Wulonggou Great Wall was built in the late Ming Dynasty (1573-1576). It is located in Laiyuan County 220km southwest of Beijing, and takes about four hours to reach. This part of the wall could be compared with the grand sight of the Badaling section of the Great Wall. While Badaling is rebuilt and is too crowded, this part is left wild but is still well-preserved, and is not visited by tourists except the Great Wall hikers.

       Wulonggou Great Wall is connected with Zijingguan Pass on the east. There are all together 66 watchtowers in this section; about 40 of them are still in their original state, with different shapes, but averaging 12 metres in width and length, and 15 metres in height. The relics of the old fortress can still be found at the bottom of the mountain. This fortress has two gates, the south and the west, and both have a Wongcheng (a trap wall) encircling the entrances for defense. Inside the fortress today are only the simple houses of the locals, and some farm land.

Meiyao(the Coal Kiln)-Tangzhigou Great Wall 
      It is easy to take the small trail from Meiyao village up the mountain to the Great Wall on the top. The Meiyao(the Coal Kiln) Great Wall is separated by cliffs from the Wulonggou Great Wall. There are 27 well-protected watchtowers from Meiyao to Tangzhigou. It is one of the most beautiful parts of the Wall. Looking north gives a good bird's-eye view of the Wulonggou section. There is a short portion of the cliff incorporated as part of the wall on the way. Some watchtowers in this area have been annexed by the villagers to serve as private enclosures for their sheep.

Taveller's tip:

a. Wulonggou section of the Wall is wild with no entrance fee. But as it is partly located in a military precinct, hiking on the east end of the section is prohibited. 
b. Hiking on the wild broken wall is dangerous; therefore one should always hike with friends for safety's sake.
c. This part of the Wall is one of the best sections to take panoramic pictures of the seeming endless Wall (without the crowds always present at the Badaling section of the Great Wall). 
d. The hike from Wulonggou to Tangzhigou section of the Great Wall takes two days. It is pleasant but strenuous. It should be noted that quite a few parts of the Wall are on the edge of a cliff. Therefore one must make frequent detours to avoid dangerous areas such as the craggy parts that are common in this area. Always have an experienced hiking leader for this part. Contact us for information in detail and/or to engage a hiking leader.