Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village | Walking trails through chestnut orchards
Walking easy trails through chestnut orchards.

Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village

A relaxing and easy 2–3 hour stroll between two villages on either side of the Great Wall, with an option to get a little more exercise by taking a climb on the wall that we pass on the way.

Level 2
2–3 hours start to finish over 4–6km. (Can I do it?)

This hike is not currently scheduled

Contact us for schedule updates or set up a private hike

Kids club: we're going to take it slow on this hike and let the kids explore. Under 5s will probably need to be carried at some points.

Regular Beijing Hikers: this is the easiest version of this walk. A great way to try a hike if you're not sure about your fitness, or if you have kids who would like to get outside.

This is a nice easy walk with views of countryside and village life, a short visit to the Zhuangdaokou section of the Great Wall, and a look around a village that has sprung up in and around an old army barracks that used to house soldiers tasked with guarding the Great Wall.

We will start with a look at the ‘Dragon and Phoenix’ pines at Zhuangdaokou, a pair of trees that are over 300 years old. From there we will walk up a stone-paved trail to a gate in the Erdaoguan Great Wall. It is an ascent of moderate grade—perhaps 30°—and will take no more than 30 minutes.

We can climb up on the Great Wall for a look. It’s a good place to have a snack; adventurous hikers can climb the steep steps to visit a few of the nearby towers. The wall here has been partially restored, but only a small part – after a bit of a climb it quickly reverts to its ‘wild’ appearance. We will usually stop here for about 45 minutes to allow a bit of exploration.

Hiking up to the Walled Village
Hiking up to the Walled Village. (Click for larger image)

From the Great Wall we’ll take an easy stroll through orchards of chestnut trees on the way to the Walled Village. As we walk, we will be able to see how the Great Wall we just passed continues along the ridge, heading for the village as well.

After a look around the Walled Village we will walk out to the road and meet our bus, and then drive to our lunch spot, a restaurant at the foot of the Huanghuacheng Great Wall. Hikers with extra energy have the option to finish lunch early and take a short climb up on to the Great Wall.

What to bring on this hike

Reasons you might not enjoy this hike

  • It's a very short hike, and if you're looking for a Great Wall experience it might not be perfect.
  • The Great Wall here is steep to begin with, and the first section has no ramparts between you and the edge of the wall. (But the wall is 3–4 metres wide, there's no way to fall off.)

More photos

Easy trails near the Walled Village
Easy trails near the Walled Village. (Click for larger image)
Hiking up to the wall from Zhuangdaokou Village
Hiking up to the wall from Zhuangdaokou Village. (Click for larger image)
A donkey near one of the villages
A donkey near one of the villages. (Click for larger image)
Taking a break at a low point on the Great Wall
Taking a break at a low point on the Great Wall. (Click for larger image)
The gate of the Walled Village at Yaoziyu
The gate of the Walled Village at Yaoziyu. (Click for larger image)

COVID-19 and participation precautions

The current precautions are minimal. Please read in full here: Operating hikes under COVID-19 precautions

Related content

Photos and trip reports: Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village

  1. Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, 2018/10/03

    Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village, 2018/10/03

    Our hike from Zhuangdaokou to the Walled Village is one of the easiest we have, although there's an option to make it more difficult by exploring the Great Wall mid-way—see 17 photos from an October holiday visit.

See all the hikes  In the calendar / in a list