The Great Wall sections called Jiankou and Beijing Link are in the Huairou District of Beijing. To do a DIY wall hike, like the Freedom Team, leave from Dongzhimen Bus Station in northeast Beijing.

Many wild sections of the Great Wall are located within a two-hour drive of Beijing and are accessible by public transport and private cars, or with private tours and hiking groups.

Far outside Beijing, a different view of the nation emerges along the less-polished segments of the famed wall.

The air seems drier than on other Great Wall hikes I’ve taken, and my clothes are covered with a thin layer of dust. The sandstorms are getting worse in Beijing, scouring the city each March as ...

Many wild sections of the Great Wall are located within a two-hour drive of Beijing and are accessible by public transport and private cars, or with private tours and hiking groups.