Switchback Great Wall Camping, 2016/8/20
Take a look at 20+ photos from a camping trip on the Great Wall in Yanqing County, Beijing.
Were you on this trip? How did you like it? We'd love to hear from you.
• Send us feedback • Review it on TripAdvisor • Share this page on Facebook
After a month of near constant on-off rain we were happy to see clear skies forecast for our camping trip.
We drove out into the countryside, arriving at a village near the Great Wall. After getting all our gear in order we started out on the hike up.
The trail started behind the village, leading up on to a ridge with views of the wall on a nearby hill.
To reach the wall we hiked down into a valley, and then through a gap where the wall dipped down at a pass. Around the corner from the pass we found the steep hill trail that got us up on top of the Ming Dynasty-era Great Wall we’d spotted from the previous ridge.
From there we followed the rough and steep wall up to our campsite, a walk of about two hours.
After we set up camp it was time to enjoy the sunset and a BBQ dinner.
The next day we were up early and hiked further along the Great Wall, finishing up with a walk out down a long valley and a tasty meal at our favourite guesthouse in the village.
Getting everything ready for the hike.
Villagers working on their flowerbeds – pretty!
Hiking out behind the village.
At the top of the first hill, with the first views of the Great Wall.
Buried below the grass is the remains of Northern Qi Dynasty (550-577AD) Great Wall.
Hiking on their honeymoon, lovely!
We hiked down into a valley, heading for a pass in the Great Wall.
Hills nice and green.
The pass in the Great Wall where the wall dips down.
A steep climb to get up on to the wall.
We hiked up the wall and through this broken tower.
From here we could see our campsite. Only just, though – it was still a long way away!
Another steep climb got us up into the tallest tower in the area.
And then a steep climb took us down from the same tower.
Sunset.
Getting ready to cook some camp food.
Classic sunset shot.
Breakfast time.
Our campsite in the morning.
We hiked more of the wall on the second day.
On top of a tower, with a steep section in the background.
Camping team atop a tower.