Beijing Private Trip: Original Section of the Great Wall at Jinshanling with Lunch

Beijing, China

Beat the crowds and see the Great Wall as you've always dreamed of it on this 8-hour private day trip from Beijing to the Great Wall at Jinshanling. This is one of the most beautiful stretches of the Great Wall, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and may well be familiar to you from magazines and newspapers: it's also a relatively challenging hike, so decent fitness is recommended. Tour includes entrance fees, cable car, and lunch.

Eat a big breakfast before your private guide and driver collect you from your Beijing hotel at 7am, or bring snacks for the wall, as lunch happens late in the day.

It's about a 2- or 2.5-hour journey from Beijing to the Great Wall at Jinshanling. This stretch of the Great Wall is about 96 miles (155 kilometers) from Beijing, and was rebuilt during the Ming dynasty, from 1567: it connects to the Great Wall at Simatai in the east and the Great Wall at Gubeikou in the west.

The Great Wall at Jinshanling is around 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) long, and includes five passes, 67 watchtowers, and two beacon towers. It's highly photogenic, so it's often this section of the Wall that appears in magazines and newspapers.

You'll ride the cable car up from the parking lot to the Great Wall to save on energy. Your private guide will explain the different walking routes you can choose from, as well as identifying the best positions for photos. Enjoy between two and four hours on the wall depending on the route you choose and the time available, before driving back to Beijing.

Savor a lunch of Beijing classic dishes in a local restaurant before you return to your hotel: you'll be back at base by 4pm.