Camp on the Great Wall for a True Addition to Your Beijing Bucket List

Golden Week is upon us, dear reader! I know, I know — nobody has exciting travel plans. At least I don’t! But let’s not sulk; let’s get real instead. Golden Week? More like hellish week in terms of travel. Everything’s always crowded. Also, you know how you spend years in a place and leave with only half your bucket list completed because you always thought you’d have time after the umpteenth trip elsewhere? Yup.

All this to say, Beijing has loads to offer in this wonderful yet fleeting autumn season. For instance, I recently went camping to the Great Wall with a local travel agency, CET, and I’m here to recommend you the experience. No, this article isn’t comped. I wish!

Look, I’m not saying you’re not going to find people at the Lakeside Great Wall (otherwise known in Chinese as 黃花城長城, Huanghuacheng Great Wall). You will, probably more than usual at both Oct 2-3 and Oct 4-5, which is the two next dates for CET’s small group tours to the area. Good news is, there’s plenty of space for everyone to roam free, particularly when you start traipsing upwards.

When I joined this tour, I packed my stuff the day before with great care following CET’s list of recommended items. It’s a great list! Do follow it! But maybe try to stay as minimalist as possible so that you won’t croak on your way up to your tent spot, the so-called Dream Camping.

On arrival to the site with the bus, they’ll give you your camping equipment for the trip and whatever you’re bringing you’ll have to schlep for over forty minutes, through the whole site and yes, all the way up the Great Wall. At this time of the year you should still be okay with a light coat and a hoodie — remember you’ll also have your sleeping sack. Oh, and no worries if you don’t have hiking boots; any pair of quality sneakers will do as long as they have good grip.

Stretching along 75km north of Central Beijing and located in Jiuduhe Town, Huairou District, Huanghuacheng represents the only watery section of the Great Wall in Beijing, with a distinct landscape combining mountains, lakes and the ancient profile of this worldwide famous monument.

Though most parts have been restored, a few sections remain wild and three sections are actually immersed in water. Way back in the day, Huanghuacheng enhanced the defence of Beijing and protected Emperor Yongle’s mausoleum, later known as the Ming Tombs. This is not a history lesson, though, so take those tidbits and go have fun in this resort.

All along the 13km that make up this area, you will be in no shortage of fun plans, and once you’re all set at Dream Camping CET does give you as much free time as possible before dusk. Time does fly, so make use of it wisely.

Right by the first steps taking you up the Great Wall, Camp WayWin will have plenty of locals enjoying some BBQ and even freshly ground coffee as they frolic around, with a stage to boot. Personally, I preferred to take a leisure walk before heading to the lake, where you can kayak or jump on a boat.

My friend and I got to enjoy those before the pier closed for about RMB 160 between the both of us — it’s worth the money! You’ll see there’s a huge jet of water going up and down in the lake, and it’s powered by some mechanism fuelled by hikers’ screams on a tube. Fun!

A pleasant surprise about the resort is that the usual facilities looked clearly more modern in comparison to your average old shops and toilets at scenic areas and popular spots. One of the barracks actually had fresh fruit and juices on offer, and food overall was not stellar but still better than what I’d expected. That being said, pretty much everything here, soft drinks included, starts at RMB 30. While you’re going to want cold water (RMB 10), I say bring the rest with you.

Back to your status as a Great Wall camper with CET, though, your next item on the agenda will be to get back up to Dream Camping in time to watch the sun set from the Great Wall. I will say here that I advise you to drop Photoshop-induced dreams of grandiose views and just enjoy the moment.

You’ll likely be tired from the whole day and unless you’re taking pictures with a drone (check beforehand that they’re permitted), the views will still be amazing but surely your photographs won’t be worth an award. Drop the phone, kick back with your snacks, enjoy the night with some of your buddies and be sure to catch some sleep, because you’ll want to wake up at 5am!

Wake up and smell…the toilets, if you need to use them. In all seriousness though, the same advice above applies —be present and enjoy the moment! You may have a magical dawn or it may be more a case of the sky getting gradually clearer as the sun rises, and that’s okay.

You’re still here, camping at the Great Wall, which is something that many people won’t ever get to say. Life is all about your attitude, and even in our current times there’s plenty of unforgettable memories to make in Beijing.

And just like that, you’ll be back in Beijing by noon. Take a shower and head somewhere fun. Maybe brunch it up? Male or female, young or old, you have now been to the Great Wall, as the old Chinese adage mandates.

READ: Hitting the Wall: Hikes to Try Once You've Exhausted Mutianyu and Badaling

Images: Ana Padilla Fornieles, courtesy of CET