Great Wall Adventure (4 days)
Take on a challenge—four days of hiking on rough and unrepaired Great Wall, with accommodation in a rustic countryside guesthouse.
Booking info
Private tour: Great Wall Adventure (4 days)
For groups of 10+
For cost details please see the table of prices and inclusions
Spend four days hiking on the Great Wall, starting with the obscure Great Wall Spur and walking all the way over to the famous Mutianyu Great Wall, making a full exploration of the rough and wild Jiankou Great Wall on the way. Accommodation and food at a rustic guesthouse included.
This trip provides a physical challenge for students, plus exposure to life in the Chinese countryside—slow-paced, and maybe slightly uncomfortable compared to what they are used to.
Minimal driving: many multi-day Great Wall itineraries involve lengthy mid-trip transfers between different parts of the Great Wall. This trip is planned so that transport is only required on the first and last day—for the rest of the trip, you'll be getting around on foot.
The hikes are reasonably difficult and have some steep and slippery sections, making this trip suitable for ages fifteen and up.
Trip overview
| Day One main activities | Great Wall Spur to Jiankou hike, overnight at guesthouse. |
|---|---|
| Day Two main activities | Nine-Eyes Tower Great Wall hike, overnight at guesthouse. |
| Day Three main activities | Jiankou ‘Dragon's Back’ Great Wall hike, overnight at guesthouse. |
| Day Four main activities | Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall hike. |
The hikes
Great Wall Spur to Jiankou
Hike hill trails and Great Wall on the way from the Great Wall Spur to Jiankou, via the famous Chinese Knot section. Some sections steep and slippery, with some scrambling required.
10km / 885m ascent / 559m descent / 957m peak
Nine-Eyes Tower Great Wall
A looping walk over tricky terrain and unrestored Great Wall on the west side of Jiankou, with a lot of scrambling and climbing required to arrive at the highest point on the hike, the impressive Nine-Eyes Tower.
12km / 675m ascent and descent / 1157m peak
Jiankou 'Dragon's Back' Great Wall
See the Jiankou ‘Arrow Nock’ section of wall and get a look at some of the wilder stretches of the wall at Jiankou, from the lowest to the highest. We’ll be using hill trails to skirt dangerous areas instead of climbing. This section is popular with local hikers, and consequently is a bit messy with litter. We’ll take plastic bags and pick up a bit of the rubbish left behind by careless hikers.
7km / 400m ascent and descent / 874m peak
Jiankou to Mutianyu Great Wall
Walk the unrestored Great Wall from Jiankou to Mutianyu, and hike out on the repaired section of the famous Mutianyu Great Wall. Hike down to the bottom at Mutianyu, or buy a ticket for the famous toboggan run.
10km / 484m ascent / 795m descent / 955m peak
Accommodation
You'll stay in a converted courtyard guesthouse in a tiny valley village below the Great Wall. Accommodation at the guesthouse is mostly two to a room, but some larger rooms are available. Kang beds can sleep 3–4 people. Rooms have private bathrooms and basic shower facilities.
Prices and inclusions
Prices
| Group size | 10–30 |
|---|---|
| Price per person |
Priced on request |
Inclusions
Beijing Hikers staff guides • Round-trip transport in private bus from your school • Tickets and entry fees • Main meals, drinks with meals, bottled water • Hiking sticks • Local guides where required • Accommodation at countryside guesthouse
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