Simatai Great Wall
司马台长城
A dramatic Great Wall section that preserves its original Ming-dynasty appearance and can be visited at night. The steep Heavenly Ladder and Fairy Tower on the eastern stretch are especially striking. Access is through Gubei Water Town.
Simatai Great Wall is one of the Ming Great Wall sections best preserved in their original state, and it is listed as a World Heritage Site. The wall rises and falls along razor-sharp ridgelines. Its eastern section is famous for the Heavenly Ladder, Fairy Tower, and Wangjing Tower. Several watchtowers on the eastern section are open, and visitors can ride a cable car up the mountain and then walk. It is the only section of the Great Wall in Beijing that is open for night visits. Access is through the entrance of Gubei Water Town. Admission to the wall is about 40 yuan, and you must also buy a ticket for the water town and make a real-name reservation. It is about 120 km from urban Beijing, and visitors often stay overnight in Gubei Water Town and visit both together.
Opening hours
8:00 am–5:30 pm; night section of the Great Wall approx. 6:00–9:00 pm (reservation required)
Nearby sights
- Gubei Water Town
- Baihe Canyon
- Yunmengshan National Forest Park
- Tianchi Gorge
- Yougu Shentan Valley
- Qinglong Gorge
- Yanqi Lake
- Yanqi Night Valley (Trout Valley)