How to Visit Great Wall of China in Winter

Planning your Great Wall Tour in winter? You may have been told that winter is not the right season for visiting Great Wall, but for whatever the reasons, you happen to hike the Great Wall of China during the cold season, so you are now a bit on the fence about visiting the Great Wall.

Well, everything has its two sides. The so-called best seasons often see the Great Wall mobbed by the numerous tourist groups and you may waste much of your valuable time on the way from your hotel to the Wall (traffic jam). On the Wall, you have to take group photos since there are a great number of people on the Wall.

Check out Walking from Jiankou Great Wall to Mutianyu Great Wall  in winter.

Great Wall winter hike has its advantages - the tourist crowds are small so you can walk along the Great Wall hassle free. The prices are lower for Great Wall transportation and admission.

Of course, hiking the Great Wall is a bit challenging if you are unlucky to visit the Wall on a cold and blusterous day. If well dressed for the winter Wall hikes, visiting the Great Wall in winter is still not a bad idea.

We're going to share with you some ideas on how to dress for Great Wall winter hikes. Dressing for the season and having the right clothing items for colder temperature on the Wall.

1. Check historical climate data and weather forecast

Before leaving for Beijing,  you'd better check Beijing's historical climate data ( day by day temperature ) to get a general assessment of the weather condition on your real hiking date.

Beijing's winter normally starts from mid-November through mid-March. Check out the following Beijing's historical climate data on the winter months in Beijing:

In winter Beijing has short days, dark 4-5 pm. The ticket selling for major attractions is closed after 4.30pm. The sights stay open all year round.

When you arrive, don't forget to check the current weather in Beijing and choose your better day for visiting Great Wall in the cold month.

You may also check out the following realtime weather photos to get a general idea of how the current weather looks like and how local people are dressed:

2. Dressing in Layers

A heavy coat gives you little opportunity to act or adjust in weather conditions. For the better hiking  and comfort, you need to dress in layers.

3. Feet Protection

Looking for the shoes made from a mix of plastic and rubber. Basically sport shoes are ok for Great Wall hiking in winter.

If you are going to hike the unrestored wild sections of the Wall, a pair of gaiters can add a measure of protection against the shrubs and bushes on the way.

Your outer layer socks should not be too thick otherwise they will reduce the circulation in your shoes.

4. Hands Protection

To keep your hands from become cracked, rough, or sore, you definitely need to have a pair of gloves to reduce  the risk of frostbite and chapping to your hands. Basically people prefer gloves than mittens, not having to expose your hands.

5. Head and Face Protection

It is a common knowledge that we lose our body heat through our heads, so we need to have a warm hat.

It is essential to wear a hat with ear flaps, a ushanka, a Russian fur cap with ear flaps that can be tied up to the crown of the cap, keeping your ears from the cold. In addition, ready for a scarf to protect your face.

5. Where to buy the winter clothes?

For those who live in a warm climate, winter clothes are a bit hard to get from their home country. No worry about that. Hats, gloves, winter jackets and the list could be much longer, can be easily bought in Beijing.

Add-on

Tip:  Hassle-free Beijing Guided Tours

If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours,  here are some options for guided tours to Beijing:

Further Readings