The Hushan section of the Great Wall is the easternmost starting point of China's Great Wall, which is across the river from North Korea. You could climb up to enjoy the scenery of both countries.
This page will help you plan a trip to the Hushan section of the Great Wall.
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- Location
- Want Can I see?
- How Long for a Visit?
- How to Get a Ticket?
- Transport from Beijing to It
- Best Times
- Is It Worth a Visit?
- What to Do in Dandong Besides It
Where Is the Hushan Section of the Great Wall?
The Hushan section of the Great Wall is located in Hushan Village in Dandong, about 17 kilometers (11 miles) away from downtown Dandong (25 minutes' drive), and about 870 kilometers (541 miles) away from Beijing (5 hours by bullet train).
It is an important scenic spot in China's national-level Yalu River Scenic Spot and is across the river from North Korea's Yuchi Island and the ancient city of Yizhou.
Detailed location:
Hushan Village, Hushan Town, Kuandian Manchu Autonomous County, Dandong City, Liaoning Province.
What Can I See on the Hushan Section of the Great Wall?
There, you could see real North Korean scenes, natural scenery, and architecture.
Catch a Glimpse of North Korean Scenes
There are 12 towers on the Hushan section of the Great Wall. Tower 3 at the top of the mountain is the best viewpoint, with the widest view. You could see the rural houses of North Korea and, in the distance, you could see North Korea's famous Tonggun Pavilion. You could also look through binoculars.
There are steep 90-degree staircases at the top of the mountain, which may be a challenge for you.
Cross-in-One-Step is a stone monument located to the left of the entrance to the Great Wall. This is one of the closest places in China to North Korea, so named because the closest point is just one step away from North Korea. The Yalu River is only a few meters wide there. You could see North Koreans plowing in the fields and soldiers patrolling.
Tips:
Don't climb the fence and don't shout in the direction of North Korea.
Enjoy the Mountain and River Views
Outside the gate of the scenic area, you could see the whole of Tiger Mountain and find that it looks like a sleeping Guanyin, from west to east, with a graceful and lifelike figure. Hence the name Sleeping Guanyin.
Ancient Trail, which is about 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) long, was built along the stone wall of Tiger Mountain against the river, and there are also special sections, such as suspension bridges and waterfall caves. As you descend along the ancient trail, the Yalu River rolling under your feet gives you a thrilling and exciting feeling.
Explore the Great Wall History Museum
The exhibits in the Hushan Great Wall History Museum include artifacts that have been discovered in the area, such as Ming military equipment, pieces of pottery, and bricks from the original wall. There are also large oil paintings and sculptures.
You could learn about the history of the Ming Great Wall, the Ming empire, the Qin Great Wall, and events during the Qin empire.
How Long for a Visit to the Hushan Section of the Great Wall?
The trip takes about 4 hours and requires good physical strength because the steps from Tower 4 up to Tower 3 and the steps down are steep.
Recommended route:
Entrance to the Great Wall → Crossing Wall Tower → Tower 9 → Tower 8 → Tower 7 → Tower 6 → Tower 5 → Tower 4 → Beacon Tower on the top of the mountain (Tower 3) → Tower 2 → Ancient Trail → Cross-in-One-Step → entrance to the Great Wall → the Hushan Great Wall History Museum
Tour tips:
- If you visit during holidays, we recommend that you have lunch early and start the trip at noon when the first batch of tourists has basically left so it would not be congested. End the tour at 3pm.
- You are better off taking your own water as there is no water for sale on the Great Wall except at the very top and at the main gate of the scenic area.
- The restrooms inside the scenic area are only available in Tower 3.
- There are shuttle buses from the scenic area gate to the Great Wall entrance and from the Back Mountain Square after the museum to the scenic area gate. You could take them to reduce the walking time. However, the rest of the way is on foot, especially when climbing the Great Wall, so you are advised to wear shoes with a good grip.
How to Get a Ticket for the Hushan Section of the Great Wall
Ticket price: 60 CNY (8 USD) in the peak season (April–October) and 55 CNY (7.50 USD) in the low season (November–March)
Tickets could be booked online or purchased on-site.
- On-site: The on-site ticket purchase system would be closed at 4pm and the ticket could be used immediately after a successful purchase (recommended).
- Online: The online ticket purchase system would be closed at 3pm and the ticket could only be used 1 hour after a successful purchase.
How to Get to the Hushan Section of the Great Wall from Beijing
A bullet train is recommended as it only takes 5 hours to get from Beijing to Dandong. There are no direct flights.
For a Hushan section of the Great Wall trip from Beijing, we recommend 2 days:
- Day 1: Depart at noon from Beijing and arrive in Dandong at night.
- Day 2: Visit the Hushan section of the Great Wall and return to Beijing.
Regarding accommodation, we recommend staying in a high-star-rated hotel near the Yalu River Broken Bridge, just 2 kilometers (1 mile) from Dandong Railway Station, where you have a chance to enjoy the Yalu River from your room. This area is also close to other downtown attractions if you are interested in them.
Recommended Beijing Tours
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Best Times to Visit the Hushan Section of the Great Wall
The best times to visit the Hushan section of the Great Wall are in spring and autumn as they offer the most pleasant temperatures for climbing and hiking.
In spring, green trees grow and everything recovers, presenting a vibrant scene.
Autumn is the most beautiful time for the natural scenery at the Hushan section of the Great Wall. At this time, ginkgo, maple, and green leaves are interspersed and dotted on the mountain, looking colorful, which makes you feel happy.
In summer, the green trees are full of shade. However, the weather is hot, so you'd better protect yourself from the sun.
It snows in winter and the Great Wall covered in snow is a serene and beautiful picture. However, the steps themselves are a bit steep and could be dangerous if they are icy or frosty.
We recommend you avoid Chinese holidays, such as May 1st–3rd and October 1st–7th, when the Hushan section of the Great Wall is at its most crowded with tourists, which will affect your experience.
See more information on Best Times to Visit the Great Wall of China.
Is It Worth a Visit?
If you have been to the Great Wall sections in Beijing, you could also go to the Hushan section of the Great Wall to see the China-North Korean border, which is the biggest difference from the Beijing sections.
However, if you want to see the difference in the construction characteristics of the Great Wall, we don't recommend going to the Hushan section of the Great Wall because the two sides are very similar in this respect.
If you have not been to any of the Great Wall sections, we still recommend visiting the Beijing sections first. They are better preserved, more magnificent, and imposing.
You also have more choices in the Beijing sections, such as Mutianyu(suitable for families with flatter steps), Jiankou or Jinshanling(suitable for wild hiking), and Simatai(the most authentic section and good for a night tour).
For wheelchair users, the Hushan section of the Great Wall is not recommended for a visit as there is no cable car and it takes a certain amount of energy to climb the steps.
If wheelchair users want to visit the Great Wall, we recommend Juyong Pass along the Great Wall as it does not require a cable car to reach the Great Wall, while Mutianyu, Simatai, and Badaling are all options but a cable car and some steps to the Great Wall are required.
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What to Do in Dandong Besides the Hushan Section of the Great Wall
In addition to the Hushan section of the Great Wall, you could spend half a day or a full day exploring more attractions in Dandong.
If you are interested in history, you could go to the Memorial Hall of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea to learn about the glorious history of this war and go to the Yalu River Broken Bridge to see traces of the war.
The Yalu River Broken BridgeIf you want to see more of the North Korean border, you could take photos at the Hekou International Border Gate and go to the Hekou pier for a boat ride to see North Korea's second-largest industrial area, Cheongju City.
If you want to eat Dandong cuisine and North Korean snacks, Andong Old Street is recommended.
Andong Old StreetAll of our tours could be customized based on your interests and requirements. Just contact us.