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Five-day Trekking
on the
Great Wall
with Historical Touch
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PRICE TABLE
(Per Person)
# of Head |
USD Price |
1 |
1699 |
2 |
1399 |
3 |
1129 |
4-5 |
1019 |
6-9 |
969 |
WHAT'S INCLUDED
IN PRICE
* Personal transfers from and to hotel
* Entry fees to the Great Wall and East Qing Tomb
* Accommodation of 4 nights in local hostels or farmer's courtyards
* 5 lunches, 4dinners and 4 breakfasts
* Quality vehicle, professional driver and English-speaking tour
guide
* Free membership card
* A credit of RMB200 when you reserve the next tour with us
Guaranteed no detours to shops,
markets, factories, etc.
Want
to see more of the legendary Great Wall in all its beauty and
splendor? Visit our
Instagram page for a preview of what could be
in store for you!
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TRAVEL INSURANCE
If you currently don’t have travel insurance then
you will be required to purchase our PICC (People's Insurance
Company of China) travel and accidental insurance.
The fee will be $7.99 per person, and will cover the duration of
your hiking/camping/trekking in order to ensure that you are
comprehensively protected if injured.
For more information about our travel insurance policy please
see our insurance page.
QUALITY VEHICLES
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ROUTE 5B: Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu-Jiankou-Mutianyu-Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Panlongshan-East
Qing Tombs-Huangyaguan
An odyssey through the varied
and splendorous sights of the
important parts of the Great Wall!
Trip Highlights:
1. A hike on Huangyaguan, which is designed to
encapsulate the entire Great Wall of China, meaning you can view the
entire wall in just under a day, and a chance to visit the East Qing
Tombs, the final resting place of China’s last ruling dynasty and an
often overlooked treat
2. While the Gubeikou-Jinshanling-Panlongshan is the most popular Great Wall
hike, we will change it up a little by hiking it in the opposite
direction, giving a new spin on this classic hike
3. The Jiankou-Mutianyu hike is one of the most striking and beautiful,
with high ruined watchtowers and wonderful views of the misty mountains
4. This 5 day trip combines both “Wild Wall” with its rugged ruins, and
classically restored wall
5. A unique chance to visit
the East Qing Tombs where the most influential and powerful Qing
emperors were buried.
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This program features sleeping on the Great
Wall. |
The outdoorsman: Stay overnight on the Great Wall of
China
"When people come to the Great Wall of China, they
want to explore the history and see why it was built. A day trip to
the tourist sites won’t achieve that, but a sleepover on one of the
world’s most storied ruins certainly will. The Great Wall Adventure
Club organizes trips to sleep in a watchtower where soldiers were
formerly garrisoned. When night falls, the only thing above is the
stars, while the incredible land of the surrounding hills is
absolutely silent ... " (June 11, 2021)
Click for the Trip Map
Day-by-day Hiking Itinerary
(The following day-by-day
schedule may swap with the concern of weather or availability of
accommodation in the Great Wall villages on certain dates)
DAY 1 |
DAY
2 | DAY 3 | DAY 4 |
DAY 5
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Day 1: Huanghuacheng-Xishuiyu (B+L+D, 8km/5miles, 4 hours)
We
will start our 5-day trek from Huanhuacheng
(The yellow Flower Fortress) to Xishuiyu.
Huanghuacheng, like Jiankou, which we will hike tomorrow, is fast
becoming popular with hikers and tourists who are looking for
something a little different in their Great Wall experience. The
wall here is a combination of both restored and unrestored areas,
giving your hike a little more variety and adventure. When you reach
the middle of the wall you will be able to see that the countryside
is swathed in yellow, as masses of wild flowers come into bloom. We
will then cross over onto the Xishuiyu section.
Today’s hike is not very long, but quite special-part of the wall is
under water! In 1974 China built the Xishuiyu Reservoir, and when
the water level rose, some low-lying sections of the wall were
submerged under water. Seen from the dam of the reservoir, this
stately sunken wall is still visible under the water’s smooth and
glimmering surface.
After our hike today, we will drive to a local village where we
will again spend the night with a local farmer and his family.
They will prepare for us a sumptuous provincial-style Chinese
dinner, and it is sure to replenish and refresh you for
the rest four days.
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Optional camping at Jiankou tonight for
$59/person. |
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Day 2: Jiankou-Mutianyu (B+L+SD, 10km/6 miles, 4-5 hours)
Our hiking will
continue on a high note as we will be visiting hikers’
most favorite section of the Great Wall. . In order to hike on Jiankou, first we have to climb up a path for about 60 minutes to
reach it. Our hike will today will take about 4 hours and will cover
10km/ 6 miles. The Jiankou section is known for its ruggedness and
wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it
affords. As soon as we reach Jiankou we will see a deserted
watchtower that gives you a panoramic view of the entire valley. In
the early morning the view is priceless with its morning fog. This
section of the wall is not well known by tourists, although if you
see a picture of the Great Wall from exotic traveling magazines,
chances are it is from Jiankou. This is the pinnacle of exotic Great
Wall scenery.
This part of the wall is often empty, so you will have some peace
and serenity on your hike today. Another highlight of Jiankou is the
enemy observation tower known as, "Ying Fei Dao Yang", so named
because this watchtower was erected on the highest peak in the area,
and eagles and hawks often perch on it. Although the majestic wall
is slowly being conquered by small trees and brambles, but the view
from the top is still stunning!
From Jiankou we will cross over onto Mutianyu, a section of the wall
that has been largely restored. Although it has gotten a face-lift,
it avoids the army of tourists that plague Badaling. Mutianyu offers
some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below, and if you
look to your right you’ll see a large sign engraved in the side of
the mountain encouraging you to “Cherish the teachings of Chairman
Mao”. Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign
leaders and celebrities.
You can hike down to the parking lot, take a cable car, or take
a toboggan ride * (highly recommended, and lots of fun!) down to
meet our driver. We will then have a
lunch at a local restaurant
and drive for 1.5 hours to get to Gubeikou
to get ready for the camping tonight.
Upon arriving at Gubeikou, you will
have the opportunity to watch the beautiful sunset on the Great
Wall. The sunset at the Great Wall is dramatic and breathtaking
moment that you should not miss.
Then, before it gets dark, we'll go up to the mountain and sleep overnight in a
watch tower. We'll prepare the necessary camping
facilities such as sleeping bags so you don't have to bring
anything but yourself. Here it is the sound sleeper's paradise -
let the mountain valley and the Great Wall echo your snoring
sound! We'll prepare the necessary camping facilities such as
sleeping bags so you don't have to bring anything but yourself.
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Day 3: Gubeikou-Jinshanling (B+L+D, 10km/6miles. 4-5
hours)
We
will start today's hike to Jinshanling
from General Tower at Gubeikou. Gubeikou
is mostly “Wild Wall” so the hiking will be tougher than the
beginning of our hike. We will have lunch on the wall, and the
countryside in front of us will provide the perfect backdrop.
We'll take you to have a gorgeous Chinese countryside style
dinner in Mr. Duan's Restaurant. Mr. Duan is a famous Great Wall
photographer and is the winner of several national photographing
competitions. His wife
(middle in the left photo) and
her niece will cook traditional Chinese dishes and dumpling for you.
Mrs. Duan will
serve you Kong Pao Chicken, Stewed beef and potato, Green Pepper and
Pork, Fried Tofu in Spicy Sauce, Fried Egg Tomato, Sweet and Sour
Chicken, and lots of vegetables (great for vegetarians), and soup.
She changes her menu daily, so you may have different dishes from
the above. What's more important is that all the
vegetables she uses are planted in her yard, so it is organic and
fresh! Rice and Chinese dumpling are also fresh and of genuine
local flavor.
Tonight, we will lodge at Gubeikou farm
inn. You can take a shower as hot water is provided 24/7.
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Day 4: Panlongshan (B+L+D, 10km/6 miles, 4-5
hours)
After breakfast in the hotel at around 7:30 am, we will
go to Panlongshan to start our hike there. This is the classic Great Wall
hike that mostly wall enthusiasts have done. Unlike most hikers, we
will take this popular route in the opposite direction.
Panlongshan (Coiling Dragon Mountain)
is also a part of Gubeikou, and is a great place to
see the
Great Wall for the original state of the
ancient Wall with historic marks. There are 84 towers throughout
the 15 kilometers length of Panlongshan Great Wall. The General
Tower and 24-hole Tower represent the uniqueness of the Wall
design here, serving as the command center at the highest point
of Panlongshan.
The climbing is challenging in places but the level of
danger is reasonable for the Great Wall. The architecture is
interesting, the defense security features are unique, and scenery
is excellent.
After the hike, we will drive to Huangyaguan
Great Wall. You will lodge in a local hotel for a good rest.
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Day 5: East Qing Tombs-Huangyaguan-Beijing
In the moring, we will first visit the East Qing Tombs. The Eastern Qing Tombs, which
is among the finest, best-preserved and largest of the extant tomb
complexes in China. Along the south side of Changrui Mountain, the
tombs of five emperors, four empresses, five imperial concubines,
and one princess are arrayed based on the traditional concept of
placing the most senior and most distinguished in the center.
Of all the tombs, Xiaoling is the biggest and most elaborate,
standing as the focal point of the entire structure. The grandeur of
this tomb may be attributed to its having been the first sepulcher
constructed for a member of the royal family of the Qing Dynasty, so
the builders hoped to set the tone for a prosperous future. Crossing
through the Great Red Gate, you can see buildings of different
sizes, all with roofs of yellow glazed tile, connected by the brick
paths or 'sacred ways' that converge in the area of Xiaoling.
An example of the most exquisite architecture of the Eastern Qing
Tombs is Dingdongling, the tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi. Although
she handled affairs of state for more than 45 years, she never
ascended the throne. (The only female ruler in Chinese history was
Empress Wu Zetian in the Tang Dynasty (618-907). Elaborate and
highly refined decorations and carvings inside Dingdongling make it
unique among the tombs of the Qing Dynasty. The main material used
in the tomb, which took six years to build, was gold, the symbol of
royal family.
Shortly after lunch we will drive to a small village, where we will
start our afternoon hike on the Great Wall on Huangyaguan. It is
designed as a miniature of the entire Great Wall of China, thereby
allowing you get an understanding of the entire wall in a fraction
of the time. The entire section is built on an abrupt mountain
ridge. Being endowed with both natural beauty and cultural interest,
it has become famous as a natural beauty spot and a summer resort.
After about an hour’s walk we will reach a peak overlooking the
valley below. Form the peak we can also see the Huangyaguan
Fortress, which was restored in 1984. From this vantage point, we
will be able to see its Baguan pattern, a specially designed
labyrinth designed to confuse and entrap the enemy. We will then
walk down to the fortress for a fascinating and informative visit
inside.
We will drive back to Beijing this afternoon,
eding our 5-day adventure.
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