A Casual Traveller's Gem: Huangyaguan Great Wall

If you're near Beijing area in China, then going to the Great Wall is a must. As someone who doesn't fancy crowds, visiting the popular parts of the Great Wall sounded more like a nightmare than a dream. And going off the beaten path in these popular spots and doing intense hikes are not for me either.

After loads of research, I found a hidden gem tucked in the hills to the north of Tianjin: the Huangyaguan Great Wall.

It's not hard to understand why it's so underrated. 1. It's in a rural area. It's actually in Jixian county which is a 2 hour drive away from downtown Tianjin. Connectivity is poor and taking public transport takes forever. (Train+Bus from Tianjin city = 3-4 hours)
2. Language barrier. Most of the people here speak no English at all. If you don't speak Mandarin, navigating everything is twice as hard and confusing.

It's no wonder I've never heard of non-Chinese tourists visiting this place. But we took a chance and decided to check it out since we were in Tianjin anyway. (Note: This was on the last day of the Golden Week holidays so there were fewer visitors than normal.)

Here's what we did and what we learned:
1. We took a Didi from Tianjin city to Huangyaguan Great Wall. Very relaxing and great views.
Cost: Approx. 250yuan
Duration: Approx. 2 hours 15 min

2. From the main entrance, a local offered to take us up the mountain to Taipingzhai (the highest end of the great wall). There are also official shuttle buses you can take from the main entrance that will do the same thing. Then, you can take a leisurely hike down from there back to the main entrance. There are few people and if you time it right, you can get stunning photos with no one else in frame.
Cost: 70yuan per pax (no discounts for elderly foreigners)
Duration: Hike from Taipingzhai to Main Entrance - approx. 2 hours*
*With 2 elderly people in tow and the rain unrelenting, we decided to just hike around Taipingzhai and take the car ride back down.

3. Had lunch at the restaurant just outside the main entrance. Food is good. Pricey but that's to be expected since we got a whole chicken. A little coffee stand is just outside and hot coffee is perfect on a cold rainy day. The restaurant is also a hostel so you can stay overnight if you want.
Cost of food: Approx. 120yuan for 3

4. There are no rides for hire there as it's so far away. So we asked around for a ride to Jizhou station where you can take a train back to Tianjin city. (This is where my broken Mandarin came in super handy.)
Cost: 80yuan
Duration: Approx. 50 mins

5. At Jizhou station, you can get a train back to Tianjin but that's too much work. So, we got a Didi from Jizhou station back to Tianjin city. Relaxing and no fuss.
Cost: Approx. 190yuan
Duration: Approx. 1 hour 15 mins

Verdict: Would go again.

Next time, I'll hike down to the entrance from Taipingzhai and visit the museum they have at the base of the wall.

Is it cheap? No. But it is a great alternative if you want to escape the crowds and enjoy a good hike.