This was really a fantastic experience! I couldn't believe I could hike the Great Wall again soon after China is open. This time I took this private tour with my friend at Downtown Travel. Our guide Zak is perfect! He is very knowledgeable and patient, always ready to answer my question... And the tour was very well organized. We were rather flexible as there were only me and my friend in this private tour. Jinshanling is by far the most appealing section of the Great Wall I've ever been (I took this tour years ago). I think will come back again to hike other sections of the Great Wall. For sure I will do again with Downtown Travel and Zak. I felt very happy!!!

It's a beautiful section of the Great Wall, with little crowds. Our group was the only one on the wall section, and after the first 15 min we had all spread apart enough that it really felt like you were alone on the Great Wall. There were plenty of bathrooms along the wall (very clean actually). There are vendors setup in some towers with cold drinks to sell you. They never bothered us, and we actually really liked having an ice cold drink. This is a very hilly section of the wall, and was pretty challenging. But the nice part is that the starting point is actually really low to the ground, so you don't have to hike up this big hill to actually make it onto the wall. The hills definitely start after you're on the wall itself, but it was nice to have the access point be really easy.

It's the path less traveled so there is no crowd at all in winter, you also get to let less restored sections of the wall. The guide was also groundout and knowledgeable. The wall itself just blew me away!

We book the group tour. Meeting point easy to access in beijing. This day (8th august) we were a "big group" of more than 20 people. Even though, on site just a little more people. We had some good explanations from the guide and then 3 hours to walk on the wall (some parts renovated, some less and at the end not at all so a complete idea). We first eat and had some rest so after we were Alone along lots of part of the wall. Some part are quite difficult but it worth even if the weather was so hot. Enough time to enjoy the wall and do the walk. Way back on time un beijing. We highly recommend this tour. We booked it directly at the ghesthouse (even if we were not sleeping here)

We had booked a trip via our hotel Beijing 161 Courtyard for a hike. We were picked up by Joe and Iris our guide. She gave us lots of information about the wall and it was nice to walk in our own pace “the Wall” This hike was so nice with original pieces of the wall and more or less no tourists. The wall can be a challenge because it is quite steep sometimes but wort it a lot. Iris speaks English very well which is very handy. Also the trip from Beijing to the Wall takes about 1,5 hours and gives a nice view also. In wintertime it is quite cold so dress warmly🥶

Feeling slightly under weather,I am worried that I was unable to complete the hike according to the given time. But Iris,the guide has been extremely patience, kind and encouraging. Iris spoke English well and was ever ready to answer all of my questions about the wall and took pictures for us.Credit also went to Joe, the driver for ensuring our 2-way ride was a safe and comfortable one. Overall, the surrounding view at Jinshanling Wall was breathtaking and amazing. It seemed that we have the stretched of walls to ourselves as there was hardly other hikers on the day we hiked. Well done Beijing Downtown Travel for arranging such a memorable hike!😁

Iris was our guide and she was excellent!! Chirpy and fluent in both English and Mandarin, she gave a concise yet complete summary of the history of the section of the wall we were to climb this morning. Once up on the wall, the hike was free and easy, 6 km over 3 hours, at your own pace. The views were amazing with the snow as the background. Iris was very thoughtful and made it her responsibility to watch over the group for certain parts of the hike which were more rugged or made slippery by the melted snow. Altogether a very doable hike. I highly recommend this tour and do ask for Iris if you can. You won't regret your choice.

Just came back from the tour from Jinshanling to Simatai West and I am still heavily impressed by this incredible monument of Chinese history. This tour avoids the highly frequented parts of the wall and so we could admire it calmly. Iris did a wonderful job guiding us and showing it to us. The tour was very instructive and above all Iris was very friendly and always had a smile on her face. Recommended to everybody who wants to experience the Great Wall off the beaten tracks.

Iris was such an awesome tour guide. She told us loads of information about the history of the Great Wall and she was a vital moral support to finish the route safe and sound. I highly recommend you to go with her and do this challenging hiking. One of the best things of doing it from Jinshanling was that we were on our own!! Most of the tourists go to other sections instead. Thanks for the amazing trip. Juan

I joined the tour due to recommendation from the hostel I stayed at. The tour was great and Iris was very informative and cheerful. She picked me up at the hostel in the morning, I was traveling alone and joined this group. Iris hiked with us all the way from the start to the end, so I didn't need to worry about getting lost. The driver was very friendly too. The great wall itself is majestic!! the hike is not hard because Iris make it slow so we had enough time to enjoy all the sceneries.

Book it!!! I’ve been traveling the world for 6 months and this trip to the Great Wall is truly special. Being at a secluded part of the wall allows you to appreciate and experience the wall in personal way that is very different than touristy areas. This tour rocks!!

I was travelling alone and joined this group hike. it goes through the restored and unrestored sections of the jinshanling wall. You can skip the restored sections by taking the cable car at 40 yuan /person and go straight to the unrestored parts of the wall. It was a three hour hike with quite steep parts and gorgeous views of the wall and mountains. The tour was very well organized and our guide Iris was great and gave us a good introduction before we started off. Once you begin you're on your own till the group collects again at a certain spot . Carry some snacks and a backpack , it was cold on the way up but once you're in the sun it was very comfortable . The tour gives you a bottle of water , but you have to bring your own lunch. Id suggest getting a sandwich like I did.

Aris was a great guide, I loved that they let us know do it at our own pace and that the wall was almost empty which allowed us to take as many photos as we wanted and great views

Iris was a great guide. Well organized. Some level of fitness needed. The climbs are steep ;-), but it is a great not so crowded part of the wall

This part of the wall is less known by the tourist! Harris took us by van to the Great Wall from the hotel were the owner advised us to take this visit, we were with 8 other people. She explained us the history of the Great Wall and was very friendly. I recommend this trip.

Everyone was so nice, they picked us up directly in front of our hotel and picked up a few other people on the way at subway stations. We stopped on the way to buy lunch and we're quite free to follow our rythm during the walk. Iris was so very nice and helpful.

I decided for this tour because I wanted to visit the Chinese Wall without huge crowds of tourists. At the time when we were there we actually had some sections mostly alone for us. This will undoubtedly not be the case every day. Since this place is a little further away from Beijing, I assume that this section of the wall is always visited much less than Badaling. This tour also requires physical fitness. We actually walked about 7km over the wall. And hiking in this case means climbing up and down a lot of stairs. Partly these stairs are 40-50cm high. For me it was just therefore a great experience. The landscape is simply wonderful and to climb such an old, original section of the wall was totally interesting.

We had a wonderfull trip to the great wall. Iris was our guide and spoke english very well and could tell us about the history of the wall. We went with 26 people. But when we were on the wall everybody could walk at its own pace, which was Nice. We met again at the end point and went by bus back to Beijing.

I had an amazing time on the hiking tour to the Jinshanling part of the Great Wall a few weeks ago. Iris was our guide, her English is excellent, she is very friendly and knowledgeable. I would recommend this hike to anyone, there were hardly any people there, and the views were breathtaking!

Had a great time on this trip and was exactly what I was looking for. In a nutshell, a small group at a part of the wall is not overcrowded with the ability to wander and explore on my own. Was ideal. Make sure you take food or have breakfast for the drive there, you do stop at a shop along the way but it is a while into the drive. Wear good walking shoes and be ready for a workout. Iris was my guide and she was great :)