Simatai Great Wall

Introducing Simatai Great Wall
Simatai, built on a cliff, is extremely steep. A famous Great Wall specialist said: the Great Wall is the best of Chinese architecture and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall. Constructed under the supervision of Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), Simatai Great Wall is 5.4 km long with 35 beacon towers and remains to be the only part of the Great Walls that still has the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty. This section of the Great Wall incorporated the different characteristics of each section of the Great Wall. Simatai Great Wall is separated by a valley into eastern and western parts. The western part appears gentle with 20 well-preserved watchtowers dotting along the wall. The eastern part of the Great Wall has 15 watchtowers and was constructed on the steep ridge of the mountain. It looks like a winding dragon jumping out of the lake. There, tourists can appreciate the Stairway to Heaven, the Fairy Tower, the Heaven Bridge and the Wangjing Tower. UNESCO has designated Simatai Great Wall as one of the World Cultural Heritage Sites as part of the Great Wall World Heritage Site.

Simatai Great Wall Fast Facts
• Chinese Name: Si Ma Tai Chang Cheng 司马台长城
• Best Time to Visit: April, May, September and October
• Recommended Visiting Hours: 3 to 4 hours
• Opening Hours
Apr 1 to Oct 31: 8:00-18:00
Nov 1 to Mar 31: 8:00-17:30
• Entrance Fee: CNY40. Cable Car: Single trip CNY90, round trip CNY160
• Address: Simatai, Gubei Ancient Town, Miyun District, Beijing

What to expect at Simatai Great Wall

Featured Attractions

Watching Beijing Tower: At an elevation of 986 meters, it is regarded as the summit of the Simatai Great Wall as well as the highest cultural relic in Beijing. Its name comes from the fact that at night (with good visibility), one can see the lights of Beijing shimmering in the distance 120 km away.

Fairy Tower: Legend goes that it was the dwelling place for an antelope reincarnated in the form of an angel who fell in love with a shepherd.

Heavenly Ladder: The Heavenly Ladder is the way to Watching Beijing Tower and the Fairy Maiden Tower. Stretching upward along the abrupt mountain ridges, the narrowest part is just half a meter wide.

Sky Bridge: As little as 40 centimeters wide in places, this 100-meter long segment of the wall connects the Fairy Tower to Watching Beijing Tower. It is said that only brave man can traverse the Sky Bridge.

How to get to Simatai Great Wall
1. Take a tourist bus from Dongzhimen to Gubei Water Town directly (2 hours).
2. Take Bus 980/ 980 Express from Dongzhimen to Miyun Xidaqiao Station. Then, take Miyun Bus 51 to Gubei Water Town.

Additional travel advice on Simatai 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.
• As visitors need to go through the Gubei Water Town to reach Simatai, a reservation is required if you only plan to visit the Great Wall itself. Please book the ticket on day prior to the visit date at least at official website (www.wtown.com) with your passport details. The booking service is available at 0930-10:00, 11:30-12:00, and 13:30-14:00.
• For safety of the visitors, the scenic area only allows 1,200 visitors for each entrance. The entering time is at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00.