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Peregrine Travel Centre

China: Great Wall Hike, Bike & Kung Fu

China: Great Wall Hike, Bike & Kung Fu

From $ 2,135 AUD

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Description

This seven-day active adventure takes you straight to some of China’s most enduring symbols. Spend three days hiking sections of the Great Wall of China, including time spent walking an unrestored trail. Less known than other parts, take in some jaw-dropping views, often without another traveller in sight! Keep the activity coming and unearth your inner zen with a lesson in kung fu from a local master, then change gears and swap your walking shoes for the saddle of a bike for city biking tour in Beijing. If it’s an active adventure of China you want, an active adventure you’ll get.

Trip Name
China: Great Wall Hike, Bike & Kung Fu
Last Updated
2023-05-06
Days
7
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Take a longer hike along unrestored sections of the Great Wall away from the tourist hordes, admiring the views of winding mountain ranges and endless horizons.
  • Discover local life near the Great Wall when staying at a family-run local guesthouse, sitting down to a delicious home-cooked meal each evening.
  • Find your zen while learning kung fu from a local master. Learn the basic principles and common misconceptions of this martial art while being guided through moves and practices.
  • Explore the Forbidden City and then cycle around Beijing on a bike tour that takes you through parks, temples and winding alleyways.
  • Learn the ways of Chinese daily life and culture, stopping by for home-cooked meals with families during your adventure. There’s no better way to get under the skin of a place than speaking to those who call it home.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It is important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure our travellers have the best experience. Your tour leader will keep you up to date with any such changes once on tour. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your leader know you are interested in the Group Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and leaders are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Day 1 - Beijing
Nimen Hao! Welcome to China. The capital of the most populous country on earth, Beijing has quickly shed its historical face in favour of modernity. However, there are still plenty of places that give an insight into the nation's ancient past, as well as sights that showcase China's contemporary culture. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you’ll meet your tour guide and travel pals. If you arrive early, good for you! Settle into your hotel and then maybe head out to explore the Beijing streets – with your hotel located centrally, a walk in any direction will unveil all sorts of wonderful surprises.
Day 2 - Great Wall (Hiking)
This morning, make tracks for the first section of the Great Wall – Huanghuacheng (approximately 2 hours’ drive). An incredible piece of engineering, the wall stretches 6000 km (3730 miles) westwards from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. Originally constructed to protect empires from invaders from the north, it is still without a doubt one of the country's most remarkable achievements. Take your first steps along the renowned structure today at Huanghuacheng. This section features a unique part of the Great Wall submerged under water when a dam was built. Spend a couple of hours here hiking along the wall and have lunch in the nearby village before continuing to Gubeikou village tonight. You will stay at a family-run guesthouse for the next two nights. Tonight, learn the art of dumpling making with a demonstration from your hospitable hosts – the best part is tasting the fruits of your own labour!
Day 3 - Great Wall (Hiking)
Rise and shine early and trek from the Gubeikou to Jinshanling section of the Great Wall. You will walk over some steep, remote terrain for approximately 5-6 hours. Some parts of the wall have not been restored so you'll need to concentrate hard to keep your footing, while in other parts the trail takes you off the wall to walk alongside it through the countryside. You’ll often feel like you have the whole wall to yourself as you take your time, snaking through the hills almost endlessly into the distance. Being perched on this incredible engineering feat and surveying the spectacular surrounding countryside is an unforgettable experience. In the evening, put your feet up, have a few beers or maybe learn how to play mahjong at your guesthouse – a few of your travel crew will definitely be keen to play.
Day 4 - Jinshanling Great Wall (Hiking) – Changping
This morning, drive back to your finish point yesterday to continue the trek along the Great Wall. This portion of Jinshanling winds through stark hills and mountain ridges. Steep stretches make parts of today's 3-hour trek challenging, but also largely without any of the tourist hordes. This stage is also known for its unusual Barrier Walls, or walls within the Wall, and inscribed watchtowers. Today will be your last day walking the Great Wall, so make the most of it. Once off the wall, you'll be transferred to Changping county to meet your master Shifu for kung fu tomorrow.
Day 5 - Changping (Kung Fu) – Beijing
Start the day with a lesson in kung fu. Learn basic principles, common misconceptions and how this ancient practice relates to Zen tradition as an expert instructor guides you through simple moves. Wrap up an enlightening morning with a vegetarian lunch, just like a Shaolin monk, then leave your meditative retreat to return to the vibrance chaos of Beijing later in the afternoon. Tonight is free for you do choose your own adventure. Perhaps you’d like to head to a kung fu show tonight to see if you recognise some of the moves, or why not head to Beijing’s Olympic Park to see it all lit up at night.
Day 6 - Beijing (Cycling)
Get ready for a full day discovering Beijing! Transfer to the Forbidden City by public bus and spend some time exploring this magnificent palace complex. After exiting the Forbidden City, board another public bus and transfer to your bicycle pick-up point. Hop on your bike and follow your leader on a cycling tour through the parks, temples and hutongs (residential alleyways) of Beijing. Your guides have a rough itinerary in mind, but it has been kept flexible so you can see the most interesting sights along the way. For today’s lunch, you’ll join a local family in one of the hutongs for a traditional meal – it’s a perfect opportunity to learn about the daily life and culture of Beijing residents. After an active day, maybe head out with your new travel friends for an optional dinner to celebrate a great journey together.
Day 7 - Beijing
Your trip ends after breakfast. There are no planned activities today and you are free to depart at any time before check out, which is usually around 12 pm. Depending on your onward journey, you can store your luggage at the hotel during the day.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
14-04-202420-04-2024AUD $ 2,135-
05-05-202411-05-2024AUD $ 2,135-
07-07-202413-07-2024AUD $ 2,135-
11-08-202417-08-2024AUD $ 2,135-
08-09-202414-09-2024AUD $ 2,135-
15-09-202421-09-2024AUD $ 2,135-
06-10-202412-10-2024AUD $ 2,135-

Accommodation

Hotel (3 nights),Guesthouse (3 nights)

Transport

Private vehicle

Map

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