Walking the Great Wall (Trip #64710)

Tour Overview

In China there is an old saying that goes "..you are not a man until you have been to the Great Wall!" This famous 'icon' stretches over 3,000 kilometres from the Shanhaiguan Pass on the eastern coast to the Jiayuguan Pass in the Gobi Desert. The first Emperor to unify all of China in 221 BC, Qin Shihuang, had a workforce of up to a million people link previously existing walls from smaller kingdoms and build new sections, in order to keep out northern invaders. Subsequent dynasties continued to strengthen and further extend the wall; however this was not enough to prevent the Mongols from invading China in 1271 and forming the Yuan Dynasty. This trip is designed for those who are fit, energetic and enjoy trekking. We travel through the lush mountainous areas northeast and east of Beijing. A fascinating journey on the backroads allows you to observe closely the everyday life of villagers and offers perfect opportunities to interact with the locals. We visit the Eastern Qing Tombs, and explore the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven. A highlight of this tour is hiking in remote areas, away from the crowded tourist spots.

Itinerary:
Day 1 (Sat) Arrive in Beijing and transfer to hotel.
2 Tour of Beijing, visiting Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square.
3 Drive to Eastern Qing Tombs, then to Great Wall at Huangyaguan, trekking.
4 Drive to Gubeikou Great Wall and trek to Jinshanling Great Wall.
5 Trek along Great Wall from Jinshanling to Simatai. Spend the night in local village.
6 Drive to and trek around Great Wall at Mutianyu.
7 Trek around Great Wall at Jiankou. Drive back to Beijing.
8 Trip ends in Beijing this morning (Sat).

(Reference ID: PGPCGW)