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I would seriously highly recommend Jiankou Great Wall if you want to see a more genuine, unrestored section. It is relatively straightforward to get to (simply take the bus towards Mutianyu as far as Huairou then switch to the local bus H36 to Xizhazi Village (IMPORTANT: Not Jiankou Village as marked on Google Maps, this is the other side which is much steeper and more confusing - tried this route last year, got really lost and nearly fell off a cliff face...). Once you're off the bus, the path to the wall is tucked behind a row of houses - ask a local for directions if you're unsure. It's about an hour's walk through the woods to get to the Great Wall. The wall is absolutely stunning, you can see the trees growing up through the centre and lots of really picturesque spots (perfect for the Instagram haha!). Turn left when you get to the wall and it's about a three hour walk to Mutianyu. The path is challenging but not too hard - we were two young 20-somethings and did it in trainers, don't wear sandals/ heels! I'd only do this in good weather though, one part was REALLY steep and slippery, would definitely not be safe in winter. Once you reach Mutianyu, it's just a downhill walk through the restored section (maybe around an hour) to the exit, where you can then easily get buses back into Beijing.…
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Date of experience: October 2019
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We are a family of 6 and we hiked from Mutianyu to Jianku in December with Jonny as our guide. Jonny answered quickly to our emails and the hike was promptly organized. He picked us up punctually in the hotel and we stopped for a delicious breakfast in a local restaurant near Mutianyu. We took the cable car to the wall and started hiking west toward Jianku while Jonny told us about the history and the construction of the wall. At first it was pretty cold, but as we started hiking up the wall, we were all warm enough! Past the renovated part from Mutianyu, the top of the wall is more like a path with lose stones and vegetation and we were the only ones hiking. The sun was shining and we had a wonderful and clear view on the wall winding through the mountains as far as the eye can see. There was a little snow to make the whole thing even more beautiful and it was still very practicable. Jonny took a lot of pictures of us, we had enough time to admire the landscape and we all had a wonderful time. The driver was waiting for us in the village at the bottom of the wall in Jianku and drove us back to the hotel. We would highly recommend this tour in a beautiful nature. Winter proved to be a very good time to visit, with less tourists and a very clear view. We would also highly recommend Jonny as a very sympathetic and reliable guide who speaks very good english. He took care of every practical details and everything ran smoothly. We could just enjoy the view and did not have to worry about timing, route, trips to and from the wall or anything. Thank you Jonny! PM me for his contact information but he is on hotmail under jonnyzhangcn…
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Date of experience: December 2019
1 Helpful vote
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Was liked up at airport by Edward my personal guide. I asked him to keep a couple promises. we drove to the Jiankou area and we were the only ones up or down on this lonely trail climbing and climbing. I began to realize this was a mountain..lol.. Edward must have been a Billygoat cause he just moved up without effort...it inspired me to keep moving. When we reached the top an actual climb over was required to get on top of the wall. Edward kept his promise... No tourists and a short video record of the great experience …
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Date of experience: November 2019
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We did a hike from Mutianyu to Jiankou with Johnny. He picked us up from the airport and safely brought us to the Great Wall. Even though there was fresh snow on the road and many accidents had occurred we never felt unsafe. He told us a lot about Beijing and the Great Wall and knew the best spots to take photos. We had an absolutely amazing day! After our hike he took us back to the airport and walked us through a quick entry that saved us some time! I can recommend!!…
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Date of experience: November 2019
1 Helpful vote
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Very steep walk up to the cable car bu there is a lift for the very last part of the climb. Would not like to try this visit in the warmer months. Unbelievable sights and will never forget. Lots of people but nobody appeared to bother if people were struggling with the climb. There is a small cafe close to the car park which served very welcoming hot chocolate. Inside the cafe there is also a small subway to purchase sandwiches. A once in a lifetime visit.…
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Date of experience: December 2019
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