GW15: Jiankou Great Wall Hiking: Nine-Eyed Tower to Beijing Knot

Nine-Eyed Tower to Beijing Knot with the length of about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) is the most northwest part of the Jiankou Great Wall. It is less dangerous compared with the scaring middle part and east part, but beautiful and thrilling as well. Among adventurers, it is known as Jiankou Great Wall north section hiking.

This morning after picking you up, our guide will escort you to the starting point of this hiking route by eco-friendly public transport. If you need a private car, feel free to contact our travel consultants to arrange it for you.

→ Get to Dongzhimen Transportation Hub by subway line 2, line 13 or buses no. 3, 106, 107, 132, 401, 404, 416, 418 directly or with transfers. 
→ Take bus no. 916 Express there to Yujiayuan, taking 1-1.5 hours. The bus departs about every 5-15 minutes from 05:50 to 20:00. 
→ After getting off, the guide will hire a cab or a private car on the car-hailing apps to reach the 5th Team of Xizhazi Village at the foot of Jiankou directly. This transfer needs 50-60 minutes. 

Bus no. H25 runs from nearby Yujiayuan Yiqu Bus Stop to Xizhazi West. But it only departs at 11:30 and 16:30, not reliable, so the guide will choose a cab or a private car instead.

 Xizhazi Village 5th Team – Nine-Eyed Tower – Xidaqiang Wall – Beijing Knot – Xizhazi Village 

Xizha Village to Nine-Eyed Tower

Standing in the Xizhazi Village and looking northward to find the lowest pass among mountains, the road leading to the Nine-eyed Tower is there. 

Travel through the village, and follow the guide to find the road to enter the mountains, which was stepped out by previous hikers. After reaching the pass, keep hiking down along the narrow path to a fork. Take the right path and you will reach the wild Great Wall soon. Hike upward on the Great Wall carefully, you will finally meet the Nine-eyed Tower. 

It is named so because there are nine windows to shoot arrows on each side of the four walls. It is the highest point of the whole section of Jiankou Great Wall. On sunny days, Beijing downtown can be seen in distance standing on it, so it is also called Wangjing Tower, literally “Seeing Beijing Tower”. 

300 meters (330 yards) to the west of Nine-Eyed Tower, you will see an old castle. It served as the barrack of the troops stationed there in the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644). Covering an area of 4,800 square meters (5,740 square yards), it was originally built together with the Nine-Eyed Tower.

Nine-Eyed Tower – Xidaqiang Wall – Beijing Knot

This section of Great Wall severely damaged was shaped like a saddle and the lowest point is Xidaqiang Wall. It is very dangerous to hike along the broken wall. Be careful and make sure you have stepped on the rocks or bricks stably before making the next step. If you cannot make it, tell the guide and he or she will lead you to get off and hike along the path at the left foot of the wall. Passing the Xidaqiang and hike through the following steep wall, you will get to the Great Wall laid out in east-west direction. The west wall extends all the way to Xiangshuihu Great Wall. The east wall leads to a broken tower, passing which you will reach the Beijing Knot at last. Beijing Knot is not a tower, but another high point of Jiankou relatively flat. Its symbols were four pine trees, but nothing left because of continuous climbing by hikers. 

Beijing Knot – Xizhazi Village

Hike eastward from Beijing Knot to reach a low pass, you will easily see a path to the north. Follow it and you will go back to Xizhazi Village. 

After coming down from the Great Wall, the guide will hail another cab or private car and escort you back to Yujiayuan Bus Stop in Huairou, then transfer to bus no. 916 Express back to Dongzhimen and reverse the way back to your hotel. 

The bus no. H25 from Xizhazi to Yujiayuan only leaves at 06:30 and 13:10 each day so it is not practical to take it. 

If you are interested in exploring more parts of Jiankou Great Wall, such as Eagle Flies Facing Upward, Sky Stair, Jiankou Spot, Ox Horn Edge, and Zhengbei Tower, you may stay one night in Xizhazi Village and continue hiking the 2nd day. There are home inns in the village providing accommodation and dining service. 

1. This Jiankou Great Wall hiking is challenging as some parts of steep stairs have already collapsed. Wearing a pair of hiking boots and taking some mountaineering equipment are also recommended.
2. Bring enough water and food to replenish strength during the hiking. 
3. You are highly suggested to pick a sunny day and avoid going there on rainy or windy days.

 See Hiking Tour from Beijing Knot to Jiankou Spot

 Photos of Jiankou