Walking the Great Wall of China
9 days · China
Exodus Adventure Travels charges £1,665
No-markup version: ~£293 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 9-day Great Wall trekking adventure based on Exodus's guided group itinerary, done independently. Trek the wild, semi-ruined Jiankou "Wild Wall" and the restored sections at Huanghuacheng, Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Gubeikou, staying in simple rural guesthouses near the trailheads, then finish with two days exploring Beijing's hutongs, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. All transport is by public bus, shared minibus and the Beijing metro rather than private transfers, and all walks are self-navigable with GPS tracks and local guesthouse help. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Beijing; free afternoon and Beijing duck dinner
Beijing
Arrive at Beijing Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX) and get into the city on your own: Airport Express train to Dongzhimen (~£2.80), then metro Line 2/13 to your hostel area (metro rides ~£0.35-0.70 with a Yikatong transport card, which you can top up at any station). Check into a hostel or budget hotel in the Dongcheng area, near the hutongs and metro. Spend the afternoon wandering Nanluoguxiang and the surrounding lanes, then gather for a self-organised Beijing duck dinner at a mid-range duck restaurant (~£15-20pp including sides). Sort your onward arrangements: download offline maps and a Great Wall GPS track, and confirm your first guesthouse by phone/WeChat the same evening.
🚌Airport Express train ~£2.80 + Beijing metro ~£0.70; taxis from PEK ~£12-15 if arriving late
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Dongcheng, Beijing (dorm ~£12-18, private ~£30-45)
- →Arrival and transport card setup
- →Hutong wander at Nanluoguxiang
- →Beijing duck welcome dinner
Public bus to Huanghuacheng Great Wall; afternoon trek by the lake
Huanghuacheng
Travel independently to the wild-adjacent Huanghuacheng section: take metro Line 2 to Dongzhimen, then the public bus towards Huairou (e.g. 916 express, ~2 hrs, ~£1.50-2), and from Huairou a local shared minibus or taxi to Huanghuacheng village (~£5-8 shared, or ~£15-20 if a whole metered taxi). Total journey ~2.5-3 hrs, matching the private drive time roughly. Drop bags at a village guesthouse, then walk the Huanghuacheng stretch (about 5 km) with its lakeside setting and semi-ruined ramparts. Note some sections here are unrestored and officially discouraged; stay on safe, marked portions and ask your guesthouse owner which entries are currently permitted.
🚌Beijing metro + 916 express bus to Huairou + shared minibus/taxi to Huanghuacheng
🛏Simple guesthouse in Huanghuacheng (~£14-20 per person, often half-board)
- →Huanghuacheng wall walk (~5 km)
- →Rural village evening
Mutianyu section trek, transfer to Jiankou village
Mutianyu / Jiankou
Move on to Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved restored sections. From Huairou take a shared minibus or local taxi (1-1.5 hrs, ~£8-12 shared). If you prefer to avoid the steep climb to the wall, buy the cable car or toboggan ticket on arrival via the official Mutianyu site (~£12 cable car one way; toboggan ~£10) — book slot-based entry tickets online in advance, as daily numbers are capped. Walk the full restored length (about 11 km out-and-back across 22 watchtowers) self-guided, with the wall's ridgeline route obvious and signposted. In the afternoon, continue to Jiankou village (about 30-40 mins, ~£8-10 in a local taxi) and settle into a family guesthouse.
🚌Shared minibus/taxi Huairou-Huanghuacheng-Mutianyu-Jiankou
🛏Simple family guesthouse at Jiankou (~£14-20 per person)
- →Mutianyu restored wall trek (~11 km)
- →Optional cable car up / toboggan down
Jiankou "Wild Wall" full day trek
Jiankou
The highlight day: trek the Jiankou wild section, shooting up a steep ridgeline with ruined watchtowers clinging to narrow spines. Walk roughly 4 km in the morning and around 4.5 km in the afternoon, returning to the guesthouse for a home-cooked lunch in between. The famous "Spiderman Wall" (Sanshibadeng) is an optional short near-vertical scramble to the top — skip it if you dislike heights and meet the group at the viewpoint instead. Jiankou has no official entrance fee and is decrepit in places, so walk with care, avoid loose rubble on descents, and check current access with your guesthouse owner (some paths are periodically closed for safety). Ask your host to arrange an evening walk back up for sunset on the wall.
🚌No transport — walk from the guesthouse
🛏Simple family guesthouse at Jiankou (~£14-20 per person)
- →Jiankou Wild Wall trek (~8.5 km)
- →Spiderman Wall scramble (optional)
- →Sunset on the wall (optional)
Transfer to Jinshanling; hike the Jinshanling section
Jinshanling
Take a local shared minibus or taxi from Jiankou to Jinshanling (about 2 hrs, ~£10-15 shared). Jinshanling is one of the best-preserved Ming-era sections — the walk from Erchi Tower to Zhuandoukou Tower runs about 8 km through 67 watchtowers and two beacon towers, zig-zagging the Big and Small Jinshan Mountains. Book your Jinshanling entry ticket online or at the gate (about £6-9; slightly cheaper in the off-season). Stay in a village guesthouse at Jinshanling and eat there in the evening.
🚌Shared local minibus/taxi Jiankou-Jinshanling
🛏Simple guesthouse at Jinshanling (~£14-20 per person)
- →Jinshanling Great Wall trek (~8 km)
Gubeikou section — the most challenging walk
Gubeikou
The longest and roughest day of the trek: hike from Zhuandoukou Tower along the Gubeikou section towards Panlongshan, about 13 km, passing the multi-level 24 Window Tower and plenty of unrestored watchtowers. Gubeikou keeps the original essence of the wall and is largely un-touristed, so plan carefully — carry 2L of water, food and sun protection, and don't rely on any facilities on route. Ticketing here is variable and sometimes informal, so ask your guesthouse in advance which parts are open and pay any local access fee (~£4-6) if required. Stay at a Gubeikou village guesthouse.
🚌Walk from the guesthouse to the wall (transfer by local minibus to the trailhead if needed, ~£5-8)
🛏Simple guesthouse at Gubeikou (~£14-20 per person)
- →Gubeikou Great Wall trek (~13 km)
- →24 Window Tower
Panlongshan section, then return to Beijing
Panlongshan / Beijing
Finish the trek with a short walk from the Panlongshan north gate to the main entrance (about 3 km, ~1.5 hrs), soaking up the ridgeline views before you leave. Then head back to Beijing using public transport: local taxi to Gubeikou town, then a long-distance bus or train towards Beijing (about 2-3 hrs, ~£3-6). Aim to arrive in Beijing early evening. Check back into your Dongcheng hostel or budget hotel and take an easy dinner locally.
🚌Local taxi + long-distance bus/train to Beijing + metro to hostel
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Dongcheng, Beijing (dorm ~£12-18, private ~£30-45)
- →Panlongshan wall walk (~3 km)
- →Travel back to the capital
Beijing city tour: hutongs, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City
Beijing
Self-launched Beijing day on foot and by metro. Start with an early walking loop of the hutongs around the Gulou and Shichahai area, then walk or metro to Tiananmen Square (free, but you must pre-register entry with your passport on the WeChat mini-programme the day before; bring your passport). Continue into the Forbidden City, booked online in advance via the official Palace Museum site against your passport (about £6-8; daily tickets sell out, released 7 days ahead) — if it's fully booked, swap to the Ancestral Temple or Temple of Heaven instead. In the evening, book your own Beijing opera or Kung Fu show via Klook or GetYourGuide (~£15-30), or get a foot reflexology treatment for the post-trek ache.
🚌Beijing metro (~£0.35-0.70 per ride) plus walking
🛏Hostel or budget hotel in Dongcheng, Beijing (dorm ~£12-18, private ~£30-45)
- →Hutong walking tour (self-guided)
- →Tiananmen Square
- →Forbidden City (pre-booked)
- →Optional Beijing opera/Kung Fu show
Trip ends in Beijing
Beijing
Adventure over. Make your own way to Beijing Capital (PEK) or Daxing (PKX) airport via the Airport Express or metro (~£2.80-3), allowing at least 3 hrs before an international flight. If you have extra time, consider extending independently — the Terracotta Army in Xi'an is a straightforward 4.5-6 hr high-speed train ride from Beijing (~£55-75 one way, book on Trip.com or 12306).
🚌Beijing metro + Airport Express train ~£2.80-3
🛏None (onward travel)
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Exodus Adventure Travels
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Exodus Adventure Travels | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£293 | £1,665 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,372 per person (82%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Exodus Adventure Travels-style trips? Check them out here.~£293
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Walking the Great Wall of China cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £293 per person for 9 days in China. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Exodus Adventure Travels?+
Yes — Exodus Adventure Travels charges around £1,665 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £293 — a saving of roughly £1,372 (82%) per person.
How long is the China trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through China.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through China, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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