Juyongguan is a renowned pass city along the Great Wall, known as one of the three major passes of the Great Wall. It is built along the mountains and is extremely perilous. A plaque reading ‘The First Under Heaven’ hangs on the city tower of Juyongguan, making it a popular spot for tourists to take photos. Moreover, the area is known for its beautiful mountain scenery and layered trees, with ‘Juyongguan’s Layered Greenery’ being a famous landscape around the capital. The main focus of a visit to Juyongguan for most people is to climb the Great Wall and enjoy the view from the summit.
Visiting the scenic area requires walking, and it takes about three hours to climb to the highest beacon tower, requiring a certain level of physical strength. It is important to be mentally prepared before visiting. To admire ‘The First Under Heaven,’ you must first arrive at the Juyongguan Scenic Area Plaza at the foot of the mountain, where there is a stone gate called the Yuntai, a treasure of Tibetan Buddhist architecture made of white stone. The interior walls of the Yuntai are carved with images of bodhisattvas, which are beautiful and unique.
Walking forward from the stone gate leads you to the pass city gate, where you can see the towering ‘The First Under Heaven’ plaque and take a photo with it. After purchasing tickets at the majestic city tower gate, you can enter the scenic area, which includes several cultural attractions such as the Guan Yu Temple, Diecui Academy, Biaozhong Temple, and Fengyu Granary. These sites honor ancient celebrities and record the history of Juyongguan. There is also a small lake nearby that can be visited.
Standing at the north and south pass city towers of the scenic area, you can appreciate the tall and majestic city towers, with the connected Great Wall forming a ‘Y’ shape on the hillside, which is quite special. The inns and restaurants within the scenic area are also located here.
After visiting the city tower, you can start your journey to climb the Great Wall. It usually takes two to three hours to reach the top beacon tower, which is a physical challenge. But upon reaching the summit, you can see one of the famous eight sights of the capital, ‘Juyongguan’s Layered Greenery,’ with continuous green mountains and layers of mountains in the distance, providing an open and refreshing view. There are public restrooms and a small shop selling snacks and drinks along the way, but the prices are higher than outside. If you have enough physical strength, you can bring your own snacks and drinks. It is recommended to bring high-calorie foods such as chocolate and raisins to replenish energy.
This section of the Great Wall is quite steep, with steps ranging from 40 cm in steep areas to 20-30 cm in gentler areas. Due to long-term trampling, some places are worn and uneven, so be extra careful with your steps. After climbing the Great Wall, you can choose to return the same way or descend from another direction of the Great Wall back to the scenic area plaza.
The entire area is open from 03/16 to 10/07 from 06:30 to 18:00; from 10/08 to 03/15 from 08:30 to 17:00. From March 16 to October 7, the 1st reservoir and 3rd North Pass entrance operate from 06:30 to 18:00, with ticket sales and inspection stopping at 17:30. The 2nd South Pass and 4th entrance operate from 08:30 to 17:00, with ticket sales and inspection stopping at 16:30.
Preferential policies for minors: under 18 years old (inclusive), with valid identification, free of charge. Military personnel/Firefighters: active military personnel and firefighters, with valid identification (military security cards are not considered valid identification), free of charge. Retired personnel: with retirement certificates and ID cards, free of charge. Disabled persons: disabled individuals (including military disabilities), with disability certificates or military disability certificates and ID cards, free of charge.
Elderly: over 60 years old (inclusive), with senior certificates or ID cards, free of charge. Elderly care and disability assistance card holders: holders of Beijing Tong – Elderly Care and Disability Assistance Card, must present the official card and ID card, free of charge. Students: 19 to 25 years old (inclusive) full-time undergraduate and below (excluding adult education), with valid identification, discounted. Social security personnel: must present valid proof, identification, and ID cards, discounted. Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan youth: must present valid proof such as the Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents, the Mainland Travel Permit for Taiwan Residents, or student certificates, identification, and ID cards, discounted.Service facilities: Parking lot: [Juyongguan Great Wall Parking Lot] Reference price: Free; Address: In front of Juyongguan Village, NanKou Town, Changping District, more than 50 kilometers outside of Beijing Municipality, Juyongguan Great Wall; Spaces: 100. Restrooms: There are restrooms within the scenic area, located near the parking lot, ticket office, Diecui Academy, and other facilities, with clear signs.
Nursery: The nursery room is located in the Visitor Service Center at Juyongguan and is available for free use by tourists.
