15. The Great Wall at Jiankou

[Photo/Xinhua]

The Jiankou section of the Great Wall is a good place to hike, where you will be clambering over fallen bricks and inching your way up steep mountain faces. The white rocks used for the construction of the wall make it stand out strikingly against the heavily forested hillsides. It has become one of the most photogenic sections of the Great Wall.

If you go: Take Bus 916 from Dongzhimen to Huairou and take a minibus from the bus station. If driving, take Jingshun Road to Kaifang Roundabout, turn left and follow the road for about 25 km. Then follow a big white Jiankou sign and turn left. The Great Wall is several kilometers ahead. You can camp for the night in one of the towers - but don't forget to take enough drinking water.