International flights from London to Beijing.

British Airways
Heathrow - Beijing

Arrive in Beijing.
In the evening there will be a group welcome dinner and a briefing covering the exciting days ahead!

Hotel: Mercure Beijing Downtown - 4* or similar
Meals included: Dinner

Explore the Temple of Heaven, founded in the first half of the 15th century, is one of the best examples of Ming architecture and created as a place of worship for the Emperors, who would ask for prosperity, longevity and good harvest for the people. In its overall layout and that of its individual buildings, it symbolises the relationship between earth and heaven – the human world and God's world. The temple complex is located in extensive grounds containing pavilions, gardens and walkways and is a popular place for the local residents practising tai chi, dancing and playing badminton.

Today, your guide will take you to Tiananmen Square. Built under the guidance of Chairman Mao Zedong, Tiananmen Square is one of the largest public squares in the world, said to hold a capacity crowd of over one million. It houses not only the Monument to the People’s Heroes, it is also the final resting place of Chairman Mao himself in the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong.

Explore the Forbidden City which was originally constructed in the 15th century and consists of almost 1,000 buildings surrounded by defensive walls and a moat. Since 1987, the Forbidden City has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its palatial architectural style has been an influence on many imperial buildings throughout Asia.

Hotel: Mercure Beijing Downtown - 4* or similar

Physical walking rate: Easy 5 hours AM / easy 2 hours PM

Distance: varies during sightseeing

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

This morning, you will be collected from your hotel and transferred to the Gubeikou section of the iconic Great Wall. Your trek today will take in the region of 5 hours through quieter areas, away from the crowds. On arrival at Gubeikou Watertown, drop your overnight bags at your accommodation before starting your hike with a short climb up to a broken tower. Head across to the General Tower, from where the views of Gubeikou Mountain will give you an understanding of the sheer scale of work required to originally build the wall amongst this stunning scenery. Spend the next hour gradually climbing pass several towers until you reach Window Tower 24.

The next part of the wall goes through a military area, so you will descend into the Spider Valley basin. The walk here is fairly flat and gentle, until you reach a longer hilly trail taking you back to the wall at Jinshanling West. After another short climb, you will reach West 5 Window Tower, from where you will be able to view the full length of the Spider Valley. Head over to nearby Simatai to explore the wall around Simatai West, before being collected by your car and transferred to Gubeikou Watertown for your overnight stay.

Hotel: Gubei Water Town Hotel

Physical walking rate: Easy 5-6 hours 

Approx distance: 12km / 7.5 miles

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

This morning spend some time exploring Gubeikou Watertown, before you are collected by your guide to start your shorter trek from Jinshangling to Simatai West. The track is well formed and easy to follow, but there are some places where you must walk on vertical steps, rugged terrain or through broken towers. Along the way you will pass through several famous towers: Black Tower, Lesser Jinshan  Tower, Big Jinshan Tower. In total, the trek should take in the region of 3 hours to complete.

From the towers you will capture the true nature of the Jinshanling basin and Simatai, Gubeikou. You will keep walking until you reach the Tower 22, where you will come off the wall. Walk along the hilly trail to the parking lot takes around 40 minutes, where you will be picked up by your driver and returned to Beijing.

Hotel: Gubei Water Town Hotel

Physical walking rate: Moderate 4-5 hours

Approx distance: 8km / 5 miles

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Today, visit the Great Wall of China, the most iconic attraction in the country. The Jiankou section of the Great Wall, in which you will be visiting, is not only a photographer's paradise, it is also one of the wildest and most adventurous parts of the Wall. Away from the hustle and bustle of mass tourism, you will find an idyllic oasis of peace and wild romance. Here, you will walk four hours on the Wall amidst breath-taking scenery, where you will meet few other travellers. Many great spots for taking pictures will reward you for the strenuous hike.

Originally built under the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, The Great Wall of China is the country’s most iconic sight. Snaking through the northern countryside from the Gobi Desert in the west into the Bohai Sea in the east, the Great Wall of China is the longest wall in the world. The section you will visit with your local guide is Mutianyu, a section which is well restored and with good facilities but does not attract as many people as at some other locations. Be prepared for a stiff climb as your walk can sometimes resemble ascending a staircase. Alternatively, take the cable car up and down for panoramic views (tickets included).

Hotel: Brickyard Hotel on the foot of Mutianyu

Physical walking rate: Difficult 5-6 hours

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Today you will visit the Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall. Huanghuacheng snakes through the hills about 40 miles from Beijing. Known to be particularly picturesque due to the lakes that dot the surrounding landscapes, this section of the wall is becoming known for its rewarding hiking opportunities. Building this section of the wall took the Ming Dynasty 188 years and is just partially restored today, so it is the perfect place to get an idea of the wall’s original structure. Climbs can be steep but conquering a pass not only instils a great feeling of pride, it also gives wonderful views over lakes and countryside.

Hotel: Mercure Beijing Downtown 

Physical walking rate: Moderate 4-5 hours

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

The Hutong districts of Beijing are the original residential areas of the city with old buildings lining narrow streets. Hutongs were designed to reflect the Chinese system of Feng Shui with four hutongs joining together to make a courtyard in the middle, known as Siheyuan.

Explore one of the hutongs by taking a leisurely stroll around the car-free alleyways soaking up the atmosphere of a time long past and watch for the local people shopping in the small stores, playing with their children or engrossed in a game of mah-jong.

Visit the Lama Temple. Officially known as the Yonghe Temple, it is one of the most important Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in the world. The monastery is a centre for the Gulug School (or Yellow Hat Sect) of Buddhism, which has as its head the abbot of the Ganden Monastery in Lhasa. Look out for the Maitreya Buddha statue in the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Happiness, which holds the Guinness World Record for the largest carving created from a single sandalwood tree.

Visit the Summer Palace, the largest and most well- reserved royal park in China with over 3,000 man-made ancient structures. The palace is the former residence of many of the Qing Emperors and hosts a stunning example of a Chinese garden and incorporates the Feng shui notion of ‘Mountain’ and ‘Water’. Join a boat ride across Kunming Lake (weather permitting) to the decorative marble boat from where you may return via the Long Corridor, one of the longest outdoor passageways in the world.

Hotel: Mercure Beijing Downtown 

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, and dinner

Today, you will be met in your hotel lobby and transferred to the airport for your departure flight.

Flight details:
British Airways
Beijing - Heathrow