Xi'an: the City Wall at Opening Time

The wall was built between 1370 and 1378 on the foundations of the Tang imperial city, and it is the most complete ancient city fortification in China: 13.74 kilometres around, 12 metres high, 15 to 18 metres thick at the base, with a moat outside and a gate tower, arrow tower and barbican at each of the four gates. It is also, unusually for a monument of this size, still in the middle of a working city rather than ringed by a car park.

At eight in the morning the South Gate opens and the rampart is nearly empty. You walk north-east along the top towards the Heping Gate, past the crenellations and the horse ramps, with the moat and the ring park on one side and the grey tiled roofs of the old city on the other. In summer this is the only tolerable hour; in winter it is the only quiet one. Two hours covers about four kilometres at an easy pace, with time to stop at the wall museum and look down into the Shuyuanmen lane.

• The most complete ancient city wall in China: 13.74 km around, 12 m high
• Built 1370-1378 on the foundations of the Tang imperial city
• A gate tower, arrow tower and barbican at each of the four gates, with a moat outside
• Four kilometres on the rampart from the South Gate towards the Heping Gate
• The wall museum inside the South Gate, with the Ming construction explained
• Grey tiled roofs of the old city on one side, the ring park and moat on the other
• Bicycles can be rented on the wall if you would rather cover more ground

• Meals as listed in the daily itinerary (no meals; a breakfast stop can be added on request)
• Private air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver throughout
• English-speaking local guide (Spanish, French, German, Italian, Russian or Japanese on request)
• All entrance fees for the sites listed, including shuttle buses, eco-buses and cable cars where the site requires them
• Local handling and coordination service throughout the programme
• Bottled water (2 bottles per person per day) and audio headsets where group size requires them
• Travel accident insurance for the duration of the tour

• International air tickets and any domestic flights not listed in the itinerary
• China visa or visa-free entry documentation fees
• Meals not specified in the daily itinerary and all beverages/alcohol
• Tips for guides, drivers and hotel staff (suggested USD 8-12 per person per day)
• Personal expenses: laundry, telephone, minibar, shopping
• Optional activities and any item not listed under Price Includes
• Single-room supplement if a traveller requires a room alone
• Bicycle rental on the wall, if taken (about CNY 45 for two hours, paid on the wall)
• The Terracotta Army or any other site added to the same morning

Published: October 2026 — prices and itinerary reviewed on this date; later updates are shown in the revision note below.

Please read the notes below before you book. The rampart is flat but uneven underfoot, with no shade; the South Gate has a lift to the wall top.

Q: How long is the wall, and do people walk the whole thing?
A: 13.74 kilometres, and walking the full circuit takes four to five hours at an honest pace. Most visitors do a stretch: two hours, about four kilometres, is the sweet spot. Cycling the full loop takes about ninety minutes on the rental bikes, which is the way to see all four gates in a morning.

Q: Why go at eight in the morning?
A: Because at nine the tour groups arrive at the South Gate and by eleven the stone is too hot to enjoy in summer. Between eight and nine you can walk a kilometre without meeting anyone, the light is low and raking, and the city below is still opening. In winter, the same hour is cold but the visibility is best.

Q: Is there anywhere to sit, drink or use a toilet on the wall?
A: Yes, at intervals - small shops and toilets at each gate and roughly every kilometre and a half. Prices are higher than street level. There is no shade on the rampart itself, so bring a hat between May and September.

Q: Can we hire bikes, and is it safe?
A: Bikes are rented at several points on the wall, about CNY 45 for two hours, single or tandem. The surface is flat stone with a few ramps, and there are no vehicles. It gets crowded mid-morning and the tandem riders are unpredictable, which is why we recommend cycling before ten or after four.

Q: Was the wall ever used in battle?
A: Rarely in its present form. It was built in the Ming to a system that had already been overtaken by artillery, and its last serious test came in 1926, during the siege of Xi'an, when it held. Most of what you see is nineteenth and twentieth-century repair on Ming foundations, which is true of almost every wall in China.

Q: Is the wall accessible for wheelchairs or strollers?
A: The South Gate has a lift up to the rampart, and the top is flat, so a wheelchair can cover a long stretch. The other gates mostly have stairs. Tell us in advance and we will start at the South Gate and keep the route on the level.

Q: Do I need a visa for this?
A: Most visitors do not. China's unilateral visa-free scheme covers 50 countries for stays up to 30 days, and 240-hour visa-free transit covers 57 nationalities through 65 designated ports. Check your nationality against the National Immigration Administration list before booking flights, since the scheme is revised periodically.