Jinshanling

Jinshanling listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 is also rated as a National 5A Scenic Area. It has 5 passes, 67 watchtowers, 3 beacon towers with rare blocking walls, barrier walls, inscribed brick walls, shadow walls and storehouse towers. Stunning wide view! Authentic rare landscape! Unique watchtowers! Fine military defense architecture system! Definitely one of the most magnificent section of the Great Wall of China not to be missed. Had the opportunity to go walked this beautiful part of the great wall away from the hustle and bustle of the famous modernised Mutianyu and Badaling sections. Just slightly further by around half hour you will get to enjoy Jingsanling with your own space instead of being pushed and rushed in others Great Wall sections. Fresh crisp air, good visibility perfectly clear view far and wide resulted in a very pleasant hike experience.

Without a doubt, this is a phenomenal spot to enjoy the Great Wall! What an unforgettable experience—both breathtaking and amazing. This section is beautifully accessible and lovingly restored, yet it still keeps its authentic charm. The panoramic views stretch endlessly into the horizon, giving you a true sense of the scale and magnificence of the Great Wall. Unlike the busier sections, it wasn’t too crowded when we visited, which made it even more special—we could really pause, take it all in, and marvel at its reach across the mountains. Walking here is both inspiring and humbling. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to appreciate the Great Wall in all its glory!

One of the quieter parts of the great wall in the Beijing area. It's about two hours from downtown and never crowded. Some sections are unrestored, showing great insights on how the wall was built. Except for one cable car you have to use stairs to get from the valley to the wall on top of the hills. It is an exhausting hike, but absolutely worth it. The scenery is stunning, views are great.

This place is the best location to climb the great wall for scenic views in a non crowded place. We went in August and weather was warm and a little humid, 25-27 degrees with clouds. Perfect actually. We had the wall all to ourselves and only met the odd family climbing. We took a didi cab from near forbidden city in Beijing for 360 yen, we also stayed the night at jinshaling great wall hotel which we recommend if you want 2 days. The first day we walked in the afternoon to West 5 gate and then came down via the cable car as it started to rain. The next day we went up after breakfast and again walked to west 5 gat then all the way to east gate. There are peiple selling water and snack so you don't have to carry a lot with you. We loved this quiet and peaceful part of the wall. We did struggle getting a didi cab back to Beijing centre. Instead we took a local cab to a subway station near beijing which was 500 yen then took the subway. They can of course make up the prices as that is your last resort. We also went on a Tuesday and Wednesday. There is local busses which only run weekends.

If you’re planning a trip to the Great Wall, skip the crowded touristy spots and find one of the quieter sections—you won’t regret it. I had this stunning stretch of the Wall almost entirely to myself, with epic mountain views and total peace. It felt like I had discovered a hidden gem. Perfect for photos, peaceful hikes, and just soaking in the history without the crowds!

Good place to check out the Wall without getting crushed by tourists. A 2-3 hour drive outside of Beijing. I went in the middle of the day on a weekday and had an entire section of the Wall to myself. The vendors are ruthless though, especially if you’re a foreigner, and especially if they see that you made a previous purchase.

In my personal opinion, this is by far the most under-rated scenic spots in and around Beijing area. First, it is well connected with super highway only 2.5 hour drive from the downtown. Not like the other section, which is even more popular known as Mutianyu, 50% is super highway, the other half is normal state road, with many stop lights and intersections. Although it is much closer to the city, facting the time of traffic it normally takes the same time to get there. So although Jinshanling is even further but it takes almost the same time. Second, the wall here are roughly half repaired the other half as original. By law and national protection regulations, the most authentic Great Wall near Beijing area you can see which opened as a scenic spot. Third, 金山岭大酒店, Jinshanling Great Wall hotel, located less than 100m away from the west entrarea of the scenic spot, western standard 4-5 star hotel rooms, it also offers individual private courtyards with multiple rooms for family. Last but not least, it is much much less crowded than the other sections of the Great Wall. So if you really want the climbing/walking/exploring experience, this is the best place you should be heading for.

‘A must visit if you want peace and quietness while exploring the great wall’ After considering many parts of the Chinese Wall, I decided to go the Jinshangling part. Getting there is confusing. I took a bus from Beijing to Luanping and then a taxi (DiDi). Be careful to check the destination. I accidentally put the destination at Jinshanling highway resting area and lost almost 1 hour searching for the main entrance….I got to the entrance at around 230PM. Which made me decide to not take the last bus back to Beijing (at Luanping terminal at around 3PM) Fortunately this did mean I had most parts of the wall for myself since most visitors go there during the morning ! The weather was amazing with clear skies and sunny weather. The Jinshaling was the highlight of my China trip! Be mindful that if you miss the last bus from Luanping to Beijing, you need to get a taxi to the nearest train station (Miyun) instead of Beijing. You can then take a train or another taxi back to Beijing. It took me some time to get a taxi (30minutes), so patience is required 😝