The Great Wall of China

Name: The Great Wall
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.6 (132 reviews)

Top 5 Sections of our Great Wall of China Tours

Mutianyu

Almost 80km northeast of Beijing, the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall connects the Juyongguan Pass and Gubeikou and plays an important role in the history and culture of China. Dating back to 550, Mutianyu is one of the best-preserved parts of the wall and remains relatively untouched. Surprisingly, it sees fewer tourists than other sections, yet it’s one of the most spectacular. From the top of the walls, views roll uninterrupted across the countryside which is peppered with orchards and pine forests.

Jinshanling

Another well-preserved section you’ll walk along during our Great Wall trips is Jinshanling. This was built in the Ming Dynasty era and towers seven metres high, featuring five passes, two beacon towers and an astonishing 67 watchtowers. You’ll also find various structures that would have been used as bedrooms and to store soldiers’ weapons. With the mountains of Luanping County as its backdrop, Jinshanling is one of the most scenic and impressive parts of the Great Wall.

Jiankou

Jiankou is a notorious section of the Great Wall, owing to its wild and dangerous ridges hugged by towers but it’s the mountain scenery enveloping it that makes it one of the most beautiful too. This part of the wall was made using white dolomite and runs via the Beijing Knot which connects Mutianyu and Huanghuacheng. Other famous parts of the wall include the Nine-Eye Tower, Sky Stair, Zhengbei Tower, and the Eagle Flies Facing Upward, which was given its name because of the distinctive shape that’s formed by the watchtower and mountains.

Huanghuacheng

This is one of the most rural and lesser-explored sections of the Great Wall of China and its lakeside setting is spellbinding. Meaning ‘yellow flower city’, Huanghuacheng is a beautiful sight in the summer when the mountains are covered in a sea of yellow wildflowers. While sections of this walk can be challenging at times, you’re rewarded with the most captivating scenery. But what makes Huanghuacheng really stand out is that it’s the only part of the wall where some of its sections are hidden beneath the water.

Panlongshan

The Panlongshan Great Wall runs between Jinshanling and Gubeikou and has remained untouched since the Ming Dynasty. While some sections of the wall are intact, other parts have deteriorated throughout the centuries. This gives you a wonderful insight into the original structure of the wall and lets you take a step back in time to uncover its fascinating history. You’ll be wowed by both the scenery and architecture of structures such as the watchtowers and the triple-tiered 24-Eyes Tower.

Great Wall Trips

Snaking along lush mountains and valleys, the Great Wall of China is an epic piece of Chinese history that dates back 2,000 years and stretches for a staggering 8,800km. Our Great Wall of China tour takes you on an unforgettable journey into East Asia’s past, along quieter sections that are rarely walked by tourists.

On our guided group tours, not only will you see some of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall, declared one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007, but you’ll also witness the most astounding scenery in the world. Mutianyu is one of the best sections of the Wall and used to serve as the northern barrier, defending the capital and the Imperial tombs against Mongol raiders.

Another magnificent section of the wall is the Jiankou, which lies on the edge of a precipitous peak. You can marvel at the ancient towers that teeter on ridges and climb to the summit of the Sanshibadeng (dubbed the ‘Spiderman Wall’) for panoramic views, although these head-spinning heights aren’t for the faint-hearted.

Our Great Wall trips to China are led by expert guides who teach you all about the history and traditional rural life as you meet with village locals along the way. You’ll also have the opportunity to explore the vibrant city of Beijing and its captivating contrasts of old and new with guided tours of the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the ‘hutongs’.

Our Great Wall of China Holidays

9 Days from 1 678 €

1 500 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Trek one of the seven wonders of the world

Walking & Trekking

11 Days from 2 638 €

2 280 €

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Travel from Beijing to Shanghai to discover China's highlights

Culture

See All Trips

Walking the Great Wall of China

Walk with Exodus along one of the Seven Wonders of the World visiting the most remote sections of the Great Wall of China.

Recommended Trips

Walking the Great Wall

Itinerary was jam-packed with great sights and activities that gave us a taste of both ancient and modern China, while still leaving some free time to explore on our own; excellent value. All the hotels were very good (luxurious for Exodus), with the Tianfu Sunshine in Chengdu being stand-out for room facilities and decor, the Bell Tower in Xi’an for location and generous room size, and the Dong Fang in Beijing for the most extensive and best quality breakfast buffet (and period charm in the historic coffee shop, courtyard, and public areas); Golden Tulip in Shanghai was also very glamorous and well-located for the Bund. Transport (bullet trains x 2, internal flight, private minibuses, and public buses) was all excellent – punctual, efficient and clean, and our trip leader, Sunny, got us to all the attractions before the busiest crowds, and marshalled us well on public transport. (There were only seven of us on my departure – five solos and one couple – which was a good number; I can imagine a full cohort of 16 would be much more challenging to manage in the busiest locations.) Food was amazingly cheap and generally good (you can eat well for a fiver, and feast for under £10; large beers cost around £1), although some of us might have liked an option once or twice to have a more upmarket and relaxed dining experience. This trip takes in all the main tourist attractions (Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, a section of the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, panda breeding centre), and they were all well worth seeing, but what I enjoyed most was having some time to explore the lesser known cities, Xi’an, and Chengdu. Xi’an was my favourite, for its historic centre, and lively night-time vibe. I would have liked some more time in Shanghai (not least because I was on a quest for family history); a day and a half on the official trip itinerary is not enough for such a vibrant city, specially as we lost half a day (the group trip to Yuyuan Garden) due to heavy rain the day we arrived. Luckily, some of us had late flights on departure day, effectively giving us another post-trip day in which we were able to visit the Yu Garden independently, but it would be good if this extra day could be factored into future trip itineraries. (Personally, I’d trade Beijing for more time in Chengdu and Shanghai. I’m planning to return to Shanghai independently.) As a solo traveller, this was my first long-haul trip, and it was brilliant. Just go!

Ming Ho Essential China

This trip was a brilliant time; every day you’re walking on the Great Wall of China, mostly in areas with few other tourists and amazing views. The weather was kind to us so the panoramas are spectacular. Our tour leader Stone was so organised and an incredible help in a country where most locals don’t speak English (my Mandarin isn’t too good either), and the food and hospitality at the local guesthouses was great too. Accommodation was better than expected having been described as basic!

Charlie JM Walking the Great Wall

I was a solo traveller and had never gone on a group trip before. The trip covered so much ground, I saw loads.

AMANDA PATHE Essential China

Read All Reviews

Expert Blog Entries

Top Five Cultural Walking Holidays

Call us anytime (47) 22 41 30 30

Send us a message Contact Now

The Adventure Begins Here

Get regular inspiration straight to your inbox from Exodus’ experts.