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Things to Do in Zhangjiakou (2026)
Zhangjiakou co-hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, and its ski resorts remain world-class. Head to Chongli District, where Genting Resort Secret Garden and Thaiwoo Ski Resort off… 🏔️ Winter Sports Hub
Zhangjiakou co-hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics, and its ski resorts remain world-class. Head to Chongli District, where Genting Resort Secret Garden and Thaiwoo Ski Resort offer slopes for all levels, with day passes starting around 300-500 CNY. Even in summer, you can take cable cars up for hiking and mountain biking with panoramic views.
🏛️ Great Wall Hikes
The Dajingmen Great Wall section is a must-see, known as the 'First Gate of the Great Wall' and just 10 minutes from downtown. For a less crowded experience, hike the wild wall at Zhuolu or Chicheng, where crumbling watchtowers offer a raw historical feel. Entry to Dajingmen is 50 CNY, and it's open from 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
🏞️ Grassland Escapes
Drive two hours north to the Bashang Grasslands, a vast plateau perfect for horseback riding and camping. The Kangba Grassland and Guyuan Swan Lake areas are popular, with horse rentals around 100 CNY per hour. Visit in July or August for green meadows and wildflowers, but bring layers as evenings get chilly.
🏯 Cultural Landmarks
Explore the ancient town of Xuanhua, home to the Qingyuan Tower and a well-preserved Ming Dynasty city wall. The Zhangjiakou Museum in the city center offers free admission and exhibits on the region's role in the Silk Road and the Olympics. Allow 1-2 hours for the museum, which is closed on Mondays.
🍜 Local Food Scene
Try the hearty Zhangjiakou lamb hotpot at Donglaishun on Wuyi Road, where a meal costs around 80-120 CNY per person. Street stalls near the train station sell youtiao (fried dough) and jianbing for breakfast, while the night market on Qiaodong Street offers grilled skewers and local snacks. Don't miss the region's specialty, chuan (skewers), often seasoned with cumin and chili.
🚌 Getting Around
Zhangjiakou's high-speed train from Beijing takes about 1 hour and arrives at the new Zhangjiakou Station. Within the city, buses cost 1-2 CNY and taxis start at 8 CNY, but ride-hailing apps like Didi are widely used. For ski resorts, shuttle buses run from the city center to Chongli every 30 minutes during peak season.
🌳 Seasonal Highlights
Winter is prime for skiing, but autumn transforms the mountains into a palette of red and gold, especially at the Wulingshan Nature Reserve. Spring brings blooming apricot orchards in the countryside, while summer offers cool escapes to the grasslands. Each season has its own charm, so plan your visit around your preferred activity.
🎭 Evening Entertainment
After dark, catch a performance at the Zhangjiakou Grand Theatre, which hosts traditional Chinese opera and modern shows. For a livelier scene, head to the bars and karaoke joints near the Wanda Plaza area. Alternatively, stroll along the Qingshui River promenade, where locals gather for evening walks and street food.
On the winter sports side, if you're not a skier, Chongli has a few tubing and snow play areas that are way more affordable. Genting has a dedicated snow park with tubes and sleds for around 100 CNY per hour, and it's a solid option for families or anyone who just wants to mess around in the snow without the lift ticket cost.
For the cultural landmarks, Xuanhua is worth a half day but the city wall is more intact on the south side near the Drum Tower. The north section has been rebuilt in places and doesn't feel as authentic. There's a small local market just east of Qingyuan Tower that sells decent dried apricots and hawthorn snacks, which make good gifts.
I've done the Dajingmen hike a few times now and it's worth noting that the path continues past the main gate for another kilometer or so along the ridge. Most people turn back at the tower but if you keep going you'll get a better view of the old wall snaking into the hills with fewer crowds.
For the Zhangjiakou Museum, the free admission is great but the exhibits on the Silk Road are mostly in Chinese only. If you don't read the language, the Olympic section upstairs has more English and is actually more engaging with some interactive displays. I spent about 45 minutes there and that felt like enough.
The guide covers the big spots well, but I'd add that the Chongli cable car in summer is worth timing for sunset. The view over the whole valley with the wind turbines on the ridges is something else. Thaiwoo has a zipline and a mountain coaster too, which the kids in my group loved.
For the Great Wall, if you go to Dajingmen early on a weekday you'll have the main tower almost to yourself before the tour buses show up around 10. The climb up to the gate is steep but short enough that most people can manage it in 15 minutes.
On the food front, there's a small place called Laoma Hotpot on Changzhi Street that does a better lamb hotpot than Donglaishun in my opinion. It's cheaper too, around 60-80 per person, and the broth is noticeably richer. The skewer vendors near the night market on Qiaodong Street start setting up around 6 PM and the lamb skewers are usually gone by 8, so get there early.
3 Days in Zhangjiakou: Itinerary 2026
Start your morning at the Zhangjiakou Museum (9:00-17:00, free entry) on Changqing Road to understand the city's history. Then walk to the nearby Qiaoxi Old Street fo… 🗺️ Day 1: Downtown & Old Town
Start your morning at the Zhangjiakou Museum (9:00-17:00, free entry) on Changqing Road to understand the city's history. Then walk to the nearby Qiaoxi Old Street for lunch at Laobian Dumpling House (around 30 RMB for a meal). Spend the afternoon exploring the ancient city wall remnants and the Dajingmen Gate, a historic pass on the Great Wall. End your day with a stroll along the Qinghe River, where locals gather for evening walks.
🏔️ Day 2: Great Wall & Nature
Take a 40-minute bus from downtown to the Dajingmen Great Wall section (entry 50 RMB, open 8:00-18:00). Hike the restored wall and enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. For lunch, try the rustic farmhouse restaurant at the base, serving local lamb hotpot (around 80 RMB per person). In the afternoon, visit the nearby Wanlong Ski Resort (open year-round for summer activities like grass skiing). Return to the city by 6 PM for dinner at a hotpot chain like Haidilao on Jiefang Street.
🎿 Day 3: Skiing & Hot Springs
Head to Chongli District, a 50-minute drive from downtown, for world-class skiing at the Genting Secret Garden (day pass from 400 RMB, equipment rental extra). The resort hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics and offers slopes for all levels. After skiing, relax at the nearby Tanghe Hot Springs (entry 150 RMB, open 10:00-22:00) for a soothing soak. Return to Zhangjiakou city for a farewell dinner at the Muslim Quarter on Wenhua Street, where you can try hand-pulled noodles (lamian) for around 20 RMB.
🚌 Getting Around
Zhangjiakou's public buses cost 1-2 RMB per ride and cover most attractions, but taxis are affordable (starting at 8 RMB). For trips to Chongli or the Great Wall, consider a shared minibus from the long-distance bus station near the train station. Ridesharing apps like Didi are widely available and cost around 50-100 RMB for longer distances. Plan for 30-60 minutes of transit between downtown and outer sites.
🍜 Where to Eat
For authentic local flavors, head to the Muslim Quarter on Wenhua Street for lamb skewers and flatbreads. The Qiaoxi Night Market (open 6 PM-midnight) offers street food like grilled cold noodles and candied hawthorn sticks. For a sit-down meal, try Zhangjiakou Roast Duck Restaurant on Changzhi Road (a whole duck around 80 RMB). Vegetarians can find options at the Buddhist vegetarian restaurant near the Dajingmen Gate.
💡 Money-Saving Tips
Many attractions offer half-price admission for students and seniors with valid ID. Buy a combined ticket for the Great Wall and nearby sites to save 20%. Street food meals cost 10-30 RMB, while a sit-down dinner averages 50-80 RMB per person. Avoid buying bottled water at tourist spots; instead, refill at your hotel or bring a reusable bottle.
🌤️ Best Time to Visit
Winter (December-February) is peak ski season, with temperatures dropping to -15°C, so pack thermal layers. Summer (June-August) is mild and perfect for hiking, with temperatures around 25°C. Autumn (September-October) offers crisp air and colorful foliage, ideal for outdoor activities. Spring can be windy and dusty, so plan accordingly.
solid guide, covers the main spots. one thing i'd flag is that the bus to dajingmen from downtown isn't always marked clearly in english, so screenshot the chinese name "大境门" to show the driver or use didi for that trip if you're not confident, it's only like 15-20 rmb. also for the tanghe hot springs, they have a separate outdoor pool area that's less crowded than the main indoor one, just ask for "室外温泉" at the counter. the muslim quarter on wenhua street is great but the best lamb skewers are from the stall second from the corner, not the first one that gets all the tourists
This is a really solid framework for a first visit. One thing I'd add is that the Zhangjiakou Museum is smaller than you'd expect for a city this size, so it won't take the full morning unless you read every plaque. If you finish early, there's a decent little tea house right across Changqing Road called Qingfeng that does a good jasmine tea for 15 RMB and has a nice view of the street. Also, for the Chongli day, if you're not a serious skier, the summer grass skiing at Wanlong is more of a novelty than a real activity, so you could skip it and just enjoy the mountain scenery instead.
good guide, pretty thorough. one thing i'd add is that the dajingmen section of the wall has a small museum in the gate itself that most people walk right past, it's free and shows some old weapons and maps from the ming dynasty, worth 15 minutes. also for day 3, if you ski at genting, the rental line gets long by 9am so either get there right when it opens or bring your own gear. the tanghe hot springs are nice but they get crowded on weekends, weekday afternoons are quieter and sometimes cheaper if you ask at the counter