Jinshanling Great Wall: Most Popular for Hiking and Photography

Jinshanling Great is a section of the Great Wall of China located in the mountainous area in Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province, 125 km (78 miles) northeast of Beijing. This section of the wall is connected with the Simatai section to the east. Some distance to the west lies the Mutianyu section. Jinshanling was built from 1570 CE during the Ming dynasty.

Jinshanling Great Wall has been restored for easier climb. Visitors can hike all the way from Jinshanling to Simatai west. The Great Wall at Jinshanling has complete defensive system including barrier walls, battlement walls, watchtowers, gun emplacements, shooting holes, horse blocking walls, and branch cities. It is known as the 'paradise of photographer'.

Jinshanling Great Wall Facts

Where is the Jinshanling Great Wall?

Jinshanling Great Wall, 130 km (80 miles) northeast of central Beijing, is one of the best-preserved and most photogenic parts of the Great Wall with many original features. It got its name because it was built on the Greater and Lesser Jinshan ('Gold Mountain') Ranges, known as the "paradise of photographer".

Jinshanling Great Wall is in a mountainous area of Luanping County, Chengde, Hebei Province, about 2½ hours' drive from Beijing. This section of the wall connects the Simatai Great Wall in the east and Gubeikou Great Wall in the west.

Officially it extends from Longyukou (龙裕口 Lóngyùkǒu /long-yoo-koh/ 'Dragon Abundance Pass') in the west to Wangjinglou Tower (望京楼 Wàngjīng Lóu/wung-jing-lohho-chwan-co/ 'Viewing Capital Tower') in the east, with a total length of 10.5 kilometers (6.5 miles). Only 5-6 kilometers (3.1-3.7 miles) are open to visitors.

Featured Activities on Jinshanling Great Wall

Jinshanling Great Wall Photography

If you are a photographer and want to shoot the majesty of Great Wall, don't miss Jinshanling. You won't have to deal with any crowds and the views are stunning all the time. It is easy to discover impressive Jinshanling through the eyes of a shutterbug and take nice shot of the picturesque landscape with plenty of opportunities. Apart from the awe-inspiring architecture of Jinshanling Great Wall itself and the mountainous landscape, you can also get some great works by shooting sunrise, sunset and sea of clouds.

Sunrise is many photographers' favorite. When the first gleam lights up the sky and the sun rises slowly from the surface of earth, the sketch of Jinshanling Great Wall becomes clearer and clearer. Best Sites for sunrise includes Xiaojinshan Tower, Flower Tower (花楼), Eastern Five Window Tower, Six Window Tower (六眼楼) and General Tower.

If the weather permits, you can photograph the beautiful sea of clouds. It looks like a fairyland when the Great Wall becomes partly hidden and partly visible. Best site for cloud sea includes General Tower, Xiaojinshan Tower, Western Five Window Tower, Eastern Five Window Tower, Six Window Tower, and Gaojian Tower (高尖楼).

For some photographers, no good travel photo album is complete without the token sunset picture. The colorful evening glow combing with the surrounding scenery makes up an appealing oil painting. Best site for sunset includes Taochundong Tower (桃春东楼), General Tower, Yaogou Tower (窑沟楼) and Gaojian Tower (高尖楼).

Hiking Jinshanling Great Wall with Other Sections of Great Wall

Jinshanling Great Wall is a good place to stretch your legs, but hiking on Jinshanling Great Wall is not enough for hiking enthusiasts. It is strongly recommended to hike from Gubeikou Section of Great Wall to Jinshanling Section directly to appreciate wilder natural scenery and more terrific adventure.

Gubeikou Great Wall is a completely wild and unrestored section of Great Wall connected with Jinshanling Great Wall on east. You will hike about 1 hour on the wall and pass through 10 towers to get to 24-Eyes Window Tower. Since the wall was built on a rising and falling mountain range, the hiking on Gubeikou Great Wall is enjoyable and challenging. Then you will bypass a bushy mountain path for Jinshanling Great Wall. On Jinshanling Great wall, you can admire the featured in steep mountains, ornate and dense towers. After the whole hiking, descend Jinshanling Great Wall from Zhuanduokou Pass (砖垛口).

The whole hiking from Gubeikou to Jinshanling reaches to 6 km (3.7 miles) and it needs about 4 hours to finish it. You are suggested wear hiking boots and clothing to ensure a comfortable journey. It's also important to bring trekking sticks, sun-glasses, backpack and necessary supplement.

Though Simatai Great Wall is adjacent to Jinshanling Great Wall as well, it's not available to hike between them directly. If you want to travel them together, you can hike Simatai Great Wall after you finish your Jinshanling Great Wall.

Best Time to Visit Jinshanling Great Wall

Generally speaking, it is available to travel Jinsahnling Great Wall all the year around. In different seasons, you can savor different beauty of Jinshanling. In every spring, Jinshanling Great Wall is decorated by apricot blossoms. Annual Apricot Flower Festival will kick off in mid-April when the flowers are in full blossom. When summer comes, the plants grown in Jinshanling Great Wall presents in their most vigorous condition and you can capture the lush green forests. Most people visit Jinshanling Great Wall in autumn to enjoy the colorful scene that the mountain is covered by trees with yellow, red, oranges leaves. If want to see the brilliant snowscape on Jinshanling Great Wall, travel Jinshanlign Great Wall in winter.

Though visiting Jinshanling Great Wall in different seasons provides different views, the best time is spring (March ~ May) and autumn (September ~ October), especially in April, May, September and October when you can enjoy the most comfortable weather. It is always hot in summer and cold in winter.

How to Travel Jinshanling Great Wall

According to your interest and strength, you can choose different routes to travel Jinshanling Great Wall

Essential Jinshanling Great Wall Tour (2 hours)

If you have limited time and just want to see the highlights of Jinshanling, this visiting route is suitable for you. Starting from the Middle Gate of Jinshanling Great Wall, you can ascend Jinshanling Great Wall through the walker's path and get to Zhuanduokou Pass. Then turn east to enjoy the alluring sight of Jinshanling Great Wall and the natural landscape. You will pass through General Tower and reach Shalingkou Pass from which you can descend the wall through another walker's path.

Great Wall Tour for Photographers (2.5 hours)

For photographers with short stay on the wall, you can travel in this route. Enter the scenic area from Middle Gate and climb to Zhuanduokou as well. Then you will turn east and hike longer to Xiaoinshan Tower. You won't miss various towers with different features. It is available to get some nice photos from General Tower and Xiaojinshan Tower. After photography, take a cable car from Xiaojinshan Tower to Middle Gate.

Jinshanling Great Wall In-depth Tour (4 hours)

Some travelers want to spend more time on the wall and this route is available. Starting from Middle Gate and walking to Zhuanduokou Pass, you can enjoy a hiking to East Five Window Tower. En route, you will see over 10 towers, including General Tower, Xiaojinshan Tower, Dajinshan Tower, Flower Tower, etc.

Challenging Jinshanling Great Wall Hiking Tour (4 hours)

If you want an in-depth exploration of Jinshanling Great Wall and a physical demanding experience, chose this 4 hours' hiking route. You are suggested to start your hiking from West Gate of the scenic area, and then hike to Taochunkou (桃春口) through the Fitness Trail. Next, hike to Zhuanduokou Pass via West Five Eyes Tower and get down through walker's path to Middle Gate. If you need to get back to West Gate, you can take a shuttle Bus.