The Great Wall of China is one of the greatest sights in the world. A Great Wall tour is a must for most first China trips. Along this super-long wall, Beijing is the top destination for seeing well-maintained and abundant Great Wall relics of the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644). There are eight sections close to Beijing: Badaling, Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Jiankou, Simatai...
As the choice of Australian Geographic for their tours to the Great Wall of China, we are confident we can offer you a world-class opportunity to see the majestic Great Wall by day, and also stunning views of the Great Wall by night, to enjoy a relaxing walk on restored Great Wall sections or explore the wild, original, and unrepaired Wall.
Our Great Wall of China trips can all be customized, and they are private.If you are looking for the perfect Great Wall of China experience — well-planned and executed, bringing history to life, and tailored to your requirements — you will love our Great Wall tours.
Beijing Great Wall Tours
These are the best Great Wall tours from Beijing based on our customers' feedback. They range from classic Great Wall tours for first-time visitors to Great Wall layover tours from Capital Airport and relaxing, classy Great Wall night tours.
- Maximize your limited time
- Visit the Great Wall from Capital Airport
- Skip the ticket lines at the Forbidden Citys
- Walk on the Great Wall at Mutianyu
- See the Wall by day and night at its most enhanced
- Discover beautiful Gubei Water Town
Great Wall of China Hiking
The following itineraries are designed for those who want to hike on the Great Wall of China. They are flexible and can be customized to suit your budget and interests.
- See both wild and repaired Great Wall
- Enjoy walking on the most photogenic Wall
- Conquer the wild Great Wall at Jiankou
- Enjoy the restored glory of the Great Wall at Mutianyu
- Discover the 3 most popular hiking sections
- Stay overnight in beautiful Gubei Water Town
Great Wall Camping
The following itineraries are designed for people who want to have a unique Great Wall camping experience — enjoy a sleepover on the Wall with a BBQ meal and great views including sunset and sunrise... They are flexible and can be customized to suit your budget and interests.
- Enjoy a BBQ dinner on rugged Great Wall
- Sleep under the stars on aged ramparts
- Walk on incredible waterside Great Wall
- Sleep in a Great Wall watchtower
- Discover the Great Wall in depth
- Enjoy amazing sunsets and sunrises from the Wall
China Tours with the Great Wall
No one wants to miss the Great Wall on their (first) China tour. Our most popular China tours all include visiting the Great Wall of China. Don't worry if you can't find an itinerary to fit your needs. All our tours can be tailored to suit you. Just tell us your ideas, and we will create a tour that is uniquely yours.
- Historical sites and idyllic countryside
- Day and night tour of the Great Wall
- Explore the family-friendly Mutianyu Great Wall
- Adorable giant pandas and Yangze River Cruise
- Visit China's most popular 3 destinations
- The many historical heritage sites include the Great Wall
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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An amazing experience in Beijing !
We had a wonderful time visiting the Beijing Zoo and the Great Wall with our guide Paul! He was exceptionally kind and knowledgeable and took exceptionally good care of us. We enjoyed conversing with him and learning about life in Beijing as well as the history of the Great Wall. He was also helpful in finding us food to fit my dietary needs which I appreciated. Everything about our trip has been smooth and we had such good fun. I would absolutely recommend China Highlights and Paul for their professionalism! more
Sep 2024, Ann-Marie M@E2527CAannmariem
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Family Fun Beijing!
Great experience with China Highlights!!! Great sightseeing, wonderful people! Thank-you Selinda (Tour guide) for a wonderful time! more
Sep 2024, DSD
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Guide Olivia
Olivia was an excellent and thoughtful guide. Would highly recommend. H as d an excellent trip to Beijing in September 2024 more
Sep 2024, RupertL
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Travelers' Map of the Great Wall of China near Beijing
The Great Wall mainly covers 15 provincial-level areas: Beijing, Tianjin, Liaoning, Jilin, Heilongjiang, Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Hubei, Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, Gansu, and Qinghai. The most popular sections to visit are around Beijing's north and east. See the listed top ten sections below to make a simple comparison and decide which section to visit.
Great Wall of China Travel Information
1. Which Great Wall Section I Should Visit?
It depends what you want to do:
Badaling and Juyongguan: Partly wheelchair-friendly and close to Beijing, these two sections are the most popular among Chinese tourists.
Mutianyu: Fully-restored with cable car access, it's the most popular among foreign travelers and recommended for customers who are tight on time (day tours, or layover tours), or for those who want an easy walk. The Great Wall toboggan is only available in this section.
Recommended tour: 1-Day Beijing Highligts Tour with Mutianyu Great Wall
Jinshanling: Half-repaired, it's the most photogenic section with very picturesque scenery and recommended to customers who would like to do some moderate Great Wall hiking.
Recommended tour: 1-Day Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour
Jiankou: The steepest section is now part-repaired (the west part was repaired between 2015 and 2019; the east part is still original Great Wall ruins.) Travelers seeking a challenging experience often like it.
Recommended tour: 1-Day Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall Hiking Tour
Simatai: Its wild wall is the only section lit up at night, so it is recommended to customers who would like to have a different experience and appreciate stunning night views of the Great Wall.
Recommended tour: 4-Day Beijing Highlights and Great Wall Night Tour
Gubeikou: also wild, but not very steep, it is the most rural and historically interesting section.
Recommended tour: 3-Day Wild and Wonderful Great Wall Hiking
Huanghuacheng: half-repaired, located by a lake/reservoir, it is recommended for overnight camping on the Great Wall.
Recommended tour: 2-Day Huanghuacheng Lakeside Great Wall Hiking and Camping Tour
Huangyaguan: half-repaired, located in Ji County of Tianjin City, the annual Great Wall Marathon race site is recommended for a time-smart layover tour from Tianjin Cruise port and as part of an in-depth Great Wall hiking tour.
Recommended tour: 5-Day Huangyaguan to Huanghuacheng Great Wall Hiking Tour
2. How long would it take to walk on the Great Wall of China?
For sightseeing: half a day or one day is enough to visit one section of the Great Wall, for example, visiting the Mutianyu Great Wall section from Beijing with our 1-Day Beijing Highlights Tour with a Walk on the Great Wall.
For a more all-encompassing Great Wall of China hiking tour from Beijing: 3–5 days is recommended for discovering 3–6 different sections. For example: our 3-Day Wild and Wonderful Great Wall Hiking or 5-Day "Musical" to "Lakeside" Great Wall Hikes .
For walking the entire length of the Great Wall of China:3–5 months is needed to follow the main line, but 17 months at least are needed to walk the full length of all Great Wall from Jiayuguan to Hushan.
3. Is It Possible to Have a Great Wall Day Trip from Hong Kong?
No. time is not sufficient for a day trip from Hong Kong to the Great Wall.
A layover day trip to the Great Wall of China from a Beijing airport or Tianjin Cruise Port is possible however.
Recommended tour: Great Wall Day Trip from Beijing
More Information about the Great Wall of China