Ready for an adventure? Call +44 (0)2381 449447 or email info@different-travel.com Your Account | Logout
MENUMENU
MENUMENU
13th Oct 2026 - 21st Oct 2026
9 days/China /Moderate to Challenging
Online Booking Unavailable Please contact us on info@different-travel.com to discuss making a booking
Join supporters of Community Hospice as they take on this classic adventure.
This unforgettable trek takes you along a remote and less-travelled section of the Great Wall of China, from Gubeikou to Jinshanling and Simatai. You’ll walk on centuries-old pathways, some painstakingly restored and others left wild and rugged, offering a truly immersive experience of one of the world’s greatest wonders. Beyond the Wall itself, the journey takes you through breathtaking landscapes—rolling green hills, distant mountain peaks, and peaceful, untouched countryside.
Throughout the trek, you’ll stay in traditional guesthouses, offering a deeper connection to local life. It’s a chance to experience authentic Chinese hospitality, learn about rural culture, and enjoy incredible home-cooked meals that showcase the region’s rich culinary heritage.
A moderate to challenging trip for someone of a good general level of fitness. The Great Wall is built on rolling hills and some sections have hundreds of thousands of stairs, some of which have begun to crumble and are more like steep gravel slopes.
Each day you can expect to walk for 5-8 hours on various types of terrain. The activity level is high so don’t expect it to be easy. You will need to train in preparation for this.
You must be 18+ to join this trek. It may be possible for you to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old if accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no upper age limit.
An ideal candidate for the trek would be someone who enjoys being out of their comfort zone and trying something new. Adventure travel involves an element of the unexpected so do not expect standards to be the same as you are used to at home. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (be it because of group pace, weather conditions, local bureaucracy or other factors) and itineraries may be altered to allow for this.
For you to get the most out of your challenge it is important that you are flexible, positive and eager to take on all the challenges that arise. Suitable fitness preparation before departure forms part of this.
The trek is accompanied by local English-speaking guides who have an excellent knowledge of trekking in the region. The guides are first aid trained and will support you throughout your journey. You will also be supported by an excellent team of assistant staff, cooks and drivers and a Different Travel Company UK tour manager.
The terrain is hilly and undulating with steep sections. You will not trek on the wall the entire time, often you will walk next to it through the countryside so be prepared for a variety of ground underfoot from the grassy, dry terrain of the countryside to the stone steps of the Great Wall.
The Great Wall has been restored in some sections so you will find smooth paved ground with steps built up the hillside. In the original sections the Wall may be crumbling, with earth and stone rubble that shifts underfoot like scree, making it challenging to climb and leaving some exposed areas with drops.
In general, you should expect to climb a lot of steps during the challenge, so you must train with this in mind and ensure you do plenty of hill walking to prepare for the hills.
The trek is rated moderate to challenging. There are many steep uphill and downhill sections to contend with and you must be prepared to carry a daypack weighing 6-7kg. Although the distances trekked may appear short, due to the hilly terrain it can take 6-7 hours to trek just 5km, as ascent and descent profile each day ranges from 515m-866m.
You should have a good level of fitness to ensure fast recovery from each day of trekking.
You must engage in training (including plenty of walking up and down hills) before departure to ensure your best chance of enjoyment on the trip. This could include hill walking, running, cycling, gym workouts, boot camps, etc.
You can download a number of free apps to help you train and track your progress e.g. MapMyWalk, C25K, MyFitnessPal etc. Attempting to complete the trek without training will make it more challenging than necessary and will be detrimental to your experience, and the experience of your teammates.
Temperatures will be dependent upon the weather which is usually mild and dry at this time of year. On average the temperature will average around 10°C during the day, dropping down to -1°C at night. It’s important to be prepared for all weather conditions and temperatures by packing non-cotton trek layers and waterproofs. It’s better to have warm layers and waterproofs and not need them than to not have any when you need them!
Although the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate, climate change can impact the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions during the trip which are out of our control. Should this happen, the guide will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and ultimately, the safety of the group as a whole.
The trek day will start with a breakfast of hot drinks, noodles, rice, eggs, Chinese dumplings and fruit. You will prepare your own packed lunch each day which will consist of sandwiches with jam or peanut butter, fresh fruit, Oreos (or similar), dried fruit, and nuts, etc. Some days you may have hot lunches. You should bring your own snacks to eat throughout the day.
A freshly cooked traditional Chinese evening meal will be served at the guesthouse comprising rice, noodles, meat, tofu, and vegetable dishes.
You will stay in a hotel in Beijing and guesthouses during the trek. Accommodation is on a twin or triple share basis throughout.
During the trek you may occupy two or more neighbouring guesthouses depending on the final group size, but you will share your meals together and be able to relax in the evenings as a group.
The hotels offer en-suite facilities with flushing toilets and hot showers. Please note that toilet paper must be disposed of in the bin provided, not flushed.
While on the trek, basic shared toilet and shower facilities are available. Towels will be provided, but toiletries are not, so please bring your own. Toilet paper is available in limited quantities at the guesthouses, so we strongly recommend bringing your own supply — both for use at the guesthouses and during the trek, as public toilets do not provide any.
When trekking, please pack out any used toilet paper and dispose of it properly in the bin at your guesthouse. Do not leave any toilet paper, fruit peels, nut shells, or other litter on the trail.
For general hygiene, we suggest bringing a small pack of baby wipes and hand sanitizer to use throughout the day, particularly after using the toilet or before eating.
Online Booking Unavailable Please contact us on info@different-travel.com to discuss making a booking
If you’ve a question about this challenge that you can’t find the answer to within the given information then complete this quick form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Notifications