Great Wall hiking from Jiankou to Mutianyu

Trip code: GWGA22
Trip length: 2 days
hiking route: Jiankou to Mutianyu, Jinshanling to Simatai West
Meeting time: 08:00 on Day 1
Meeting point: McDonald's at Oriental Kenzo, 48 Dongzhimenwai Dajie. 东直�-�外大�-东方�'�座麦�'劳
Meeting directions: Dongzhimen Station, subway line 2, Exit C. Turn right after getting out of the shopping mall. We will place a Great Wall Hiking logo in front of our van, and our guide will wear a blue Great Wall Hiking T-shirt or jacket.
Finishing time: 16:00 on Day 2
Finishing point: Foot massage place at Sanlitun三里屯
Hiking duration: 5 hours on Day 1, 3 hours on Day 2
Physical rating: ★★★★☆
Departure: Thursday/Sunday, March to November

Highlights:
Wild Great Wall at Jiankou and Simatai West
Restored Great Wall at Mutianyu and Jinshanling
Local farmer’s accommodation & home-made local food
Hotpot lunch
Foot massage
Small group of maximum of 8 travelers

Great Wall hiking from Jiankou to Mutianyu

Meet you up at 8am and then drive to the Olympic venues for a 20-minute walking. Select your favorite sandwich at Subway for your lunch on the Wall and then drive to Jiankou (2.5 hours). We will start the hiking at 11 am. You will hike on both restored and original walls. Shorts are not recommended since you will meander through jungles and bushes. We will drive to Gubeikou and stay at a local farmer's guesthouse.

Jiankou to Mutianyu offers a wonderfully satisfying experience of the Wall. It has superb scenery, dense vegetation and many fine watch-towers in an excellent restored section which is about six meters broad. The brickwork is elaborate, with crenellations on both sides and finely curved eaves on some watch-tower roofs. There are decorative gables with animal statues, and tablets bearing calligraphy above some entrances. The first one hour is going straight up and reaches the wall, and then hikes the unrestored towers. The wild Wall to the west is the original Ming Dynasty with fine stonework, and there are almost no other people. You will be rewarded when you approach Zhengbeilou Tower, where you will have a breathtaking view of Jiankou section. There will be a sharp contrast when you arrive at Mutianyu section with the restored wall and towers.

We will provide you with water and snacks and you need a day pack to carry these stuff. We will stay at a traditional local farmer's courtyard guesthouse at Gubeikou village which played important role in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD) to defend the capital. The accommodation is twin-shared. There are 2 shared toilets and showers. We have chance to walk around the village and try home-made local farmer's food.

Meals: picnic lunch, dinner
Accommodation: local farmer's guesthouse at Gubeikou village

Day 2 Jinshanling-Simatai West (3 hrs, 5 km hiking)

We will drive to Jinshanling in 20 minutes after a typical farmer's breakfast, and start the hike at 8am. It's the right time to produce amazing photographs. At this time there are usually no other tourists on the wall, you have the wall to yourself. It will take about 3 hours hiking on the wall. We will get off the wall at Kylin Tower, and cannot walk to Simatai East direction due to the closure of Simatai Great Wall.

This section offers arguably the finest hiking anywhere on the Great Wall. It is extremely photogenic, with over 15 watch-towers, and steep gradients that give constantly changing perspectives and wide, open views. There is fascinating variety in the watchtowers here. Some have two storeys, others three. Some have flat roofs, others rounded and others again are pitched with upturned eaves. This section of the wall is wild, ruined, preserved and original. On a clear day, it is difficult to fail to take good photographs here.

We will organize a unique Hotpot lunch when back to the city. Hotpot is originally from Sichuan Province and now is popular all over China. You can choose Plain or Spicy one as you like. This is also a good opportunity to practice your chopstick skills. After lunch you will refresh your tired feet with a traditional reflexology foot massage. This is sure to leave you completely relaxed after this active adventure on the Great Wall of China. Our guide will leave after organizing the massage and you will head to your hotel on your own afterward.

Meals: breakfast, lunch

Great Wall hiking from Jiankou to Mutianyu

USD 270 per adult (13 years above)
USD 190 per child (6-12 years)

Great Wall hiking from Jiankou to Mutianyu

Not included:
1. travel insurance
2. cable car, chairlift, toboggan (slideway) or any other additional local facilities
3. personal expenses
4. tipping of hiking guide/driver recommended on good service on a 2:1 ratio separately

What to take:
comfortable shoes or boots, water, snacks, sunscreen, sun-glasses, pocket knife, first aid kit, lip balm, cap

Notes:
1. You will hike the Wall from A to B every day and your belongings will go with the can/van directly to the accommodation, and you need a day pack to carry water, snacks and other stuff.
2. Travel insurance is optional and is the sole responsibility of travellers. It is strongly encouraged to have coverage of injury or accident.
3. There is no toilet along the path on the Wall. There are toilets at the entrance of Jiankou, Mutianyu, Jinshanling and Simatai, otherwise be prepared to commune with nature. Please prepare before hiking and always carry toilet paper by yourself.
4. You will be followed by local farmers when starting the hike on Day 2. The farmers will give you help along the way, as a reward they will sell some souvenirs. If you don’t like this, you have to say NO firmly at the beginning (MAYBE LATER does not work in Chinese culture) or just ignore them and not speak a word with them; otherwise they can be persistent and follow you all the way on the Wall.
5. Unlimited bottled waters are stored in our car/van every day.
6. We will bring trekking poles in our car/van and please tell your guide if you need one.
7. It’s recommended to prepare some snacks before your departure from Beijing.
8. As responsible travelers, we “take nothing but photos, leave nothing but footprint”.