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Great Wall of China Adventure 2026

6th Nov 2026 - 16th Nov 2026

9 days/China /Moderate to Challenging

Online Booking Unavailable Please contact us on info@different-travel.com to discuss making a booking

Overview

Prepare to embark on an unforgettable journey along one of the world’s most iconic landmarks , the Great Wall of China.

This nine-day adventure takes you beyond the tourist trail and deep into remote, rugged, and breathtakingly beautiful sections of the wall. From crumbling ancient watchtowers and wild, untouched paths to carefully restored fortifications, each step reveals the history, scale, and majesty of this extraordinary feat of engineering.

Starting in the bustling heart of Beijing, you’ll travel through centuries of Chinese history, trekking across dramatic landscapes, peaceful rural villages, and awe-inspiring mountain ridges.

With challenging hikes, panoramic views, and immersive cultural experiences, including a visit to the Forbidden City and traditional guesthouse stays, this is more than just a trek; it’s a full cultural and physical adventure.

Whether you’re tracing the wall’s serpentine path through golden hillsides or exploring its weathered stones up close, this journey offers a powerful connection to China’s past and a truly memorable experience for the soul.

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.

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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.

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.

Please note: the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate however, climate change impacts the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions which are out of our control. Should this happen the guide will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and ultimate safety of the group.

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. A single occupancy room (at a supplement) may be possible, subject to availability.

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 have en-suite facilities with flushing toilets and hot showers. Toilet paper should always be placed in the bin, not flushed.

During the trek there are basic toilet and shower facilities available (shared). Towels are provided. Toiletries are not provided at the guesthouses so please bring your own. Toilet paper is provided in limited quantities at the guesthouses so you will need to bring your own for use here and also for use on the trek and at any public toilets (where toilet paper is never provided).

During the trek you will need to pack up any toilet paper you use to dispose of properly at your guesthouse bin. NEVER leave toilet paper, fruit peel, nut shells or other litter on the trail. You are recommended to bring a small pack of baby wipes and hand sanitizer for your general hygiene throughout the day (e.g. to clean your hands after toilet visits and/or before lunch).

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.

Visit here to find the kit list relevant to this trip.

Online Booking Unavailable Please contact us on info@different-travel.com to discuss making a booking

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