Hiking

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8 days tour of Great Wall Hiking

As the old Chinese saying tells: "No one is a real man unless he has climbed the Great Wall". The Great Wall project actually began around 500 BC and went on to the 16th century AD. To some degree, it was like the backbone of the body of Chinese history. The main purpose of the wall was to provide defense mechanisms against raids form northern nomadic minority tribes. The Chinese people called them "Barbarians from the North". When the most parts of the Mainland were unified by Qin Shi Huang in 221 BC, a continuous line of fortification was constructed by joining up the old walls. The history books record that it took 300,000 men to work for ten years on the construction of one single section of the wall. Many people died due to inhumane working conditions, bad weather, and vicious diseases.

After the continuous and diligent work by Chinese people from ten dynasties, the wall reached 25,000 kilometers in length. The most recently built portion of it that totaled up to 6,300 kilometers was finished in the Ming dynasty. The strongest and best preserved part of the wall is to be found shielding the capital city of most of these dynasties- Beijing.

Day 1: Arrive Beijing

Arrive at Beijing, China's exciting and cultural heart. The local guide will meet you at airport and transfer to hotel. Rest day is free for jet-leg.

Day 2: Beijing B,L,D (breakfast, lunch, dinner)

The day begins at Tiananmen Square, the largest City Square in the world. From there you will enter the Forbidden City, a powerful maze of ancient palaces and courtyards from which the emperor ruled the land for 500 years. After lunch at local Chinese restaurant, we will take you to The Temple of Heaven, where the emperors of the Ming and the Qing Dynasties prayed for good harvests. The temple is not only especially glamorous, it is an architectural wonder because not a single nail was used for its construction. Enjoy Chinese Kongfu or Peking Opera show after dinner.

Day 3: Beijing B,L

This morning, you will be taken to The Summer Palace, a vast and beautiful landscape of elegant garden, lakes and pavilions. We’ll admire the famous Marble Boat and have a cruise on the Kunming Lake during the visit. After lunch, drive to Huangyaguan and check into Huanyaguan Hotel at the foot of the Wall. Visit the Great Wall Museum if time permit.

Day 4: Beijing B,L

Enjoy a full day hike along the Great Wall at Huangya Pass (5 hours), which acquired its name from the yellow cliffs into which it was built. Built across the Ju River in Jixian County, the pass and its round guardhouse, Phoenix Tower, have an imposing look. The most unique feature here is the Street of the Eight Diagrams, an architectural wonder of the Ming Dynasty lying just below the pass. A labyrinth meant to confuse and entrap invading armies, this fortification design is based on the ancient trigrams of the Book of Changes

Day 5: Beijing B,L

Check out of your hotel after breakfast, then drive to the Great Wall at Simatai. Here the wall travels along the ridges of high mountains and, at certain points, along cliffs formed by huge rocks, where builders were able to create an impregnable wall by merely piling up a few layers of bricks. Hike from Simatai to Jinshanling (approximately 4 hours), and then check into the Jinshanling Hotel. The Jinshanling section is virtually a museum of the architectural styles of Ming-era towers. As many as 67 are found within a distance of only 10 km. The towers are built in a surprising variety of shapes, the largest of which is the impressive Storehouse Tower, so named because of the storehouse on its southern terrace. This tower was used as a garrison headquarters and is protected by special defensive barriers and an extra wall 60 meters downhill

Day 6: Beijing B,L

Check out of your hotel after breakfast, then drive to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and embark on another full-day hike (approximately 5 hours). The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is known for its beautiful surroundings - dense woods and rich pastures changing colors with the seasons of the year. It winds its way over 1000 meters to the crest of a mountain before turning sharply and dipping downhill, forming a triangle known as the Ox-Horn Wall, Two unique features of this section are the double battlements and branch walls found throughout the area. Drive back to City and check into hotel.

Day 7 Beijing B,L,SD (special dinner)

This morning you will take trishaw into Hutong, which is an ancient city alley, to experience the life of the local people. Visit the old quadrangles inhabited by Beijing residents. Tour in the Prince Gong’s Palace and have a cup of tea. You also have an opportunity to visit a local family and chat with local people. Then you will be taken to the Silk Market or Hongqiao Market, which is where the Beijingers shop. Here, you can find many incredible deals on things, if you know what you are looking for and you know how to bargain. After buffet lunch at four star CTS hotel, you will visit Liulichang Street of Chinese Culture, which is flanked with antique shops of mock ancient architecture of gilded and carved columns and beams. The Peking Duck banquet will be at famous Duck King Restaurant.

Day 8: Leave Beijing B

Departure transfer to airport. Fly for home

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