Day 1 – Set off for Jiankou
Mid-afternoon, you’ll be picked up from your hotel in Beijing, and your driver will take you to your local guide’s house at the Great Wall in Jiankou, a journey of around two hours depending on traffic. On arrival, he will welcome you warmly to his cosy guesthouse, where you’ll enjoy a delicious Chinese meal. He will likely join you for a toast, in anticipation of the adventure that awaits tomorrow.
Together, using gestures, translation apps, or a good old-fashioned watch, you can agree on a time for breakfast so that you are ready to start your Great Wall experience with a full stomach. Afterwards, you can freshen up in your simple bedroom, which also has a basic bathroom, and get some rest before the day ahead.
Days 2 – Hike the Jiankou Great Wall
You will set out to explore one of the most remarkable sections of the Great Wall of China. To start, you’ll make your way along gravel paths, through brush, and over firm clay, so sturdy shoes with good grip are highly recommended.
Once you climb onto the Wall itself, the views are quite remarkable. The first section is relatively manageable, with towers that are not too steep and descents that have been restored. The Wall winds dramatically across the mountain ridges, offering breathtaking views in every direction, as towers and walls stretch through the mountains as far as the eye can see. This is a wonderfully cinematic experience.
Eventually, you’ll reach a steep slope, but the extra effort to ascend will be more than rewarded, as the sections beyond these towers become increasingly photogenic. Take your time to explore this part of the Great Wall of China at your own pace. And don’t forget to record it – it is a moment worth capturing!
You will be returning to Beijing afterwards where you’ll spend the night at the same hotel as before, where a long, refreshing shower awaits to wash away the day’s exertions.
Accommodation
