Clothing Suggestions For Hiking the Great Wall

Hiking on Great Wall is a magical experience. If you wear the proper clothing during your Great Wall hikes, this magical experience will also be a “pleasant experience”. The Great Wall in Beijing region were built on mountain ridges. This area is always much colder than the city itself no matter what time of the year you visit it. You may spend an uncomfortable day hiking Great Wall / walking in the mountains if wearing improper clothing & footwear.

Assuming you hike & camp on Great Wall during the fall. For instance, at the beginning of October,  jumper and fleece and T shirt inside are suited for hiking and walking in the mountains as it will be a little bit cold at night or in the morning, If it’s hot during the day you can take off jacket. However, it could be cold during the day as it’s windy on the Great Wall.

Even in June although the temperature is quite warm around the city you will feel it’s much cooler at the Great Wall such as Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Jiankou.  For that reason it’s better to take a jacket with you before leaving the city. On a typical sunny day in June, it’s advisable to take a lightweight shirt or blouse to protect yourself from sunburn together with using sunscreen. As the saying goes:  preparation is the key.

Heavier clothing that is wind-resistant is absolutely necessary in winter as weather conditions in the mountains is really harsh. Simply put, it’s chilly on the Great Wall in winter.

Suggested clothes for walk, hike in Fall/Winter (October-March):

• gloves and scarf/headband
• 1 pair  leggings, or light sweat pants
• 1-2 button-up-front long sleeve shirt
• 1-2 long sleeve t-shirts
• 1-2 short sleeve t-shirts
• 1 PolarTec fleece Jacket*
• 1 water resistant/windproof jacket (can be layered over PolarTec fleece)*
• 1 pair “hiking” boots or good walking shoes
• 1 pair light-weight trousers (in a neutral color–khaki, black, or navy)

Suggested clothes for walk, hike in Spring/Summer (April-September):