Great Wall at Panlongshan
Great Wall at Panlongshan
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TanSuoTravel
London, UK271 contributions
Apr 2019 • Friends
The Panlongshan or "Coiling Dragon Mountain" Section of the Great Wall is one of the few sections that is open to tourists but hasn't as yet been officially restored, meaning it is one of the last remnants of the wild Great Wall. For this reason, parts of the wall are crumbling and vegetation peeks through the cracks, endowing this section with a certain ruined beauty.
If you want to visit this breathtaking section of the wall, you will probably need to dedicate at least a day or perhaps 2 days to get there first. You can either hire a car/taxi directly from Beijing, which will take just over two hours, or you can take public transport, which may take upwards of 4 hours. You'll first need to get the 980 Express bus from Dongzhimen Station in Beijing to Miyun (密云) and then transfer to 密25, which will take you to the small town of Gubeikou (古北口镇). You'll want to get off at the second stop in Gubeikou. For this reason, we'd recommend staying overnight either in Gubeikou or at one of the guesthouses near to the base of Panlongshan.
Gubeikou itself is a picturesque little town with plenty of history. It once served as a garrison town along the Great Wall and is littered with a number of small temples, as well as several old buildings. The town is currently being developed for tourism, so be sure to visit it as soon as possible before you lose the chance to see it at its most authentic!
Once you arrive at the entrance to Panlongshan, you can either go left or right. If you choose to go left, the views are incredibly beautiful, but you will only be able to hike for about 2 hours before you reach a dead-end, as this part of the wall becomes dangerous to the point of being impassable. Alternatively, if you go to the right, you can hike for about 2 hours along the wall itself, then take a 1 hour hike through the woods, which will eventually take you to the west entrance of the Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall. This means you can normally hike both sections of the wall in one day, although be advised that you will need to pay for a separate entry ticket to the Jinshanling Section.
If you're feeling peckish or dehydrated, there's usually a woman selling drinks and ice cream at the west entrance. If you can't find her, just walk a little further up the road and you'll find her shop, which sells ice-cold drinks, coffee, and some snacks.
Personally, we feel the best time to visit this section of the wall is either during spring, when the blossoms are in full bloom, or in autumn, so that you can admire the changing leaves. The weather during these seasons is particularly comfortable for hiking, whereas summer can be unbearably hot and winter can be too chilly.
If you want to truly head off-the-beaten-track and experience the Great Wall at its most wild, then this is definitely the section of the wall you should visit!
If you want to visit this breathtaking section of the wall, you will probably need to dedicate at least a day or perhaps 2 days to get there first. You can either hire a car/taxi directly from Beijing, which will take just over two hours, or you can take public transport, which may take upwards of 4 hours. You'll first need to get the 980 Express bus from Dongzhimen Station in Beijing to Miyun (密云) and then transfer to 密25, which will take you to the small town of Gubeikou (古北口镇). You'll want to get off at the second stop in Gubeikou. For this reason, we'd recommend staying overnight either in Gubeikou or at one of the guesthouses near to the base of Panlongshan.
Gubeikou itself is a picturesque little town with plenty of history. It once served as a garrison town along the Great Wall and is littered with a number of small temples, as well as several old buildings. The town is currently being developed for tourism, so be sure to visit it as soon as possible before you lose the chance to see it at its most authentic!
Once you arrive at the entrance to Panlongshan, you can either go left or right. If you choose to go left, the views are incredibly beautiful, but you will only be able to hike for about 2 hours before you reach a dead-end, as this part of the wall becomes dangerous to the point of being impassable. Alternatively, if you go to the right, you can hike for about 2 hours along the wall itself, then take a 1 hour hike through the woods, which will eventually take you to the west entrance of the Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall. This means you can normally hike both sections of the wall in one day, although be advised that you will need to pay for a separate entry ticket to the Jinshanling Section.
If you're feeling peckish or dehydrated, there's usually a woman selling drinks and ice cream at the west entrance. If you can't find her, just walk a little further up the road and you'll find her shop, which sells ice-cold drinks, coffee, and some snacks.
Personally, we feel the best time to visit this section of the wall is either during spring, when the blossoms are in full bloom, or in autumn, so that you can admire the changing leaves. The weather during these seasons is particularly comfortable for hiking, whereas summer can be unbearably hot and winter can be too chilly.
If you want to truly head off-the-beaten-track and experience the Great Wall at its most wild, then this is definitely the section of the wall you should visit!
Written 8 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dunedaink
Shenzhen, China54 contributions
Nov 2018
As a history buff, I wanted to see sections of the original wall, and was pretty happy with Panlongshan. The views here are less impressive than others, but (mostly) hundreds of years old. In places restoration has started and stopped, giving it a bit of a ramshackle look. Some sections of this site are a bit dangerous, but I prefer it this way.
If you go in the off-season, nearly all restaurants and shops are closed, so be sure to bring food or stop in the nearby town.
HIKERS: my plan was to hike between Simatai and Jinshanling. A driver told me that a section of the wall is closed between them, and that I could hike between Panlongshan and Jinshanling instead. While I do believe she was telling the truth, the military has closed a section of the wall on this side of Jinshanling as well. There may be a way around, but it is surely a bit dangerous and not condoned by the government. As a result, I entered and exited the wall at Panlongshan.
If you go in the off-season, nearly all restaurants and shops are closed, so be sure to bring food or stop in the nearby town.
HIKERS: my plan was to hike between Simatai and Jinshanling. A driver told me that a section of the wall is closed between them, and that I could hike between Panlongshan and Jinshanling instead. While I do believe she was telling the truth, the military has closed a section of the wall on this side of Jinshanling as well. There may be a way around, but it is surely a bit dangerous and not condoned by the government. As a result, I entered and exited the wall at Panlongshan.
Written 24 November 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sixty Six
Beijing, China156 contributions
Apr 2019 • Couples
This is the first time I came here, I plan to camping here, the weather is good, not too cold and not to hot,but the sky is grey, my mood it blue as I am really happy for my first camp in this year !
The flowers are blossom, trees start to turn green, and also not so many people, I enjoy the peaceful and the fresh away from the city!
We set the tent in the Great Wall tower, and had great dinner with the food we brought, the easy drink wine to drink, I feel perfect!
The flowers are blossom, trees start to turn green, and also not so many people, I enjoy the peaceful and the fresh away from the city!
We set the tent in the Great Wall tower, and had great dinner with the food we brought, the easy drink wine to drink, I feel perfect!
Written 5 April 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Max P
1,103 contributions
Mar 2017 • Couples
The Great Wall at Panlongshan or Coiling Dragon Mountain is east of the town of Gubeikou which is about 160klms north east of Beijing. Gubeikou has the Wolongshan (Crouching Tiger Mountain) section of wall immediately to the west and the Panlongshan (Coiling Dragon Mountain) section of wall immediately to the east. Its about a 1-1.5 hour walk from Gubeikou or 15min taxi then a 30min walk to the top of the ridgeline that the wall runs along east to west. Its a spectacular view with the wall disappearing into the distance many kilometres away to the east over numerous mountains. You can walk along sections of the wall here. The ridgeline gives quite stunning views of the wall.
Written 27 December 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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