This itinerary takes you on a comprehensive journey along the Great Wall of China, starting from the western end in Jiayuguan and ending at the eastern end in Qinhuangdao.
Week 1: Western End - Jiayuguan and Dunhuang
Begin your journey at the western end of the Great Wall in Jiayuguan, Gansu Province.
Explore the Jiayuguan Fort, an ancient military stronghold at the western terminus of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall.
Visit the nearby Overhanging Great Wall and the First Beacon Tower to experience the rugged beauty of the western desert landscape.
Travel to Dunhuang to visit the Mogao Caves and the Crescent Lake oasis, and learn about the Silk Road history of the region.
Week 2: Central Section - Shanxi and Hebei
Travel eastward to Shanxi Province to explore sections of the Great Wall at locations like Datong and Yanmenguan.
Visit the Hanging Temple of Datong and the Yungang Grottoes, UNESCO World Heritage Sites renowned for their ancient Buddhist art and architecture.
Continue to Hebei Province to visit iconic sections of the Great Wall such as Jinshanling and Simatai, known for their scenic beauty and well-preserved architecture.
Week 3: Beijing and Surroundings
Arrive in Beijing, the capital city of China, and explore the famous Mutianyu and Badaling sections of the Great Wall.
Visit other historical and cultural attractions in Beijing, such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, and the Temple of Heaven.
Take day trips to lesser-known sections of the Great Wall, such as Huanghuacheng and Jiankou, for a more secluded experience.
Week 4: Eastern End - Liaoning and Hebei
Travel northeast to Liaoning Province to visit sections of the Great Wall at locations like Shanhaiguan and Jinzhou.
Explore the Old Dragon's Head, where the Great Wall meets the Bohai Sea, and visit the nearby Shanhaiguan Pass, known as the "First Pass Under Heaven."
Return to Hebei Province to visit the eastern terminus of the Great Wall at Laolongtou (Old Dragon's Head) in Qinhuangdao.
A great film of the Great Wall north of Beijing, including 'wild wall', accompanied by great music (踏古 (Ta Gu) by Lin Hai, 'Walking into Ancientry', with Chinese lute (pipa)).
We [mum, dad - videographer - and son and daughter, from Singapore] hiked 3 sections of the Great Wall in winter, without any guides after studying blogs and posts by fellow hikers.
All these sections are different. From the unrestored GuBeiKou Great Wall where we were the only people around, to the wonderful JinShanLing, where the climb is steep and every direction gives you good photo opportunities, to the restored MuTianYu where we hiked in heavy snowfall.
We stayed at local farmhouses on both nights, dined with the locals and hitched rides to nearby bath-houses. Temperature ranged from -5 deg C (day) to -12 deg C (night). Winter daybreak is at 7am and the sky becomes dark by 5pm so one has only 10 hours of daylight, so plan your travelling and hiking schedules carefully.
This once-in-a-lifetime experience was captured on video and we would like to share it with you. The feelings just can't be described - you need to experience it first hand.
Take only memories, leave only footprints and kindness ...
BaDaLing railway station is the deepest High-speed railway station in the world, 102 meters below the ground.
With Walk For You ...
The Temple of Heaven, TianTan, in central BeiJing ...
High speed rail in China; now 38,000 kilometers ...
With Walk East - the Great Wall of China.
JiaYu Pass is not only the western starting point of the Ming Great Wall, but also a vital pass on the ancient Silk Road. It's the joining place of the cultures of the Silk Road ...
An awesome video - don't miss it !
With ClaireTrips ...
Bonus films - ChenJiaPu 陈家沟 'wild' Great Wall ...
Hiking the 'wild wall' is technically illegal for conservation reasons, and safety concerns. However, permits are available. It is recommended to go with a guide; 'dangerous' is not hype in places like JianKou - be careful - don't go alone, take your time, have a mobile and water with you, etc.
These amazing films capture the beauty of nature and city ...
Don't miss it !
The best videographers. The best music. Turn up the volume; relax; let's go ...
Hong Kong
The Great Wall (JinShanLing / SiMaTai, close to Beijing)
QingHai province
JiuZhaiGou and HuangLong, SiChuan province
Crescent Moon Spring / Lake, 6 km from DunHuang, GanSu province, north west China
Guilin and YangShuo, GuangXi province
The Tibetan Plateau, far south west China
HuiZhou, GuangDong province, south east China
TianShan Mountain area, XinJiang province, far west China
MoGao Grotto, YuMenGuan, YangGuan, JiaYuGuan, YaDan, DanXia; all in GanSu province
Tian Tan Giant Buddha, Hong Kong
GuangZhou, provincial capital of GuangDong and close to Hong Kong
Various places in China
BaDaLing and MuTianYu Great Wall (about 1+ hours from BeiJing city center) ...
JinShanLing and SiMaTai Great Wall (about 2+ hours from BeiJing) ...
Bonus films -
Plus, Cindy Zhang shows us a hike along the rugged JianKou section of the Great Wall (it is not far from MuTianYu) ...
Bonus films - how to get to JinShanLing Great Wall, one of the most beautiful sections near BeiJing (well, about 3 hours away) by bus (cheaper than a coach tour) ...
If you have 3 or 4 days spare, also check out ChengDe Imperial Summer Resort, a bit further in the same direction from BeiJing.
JuYong Pass is an interesting section of the Great Wall, close to Beijing (slightly nearer than BaDaLing along the same valley), has a steep climb on the west side.
A liitle jet-lagged, our travelers spend a day in Beijing before setting off for other parts of China.
Places visited : Tian'AnMen Square, the Forbidden City (Palace Museum) plus JingShan and BeiHai parks, all within easy walking distance of each other. Then it is on to DeShengMen to take the bus to BaDaLing Great Wall of China (one can also take a train from Beijing North railway station, near XiZhiMen).
Welcome to the blue sky city ...
JinShanLing to SiMaTai, north east of Beijing city.
The last film shows various sections of the Great Wall as seen from a 'toy' helicopter.
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The first time I went to JuYong Pass was a coach trip and we had only an hour at this stop on the tour. Yet I was determined to get to the top and return to the coach on time. Result - absolute exhaustion, but I did manage to get some photos along the way :)
In this video, a lot of the early part of the climb is skipped, but I still think you will get the picture.
JuYongGuan is the inner pass of BaDaLing Great Wall.
A great movie moment, superb filming ...
The first scene is at ShanHaiGuan, where the Great Wall meets the East China Sea. The other scenes are from various places north of Beijing, including JinShanLing and SiMaTai.
A trip to the wild Great Wall ...
Love the ones you're with. Your partner, family, neighbours, the people you pass on the street. As this blue and green planet whizzes through space, we can all share the love with those around us.
The goal of all sane people is to create a better world for our children ...
The Forbidden City (Palace Museum), the Temple of Heaven, the Summer Palace, the Great Wall (at Badaling), Beihai Park, the Botanical Garden, JingShan Park, the Olympic Park, Qianmen
Welcome to the blue-sky city ...
The JianKou ('Arrow Head') section of the Great Wall is one of the most picturesque.
It is also un-restored; and with steep inclines and long drops, also one of the most dangerous.
JianKou lies between the MuTianYu and HuangHua sections.
Filmed and edited by vimeo.com/niffgurd.
More about JianKou Great Wall
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