Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling
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September 2026
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Adults
Age 13 and over
Children
Age 12 and under
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Free cancellation up to 24 hours before. Same price on Viator, Outty earns a commission.
Traveler rating
5.0/5
Based on 15 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling worth booking?
Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling is a 8-hour experience in Beijing, China, from $90 per person. It scores 71 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Strongly Recommended”, based on a 5/5 rating across 15 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 71 / 100
- Rating
- 5/5 (15)
- Duration
- 8 hours
- From
- $90 per person
Hike along the Jinshanling Great Wall to enjoy the original Wall (unrepaired and quite-well-preserved ruins). There will be no crowds around you, so you can get the most out of China's legendary landmark as you tread the
What you get
- Bottled water
- Entrance fees for the Great Wall
- Personal expert English-speaking hiking tour guide
- Lunch at local farmer’s restaurant.
- Air-con vehicle with experienced driver
About this experience
Hike along the Jinshanling Great Wall to enjoy the original Wall (unrepaired and quite-well-preserved ruins). There will be no crowds around you, so you can get the most out of China's legendary landmark as you tread the Wall's centuries-old stone steps or walk through a ruined ancient watchtower. This one day Jinshanling Great Wall hiking tour is private. Your own personal tour guide will hike with you all the way. Your guide will respond to your requests with flexible arrangements to make the most of your time.
What's included
Included
- Bottled water
- Entrance fees for the Great Wall
- Personal expert English-speaking hiking tour guide
- Lunch at local farmer’s restaurant.
- Air-con vehicle with experienced driver
Not included
- Cable car fees
- Tipping of hiking guide/driver recommended on good service on a 2:1 ratio separately.
- Personal expenses.
- Travel insurance.
What you'll see and do
Jinshanling Great Wall
As the most popular hiking trip of the Great Wall around Beijing, it will show you both Simatai and Jinshanling sections of the wall within 3 hours. A 40-minute steps walking up will lead you to East-Five-Eye watchtower at Simatai West. You may take a few breaths before reaching the Wall, and will be rewarded by the breathtaking panoramic view of this amazing human constructions. Take a short break and some photos here, we will then walk westward to Jinshanling. We will get off the wall at Shalingkou at Jinshanling, alternatively you can walk another 30 minutes if you feel energetic and then get off the wall at Zhuanduokou . The un-restored wall, the watch towers, the beacon towers snake on the mountain from east to west. You will have chance to meet local farmer friends, try local home-made food and learn local community development. It is the best place for keen photographers along the wall. Regarding fitness it is a medium-level hiking for all ages. Pick you up at your hotel at 8am and then drive to Simatai West. You will start the hiking around 10:30 am, and it will take about 3 hours to complete the hiking. A lunch at a local farmer’s restaurant will be organized after the hiking before returning your hotel. 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.
180 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Hotel pickup
Pickup is included for all travelers.
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 15 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Trippest Travel
Know before you go
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- There is no toilet along the path on the Wall. There are toilets at the entrance of Simatai West and Jinshanling. Please prepare before hiking and always carry toilet paper by yourself.
- Please don’t make any appointment after the trip as the return depending on the traffic between 5-6 pm.
- Unlimited bottled waters are stored in the car/van, and you need a day pack to carry them.
- You will be followed by local farmers when starting the hike. The farmers will give you help along the way, as a reward they will sell some souvenirs. If you don’t like this, you have to say NO firmly at the beginning or just ignore them and not speak a word with them; otherwise they can be persistent and follow you all the way on the Wall.
- Travel insurance is optional and is the sole responsibility of travelers. It is encouraged to have coverage of injury or accident.
- As responsible travelers, we “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprint”.
Photos
What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 15 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
10 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Physical effort
6 mentionsExpect real walking or climbing: reviewers mention the effort involved.
Photo opportunities
4 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Food and drink
4 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Traveler reviews
15 verified traveler reviews for Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
The best way to experience the Great Wall
We had such a great experience seeing the Great Wall on this tour. It is so worth the extra drive to go to this part of the Wall if you want no crowds and unobstructed, spectacular views! Lisa and the driver picked us up at our hotel and we had a comfortable drive out to this section. Lisa was very knowledgeable about the history of the Great Wall and led us on a great hike across the watch towers. The views were amazing! There is a bit of climbing if you want to go to the highest watch tower but you can choose easier route as well. We saw only 10-15 people on entire hike plus you get to see unrestored sections which was very interesting. After our hike, Lisa took us to a local restaurant where we had our best meal so far. The restaurant owner was very kind and let me into the kitchen so I could watch. Best homemade tofu we’ve ever eaten! On the way home, we saw a photo from the more popular section of the wall from that day and it was a sea of people! Do yourself a favor and book this tour!! We are very grateful to Lisa and our driver for this amazing experience. On the way home, as an extra bonus, we even did a short tour of the hutong district.
Response from the operator: Dear Daniela, Thank you very much for sharing your wonderful experience and fantastic photos on the Great Wall. The Simatai to Jinshanling section of the Great Wall is a truly classic hidden gem. Your choice to hike this section was very wise. We appreciate your satisfaction with the professional and friendly service provided by our guide Lisa, as well as the delicious meal at the local restaurant that left you with great memories. Thank you once again for recommending this Great Wall tour, and we look forward to welcoming you back next time! Have a great day! Best Regards, Trippest Customer Care.
via Tripadvisor
Time to take a deep breath
It was our final trip on this journey to China and it was definitelly one of the best trips I ever had. Our tour guide Bob took us to a more rural area of the Great Wall to start our trip. We started at a little hiking village and went up the wall by a hiking path to arrive at a partially destroid part of the Great Wall - it was an impressive view and one to behold. For the next hours we walked over this old part of the wall which was mostly bare of any other people; only ocotionally we met another pair hikers on our path. Further and further we went on top and and along the wall to finally make our way to the renovated part for our final descending to our pick-up spot. For every view and and every questions we had, Bob had an interesting and informative answer; we enjoyed our time with him and learned a lot about Chinese history and culture.
Response from the operator: Thank you for sharing your tour with us! Jinshanling section of the Great Wall is famous for its breathtaking and unrestored views. Bob is quite good at hiking and loves to tell the guest about Chinese history and culture. We are so happy to hear you enjoyed your time with us! Hope to see you again in Beijing!
via Tripadvisor
Breathtaking
No matter how many photos you have seen, to go up there and spend a few hours walking along the wall trying to take in the enormity of it is an amazing experience. Guide Bob Chen and the driver made sure the whole day was interesting, efficient and well organized. The lunch we had near the wall was also some of the best I had in my 5 days in China. Highly recommended! : )
Response from the operator: Thank you for your great feed back! Jianshanling part is the most photographic place of the Great Wall. Hope you have taken many wonderful photos in the tour. We also have many foodie trips, if you go with us, you will really enjoy the best food in Beijing! Hope for your next tour with us!
via Tripadvisor
Awesome day trip
If you like hiking, this is a wonderful way to see the great wall. There were only three of us on the trip (I think the maximum would have been 5) and we literally had the wall all to ourselves at the start of the hike. Our guide Dewit was very enthusiastic. He brought us all snicker bars as snacks and him and the driver provided us with frozen water bottles which they kept in the cooler as it was a hot day! Great day out and a much quieter area of the wall, highly recommend it.
Response from the operator: Thank you for recommending our tour! Jinshanling section of the Great Wall is famous for being the most photogenic part and is hailed as the “paradise for photographers”. Our small group tour is with a maximum of 6 travelers, you're so lucky there is no other people in this tour! Dewit is caring and friendly for every guests! Wish you have a wonderful trip in China!
via Tripadvisor
Jinshanling Great Wall Tour from Beijing
Great tour. Bob our guide was great. Very informative and nice. He takes great pictures and knows the best places to stop for the best views of the wall. Would recommend to anyone who wants to see the Great Wall.
Response from the operator: It's delighted to know you had a good time with us. Bob is excellent with photography. Hope you have taken some wonderful photos of the Great Wall to keep the best memory!
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- 5+
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $90 to $456
- Hotel pickup
- Included for all travelers
- Booked in 30 days
- 5
- Verdict
- Strongly Recommended
Why this scores 71
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Beijing.
How much does Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling cost?
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Prices start at $90 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Beijing usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling take?
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Plan for about 8 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Beijing is not rushed.
Is Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 71 out of 100, which we label "Strongly Recommended". That score blends traveler sentiment (5/5 across 15 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable last minute in Beijing, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling suitable for kids and families?
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The operator sets a minimum age of 5. Older children generally do well here, and families should factor in the 8-hour running time when deciding.
How far in advance should I book Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling?
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Around 5 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Beijing can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Beijing and add a light layer if any part of the 8-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Private Great Wall Hiking Tour from Simatai West to Jinshanling start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Beijing within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Beijing?
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On Outty we rank every Beijing experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Mubus: Mutianyu Great Wall Bus Tour with Summer Palace Options, Beijing: Top 6 Highlights All Inclusive 2-Day Private Tour, Private Mutianyu Great Wall Trip With English-Speaking Driver. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Beijing?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Beijing?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
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