8km/3.5-4hrs hiking;   Beijing/Huanghuacheng 70km/1.5hrs driving;   Xishuiyu/Jiankou 75km/2hrs driving

Your experienced knowledgeable CTD guide will meet you at your hotel in town and transfer you directly to Huanghuacheng (黃花城) section of the Great Wall by private van, where our 2-day adventure will begin.

The hike today is not too long, but it is very special – part of the Wall is underwater!When the water level rose, some low-lying sections of the Wall were submerged. Seen from the reservoir dam of Huanghuacheng, built on the former site of Xishuiyuguan Pass in 1974, the stately sunken wall is still visible under the water’s smooth surface.

There are several up-and-down parts today, however fortunately the mountains here are not that high or steep. First, there is a good trail alongside the Wall, after about half an hour we will get to a watchtower on the cliff. Here is a great place to take photos, one of which must be of the moon-shaped reservoir at the bottom of the mountain. Then, after another half-an-hour hiking, we will reach the highest point in this area, on the pinnacle of which there is a broken watchtower. After walking down by the steps, we will reach a platform. Under the platform at the bottom, there is a Gate, a opening in the wall leading to the Zhuangdaokou(撞道口) village down to the south, and Yaoziyu Fort uphill to the north. Then, continue with hiking westward, climbing upwards along the broken Wild Wall covered by trees to our lunch spot, a tall cliff overlooking Xishuiyu Lake. From here, the view is amazing! You can see the broken Wall running directly into the lake, and beyond it, the endless mountain range.

Unfortunately, from here on, the Wall is really too broken to traverse safely, so we will instead follow a pleasant mountain trail downwards into Xishuiyu Village, where our driver will be waiting to take us to the Jiankou section of the Wall, where we will enjoy a comfortable night in the home of a local family (2 beds with private washroom).Overnight in guest house with private bathroom in Jiankou

Today is special! We will spend the day on the Jiankou section of the Wall, recognized as one of most beautiful parts of the “Wild Wall” near Beijing, and much-loved by photographers. Not visited often by “typical” tourists, this section is really rough and broken. Although we will have to be careful walking on it, the opportunity for pictures in this section is unequalled! With memories (and memory cards) full of pictures, we will then have a late lunch at a restaurant near Mutianyu, known for its delicious fish. After enjoying a leisurely lunch, we will start our drive back to Beijing. The comfortable ride in the late afternoon sun will allow us to reflect on, and cherish, various highlights we experienced during our unique adventure of the last 2 days.