Sleep in
the Watch Tower |
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PRICE TABLE (Per Person)
Climbing Pole Rental: $6/each/day; $10/pair/day |
We only use safe vehicles!
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The Imperial Treasures, Classic Great Wall Overnight Camping and Hiking from Jinshanling
to Gubeikou at Affordable Prices
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Route
2X: Explore the imperial grandeur and wonder of the Great Wall and
the Forbidden City (Sleep in the watch tower of the Great Wall and
hike from Jinshanling to Gubeikou)
Day 1
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Beijing tour and Great Wall hike (L, D) At
about 8am your English-speaking tour guide and driver will pick you
up from your hotel, and from there we will drive to Beijing’s
premier attraction, the Forbidden City. Known in Chinese as Gu Gong,
the Forbidden City is the largest surviving palace complex and the
former home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasty. The
Forbidden City is one of the greatest attractions in the world.
Built by the third Ming emperor between 1406-1422, the Forbidden
City served as the official residence to the Emperor of China until
the last emperor, Puyi, was forced to evacuate in 1924. The
Forbidden City is divided into two parts. The southern section, or
the Outer Court was where the emperor exercised his supreme power
over the nation. The northern section, or the Inner Court was where
he lived with his royal family. Consisting of 980 buildings and with
8,707 bays of rooms, the Forbidden City is the best example of
classical Chinese architecture in the world, and is a wonder to
behold. After
our tour we will walk across the street to China’s political nexus,
Tiananmen Square. The largest public square in the world, Tiananmen
Square is seen as China’s political center. Its grounds have seen
some turbulent moments, from the May 4th Movement of 1919 to the
political turmoil of 1989. The south of the square is marked by the
Chairman Mao Memorial Hall, while the center of the square is
dominated by the Monument to the People’s Heroes, an imposing
10-story granite obelisk. To the east is the National Museum of
China, and to the west is the Great Hall of the People, home to
China’s legislative bodies. The north of the square is dominated by
the Gate of Heavenly Peace, known for its iconic portrait of Mao
Zedong, and is the national emblem of China.After our walk to Tiananmen Square we’ll stop for a Chinese lunch. We’ll then drive over to the Olympic Green, the  center of the event that captivated the world for two weeks in
August of 2008, and is where a majority of the Olympic events took
place. The highlights that you will see today include the Bird’s
Nest (officially known as the Beijing National stadium) and the
Water Cube (the Beijing National Aquatics Center). The stadium gets
its nickname from its outward design, which originated from the
study of Chinese ceramics, implementing steel beams in order to hide
supports for the retractable roof, thus giving the stadium the
appearance of a "Bird's nest". The Bird’s Nest hosted the Opening
and Closing Ceremonies, athletic events, and football final of the
2008 Summer Olympics, from 8 August to 24 August 2008. Since the
Olympics' end, the Bird’s Nest has been used to host events ranging
from opera to a ski park.At about 3:30pm we’ll begin our drive to the Great Wall at Jinshanling, and we should arrive at there at about 5. From the wall here you will be able to witness how the wall twists and winds along the steep mountain ranges. This is as dramatic a view on the Great  Wall as you’ll find. Much of the hiking that we will do on Jinshanling today is relatively easy, as much of the wall here is
restored and the surface smooth. Jinshanling has five main passes
and 67 watchtowers. We will climb about 6
watchtowers, and you will also have the opportunity to watch the
sunset fall over the Great Wall, a thrilling site indeed! At about 7:30 we’ll climb down from the wall to have dinner at a
local farmer’s house. This will be as about as authentic a Chinese
dinner as you can have. Home-made Chinese dishes, dumplings, rice,
all will be served. At about 8 pm we’ll climb back
on the Great Wall, where you will get to spend the night inside one
of Great Wall's ruined watchtowers or by the Wall. Sleeping bags, tents, and other
camping material will be provided. Safe and very peaceful! |
Day 2
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Great Wall hike from Jinshanling to
Gubeikou, and return to Beijing (B, L) Good
morning! We’ll get our day started bright and early at 5:30 am so you can watch the gorgeous sunrise over the Great Wall. From 8 to 11:30, we’ll continue hiking Jinshanling, and we will pass about 15 watchtowers. As you proceed westward, you will notice that the wall gradually deteriorates into its natural state, which is an interesting contrast from the restored wall you initially experienced. Gubeikou Great Wall occupies a strategically important location, which is difficult to access. Situated between Shanhaiguan Pass and Juyongguan Pass, and about 62 miles to Beijing, it is the bastion protecting the northern gateway to the capital. There are 14 beacon towers, 143 watchtowers, 16 strategic pass, three citadels and many other military constructions. Many of them are famous cultural relics, such as the Big Flower Beacon Tower of the Northern Qi Dynasty, Fairy Tower, General Tower, and the dominant Wangjing Tower. Gubeikou is covered with over 140 watchtowers, all differing in size and design. From the wall here you will be able  to witness how the wall twists and winds along the steep
mountain ranges. This is as dramatic a view on the Great Wall as
you’ll find. If the weather is clear, you will be able to see
the shimmering blue lake of the Miyun Reservoir. There is a
section on the wall that is part of a military base, so you will be
able to walk and explore a quaint nearby local village.At noon, we will break for a Chinese lunch, and then our driver will meet us to take us back to Beijing. At about 5pm you will be dropped off back at your hotel, ending your tour with us. |
Included:
*Private vehicle, driver and English-speaking guide;
* All entrance fees;
* All meals (including food for vegetarians) and water;
* Camping equipment such as sleeping bags and tents;
* Free Great Wall Adventure Club membership.
We have up to 9 different routes for overnight hiking and
camping on the
Great Wall!
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2X: Forbidden City +
Sleep in the Watchtower (Camp!) 
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2AA: Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Jiankou-Mutianyu hike (Camp!)
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2AB: Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Second
Valley Hike & Camp (Camp!)
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2B: Huanghuacheng-Jiankou-Mutianyu hike
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2C: Chengde-Panjakou Reservoir-Xifengkou hike.
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2D: Panjiakou
Reservoir-Xifengkou hike.
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2E: East Qing Tomb-Huangyaguan hike.
Read
complete itinerary of Route 2F: Laolongtou-Shanhaiguan-Sandaoguan-Jiaoshan-Jiumenkou-Huangtuying
hike
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