Short answer
Simatai is the most dramatic and least restored Great Wall section within reach of Beijing — and the only one officially open at night. Day visitors enter through Gubei Water Town, a lakeside resort at the wall's foot, and the wall ticket is a separate purchase on top of the town's entry.
It takes planning. Entry is real-name and passport-based, with fixed time slots and a daily visitor cap, so booking ahead matters on weekends. After dark the wall changes character: only the stretch between watchtowers 5 and 6 is lit and walkable.
The honest warning is about the terrain. This section is steep and largely unrestored, which is exactly why the views are strong — and why casual walkers should ride the cable car up rather than climb from the base.
Where Simatai is
Simatai sits about 120 km northeast of central Beijing, in Miyun District, high above Gubei Water Town. The wall runs along a narrow ridgeline, and its entrance is inside the resort — there is no back route that skips the town.
The wall is open for roughly 5.4 km of walking with around 35 watchtowers, a fraction of the original section. Much of it has never been rebuilt, which is the point. Stone is worn, steps are uneven, and sections drop away steeply on both sides.
Getting there
Every route starts in Beijing and ends at Gubei Water Town, two hours away by road. Times and fares move with the season; the table is a guide, not a timetable.
| Route | From | Rough time | Rough cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct tourist bus | Dongzhimen / Wangjing West hubs | about 2 hours | around ¥48 one way |
| S5 suburban train + shuttle | Beijing North / Qinghe to Gubeikou | about 2.5 hours | around ¥12 train, plus shuttle |
| Local bus 980 then 51 | Dongzhimen, via Miyun | 3.5 hours or more | around ¥28 |
| Private car / taxi | booked from Beijing | about 2 hours | varies; agree a price first |
Departure times for the tourist bus and the S5 train are limited and change by season — confirm on the official channel for your travel date rather than trusting a third-party list.
Tickets, booking and cable car
Tickets are sold as separate pieces. The wall entry does not cover the town, and the cable car is its own ride. Figures below are the commonly quoted range; the official channel is the only reliable price on the day.
| Item | Rough price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Simatai Great Wall day entry | about ¥40 | separate from the town |
| Gubei Water Town entry | about ¥150 | required to reach the wall |
| Cable car | roughly ¥90 one way / ¥120–160 round trip | optional; stops near towers 5 and 8 |
| Night ticket (supplement) | roughly ¥40–80 | towers 5–6 only |
| Combo town + wall | from about ¥190 | bundles sold by some channels |
Booking is real-name: your passport is the identity on the ticket, and you may be assigned a fixed entry slot. Book ahead for weekends and holidays, where the visitor cap fills. Some channels require a mainland mobile number to receive the confirmation — if that is a problem, book through a channel that sends a QR code by email instead, and always carry the passport you used to book.
Day visit or night visit
The two versions of Simatai feel like different places. By day the wall is pale stone under hard sun, with the restored Gubei Water Town below and mountains behind. The cable car covers the worst of the climb.
At night, roughly April to November, a short stretch between east towers 5 and 6 is lit and open, reached by cable car. Older guides list towers 1–8 as walkable at night; as of 2026 the lit, open zone is just 5–6. Last night entry depends on sunset, and the cable car runs into the evening for night visitors.
A common plan is to arrive before sunset, watch the light go, then walk the lit segment in the dark. Spring nights up there are colder and windier than the town below — a jacket that feels pointless at the base earns its place at the top.
Is it too steep for a casual walker?
Yes, partly — and the fix is the cable car. The base-to-tower climb is long and hard, with sections the scenic area limits for safety. A casual visitor who rides up and walks the flatter middle can see the best of the ridgeline without the punishing ascent.
Anyone with balance trouble or a fear of open heights finds the unrestored parts genuinely difficult, and in bad weather the wall closes without notice. Bring water, there is almost no shade, and leave more time than the map suggests.
How long to allow, and the best time of day
Plan the whole trip as a half-day from Beijing: two hours out, two hours back, three to four hours on site. Night visitors need less wall time but should still arrive before sunset.
Autumn gives the clearest long views and the most comfortable daytime walking. Late afternoon into dusk is the best single window — one visit covers the daytime wall and the night lighting.
The rules that catch visitors out
- Two entries, not one. Gubei Water Town entry and the Simatai wall ticket are separate. Skipping the town is not an option.
- Passport, not name. The ticket is tied to the passport you booked with. A mismatch at the gate means a wait.
- Fixed slots and caps. Weekend and holiday walk-ups sell out. Book ahead.
- The last cable car. Miss the last descent and the wall is a long, dark way down. Check the final departure when you arrive.
- The night zone is small. Expect towers 5–6, lit and walkable, not a midnight ramble along half the ridge.
Frequently asked questions
Can I walk the Simatai Great Wall at night?
Yes. Simatai is the only section of the Great Wall officially open after dark. At night only the segment between east watchtowers 5 and 6 is lit and open to walk; other towers are visible from that section but closed. Reach it by cable car, and note the night program runs roughly April to November.
Do I need to enter Gubei Water Town to reach the Simatai wall?
Yes. The Simatai wall entrance sits inside Gubei Water Town, so the town's entry ticket is required in addition to the wall ticket. There is no separate access route from outside the resort.
How steep is the Simatai Great Wall?
Steep. Simatai is the least-restored and most dramatic section near Beijing, with long, uneven climbs and a sharp ridgeline, and it has a daily visitor cap for safety. Casual walkers can use the cable car to reach a higher point and walk a shorter stretch instead of climbing from the base.
How far is Simatai from Beijing and how do I get there?
About 120 km northeast of central Beijing, roughly two hours by road. Direct tourist buses run from central hubs, the S5 suburban train runs to Gubeikou station with a shuttle onward, and private cars can be arranged. Confirm current departure times on the official channel for the day you travel.
Do I need to book Simatai Great Wall tickets in advance?
Advance booking is strongly advised, especially on weekends and holidays, because entry is limited by a daily cap. Booking is real-name and requires your passport, and visitors are assigned a fixed entry time slot. Check the official channel for the current booking window.
How long does a visit to Simatai take?
Allow three to four hours on site if you are walking a section of the wall and travelling by cable car, and a full half-day including the two-hour journey each way from Beijing. Night visits are shorter, centred on the lit segment.
What is the best time of day to visit Simatai?
Late afternoon into sunset, when the light flattens on the ridgeline and the wall begins to light up for the night program. Arrive early enough to get onto the wall before sunset and then walk the lit segment after dark.
Does the Simatai ticket price include the cable car?
No. The wall entry, the cable car, and the Gubei Water Town entry are separate purchases, and prices shift between seasons and booking channels. Use the figures on this page as a guide and confirm the exact total on the official channel before you book.
Related reading
Planning more of the Great Wall or the wider trip? Browse our destination guides to tie Simatai into a route through Beijing and beyond.
Compiled from multiple travel guides and booking-platform pages (Beijingtourism.org, Travel China Guide, The China Guide, Trip.com) and cross-checked 30 September 2026. Sources disagree on cable-car and night-ticket prices, and hours shift by season, so the figures here are planning estimates rather than guarantees — confirm fares, opening times and departure schedules on the official channel before you book. Wherever the tools consulted one another, the most conservative and most recent figure is the one quoted.