The Great Wall of China

In China there is an old saying that goes “you are not a man until you have been to the Great Wall!” This famous ‘icon’ stretches over 3,000 kilometres from the Shanhaiguan Pass on the eastern coast to the Jiayuguan Pass in the Gobi Desert.

The first Emperor to unify all of China in 221 BC, Qin Shihuang, had a workforce of up to a million people link previously existing walls from smaller kingdoms and build new sections, in order to keep out northern invaders. Subsequent dynasties continued to strengthen and further extend the wall; however this was not enough to prevent the Mongols from invading China in 1271 and forming the Yuan Dynasty.

We travel through the lush mountainous areas northeast and east of Beijing. A fascinating journey on the backroads allows you to observe closely the everyday life of villagers and offers perfect opportunities to interact with the locals. We explore the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven and visit the Terracotta Warriors. A highlight of this tour is hiking in remote areas, away from the crowded tourist spots.