2 Days Private Jiankou Great Wall Tour

At the pre-agreed time this morning, your private guide and driver will punctually show up at your self-booked hotel in downtown Beijing. Once you meet, hop in our private car and enjoy a 2-hour comfortable drive to the Jiankou Great Wall, one of the most dangerous Great Wall sections in Beijing. Along the way, your guide will introduce you to basic information about this wild section, which is built on steep mountain ridges and has cracked and collapsed over the years due to disrepair and exposure to wind and sunlight. Note that it is only recommended for those adventurers with rich climbing experience and good physical strength.
● The public transportation from downtown Beijing to the Jiankou Great Wall is very inconvenient, taking 2.5 to 4 hours for a single trip and involving annoying transfers. Therefore, for our 2-day private Jiankou Great Wall tour, we’ll thoughtfully provide you with hassle-free private car transfer service, allowing you to save more time and energy to enjoy the Great Wall itself.

► Preparations Before You Go
1. It is necessary to prepare ropes, safety buckles, gloves, and an alpenstock, as you’ll encounter many abrupt slopes composed of soil and rubble, and even some almost vertical precipices without any supporting points.
2. Overgrown with shrubs and weeds, some parts of it have only one narrow path along dilapidated walls allowing one person to walk on, so it’s better to wear hard-wearing coats, pants, and anti-slip hiking shoes. Sports sunglasses and UV-resistant goggles are also suggested.
3. Packing a first-aid package that includes medical supplies such as Band-Aids, painkillers, hemostats, and bandages for unexpected emergencies is essential.
4. Plan a light pack with enough water and high-calorie snacks to replenish energy during the hike.

Upon your arrival at the Jiankou Great Wall, which is around noon, your guide will help you check in at the accommodation you’ve booked on your own, and then leave you some time to have lunch. The nearby Xizhazi Village, with some well-regarded hostels and farmhouses, as well as some uphill paths leading to the different spots on the Great Wall, has been the base camp for visitors. You can choose to stay here tonight, and the most famous Zhao’s Villa can be a reference for you. After that, let’s officially begin our exciting hike on the north section of the Jiankou Great Wall. We’ll hike along the following route for 2 to 3 hours：
● Xizhazi Village - Sky Stairs - Eagle Flies Facing Upward - Beijing Knot - Xizhazi Village

Follow the path in the village up to the Great Wall, go clockwise, and we’ll reach the first stop, the Sky Stairs, which is a 70-degree steep slope of about 80 meters (262 feet) long. You’ll first have to pass over steps with a relatively large span, and some of them can only accommodate half of your foot. The latter part is even more challenging, with stairs that have weathered into rubble, so you need to climb on both your hands and feet. Next, brave yourself on the Eagle Flies Facing Upward, the most hazardous part of the Jiankou Great Wall. Perched on a nearly vertical cliff, even an eagle has to lean backward and fly high with all its might to reach the summit, hence its name. Consider your physical strength and courage seriously, and if you can’t manage to cover this distance, follow your guide to take a detour by the side path. If you are still energetic and time permits, you can also ask your guide to accompany you all the way northward to the Beijing Knot for the final part of the hike. Here is the junction of three sections of the Great Wall, symbolizing the ancient defense strategy of Beijing, offering you an up-close observation of watchtowers and a panoramic view of the Great Wall stretching along undulating mountains and lush valleys.

Finally, your guide will escort you back to the village and then to your lodging to conclude today’s journey.

After breakfast, meet your guide at your hotel, and then set out for a 4-hour hiking trip along the south section of the Jiankou Great Wall. It is a less difficult route with more classic sights:
● Xizhazi Village - Jiankou Spot - Tiny Potala Palace - Zhengbei Tower - Xizhazi Village

On the mountain, when we reach the lowest point along a V-shaped section of the Great Wall, we’ll arrive at the Jiankou Spot. Continuing to walk with full concentration and caution along a ridge with cliffs on both sides, what awaits you will be the Tiny Potala Palace. It is a solid watchtower standing majestically on the white limestone, somewhat resembling the Potala Palace, the famous Buddhist mecca in Tibet, when viewed from a distance, hence the name. Standing on the highest Zhengbei Tower, which itself is a perfect 360-degree viewing platform, picture the stunning panorama of the dragon-like Great Wall. It is said that when the sun is shining directly at noon, the light seems to have been precisely calculated, simultaneously illuminating both the east and west walls of the Tower. The phenomenon, which is full of geometric aesthetics, is also a favorite for photo enthusiasts. With the guide’s help, take your chance to capture the moment, too. At the end of the trip, let’s return to Xizhazi Village and check out of your hotel.

This is the end of your 2 days private Jiankou Great Wall tour from Beijing, and your guide and driver will escort you back to downtown Beijing. Hope you enjoyed the experience with us! If you have further travel plans in Beijing, such as exploring imperial culture in the UNESCO-listed Forbidden City, admiring well-preserved Great Wall structures at Mutianyu, or enjoying the classic Chinese garden architecture of the Summer Palace, feel free to contact us to customize a Beijing itinerary that suits your preferences.