Great Wall

Travel

Happy Great Wall Hiking!

Day 01: Arrival in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing and get prepared. Stay overnight at a local hotel.

Day 02: Badaling Great Wall
Badaling is the "North Pass" of Juyongguan Pass, the important strategic pass of the Great Wall. It used to be heavily guarded because it was the outpost to safeguard the capital, Beijing. The Wall at Badaling is 7.8 meters high and 5 meters wide and built with rectangular slabs of stone and green brick from the hills.
 
Day 03: Mutianyu Great Wall
This is one of the most interesting sections of the Great Wall - the section visited by President and Mrs. Clinton when they came to China. With its unique architecture it is called "The Wall Where the Eagle Must Bend his Wing". In the afternoon visit the nearby 13 Tombs of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) - the world's largest concentration of Royal Tombs. Each tomb is located at the foot of a separate hill and is linked with the other tombs by a road called the Sacred Way. The stone archway at the end of the Sacred Way is 14 meters high and decorated with designs of clouds and sacred animals.

Day 04: Chengde
Drive to Chengde, a city of particular charm in Hebei Province. It is situated on the northern fringes of the Yanshan Mountains. The well-known Bishushanzhuang (Mountain Manor for Escaping the Summer Heat) stands in the northern part of the city. Like a pearl inlaid at the centre of the Yanshan Mountains, the city of historical and cultural renown boasts scenic hills and waters, grand ancient buildings, an imperial garden complex of the Qing Dynasty, unusual peaks and rocks and a pleasant climate. In 1703 Qing Dynasty Emperor Kang Xi initiated the building of the Mountain Manor for escaping Summer Heat. This occupies 5.6 million square meters. Emperors of Qing Dynasty lived almost half of each year at the mountain manor where they went hunting, handled court affairs and received envoys from other countries. The numerous ancient buildings here represent both the northern and southern school of ancient Chinese architecture and merge the architectural style of China's ethnic groups.

Day 05: Chengde
In Chengde, there are 11 magnificent temples around the mountain manor known as the Eight Outer Temples. They represent the Han, Manchu, Hui, Tibetan and Uygur architectural styles. Visit the temple there.

Day 06: Jinshanling Great Wall
Jinshanling has 67 watchtowers along 11 kilometers of the Great Wall with each watchtower and example of a different architecture. It is 5 to 8 meters high, 6 meters across the base and 5 meters at the top. The walkway along the top is paved with square bricks providing a level surface wide enough to construct or erect batteries. Watchtower Wangjinglou is 980 meters above sea level. It is said that one can catch sight of Beijing's light at dawn in autumn. Jinshanling is the most spectacular sight of the entire Great Wall and is representative of the Ming Dynasty Great Wall.

Day 07: Huangyaguan Great Wall
Huangyaguan was first built in 557 A.D. and rebuilt with bricks in the Ming Dynasty. The entire wall lies on a precipitous ridge of mountains. It has an eastern cliff as a screen against invasions and a western precipice as support. It had ancient defensive structures such as a fortress, high-wall, water pass, beacon tower and sheer precipice. Today we can see a museum, Beiji Temple and Bagua City (with a BaGua Labyrinth).

Day 08: Qingdongling - Luowenyu Great Wall
Qingdongling is a large group of structures which hold the remains of 5 emperors, 14 empresses and 136 imperial concubines and princesses. The beauty of the landscape is enhanced by yellow-glazed tiles dotted among green pines and cypresses. In the afternoon, hike on Luowenyu - this is the oldest part of the Great Wall (over 2000 years). There is a trail on top of this part Great Wall in ruin.

Day 09: Panjiakou Great Wall - Qinhuangdao
Part of this section of the wall has been submerged under a reservoir and can be seen by boat. After lunch, have a four hours bus ride to Qinhuangdao.

Day 10: Jiumenkou
Jiumenkou is the only part of the Great Wall in the shape of a bridge. This is one of the most important parts of the wall for defense and the site of many great battles against the invading Mongols. In the afternoon, visit Mengjiangnu Temple built in the Song Dynasty.

Day 11: Jiashan - Old Dragon Head Great Wall
Shanhaiguan (literally "the pass there the first mountain meets the sea") is called the museum of the construction of the Great Wall because it features the following sections: Old Dragon's Head (the only part of the Great Wall that meets the sea), Number.1 Pass Under Heaven (The first pass of the Great Wall), Jiashan Mountain (the first mountain the Great Wall climbs).

Day 12: Departure from Beijing
Leave Beijing according to your own schedule.