Jinshanling Great Wall

Introducing Jinshanling Great Wall
Jinshanling Great Wall is one of the best preserved parts of the Great Wall with many original features. It is about 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles) long and has 5 passes, 67 watchtowers, and 3 beacon towers. The wall is situated on the Greater and Lesser Jinshan (‘Gold Mountain’) Ranges, hence its name. It was initially built from 1368 to 1389 in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), and rebuilt in 1567 and 1570 under the direction of General Qi Jiguang (1528-1588). Jinshanling Great Wall is considered one of the most beautiful and photogenic sections of the wall. It is most popular for hiking and photography thanks to the lack of crowds to deal with.

Jinshanling Great Wall Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Jin Shan Ling Chang Cheng 金山岭长城
• Best Time to Visit: April, May, September and October
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 3 to 4 hours
• Opening Hours: 6:00 – 18:00 (Apr – Oct), 6:00 – 17:30 (Nov – Mar)
• Entrance Fee: CNY65 (Apr – Oct), CNY55 (Nov – Mar)
• Address: Hualougou Area, Bashikeying of Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province

Reasons to Visit the Jinshanling Great Wall
• Jinshanling Great Wall remains wild, ruined, preserved, and true to its original form.
• Jinshanling Great Wall features some steep stairs and 67 watchtowers over its 11km length and is most popular for hiking.
• Jinshanling Great Wall is considered one of the most beautiful and photogenic sections of the wall.
• Jinshanling is a unique section of the Great Wall where both restored and untouched parts can be seen in one location.
• Jinshanling Great Wall is known for its numerous and unique watchtowers, more so than any other section of the Great Wall.
• Jinshanling Great Wall is a remote and relatively isolated section of the Great Wall, with relatively few tourists.

What to Expect at Jinshanling Great Wall

Features of Jinshanling Great Wall
The Jinshanling Great Wall stretches along the Big Jinshanling and Small Jinshanling in Hebei Province. The Big and Small Jinshanlings lie between Wuling Mountain, the first peak of Yanshan Mountain and Wohu Mountain in the Gubei Pass. Steep peaks tower up to the sky and continuous mountains stretch over thousands of miles. The Gubei Pass in the west is the only pass leading to the inside. Since ancient times, every military commander would fight to his death for the strategic pass, reputed as the Second Badaling. This Great Wall section was discovered by a Hebei excavation team in 1980 when they surveyed the condition of the Great Wall.

The Jinshanling Great Wall stretches across 50 kilometers of the Longyu Pass, Wulishe Pass, Zhuanduo Pass and Shaling Pass. The famous general, Xu Da, of the early Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) supervised and directed the construction of the Great Wall. Later, Qi Jiguang led a number of defense works while guarding the north area in 1567. Hence, the Jinshanling Great Wall became the section with the most complicated structure and most densely distributed lookout towers. Altogether, there are 158 lookout towers in various styles along the wall. Some of them are made of brick and wood, while others are brick and stone structures. The pier bases, like the roofs come in various shapes and sizes. Other constructions include night-watch towers and storage buildings that are rarely seen at other sections of Jinshanling Great Wall. Various unevenly distributed constructions along the Jinshanling Great Wall form the perfect defense system.

Recommended Hiking Routes
• Hiking the Great Wall from Simatai West to Jinshanling (3-5 hours, 7 - 8 kilometers)
This moderately challenging, three to five hour hike offers breathtaking views of the Great Wall from Simatai West to Jinshanling, snaking along the ridge of the mountains, taking you through crumbling, ancient watchtowers along the Wall.

• Hiking the Great Wall from Jinshanling to Gubeikou (4-5 hours, 12 kilometers)
The Great Wall hiking from Jinshanling to Gubeikou is a 12-km hike from the renovated Jinshanling Great Wall to the wild fortresses of the Gubeikou Great Wall. The scenery here is stunning and the opportunities to take photos are endless. Because there is no need to climb the steep trails, a normal physical condition is enough to enjoy this trip.

How to Get to Jinshanling Great Wall
• By Bus: Take Jinshanling Express Bus at Bus Station 942, No. 45 Dongwai Xiejie, Departure from Beijing is at 8:00 AM, and the return trip from Jinshanling is at 4:00 PM.
• Charter a car or bus from GGC: Travel in comfort and style with your own private driver to visit Jinshanling Great Wall.

Additional Travel Advice on Jinshanling Great Wall
• Many areas of the Great Wall are quite steep and have uneven surfaces, please wear comfortable walking shoes with a good grip.
• Please have a big breakfast and pack snacks just in case you get a bit peckish during hiking.