Xiangshuihu Great Wall is a natural scenic area that boasts not only ancient Great Wall sections but also beautiful landscapes such as canyons and waterfalls. Visitors can climb the Great Wall, stroll amidst the mountains and waters, and stay in farmhouses to experience the fresh and tranquil rural life in the mountains, making it an excellent destination for outings around Beijing.
Overview of Xiangshuihu Great Wall, located in Dazhenyu Village, Bohai Town, Huairou District, is 10 kilometers away from Mutianyu Great Wall, with a scenic area of 18 square kilometers. The area is characterized by towering peaks, abundant water sources, interconnected ponds and waterfalls with clear water quality, and dense forests with rich resources. The vegetation coverage rate is 95%, and the negative oxygen ion content is 9300/cm³. The Xiangshuihu Great Wall was built in the second year of the Yongle era of the Ming Dynasty (1404) and is known for its perilousness. Notable features within the scenic area include the ‘Heavenly Fortification’ cliff inscription, the ‘Great Divide’ pass at Moshoukou, the Great Wall’s link at Beijing Jie, the ‘Jade Building’, and the towering ‘Lu’an Ridge’. In recent years, Xiangshuihu Scenic Area has launched a ‘Four-Part Cultural Great Wall Series’ based on the Great Wall culture, including ‘Plum Blossom Great Wall’, ‘Herbal Great Wall’, ‘Colorful Great Wall’, and ‘Red Great Wall’, which have become the historical film, tourist card, and spiritual chip of the Huairou Great Wall. Now, the highly anticipated ‘Beijing Great Wall Meihua Festival’, the 2.5-kilometer ‘Saiwai Qingliang Valley’, the thousands of acres of dry and fresh fruit picking garden, and the Great Wall Red Hall, which promotes the spirit of patriotism, have become the four major tourism brands of Xiangshuihu Scenic Area and are increasingly favored by citizens. Notably, at the 2019 World Horticultural Expo, the ‘Yugu Qingjia’ variety of Great Wall plum blossoms exhibited by Xiangshuihu Scenic Area won the gold award. Xiangshuihu Scenic Area is conveniently accessible and well-equipped with service facilities. The scenic area includes an elegant and antique-style mountain villa, with 60 guest rooms, a large meeting room for 110 people, and a small meeting room for 50 people, capable of accommodating 110 people for meetings and lodging, and providing meals for 400 people at the same time. It is an ideal place for conferences, training, study tours, and vacations. There are two ways to explore Xiangshuihu Great Wall: one is a day trip without staying overnight in the scenic area, where you can directly purchase tickets to enter the scenic area, and it is recommended to start from the ‘Secluded Path’ to hike up the mountain and tour the entire scenic area. The other way is to stay overnight in the scenic area, with accommodations concentrated in Zhuanghu Village, about 2 kilometers deep into the scenic area’s road, from the entrance. If you plan to stay overnight, you can inform the ticket office on the first day, not purchase tickets, and directly enter the village to stay. Purchase tickets for the scenic area on the second day when you plan to visit. The highlight of visiting Xiangshuihu Scenic Area is the Great Wall. The Great Wall of Xiangshuihu is divided into the more原始 and simple Lu’an Ridge, and a small section of the well-maintained Moshoukou Pass Great Wall.The Great Wall at Mosikou Pass is not high and the road is good, suitable for the elderly and children. While the Great Wall at Lü’anling is relatively steep. It takes about 1.5 hours to walk through the Great Wall. Moreover, the city wall has not been repaired and the road condition is very poor. It is mainly for young people to hike. Although the Great Wall here is not as precipitous as Badaling and Jiankou, the advantage is that there are very few tourists, so people can roam and stroll quietly. The Health Preservation Grand Canyon is also an important landscape in the scenic area. This is a cool and moist valley. The valley is densely forested and the environment is very beautiful. The key landscapes are the multiple ponds along the canyon. There are many rainbow trouts and other fish in the ponds, which look very lively and lovely. Strolling in the canyon is also extremely pleasant. In addition, on the mountain road of ‘a winding path leading to a secluded place’ next to the scenic area gate, there are also some natural landscapes such as waterfalls and ponds, which can be viewed along the way. For catering and accommodation, Zhuanghu Village is the main choice for tourists to stay. There are dozens of farmhouses here that can provide accommodation. These farmhouses are by the mountains and rivers with a nice environment. Moreover, most of the farmhouse owners are simple and enthusiastic, allowing people to experience a warm rural life. Tourists can also have meals in the farmhouse where they stay. The famous delicacies here are rainbow trout and roasted lamb. The prices are relatively affordable and it is recommended to taste them. Opening hours: Open from 08:00 to 17:00 from February 10 to November 15; open from 08:00 to 16:00 from November 16 to February 9. Preferential policies: Children: Free for those under 6 years old (inclusive) or under 1.2 meters in height (inclusive). Disabled people: Free with disability certificate. Retired personnel: Free with retirement certificate. Students: Half price for minors aged 6 (excluding) to 18 (inclusive) and full-time undergraduates and those with lower educational backgrounds (with student ID). Elderly: Half price with senior citizen card. Supplementary note: The above information is for reference only. Please refer to the announcements on the day at the scenic area for specific details. Service facilities: Intra-park transportation: Reference price: 20 yuan/person for a round trip; Address: At the scenic area gate; Operates from the scenic area gate to the center of the scenic area. Must-see tips: 1. Shopping is inconvenient in the play area within the scenic area. It is recommended to prepare some snacks and drinking water before playing. 2. The temperature at night in the mountains is relatively low. If staying in the scenic area, it is recommended to prepare some warm clothes to avoid catching a cold.
