The day begins at 11:00 PM.
The Great Wall at Jiankouis about 80km/50miles northeast of Beijing. Your guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and will drive you to a village called Xizaizhi at the bottom of Jiankou Great Wall. In order to hike on Jiankou, first we have to climb up a path for about 60 minutes to reach it. The Jiankou Great Wall was an important section of the wall in Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644). Owing to the need for renovation, the wall is regarded as one of the most dangerous sections of the Ming’s wall. For your safety, we are taking the path that is not dangerous but still breath-taking. Because of the time of day, the weather should be not overly hot (in fact, quite comfortable), so this hike shouldn't be too taxing on you.
Our hike will today will take about 3-3.5 hours and will cover 10km/6 miles. The Jiankou section is known for its ruggedness and wild beauty, and you will be in awe of the marvelous views it affords. As soon as we reach Jiankou we will see a deserted watchtower that gives you a panoramic view of the entire valley. This section of the wall is not well known by tourists, although if you see a picture of the Great Wall from exotic traveling magazines, chances are it is from Jiankou.
We'll start from Zhengbeilou, which is the best place to take photos. This part of the wall is often empty, so you will have some peace and serenity on your hike today. Because we are here late in the afternoon, there probably won't be any one else out here.
From Jiankou, we will cross over onto Mutianyu, a section of the wall that has been largely restored. Although it has gotten a face-lift, it avoids the army of tourists that plague Badaling. Mutianyu offers some breathtaking views of the valley and wall below, and if you look to your right you’ll see a large sign engraved in the side of the mountain encouraging you to “Cherish the teachings of Chairman Mao”. Mutianyu has also become popular for visiting foreign leaders and celebrities. It is from Mutianyu that we'll wait to see the sunset drape over the Great Wall, and this will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of your trip in China. We hope you have your cameras ready!
Before we drive back to Beijing, we'll stop by a Chinese restaurant to treat you a dinner with traditional stir fries and rice. If you are vegetarian, there is no problem. We'll order special dishes for you. We'll drop you at your hotel for the night.
Departure Time:
Summer: 11:30 am to 12:00 pm Fall and Spring: 10:00 am to 10:30 am Winter: 10 am.
While this hike will be a bit long, it will easily be the highlight of your time in China. For those of you who feel the need to stretch their legs after being cooped up in an office in Beijing (or wherever you may be from), this is the perfect opportunity to get some exercise and adventure, while also having loads of fun!
