Extreme Climbs on the Great Wall

Extreme Climbs on the Great Wall

If you want to walk around the Great Wall, but avoid the hordes of tourists, persistent postcard sellers, and Kentucky Fried Chicken outlets that blight the other sections, then Huanghua is your best bet. This is the place to go for a challenging hike at a remote and in beautiful mountainous setting.

Huanghua is a rugged, unrestored part of the Wall about 37 mi (60 km) from Beijing. It's the best place around if you like challenging types of hikes. Here the wall lies in two sections, almost 7 mi (11 km) long. A reservoir divides the two parts and local fishermen are always at work among the parapets and beacon towers.

In summer, the whole area is buried in swathes of yellow flowers (huang hua in Chinese) making it a great time to visit. In winter, the sections can be icy and too dangerous to climb.

A Sense of History

According to legend, the Ming Dynasty general who oversaw construction spared no expense and built the Wall to the highest possible standard. He ended up being beheaded for going over budget. But thanks to his thoroughness, you really feel as if you're walking through the past as you huff up those steep inclines. There is almost no rebuilt brickwork here (aside from an initial walkway that allows you to safely ascend onto the wall). Be aware that the natural weathering of the bricks makes the climb a little precarious. This reason alone keeps the tour buses away, so it's a worthwhile trade-off.

The Cost

Not long ago, the main danger at Huanghua wasn't the crumbling bricks or sheer drops, but the locals keen to extort an entrance fee of a few yuan from visitors. They sometimes carried pitchforks and other sharp implements for added incentive. The government stamped that practice out, and now everyone must pay a flat rate of Y25 before entering the area.

Getting There

Despite being only 37 mi (60 km) from Beijing, there are no direct public transportation options—but this helps limit the crowds. However, it does not take much effort to reach Huanghua. From Beijing's Dongzhimen long-distance bus station, catch Bus 916 to Huairou, which leaves every 20 minutes from 5:30 AM to 6:30 PM. If the traffic is awful, this part of the journey can take up to 3 hours, but at the minimum it will take about 70 minutes. When you arrive at the transit station, taxi drivers will find you before you find them, all keen to take you on the remaining 30-minute journey to the wall itself. If you are an avid bargainer, you can hire a taxi for Y30 per car—don't do a per person deal.

Another option is to hire a car for the day to take you to Huanghua from Beijing: expect to pay about Y400. You can approach any taxi driver or ask your hotel to help arrange this.