Running north from Jiayuguan Fort, this section of the Great Wall is believed to have been first constructed in 1539, though it was reconstructed in 1987. It’s a reasonably energetic hike up the equivalent of 55 flights of stairs to excellent views of the desert, power stations and the distant, glittering snowcapped peaks from the watchtower at the top (which you can climb up). The Wall is about 9km north of the fort.
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
3.83 MILES
One of the classic images of western China, this huge fort once guarded the narrow pass between the snowcapped Qilian Shan peaks and the Hei Shan (Black…
Jiayuguan Museum of the Great Wall
3.63 MILES
Located inside Jiayuguan Fort, this excellent and highly informative museum contains photos, artefacts, maps, Silk Road exhibits and models to show just…
First Beacon Platform of the Great Wall
7.41 MILES
Atop a 56m-high cliff overlooking the Taolai River south of Jiayuguan, a large, crumbling and wind-eroded chunk of packed earth is all that remains of…
13.38 MILES
These tombs date from approximately AD 220–420 (the Wei and Western Jin periods) and contain extraordinarily fresh brick-wall paintings (some sadly…
Nearby Gansu attractions
1. Jiayuguan Museum of the Great Wall
3.63 MILES
Located inside Jiayuguan Fort, this excellent and highly informative museum contains photos, artefacts, maps, Silk Road exhibits and models to show just…
3.83 MILES
One of the classic images of western China, this huge fort once guarded the narrow pass between the snowcapped Qilian Shan peaks and the Hei Shan (Black…
3. First Beacon Platform of the Great Wall
7.41 MILES
Atop a 56m-high cliff overlooking the Taolai River south of Jiayuguan, a large, crumbling and wind-eroded chunk of packed earth is all that remains of…
13.38 MILES
These tombs date from approximately AD 220–420 (the Wei and Western Jin periods) and contain extraordinarily fresh brick-wall paintings (some sadly…