Great Wall of China - 7 Days
ChinaGreat Wall of China

Great Wall of China - 7 Days

7 Days
Challenging to Strenuous

Great Wall of China - 7 Days

from $2,495 / person

Overview

Walk one of the Seven Wonders of the World on a journey through some of the most extraordinary sections of the Great Wall of China. Far from the busiest tourist areas, this path explores a variety of stretches north of Beijing, from untamed and weathered sections to carefully preserved parts of the Wall, each revealing a different chapter of its remarkable 2,000-year history.

Walking along these lesser-visited trails offers a rare sense of solitude, paired with sweeping views across dramatic mountain landscapes. Along the way, walkers gain a deeper appreciation for the sheer scale of the Great Wall while also experiencing glimpses of rural life in the Chinese countryside. The journey concludes in Beijing, where ancient traditions and modern city life exist side by side.

Highlights

  • Trek the Great Wall's untouched, awe-inspiring sections
  • Experience Beijing's World Heritage, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square
  • Sample traditional local cuisine & learn how to make Chinese dumplings with your local hosts
  • Stunning views everywhere you look as you hike the different sections of the Great Wall
  • Friendly local hosts and knowledgeable, local, English-speaking guides
  • By hiking some of the less-visited sections, you get to savour the hidden beauty of China

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival day

Arrive at Beijing, we have arranged a private transfer from both of the main airports to your awaiting hotel on the day of arrival. These are group transfers and will be timed to accommodate the majority of the group. Once you are at the hotel you will meet your guide and settle in. If you wish to stretch your legs there is an orientation walk near the hotel led by your guide, followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant and a briefing of the tour ahead.

Accommodation

3-star Hotel in Beijing

Meals

Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

3-star Hotel (3 nights), Guest House (3 nights)

Meals

6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 6 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers
  • Private Vehicle Transfers

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

Included Activities

  • Forbidden city tour
  • Temple of Heaven visit
  • Jinshan park tour
  • Local cooking class

How We Rate This Walk

6

Auswalk Walking Grade

Challenging to Strenuous

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Demanding terrain with significant elevation gains. Prior hiking experience and strong fitness required.

View Fitness Guide

4

Days on the trail

9-16 km

Daily distance range

400-1200 m

Daily ascent range

6/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

The tour opens with three nights in a comfortable, centrally located Beijing hotel, well placed for exploring the city at your own pace before the walking section begins.

Out on the Wall, the accommodation is a different experience entirely. Three nights are spent in authentic Chinese guesthouses, simple mountain lodgings that are particular to remote China. Rooms are twin-share with en-suite bathrooms featuring Western-style toilets and hot water, and electric heaters are available on request. A torch is worth bringing along, as occasional power outages do occur in more remote stretches.

What You'll Eat

Upon arrival in Beijing, a group dinner is provided at your hotel accommodation on the first evening. From day two through to day six, all meals are included, with breakfast, lunch and dinner taken care of throughout the walking section of the trip. On the final morning, breakfast is served before departure.

Note: Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source in more remote areas along the Wall.

More About This Trip

The walk starts and finishes in Beijing. Beijing is served by two major international airports, Beijing Capital (PEK) and Beijing Daxing (PKX), both with extensive connections worldwide.

As the walk both starts and finishes in Beijing, onward travel at the end of the trip is straightforward, with frequent flights and high-speed rail connections to destinations across China and beyond.

Spring brings cool temperatures, green hillsides and wildflowers framing the ancient stonework. May is particularly pleasant, with warm days and comfortable conditions for sustained hiking. Autumn offers clear blue skies, comfortable temperatures and the hillsides turning red and gold around the watchtowers. September is a highlight, with cooler air and quieter paths. Do note that the first week of October is China's Golden Week national holiday, when visitor numbers on popular sections of the Wall rise significantly; our October departures are scheduled to avoid the busiest period.

This walk is graded challenging. Walking is almost entirely on the Great Wall itself, apart from a few short connecting sections. Daily walks average just 11 kilometres, but with 672 metres of ascent and descent these are serious days on the trail. The Wall climbs and descends repeatedly, and conditions underfoot vary from well-maintained sections to wilder, more remote stretches where progress is slower and sure-footedness is essential. Boots with excellent grip and ankle support are non-negotiable. A strong training emphasis on hill work, lower-body strength, and balance is recommended.

You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Great Wall of China reviews

0.0
0 reviews
5 Star
0
4 Star
0
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Beijing has two main international airports — Beijing Capital (PEK) and Daxing (PKX) — served by most major airlines. Both are well connected to the city by taxi and express train.

You'll split your nights between a comfortable city hotel in Beijing and authentic rural guesthouses close to the Wall, run by local families. All rooms have ensuite bathrooms, Western-style toilets, and hot water. Electric heaters are available on request. Occasional power outages can occur in the mountains, so pack a torch.

All meals are included from the welcome dinner on day one through to breakfast on the final morning. Expect hearty local food at the guesthouses and banquet dinners on the final nights back in Beijing. On one of the days, you'll also have the chance to learn how to make Chinese dumplings with your hosts.

A comfortable daypack with water, snacks, a rain layer, sunscreen, and a first aid kit is all you need on the Wall. Walking poles are strongly recommended — the terrain involves serious climbs and descents. Bring good hiking boots with solid ankle support and grip, well broken in before you travel.

Departures run in spring and autumn. Both offer mild temperatures and clear skies — warm enough to walk comfortably, without the heat and humidity of summer.

Accept food, drinks, and gifts with both hands as a sign of respect. Avoid pointing with a single finger. Discussing politics, Taiwan, or Tiananmen in public is best avoided. Tipping is not customary in China, though it is becoming more accepted in tourist areas.

Yes, and it is a condition of booking. Your policy must cover injury, cancellation, luggage loss, and medical evacuation. There are no reciprocal healthcare agreements between Australia and China, so all medical treatment is charged at full cost.

Coverage in Beijing is excellent. On more remote sections of the Wall it can be limited, so keep your phone charged and bring a power bank. Note that Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, and many Western apps are blocked in China — download a VPN before you leave home if you need access to these.

Want to Know More?

The Great Wall of China experience

Wonder
Walk unrestored and restored sections of one of the Seven Wonders of the World
Hike the wild Jinshanling section, where watchtowers snake across mountain ridges for kilometres
Continue to Simatai West, built in the 15th century, for the classic postcard view of the Wall
Wellness
Expert local guides illuminate the extraordinary tactical and human story behind the Wall's construction
Stay in a local guesthouse at the foot of the Wall, with home-cooked meals each evening
Walking the unrestored sections requires a guide and provides access that few visitors ever experience
Nature
Walk through lush forests and farmland before ascending onto the Wall itself
Pass through the inner circle of the Wall, the second line of defence if the main Wall was breached
Stone staircases, crumbling parapets, and tilting watchtowers characterise the wild unrestored sections
The mountain landscape visible from the Wall stretches to distant ridges in every direction on clear days