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Jinshanling Great Wall Tour: Night View of Simatai and Gubei Water Town from Beijing
5.0
62 Ratings
Luanping County
Experience the beauty of Jinshanling Great Wall, explore Gubei Water Town, and witness the night view of Simatai Great Wall. Private tour with guide, transportation, and more included.
Experience the beauty of Jinshanling Great Wall, explore Gubei Water Town, and witness the night view of Simatai Great Wall. Private tour with guide, transportation, and more included.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Jinshanling Great Wall - The tour guide will meet the guests in the hotel lobby at the scheduled time and take them directly to Jinshanling Great Wall for a seamless start. The approximately 2-hour drive will pass quickly as the guide shares intriguing Great Wall history and stories, while guests enjoy the picturesque countryside views. Upon…
- Jinshanling Great Wall - The tour guide will meet the guests in the hotel lobby at the scheduled time and take them directly to Jinshanling Great Wall for a seamless start. The approximately 2-hour drive will pass quickly as the guide shares intriguing Great Wall history and stories, while guests enjoy the picturesque countryside views. Upon arrival, guests will explore Jinshanling Great Wall—a less crowded gem and one of the best-preserved sections, perfect for hikers. Extending east to Simatai and west to Gubeikou, this section originates from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1389) and was later reconstructed under General Qi Jiguang—a living historical artifact. With over 100 ancient enemy towers along its length, each step reveals a story: the guide will accompany guests, share these tales, assist with photos, or even watch over the children. Guests will have 2-3 hours to enjoy this tranquil, scenic location—no crowds, just the timeless allure of the Great Wall.
- Gubei Water Town - Following a delightful dinner, guests will proceed to Gubei Water Town—just a 30-minute drive away, ensuring continued relaxation. With the guide, guests will embark on a leisurely walking tour to discover the town’s unique attractions: inspired by the renowned Wuzhen Water Town of southern China, Gubei Water Town is divided into 6 distinct areas, including the Old Barracks Area, Minguo Street Area, and Water Street Area. As they explore, guests will find charming boutiques, delicious local eateries, and unique hotels—each corner offering a delightful surprise to make the evening memorable.
- Simatai Great Wall - Next, guests will take a cable car to the top of Simatai Great Wall—an easy ride to one of the most enchanting night views. If guests wish to see the sunset over Simatai, the guide will adjust the itinerary to ensure this breathtaking moment is not missed. Here, 10 well-preserved watchtowers are accessible to visitors after dark: guests will have free time to explore as warm lanterns illuminate the Great Wall’s path, casting a gentle glow over the ancient stones. From the top, guests can also view the entire Gubei Water Town below, its lights sparkling like stars—a truly unforgettable sight. When the evening’s enchantment concludes, guests will be driven back to their centrally located Beijing hotel, concluding a fantastic day of history, scenery, and unforgettable experiences.
What's Included
- Bottled water
- Choice of Chinese lunch or dinner
- Round trip cable car at Simatai Great Wall
- English-speaking tour guide
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Transport by private vehicle
- Entrance fee
- Bottled water
- Choice of Chinese lunch or dinner
- Round trip cable car at Simatai Great Wall
- English-speaking tour guide
- Private air-conditioned vehicle
- Transport by private vehicle
- Entrance fee
What's Not Included
- Cable car on the Jinshanling Great Wall
- Gratuities
- Cable car on the Jinshanling Great Wall
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Planning your first visit to Beijing? This private tour is essential for exploring the Great Wall, offering a unique, crowd-free experience! Spend your day exploring the Jinshanling Great Wall, renowned for its well-preserved ancient watchtowers and clear mountain views—enjoy a serene journey through history and nature without the crowds. As evening…
Planning your first visit to Beijing? This private tour is essential for exploring the Great Wall, offering a unique, crowd-free experience! Spend your day exploring the Jinshanling Great Wall, renowned for its well-preserved ancient watchtowers and clear mountain views—enjoy a serene journey through history and nature without the crowds. As evening approaches, visit the Simatai Great Wall (one of the few sections open at night) and the nearby Gubei Water Town: admire the lantern-lit streets, then take a cable car to enjoy Simatai’s sparkling night views—romantic, tranquil, and absolutely stunning. Choose your preferred departure time for a hassle-free adventure: exclusive tour guide, entrance tickets, Simatai cable car ride, local-style lunch, private vehicle, plus hotel pickup and drop-off—your perfect day is completely arranged!
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
Location
Jinshanling Great Wall
Chengde Shi
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(62 Ratings)
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Gloria_f
Oct 12, 2025
Great Wall without Other Tourists - What a fabulous experience! I had seen the Great Wall at Badaling, but I wanted a less touristy visit. This was it! We were the only people besides our guide on this section of the Great Wall. Andy, our guide, was perfect! He was very concerned that we would stay safe on the uneven steps and that we would enjoy every second on the wall. On the drive there, he gave us interesting information about the history of China and modern life without overdoing the history. Quick with a laugh, he entertained us throughout our excursion. Of course, the Great Wall was the highlight, but the included dinner was absolutely delicious. The second part of the wall we visited was a bit rougher for walking but beautifully illuminated. Again, Andy took great care of us.
The illuminated water city was made for tourists which I was a bit hesitant about, but it was quite nice in a Disneyland sort of way. In the evening we saw a pretty drone show and a colorful water show.
We are so happy to have had the great fortune of having Andy as our guide. We also must give our thanks to Mr. Jen (no idea how to spell it) who was our driver for our transfer from the airport and again on our day trip. He was great!
Review provided by Viator
Clownfish88
Oct 6, 2025
WOW - What an amazing tour!!! Bravo to Anson, our tour guide!!! - Wow -- what an amazing tour! Anson was a fantastic tour guide - extremely knowledgeable and professional, well organized, great storyteller and photographer, excellent English skills.
All 3 locations were absolutely beautiful. Jinshanling was perfect - no crowds which made the hiking very enjoyable. Simatai at night was magical -- the hiking trails were well lit and again, there were no crowds. We were able to take lots of photographs. Lastly, Gubei Water town ... it was so beautiful. This is not a real ancient town, only built recently; however, it was very well designed and charming. Lots of restaurants and shops available and lots of photo spots.
Although, it was a 2 hour drive from Beijing to Jinshanling/Simatai/Gubei Water town area, it was a very pleasant drive. The highways were modern and smooth; the assigned car was brand new, luxurious and spacious, and the driver was excellent - very safe and smooth driving skills.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shoudu_z
Oct 3, 2025
A Wonderful Trip - It was a wonderful experience. The tour guide was very knowledgeable about both the local areas and the tour destinations. We were able to avoid the majority of the hassle thanks to their advice and see all the destinations without having to be to worry too much about the crowd. The food was also great they provided dishes that were fit our taste.
Review provided by Viator
Rhys
Oct 1, 2025
Great undisturbed views of the Great Wall - Absolutely amazing day starting with a visit to a local tea house in Beijing before heading to the first part of the Great Wall, Jinshangling. This area of the wall was perfect to visit as it was fairly quiet even on their national holiday! The view was definitely worth the drive out of the city. We then had an amazing meal at a home stay at the bottom of the wall and headed to the second part of the wall, Simatai. Here we got the cable car up and saw the great view of the water town, which we walked through on the way back.
I would definitely recommend. The guide was very friendly, knowledgeable and spoke very good English (so could answer all of our questions).
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Winnie_t
Sep 30, 2025
Fantastic tour with Anson - We had an amazing time with our guide, Anson. He was extremely organized, professional and friendly. It was like spending a day with a friend. Our first stop was Jinshanling at the Great wall, and it was a fantastic stop. There were not a lot of people and the hike was moderate to challenging. Anson showed us the best spot to enjoy the views and to take photos. Our 2nd stop was dinner at a local homestay, and the food was wonderful and the facilities were clean. Our 3rd stop was Simatai at the Great Wall - the night hike was spectacular. There was almost no one on the trails and the illuminations were magical. Last stop was Gubei Watertown - I loved it, it was so charming and beautiful. This was an excellent tour ... the 2 hour ride to and from Beijing was very comfortable in their luxury EV vehicle, we had loads of room in the car. The driver was super safe and professional. It was definitely a memorable trip.
Review provided by Viator
Paolo
Sep 22, 2025
A demanding, inspiring and spectacular way to see China, both old and new. "The best of the Wall" without doubt. - Our day with guide Zhang Fang Xuan and driver Mr. Liu was an absolute highlight of our trip. Zhang's knowledge and passion brought the history of the Great Wall to life, while Mr. Liu ensured a smooth and comfortable journey in his Mercedes, expertly navigating the countryside roads. Their professionalism set the stage for an unforgettable experience.
The timing of our Jinshanling visit was perfect. In the late afternoon, the sun peeked through the clouds, bathing the ancient watchtowers in a breathtaking golden light—a truly spectacular sight. Afterwards, we enjoyed a meal at a local Gubei folk restaurant where the food was a revelation. Simple, fresh ingredients like chicken, rice, and vegetables were prepared to perfection, creating a dish that was both familiar and exceptional. It was a meal we could feel good about, knowing we were supporting local farmers.
The day culminated with a visit to the Gubei Water Town, a truly romantic setting painstakingly crafted by hand down to the finest detail, offering an irresistible photo opportunity around every corner. The ultimate moment was viewing the entire town illuminated from our vantage point on the daunting, lit-up cliffs of Simatai. It was the perfect way to end a rich day that beautifully encapsulated both the ancient and modern facets of Chinese culture.
But be prepared to walk. This is for the intrepid explorer. 😉
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Departure369104
Sep 17, 2025
Trip of a Life time!! - This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience !!! We were so lucky to have Andy as our guide. He was pleasant, knowledgeable and patient. We could not have asked for anyone better ( we are sure we had the best!!) We wanted to see the Great Wall on our trip to China and Andy promptly picked us up at our hotel and took us to the first part of our tour, the
Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. He guided us to the Great Wall and safely back down. We then had a marvelous dinner locally and proceded to our next segment of the tour - the Sumatran section of the Great Wall. It was stunning along with sunset and the lights of Gubei Water Town. On the way out we were treated to a stunning drone and fountain show and even saw a fire-show in Gubei. All we can say is this was an amazing tour with an amazing guide and driver! We would highly recommend this tour without hesitation- it was even better than advertised!! Thank you Andy for a fabulous tour and memories of this trip that will last a lifetime! Andy and this tour exceeded our expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keunpark99
Sep 16, 2025
Excellent experience. - Excellent options to visit from Beijing. Wonderfull experience enjoying the Great walls view in the daylight and at night as well. Gu Bei is beautiful and magic. Delicious meal, and the guidance of Miko, our guide, was incredible, very appreciated his efforts and knowledge share that helps you a lot for a complete experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Keun_p
Sep 15, 2025
Excellent. Strongly recommended. - Very confortable, full guidance, everything on schedule. Miko the guide was permanently on the details, and concerning about your needs.
Review provided by Viator
Stephen_w
Sep 14, 2025
What a great time! - There
There is a lot of walking on uneven steps and surfaces, but the experience is well worth the trip. The engineering feat is unbelievable and the Resort town is delightful. Aston was well informed and a perfect attendant for this old body. The dinner was tailored to taste and was excellent. Try to save some extra time for the water village at night to catch the performers. Just a perfect experience. You could not ask for or find better service from start to finish.
Review provided by Viator
