Explore the Wild Great Wall on Foot
Alongside hiking the wild sections of the Great Wall, the tour also includes two Tai Chi lessons, which will help refresh your body after the long days of hiking and offer an introduction to this ancient Chinese martial art.
The lesson will be taught by the venerable Master Zhou Qing, who competed against masters from across the globe to win three gold medals in the categories for Yang-style Tai Chi, Tai Chi sword and the tuishou or “pushing hands” style of Tai Chi at the 5th annual Macau International Martial Arts Competition in 2016.
Please Note:
This tour is only for fit and healthy people who have at least some hiking experience. Some parts of the hike are quite tough.
The price for the tour in September is lower because it will not contain any of the Tai Chi lessons.
Participants Max: 10
Duration: 10 days and 9 nights
Tours in 2024: 17th of Apr - 26th of Apr / 11th of Sep - 20th of Sep
Tours in 2025: 16th of Apr - 25th of Apr / 10th of Sep - 19th of Sep
Highlights of the tour
Panlongshan
The Panlongshan or “Coiling Dragon Mountain” section of the Great Wall is the part of the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall that connects to the Jinshanling section.
The main highlights of the Panlongshan section are the General Tower and 24-Window Tower. The General Tower is a two-storey, square-shaped structure that originally functioned as the office of the military general who managed this section of the wall, while the 24-Window Tower is the final watchtower along the Panlongshan Section. The northwestern side of the 24-Tower Window has completely collapsed, which endows it with a certain ruined beauty that has attracted the admiration of many visitors.
Highlights of the tour
Jinshanling
At its western point, Jinshanling is connected with Simatai and, together with Simatai, it is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Jinshanling portion of the Great Wall consists of 67 towers and is approximately 11 kilometres (7 mi) long. It has been repaired several times and appears to be as well-developed as Badaling. However, thus far there are substantially fewer tourists here than at Badaling. If you want to witness the Great Wall in its complete glory, Jinshanling is the best place to go. The refurbishment that it has undergone has not altered its original appearance too much. All of the components of the original Great Wall – the tower, the gate, the fire beacon tower—are still there.
Highlights of the tour
Jiankou
The term “jiankou” means “nocked arrow” and this section of the Great Wall was so-named because part of it resembles a large sideways “W”, like an arrow that is ready to shoot. It is located just outside of Xizhazi Village, about 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Huairou County.
A few highlights along this part of the wall include: the Nine-Eye Tower, a command tower that has nine holes resembling nine eyes on each side; the Sky Stairs, a set of stairs that elevate at a dizzying angle of 70 to 80 degrees; and “The Eagle Flies Facing Upward”, a watch tower built so high up that supposedly even eagles would have to fly facing upward to reach the top!
Highlights of the tour
Mutianyu
Mutianyu was originally built during the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and stretches approximately 2 kilometres (1.5 mi) from Juyong Pass in the west to the Gubeikou section in the east. Since it protected one of the passes leading to Beijing, it was repaired regularly throughout the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and is now considered one of the most well-preserved parts of the Great Wall. It was partly made of granite and is considered virtually indestructible!
Highlights of the tour
Beijing Old Town
Throughout our tour, we will be visiting a number of hutongs in the old parts of Beijing. The term “hutong” is used to describe small alleyways that typically date back to the Yuan, Ming, or Qing dynasties and that are normally lined on either side by a traditional type of Chinese building known as a “siheyuan” or quadrangle courtyard. Below are listed some of the hutongs we will visit:
Yandaixiejie or “Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street”, which is one of the oldest hutongs in Beijing. This street’s unusual name was coined during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), when it was well-known for its numerous pipe and tobacco stores.
The Shichahai Area, which was built around three lakes, known respectively as Qianhai or “Front Sea”, Houhai or “Back Sea”, and Xihai or “West Sea”. Of these three, Houhai Lake is arguably the most popular, as it is surrounded by lively bars and restaurants.
The Dashilan Area, which is particularly famous for having a number of time-honoured brand stores. These stores will have been selling the same wares for at least 100 years and are part of the cultural fabric of the city.
Nanluoguxiang, which is one of the most famous hutong areas in Beijing. Over the years, it has grown to become a popular tourist site and is now home to a number of souvenir shops, cafés, teahouses, restaurants, and bars.
Read more about the Hutongs of Beijing.
Highlights of the tour
The Forbidden City
Construction of this colossal palace began during the early 15th century and was masterminded by the Yongle Emperor of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It took over 100,000 artisans and one million laborers 14 years to complete and was home to 24 successive emperors over a period of 491 years. This means that, for every year it took to build, it got over 35 years of use. Talk about getting your money’s worth!
Since each emperor believed himself to be the son of heaven, the palace was built to imitate the legendary Purple Palace of the Jade Emperor (the King of Heaven). This is why it’s occasionally referred to as the Purple Forbidden City and why it originally had 9,999.5 rooms, as the Purple Palace supposedly had 10,000 rooms and it was considered improper for the Emperor to try and outdo his father! Nowadays the palace’s smooth red walls, yellow-glazed tile roofs, and intricate decoration have become a symbol of Beijing and one of the most recognizable relics of imperial China. Read more about The Forbidden City.
Highlights of the tour
Lama Temple
The Lama Temple, also known as Yonghegong or Yonghe Temple, is a temple and monastery dedicated to the Gelugpa or “Yellow Hat” sect of Tibetan Buddhism. It was originally constructed in 1694, during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1912), and is home to some of the finest works of Tibetan Buddhist art in China.
The temple itself seamlessly combines features of traditional Han Chinese and Tibetan architecture, making it relatively unique among temples in Beijing. Still more unique is the fact that, in 1735, the Qianlong Emperor replaced the temple’s turquoise roof tiles with yellow ones, which was a colour typically reserved only for the emperor during that time.
The temple complex, however, was not always a spiritual place. It was initially used as a royal place of residence by the Kangxi Emperor’s son, Prince Yong. Even when Prince Yong ascended the throne as the Yongzheng Emperor in 1722, he only converted half of the complex into a monastery for Tibetan Buddhist monks, keeping the other half as an imperial palace. It wasn’t until the Yongzheng Emperor’s death in 1735 that the entire complex became the venerable monastery we see today.
Itinerary
Day 1 – Arrive in Beijing
Meeting Point: We can either meet you at the airport or you can go to the hotel directly, where we will help you to check-in.
We will keep this day rather freeform, as you may not have much energy after the long flight. The only thing we have planned for this day is a welcome dinner in the evening, but we will of course help you make arrangements for breakfast or lunch if you arrive earlier in the day.
Dinner: Included. We will enjoy a welcome dinner made up of traditional Beijing-style cuisine.
Accommodation: Traditional Chinese-style hotel in Beijing.
Itinerary
Day 2 – Visit the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park
On this day, we’ll catch our first glimpse of the city’s ancient history.
In the morning, we will go to the “heart” of China, Tiananmen Square, and then we will start our tour of the Forbidden City, which will take approximately 4 hours.
Once we’ve finished our tour of the city itself, we’ll walk to nearby Jingshan Park, which originally served as a private imperial garden attached to the palace complex. The main highlight of the park is a 45.7-meter (150 ft.) high artificial hill, which was constructed during the Ming Dynasty and remains the highest point in the city of Beijing. From the top of the hill, we’ll be treated to a stunning panoramic view of the Forbidden City. The park is also the ideal place to relax and soak in the atmosphere of Beijing, as many local people gather here to chat, dance, sing opera, play traditional instruments, and practice Tai Chi.
What’s Included: Entrance ticket to the Forbidden City.
Dinner: Not included. Guests are free to explore the area and sample the local food themselves, or our guide can accompany you and help make dinner arrangements for you.
Accommodation: Traditional Chinese-style hotel in Beijing.
Itinerary
Day 3 – Hike the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall
The entire day will be spent hiking the Mutianyu Section of the Great Wall.
We will first go to Huairou and drop our luggage off at the hotel and then we will go to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
Personally we feel that Mutianyu represents the best of both worlds, since it has been beautifully preserved but it’s not that popular with tourists. Once we arrive, you can either choose to buy a ticket for the cable car or hike to the wall itself. There is also the option to toboggan down this section of the Great Wall, which is a lot of fun. If you would like to do this but would prefer to hike to the wall itself, please let us know in advance, as you will need to buy the tickets for the toboggan at the main gate before we start our hike.
In the evening, we will take the bus back to our hotel in Huairou.
What’s Included: Entrance ticket to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall.
Dinner: Not included. Guests are free to explore the area and sample the local food themselves, or our guide can accompany you and help make dinner arrangements for you.
Accommodation: 3 star Hotel in Huairou.
Itinerary
Day 4 – Hike the Jiankou Section of the Great Wall
In the morning, we will go to the village near Jiankou.
We will spend approximately 7 hours hiking the Jiankou section of the Great Wall.
We will aim to finish the hike at around 5pm and return to Huairou by taxi. From there, we will pick up our luggage and take a bus to Miyun. Once we have arrived in Miyun, we will check-in to our hotel and rest for the evening.
What’s Included: Entrance ticket to the Jiankou section of the Great Wall.
Accommodation: 3 star Hotel in Miyun.
Dinner: Not included. Guests are free to explore the area and sample the local food themselves, or our guide can accompany you and help make dinner arrangements for you.
Itinerary
Day 5 – Learn Tai Chi in the Ancient Village of Gubeikou
After two long days of hiking, we will give our bodies and minds a rest by learning the ancient art of Tai Chi.
We will get up a bit later in the morning than usual and take a bus from Miyun to the village of Gubeikou (for the tour in September, we will go to Miyun on day 5). Once we have arrived, we will take a short tour of this ancient village, as there are many small, beautiful temples on the way to our guesthouse.
In the late afternoon, we will have a Tai Chi lesson, where you can personally connect with one of the oldest forms of Chinese Kung-Fu.
What’s Included: Tai Chi lesson with Master Zhou Qing.
Dinner: Included. Together, we will enjoy a home-cooked meal made from organic ingredients grown by the guesthouse’s owners.
Accommodation: Country Guesthouse in Gubeikou.
Itinerary
Day 6 – Hike the Panlongshan Section of the Great Wall
In the morning, we will enjoy a home-cooked breakfast and check out of the guesthouse. We would advise that you pay for the extra packed lunch service that the guesthouse provides, since the packed lunch is much more delicious and nutritious than the food you can buy in the village.
This entire day will be dedicated to hiking the Panlongshan or “Coiling Dragon Mountain” section of the Great Wall. We will finish our hike at the point where the Panlongshan section connects with the Jinshanling section. It will take approximately 4-5 hours.
Once we have reached the western entrance of the Jinshanling section, we will instead follow the road to our guesthouse and check-in. Since we will arrive in the late afternoon, we will be able to take advantage of the quiet mountainous surroundings and have another Tai Chi lesson.
What’s Included: Entrance ticket to the Panlongshan section of the Great Wall; Tai Chi lesson with Master Zhou Qing.
Dinner: Included. Together, we will enjoy a home-cooked meal made from organic ingredients grown by the guesthouse’s owners.
Accommodation: Country Guesthouse at the base of Panlong Mountain.
Itinerary
Day 7 – Hike the Jinshanling Section of the Great Wall
In the morning, we will enjoy a home-cooked breakfast at the guesthouse, and then we will have a short Tai Chi lesson to leave us feeling refreshed before we head out towards the western entrance of Jinshanling.
This day will be entirely dedicated to hiking the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. Much like the previous day, we will hike for approximately 5 hours. Once we have finished hiking Jinshanling, we will take a bus back to Beijing directly.
What’s Included: Tai Chi lesson with Master Zhou Qing; Entrance ticket to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall.
Dinner: Not included. Guests are free to explore the area and sample the local food themselves, or our guide can accompany you and help make dinner arrangements for you.
Accommodation: Traditional Chinese-style hotel in Beijing.
Itinerary
Day 8 – Tour of Old Beijing
After so many hard days of hiking, we will take a long rest in the morning in order to give our bodies a chance to recover.
We won’t officially start the tour until noon, but we will also extend the tour into the evening in order to explore the Shichahai area.
First, we will visit Nanluoguxiang, in order to see how this ancient area has transformed to cater to modern tastes. From there, we will walk to Yandaixiejie or “Skewed Tobacco Pouch Street”, and finish our tour of the area at the Drum Tower of Beijing.
In the evening, we will visit the Shichahai area to enjoy the local nightlife. Since all of the hutongs are connected to each other and within walking distance of one another, we will keep this day rather freeform so that you can explore the hutongs independently and at your leisure.
Dinner: Not included. Guests are free to explore the area and sample the local food themselves, or our guide can accompany you and help make dinner arrangements for you.
Accommodation: Traditional Chinese-style hotel in Beijing.
Itinerary
Day 9 – Visit the Lama Temple and Nearby Hutongs
In the morning, we will go to visit the Lama Temple. The area around the Lama Temple boasts some lovely tea shops and stores selling religious iconography that are well-worth exploring on our way to the temple.
Once we have finished our tour of the Lama Temple, we will walk a short distance in order to visit some of the nearby hutongs. Unlike the hutongs we will have visited the previous day, the hutongs near the Lama Temple have not been developed for tourism and are largely residential.
Wandering through these hutongs will give you a real idea of what they would have looked like in ancient times and will provide an unparalleled insight into the traditional type of Beijing lifestyle that is gradually and tragically being lost with the destruction of the residential hutongs.
In the afternoon, we will also go to visit the Qianmen or “Front Gate” hutong specifically. This is one of the largest and most popular hutongs in Beijing, so you may find it hard to believe that it was once a very poor area! During the Qing Dynasty, it was home to a raucous market, where vendors would sell anything from clothes to meat. Then we go to the Dashilan Area to visit all of the “laozihao” (老字号) or time-honoured brand stores.
What’s Included: Entrance ticket to the Lama Temple.
Dinner: Included. To mark the end of our trip, we will enjoy a leaving dinner together consisting of traditional Beijing-style cuisine.
Accommodation: Traditional Chinese-style hotel in Beijing.
Itinerary
Day 10 – Your Onward Journey
We will escort you to the airport with plenty of time ready for your flight.
If your flight is in the evening, we can arrange a visit to the National Museum in the morning.
Please note that the price for the tour in September is lower because it will not contain any of the Tai Chi lessons.
If you like the look of this tour but would prefer to take it privately, we can tailor it to your specifications and design a bespoke tour for you or your group. Simply contact us on info@asiaculturaltravel.co.uk for a free email consultation with one of our travel experts.
Prices and What’s Included
Unlike other tours in China, we do not ask you to tip your tour guides and drivers each day. Instead, we pay our tour guides and drivers a fair wage, so they do not need to ask for tips.
Cost pp: £1,700/7-10 people in one group; £2,150/4-6 people in one group; £3,150/2-3 people in one group.
Single supp: £420 per person (Please be advised that, if you are the last person joining the tour or if there is no one in the group who you can share with, you may need to pay for the single supplement. We will advise you if this is the case when you enquire about the tour).
What’s Included: 9 nights of accommodation; all entrance fees to the attractions mentioned in the itinerary; 2 Tai Chi lessons with Master Zhou Qing; 4 dinners; all breakfasts; all transportation fees during the designated tour times; the services of an English speaking guide; a pdf file with useful information about the places in the itinerary; and any further help or information we can provide if you decide to continue traveling in China after the tour.
Accommodation: As shown in the itinerary, we will stay in a traditional hotel within a hutong while in Beijing (old town center), country guesthouses while in the mountains, and 3 star hotels in all other locations.
Food: Breakfast will be provided every day and we will also provide 4 dinners consisting of local cuisine. Aside from this, you are welcome to explore the local restaurants and sample the signature dishes by yourself, although we will always be on hand to translate for you and help you order.
Transportation: We will mostly rely on public transportation, such as the underground while in Beijing and buses when traveling outside of Beijing.
If you like the look of this tour but would prefer to take it privately, we can tailor it to your specifications and design a bespoke tour for you or your group. Simply contact us on info@asiaculturaltravel.co.uk for a free email consultation with one of our travel experts.
How can I sign up to this tour?
Step 1 ⇒ Contact us directly to talk about the tour in more detail.
Step 2 ⇒ Book online and pay the £100 deposit. If you have an exclusive discount code, please enter it into the Enquiry box.
Step 3 ⇒ We will send you the invoice confirming you have been booked on the tour. Once you receive the invoice, you have 30 days to pay an additional £500, which will secure your place on the tour.
Step 4 ⇒ Please note that the final cost of the tour will be based on the number of participants and will be split into two payments. The first payment must be made within 3 months of the tour’s start date and is based on the minimum price of the tour minus your £600 deposit. After that, you will need to pay the remaining balance one month before the tour is due to leave based on the tour subscription. In the meantime, we will advise you on how to apply for your visa and keep you updated on the subscription of the tour.
Step 5 ⇒ Once you have made the final payment, we will send you our exclusive tour e-book, which contains a detailed itinerary of the tour and in-depth information on the areas we’ll be visiting.
Step 6 ⇒ Prepare yourself for an unforgettable adventure!
We are happy to answer any questions you may have and we will always keep you up to date on the progress of the tour subscription.