Stand at the intersection of Mingde North Road and Zhenggou Street in Qiaoxi District and the Great Wall stops being a photograph. Here it is a gate — Dajing Gate — set in terrain the old writers called dangerous, with the visitor centre and ticket office on its north side. Zhangjiakou has spent centuries as the point where the grassland meets the settled plain, and the city still reads that way.
This guide suits travellers who are passing between Beijing and Inner Mongolia, or who want a winter sports base with a history attached.
1. Dajing Gate
A gate in the Great Wall, known for its dangerous terrain. In ancient China this was a place of military importance and a meeting point for several ethnic groups near the Mongolia grassland, and it played a central part in transport and trade between Han and Mongolian people. The setting itself is the draw: the location is what made the landscape, and it is what drew men of letters here in earlier centuries.
Plan around access. The site was temporarily closed as of April 2021, with normal opening hours of 08:00–18:00 and an admission fee of ¥10. Buses 16 and 32 (Nantianmen, Shaodaogou and Zhenggou routes) serve the intersection; the visitor centre and ticket office are on the north side of the gate.
2. Genting Resort Secret Garden
A ski resort on Wutong Avenue in Taizicheng, Chongli District. It includes Genting Snow Park, one of the venues for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, which makes it the most consequential single ski area to visit in the region.
Opening hours are 08:45–16:30. Take the free shuttle bus from Taizicheng Railway Station, or Chongli Bus 10 from Chongli Bus Station. Wanlong Paradise Resort sits adjacent to its northwest side, so the two can be paired.
3. Wanlong Paradise Resort
A ski resort in Chongli District, adjacent to the northwest side of Genting Resort Secret Garden. If you are basing a trip on the slopes, this is the natural companion to Genting and gives you a second area without a long transfer.
It opens November 8 to April 30, Sunday to Friday 08:00–16:30 and Saturday 08:00–17:00. The free shuttle bus from Taizicheng Railway Station is the simplest way in.
4. Cuiyunshan International Resort
A resort on Chema Road in Xiwanzi Town, Chongli District.
It opens November 7 to March 14, 08:30–16:30. Reach it on the free shuttle bus from Taizicheng Railway Station, or Chongli Bus 3 from Chongli Bus Station.
5. Zhangjiakou Museum
A comprehensive museum about the city of Zhangjiakou, on Dongxing Street in Qiaodong District. In the courtyard stands a monument dedicated to Chinese and allied soldiers who died during World War II — worth the stop in its own right.
Opening hours are 09:00–11:00 and 14:30–16:30, closed on Mondays. Admission is free. Buses 5, 9 and 12 stop nearby. Note the two-part daily schedule when you plan your morning or afternoon.
6. Xuanhua Museum
A state-owned museum on Xuanfu Street in Xuanhua District, affiliated to the Xuanhua District Cultural and Tourism Bureau. It is a useful counterweight to the city museum if you are heading out in the Xuanhua direction.
Opening hours are 09:00–16:30 and admission is free.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at Zhangjiakou Museum on Dongxing Street, arriving for the 09:00–11:00 window, and take in the World War II monument in the courtyard. It is free and closed on Mondays, so check the day before you commit.
Afternoon. Move to Dajing Gate at the intersection of Mingde North Road and Zhenggou Street. Buses 16 and 32 serve it, and the visitor centre and ticket office are on the north side. Confirm it has reopened before you travel, as it was temporarily closed as of April 2021; normal hours are 08:00–18:00 and admission is ¥10.
Evening. If you are travelling in winter, use the late afternoon for the slopes. Cuiyunshan International Resort runs 08:30–16:30 from November 7 to March 14, and Wanlong Paradise Resort runs to 16:30 on weekdays and 17:00 on Saturdays from November 8 to April 30. Both are reachable on the free shuttle bus from Taizicheng Railway Station.
Is Dajing Gate open to visitors?
As of April 2021 the site was temporarily closed. Normal opening hours are 08:00–18:00, with admission of ¥10 and the visitor centre and ticket office on the north side of the gate.
Which ski resorts are in Chongli District?
Cuiyunshan International Resort, Genting Resort Secret Garden and Wanlong Paradise Resort. Genting includes Genting Snow Park, one of the venues for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, and Wanlong sits adjacent to Genting's northwest side.
How do I get to the ski resorts without a car?
All three resorts are served by the free shuttle bus from Taizicheng Railway Station. Chongli Bus 3 runs to Cuiyunshan International Resort from Chongli Bus Station, and Chongli Bus 10 runs to Genting Resort Secret Garden.
Are the museums free?
Yes. Both Zhangjiakou Museum and Xuanhua Museum are free to enter. Zhangjiakou Museum opens 09:00–11:00 and 14:30–16:30 and is closed on Mondays; Xuanhua Museum opens 09:00–16:30.
Check the current status of Dajing Gate and the ski season dates against your travel window, then build your days around the gates, the slopes and the two museums.