Great Wall Trek

This innovative itinerary takes in a remote section of the Great Wall outside Beijing in Hebei Province.

Hosted by local families, we camp in comfort in exclusive locations and explore the Great Wall over seven days, trekking between villages. The scenery is vast and diverse as we trek our way through tall swaying corn cropped field to distant green river valleys with one of the great wonders of the world as our backdrop.

Host families provide us with true rural hospitality in the 'real China' and allow us rare interaction, including visits to family homes. In Beijing we visit the capital's major historic sites such as the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the lakeside Summer Palace.

We also indulge in the culinary delight that Chinese cuisine is so famous for. The Beijing food experiences will no doubt compete with the trek itself as one of the highlights of this entirely unique adventure.

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Itinerary / Highlights

DAY 1 Arrive in Beijing
On arrival in Beijing you will be met at the airport (if arriving on the group flight) and transferred by mini bus to the group hotel. The afternoon is free time for sightseeing in the central city district. Perhaps barter for a bargain in the colorful silk markets or do as the locals do and hire a bike for a spin through the bustling back roads of this vibrant city.
Meals: D

DAY 2 In Beijing
Today we have a full day in Beijing to explore some of the most majestic and historically significant sites of this immense city. We start with Tianamen Square and the "Forbidden City" so called as it was off limits to the general public for over 500 years. Its ancient buildings served as the imperial palace for two dynasties of emperors- the Ming and Qing. We take a full tour of this marvelous
enclave, inspecting the massive courtyards. After lunch we visit a courtyard district at Hou Hai in northern Beijing.
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 3 Drive to Hebei Province and commence trek
This morning we depart Beijing and travel by bus to the border of Hebei Province to begin our walk. The Great Wall is one of mankind's most extensive structures stretching over 6000km from the eastern coast of China all the way to the mountain ridges north of Beijing. Dating back 2000 years, the original sections of the wall were built as a key to protect the agricultural lands from invasion
and to keep the nations people from vacating the empire. We commence our trek from Hebei Province. This section of the wall was built in the 15th Century and represents the 'wilder' original wall (tourists from Beijing experience only a short, reconstructed section). You will note the wall's intriguing design features that gave the defenders a military advantage against the Mongolians. We will walk at a leisurely pace with plenty of time to stop and take photos of this majestic structure. Tonight we will camp in style under the silhouette of the Great Wall, an ultimate China experience!
Walk approx 3-4 hours
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 4 Houchuan to summit of Mt Simatai, return to Houchuan village
After a beautifully prepared breakfast by our local crew, we head off around 8am for an exhilarating full day's ascent to the summit of Mt Simatai. Today's walk is challenging with some hilly, rugged climbs to the summit. Our efforts are well worth it as we are rewarded with stunning vistas and awe inspiring views back across to Hebei. The Great Wall was built by over 1 million people who largely
were soldiers, peasants, prisoners and soldiers. Thousands of them died in the process.Today as we trek this ancient section of crumbling wall, we can imagine the hard work and structural genius that went into creating what is now a national treasure in modern day China. Unlike other sections of the wall that have been reconstructed, this section has seen little restorative attention. This historic section of the wall has been included in the UNESCO list of World Cultural Heritages and labeled as 'Primitive Great Wall'. Tonight we camp in an exclusive location, in the village of Houchuan. Our camping spot is the private agricultural land of our wonderful local host family. There is plenty of time to chat and interact with the family. While English may not be spoken, you will be amazed at how much you will be able to communicate with just a little bit of sign language and a lot of laughter!
Walk approx 8 hours
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 5 Houchuan to Jinshanling village
Today is another diverse day's trek as we pass through cornfields and farm land for a true taste of rural China. Here we are well off the beaten track, experiencing every day village life as we pass along the way. We will stop for a leisurely picnic lunch and observe the changing colours and landscape this trek has to offer at every turn. Tonight will be spent camping near Jinshanling village.
Like all nights our local crew and host family will cook up a delicious meal of fresh local dishes for
us to enjoy under a clear nights sky.
Walk approx 7- 8hours
Meals: B, L, D

DAYS 6-7 Jinshanling to Gubeikou, afternoon at Great Wall, Gubeikou
Today we set off early to trek through farmland before exploring this classic section of the wall. Chinese are known for their poetic way of observing the world so it is only natural that this section of the wall is known affectionately as, 'dragon standing on the beautiful golden mountain'. With broad sweeping views, it is easy to see how the wall resembles a dragon's back weaving its way
across this beautiful golden land. On rejoining the wall we descend gradually to Gu Bei Kou Pass, where the famous pass is entered on a walk down a valley. Distant 2000m mountains frame the walk along this section. Entering the pass through a small village in the afternoon, we will establish camp at Gu Bei Kou and explore the Great Wall to the west of Gu Bei Kou. On day 7 we explore the Song Dynasty ancient wall. Walk approx 6 hours/day
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 8 Transfer to Great Wall at Mutianyu
This morning we transfer by bus to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall. The pine trees around Mutianyu Great Wall are well-known. There are more than 20 pines over 300 years old and about 200 pines over 100 years old. Mutianyu Great Wall winds 3km through lofty mountains and high ridges, many sections of which are made of granite. The trek is considerably easier in this restored,
popular section of the wall just 90km from Beijing. As we weave our way closer to Beijing we are likely to come across Chinese tourists who have traveled from all over China on their mecca to the Great Wall. We will trek for a few hours this afternoon to reach our hotel at Mutianyu for a well earned shower!
Walk approx 2-4 hours
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 9 Trekking at Mutianyu, return to Beijing
This morning we will continue our trek at Mutianyu before transferring back to Beijing in the afternoon. Tonight we will have our farewell dinner at the Old Beijing Restaurant.
Walk approx 2-4 hours
Meals: B, L, D

DAY 11 Trip concludes in Beijing
After breakfast our trip concludes in Beijing.
Meals: B