Jinshanling Great Wall

Introducing Jinshanling Great Wall
The Great Wall at Jinshanling is one of the best preserved parts of the Great Wall with many original features and it is also famous for being one of the most photogenic sections of the Great Wall. First constructed by General Xuda in 1368, then largely repaired, renovated and expanded by the legendary General Qi Jiguang in the 1570s, the high-quality Jinshanling Great Wall is named after the beautiful bigger and lesser Jinshan Mountains where the Wall is located at.

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
Apr 1 to Oct 31: 6:00-18:00
Nov 1 to Mar 31: 7:00-17:00
• Entrance Fee
Apr 1 to Oct 31: CNY65
Nov 1 to Mar 31: CNY55
• Address: Hualougou Area, Bashikeying of Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province

What to expect at 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
• Take Tourist Express from Dongzhimenwai Bus Station, and get off at Jinshangling Great Wall. It runs on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays of China.

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.