Depart UK

Overnight direct flight from London Heathrow to Beijing.

Beijing

Morning arrival in Beijing. One-hour transfer to the overnight accommodation at Yanyuan Resort. The rest of the day is free to acclimatise. After dinner in the evening, you’ll hear more about the week ahead.

Great Wall at Mutianyu

Early transfer of 30 minutes to start the trek. Set off up Trout Valley on a challenging climb of about one hour to reach the Wall. Once you reach the top, catch your breath and take in the panoramic vistas.
Trek along the Wall, which has been renovated to its original grandeur. At the end of the day, you can either make your way back down on foot through scrub forest or, for the more daring, a mile-long toboggan and cable car. Transfer to the Qi Hu Hotel.

Black Dragon Paw Park

The morning trek starts with a gentle hike along a picturesque valley of streams and small waterfalls. From there it gets much tougher, as you climb a steep dirt trail over a ridge and down the other side to reach the edge of the Black Dragon Paw Park.
After lunch, head uphill through heavy undergrowth until you arrive at the tallest single tower on this section of the Wall for panoramic views over the surrounding countryside. Gentle descent and transfer to the Yunhu Hotel.

Great Wall at Gubeikou

Gubeikou used to be an important checkpoint. Today it is one of the least-visited parts of the Wall in the Beijing area. Some sections date back to the Ming Dynasty and are not restored, with no side walls and overgrown in parts.
This area is architecturally one of the most striking sections of the entire Wall, as it sits precariously along the Yanshan Mountains. Trek to the village of Shalingzi and transfer to the Palace Lodge.

Great Wall at Jinshanling

This is a tough day’s trekking, particularly in the morning. Fortunately, with the highest point 700 metres above sea level, the views more than make up for it.
This section has some unusual features such as “obstacle walls” which are walls within walls used for defending against enemies who had already scaled the Wall. The day ends with a suspension bridge at Simatai. Then return to the Palace Lodge.

Great Wall at Simatai

An early start for a sunrise walk on the Great Wall at Simatai, boasting some 135 watchtowers. The trek today is short and sharp with very steep sections and some sheer drops, climbing more than 1200 steps.
You end the trek here, leaving the Wall to hike down through villages. Transfer to a hotel in Beijing, where you can have a foot massage to reward yourself for a job well done. In the evening, enjoy a celebratory dinner together.

Beijing

A free day to explore Beijing, either independently or as part of an optional tour including the Forbidden City.

Beijing – London