

A unique adventure:

This unique great wall camping experience is designed so that you can experience the natural beauty of the great wall. On this trip there will be no electricity or running water while camping at the great wall.

The trip will be handled by a licensed travel agency and all guides are well trained, experienced and fluent in English, making the experience hassle free and as enjoyable as possible. 

The package includes: 

Accommodation beside the Great Wall on top of the mountain, including tents,bedding/ sleeping bags and pillows.(two persons sharing one tent). Tents for 3 persons are available, please let us know at the time of booking if your group of three would like to share one tent. English-speaking guide. Meals (BBQ dinner on day one on top of the Great Wall and lunch on day two, and one simple Western breakfast (bread &coffee) on the Wall. The breakfast will include hot coffee – but no other hot food – as no cooking is allowed on the Wall. If you have a special dietary request, please let us know in advance at the time of booking.) Some bottles of mineral water, hot water, tea, coffee, beer and other soft drinks. Clean and air-conditioned coach transportation. Local insurance . (Please send us your passport information for the insurance at the time of booking)

What to bring:

Walking shoes or hiking boots, sunscreen, bug repellant, sunglasses and personal items such as medications, toiletries and a change of clothes. WARM jacket or sweatshirt is needed as it's cooler on the wall than in the city. When you hike your bags will be transported in the bus. Use a knapsack to carry your things for overnight and the hike the next morning. You may bring snacks to eat while walking on the wall however we will give you some as well.


In case of bad weather: 

When it rains or the weather is otherwise hazardous, alternative overnight accommodation will be provided, and the second day' s itinerary will be adjusted according to safety risks. Besides, local authorities sometimes order people off the Wall. If this happens once we have already arrived – and therefore cannot change the tour date – we'll arrange for you to stay in a courtyard hotel at the base of the Wall free of charge. Camping on the great wall may be temporarily suspended during some sensitive political events. Thus we may have to cancel or reschedule the dates in the last minute!. Because winter season will be (very!) cold on the Wall, we'll stay in a courtyard hotel at the foot of the mountain, but we’ll still enjoy the night sky and sunrise from the Wall. The hike is quite strenuous (Level of difficulties: 3 out of 4).

tour profile

  • China, Beijing
  • Culture
  • Adventure travel, Culture, Historic sites
  • Basic
  • 3-4
  • 6 years
  • Saturday, September 10, 2016
  • Spring - Autumn
  • Can combine with Martial Arts at the Temple of Heaven
  • Accommodation, including tents, bedding/ sleeping bags and pillows (two persons sharing one tent). Tents for 3 persons are available. English-speaking guide. Clean and air-conditioned coach transportation. Local insurance.
  • 6 persons minimum - 15 persons maximum
  • Provided
  • Meals (Barbeuqe dinner on day one on top of the Great Wall and lunch on day two, and one simple Western breakfast (bread & coffee) on the Wall. The breakfast will include hot coffee – but no other hot food – as no cooking is allowed on the Wall.
  • Extra food and drinks.

Important Reminder

The difficulty of the hike can be tailored. But this should be done in advance of the booking. Tailoring the tour is recommended for those less active. If you do not wish to participate in the full hike please inform your guide before the start of the trip.

Important Note

All tour guides can speak Chinese. Camping takes place on a wild section of the wall however it is far from unspoilt. In the past we have also noticed that often there can be some rubbish from previous campers left behind. We will purchase an insurance plan for those who don't have international insurance while in China. Please let us know your personal details (full name, passport number, and date of birth) by 12 noon one day prior to departure date if you are interested. Should you not subscribe to this option, we will not be held responsible for any injuries or accidents that may occur during the trip.

  • Reviews
  • Itinerary
  • Dates & Pricing
  • Destination Guide
Highly recommended
Submitted on 09/10/2016 by David Kelly | Yes, I would recommend this experience
9 / 10
Overall Rating
Training
90%
Facilities
90%
Food
90%
Environment
90%
Fun
90%

My family of four (including 12- and 15-year-olds) enjoyed this trip tremendously! In addition to gorgeous weather and incredible guides - Muyi, Cherry and Mr. Wang - the isolation of Jinshanling made the trip unforgettable. At one point, my spouse and I looked ahead and the only people we could see were our two children, walking on a section of the wall with no other people around, surrounded by the unbelievable scenery. Priceless! After the crowds and craziness of the city, Jinshanling was just what we needed.

The meals were delicious, the bedding comfortable under a blanket of stars, and the hiking strenuous but manageable. The guides provided plenty of information and we always felt like we were in capable hands. We only wish we'd brought light, long pants for the walk through the brush. Other than that, Sleeping on the Wall has been the highlight of our six weeks in Beijing!
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Yes, I would definitely recommend booking through SMA
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Absolutely great service and super simple to arrange.
Camping on the great wall!
Submitted on 09/10/2016 by David Kelly | Yes, I would recommend this experience
10 / 10
Overall Rating
Training
100%
Facilities
100%
Food
80%
Environment
100%
Fun
100%

A really good experience in a small group of 8! Amazing landscape, the "wild" Great Wall and almost none else out there. It`s one of the best things to do if you want to escape the crowded noisy city, go for hiking, breathe some fresh air and be in nature for a weekend.

Everything is well organised, all camping stuff provided (including sleeping bag, pillow, mattress etc.), plenty of food and beverage, very nice CCC and local guides... you just have to take you hiking shoes, prepare for weather conditions like heat and some rain in summertime and ... go. You will love it.
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Yes, I would definitely recommend booking through SMA
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Great site with so many excellent experiences available.
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DAY 1 - Sleep on the great wall

  • Meet at our designated location to catch the coach, and we'll begin our adventure in the afternoon with a 2 hour drive from Beijing center to the Great Wall near the border of Beijing.
  • Arrive at a village at the foot of the Great Wall. Hike 40 minutes up to the top of the Great Wall, and then hike 1.5 hours on the top of the Great Wall toward the area of camping (the wall is “wild”, 1/3 of the part is quite steep.)
  • When we arrive at the destination, the porters have already carried up our camping equipments and food up there. We begin to set up the camps.
  • You will scale the wall and be awed by the beauty of the sun setting against the back drop of the one of the seven wonders of the world.
  • Dinner including barbecue and beer on the wall while watching the sunset. 
  • Sleep overnight by the Great Wall.

DAY 2 - Sunrise/ breakfast on the wall/ hike down the wall/ farmers lunch

  • The best time to take pictures.
  • Enjoy a simple breakfast before hiking down the wall (10km approx 3.5 hour hike, this hike is of medium difficulty with some loose rocks and ups and downs).
  • Enjoy a farmers lunch at the end of the hike before returning to Beijing.
  • Return to the coach to travel back to Beijing ETA 15:30-16:00.


 

Dates of DepartureTour OptionPrice (land only)Trip StatusBook Now 
Mon - Sun (May-Nov)5-11 years820 CNY
AliveBook Now
Mon - Sun (May-Nov)All others1200 CNYAliveBook Now


Prices are in CNY 


The Great Wall of China is a must-visit China attraction. You may have trouble with how to visit the Great Wall though. StudyMartialArts.Org offers you this help to know the Great Wall better and plan a perfect Great Wall Camping tour.

all great wall sections

The Great Wall of China stretches across north China, passing over deserts, grasslands, mountain ridges, and ends at China's east coast.

Most of the Great Wall visited and seen on photos was built in the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Great Wall is officially 8,900 km (5,500 mi) long, and the most popular and well protected sections are around Beijing.

The best times to visit the Great Wall (around Beijing) are spring and autumn to avoid summer heat and crowds, and winter freezing conditions.

best time to the great wall

mutianuyThe Great Wall at Mutianyu in fall

Spring (April–May) in Beijing's mountains is cool/warm and the green plants and flowers make the Great Wall beautiful.

Fall (September–November) is a the best hiking season due to the clear weather, allowing you to see the Great Wall snaking off into distance. The mountains are blanketed by colors of red, golden, yellow, and brown, which sets off the grays and paler Great Wall colors.

You can also visit the Great Wall in summer and winter, if that would suit you better. Summer is peak season and popular sections get crowded. It's hot with bright sunshine and some downpours. Winter is very cold, even icy, on the Great Wall, but there's almost no crowding.

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