Private Great Wall Trek: Unforgettable Gubeikou-Jinshanling

Great Wall experience We booked our trip to Wall in January and were anxious if everything would go the right way. With great tour guide Leo it went everything very smoothly. Communication, organization of hike and choice that we got, just worked like Swiss clocks. We traveled about hour and half. He was really educated about Chinese history so we got little historical insights about wall and dynasties etc. Our hike started in Gubeico. And he try to our physic with first hill. This way leaded to ancient part of wall without reconstruction. So we saw old bricks with emperor sights, battle tested gates etc. then we got two choices, got back to car and drive to Jinsanling (reconstructed part of wall like in movies) or cross forest and go by feet to Jinsaling. So forest was the way, hour long journey and we were right in middle of majestic wall. Then it was just paradise, fotos videos of the view. Indisputably one of the greatest places we ever been before. Then we hit the road on wall to the east gate hour and 10 minutes long. In total we were amazed, no more words needed. Three things to be aware of when you decided to go in summer. It’s hot, sunny weather, so you need a lots of bottle of water and bring SPF 50 cream. Second thing be ready it’s up and down so great psychic is advantage. But last and not least travel with tour guide Leo.

An amazing tour. I will say, it was a tough hike. Be sure that you are in shape and are in for an adventure. There were many areas with rough terrain. I've hiked 2 other sections of the Great Wall and Jinshanling is definitely the toughest. Lunch afterwards was delicious.

Breathtaking views but a difficult hike. Be adventurous and in shape to complete it! Our guide was great and lunch after was delicious.

A little about me: I’m a 22 year-old Texan who came to China because I am curious. Justin was professional from the start, very punctual. We left from my hostel and drove to the Great Wall. He knew all of the locals, so we were able to start our hike immediately. We pretty much had the Wall to ourselves, which was remarkable during China’s “Golden Week”. I was profoundly impressed by the diverse architecture of the wall, as well as the natural beauty around it. We had a delicious lunch afterwards. The cost of this trip made me nervous, particularly because I don’t have much money and am a student, but it was 100% worth it. This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will tell my future children about. You get what you pay for.

Catherine took us to Jinshanling and Gubeikou and it was an amazing experience. We were almost alone (not turists at all) and we had two beautiful and enjoyable hiking excursions. Unforgettable landscapes and moments. Catherine told us about the historical facts of the Great Wall while hiking. Unforgetable.

The trip was amazing and many thanks to Peter and Catherine for guiding me every stip of the way. There were no crowds and the scenery was spectacular. I really enjoyed seeing the different countryside and wilderness. It was very well organised, the guides were very helpful and they were on time. The Great Wall was absolutely awesome. It is a big walking day but I would recommend it for anyone who wants a different experience. We stayed on the wall to watch the sunset, which was a memorable experience. Take something warm as it gets windy in the evening.

This is one of the most amazing tours I have ever taken. Standing on the Great Wall of China, with no-one else around apart from my partner and our wonderful, knowledgeable guide Nico, was one of the best moments I have experienced while travelling. Nico and our driver Mr Li picked us up at our hotel for an early start. We immediately liked them both, for their care for our comfort, for Nico's warmth in sharing his experience of becoming a father of a baby boy, for Mr Li's calm driving in the busy Beijing traffic. For the first half of our journey Nico explained the history of the Dynasties in China and how the Great Wall came to be constructed. Nico is a History graduate and was extremely knowledgeable- he was able to tell us detailed information in a very interesting way that made us all the more excited to see it. We then had a short rest in the car before arriving in a remote village, where Mr Li dropped us off so we could hike up to the wall. Seeing the Great Wall for the first time was a transformative and humbling experience for me. It is difficult to express just how impressive it is, and against the history we had heard this wonderoous construction took on life and meaning that was quite emotional. We hiked up to, along and over the other side of the wall for about one hour, and then hiked back up from the north side and along the wall again to Jinshanling (where there are 5 star bathrooms). Every view is breathtaking. Nico was the perfect guide- informative, congenial company, solicitous (it is quite hard work, climbing up to and walking along the wall, so we had to stop for a breather now and then). It was the best hike I have ever taken. I was truly sad to come down from the wall and leave the experience behind. After our hike, we had lunch in a local village. Nico ordered a selection of local food that was all delicious. We then had a nap in the car on our drive back to Beijing. This was our first guided tour in China, the start of our wonderful but too short visit to this culturally rich and fascinating country, our first experience of the warm and friendly welcome of Chinese people.

A fantastic day with Justin! What a lovely incredibly knowledgeable guide. - love the way he gave us privacy but was there to help in any way. Our day trip and lunch were just fantastic- great driver too! Thank you for making our trip a memorable one! Denyse

We had such a great time doing the Great Wall Tour with our guide Justin! I booked the trip with Catherine Lu Tours super spontaneously and was positively surprised how fast they responded and how perfectly everything was organised. The day-trip to the Great Wall was great because we had great weather, met only two other groups on the hike and had everything to ourselves. We also had great company since Justin was very kind and considerate and we had so many interesting conversations with him. He spoke English so well and it was really great getting his inside views on China today, as well as the history of the Great Wall.

Our guide Eran met us at 7.30 promptly in our Hutong hotel and immediately put our mind at ease, with Excellent English and a very friendly disposition, he was definitely one of best guides we have had anywhere in the world. The car was extremely clean for the drive to the wall and while the hike was relatively strenuous at times, it was nothing to be scared of. Working with Catherine Lu tours to arrange the tour was simple and they assisted us greatly with Information beforehand, and as for our guide Eran, he clearly enjoys his job and in reality made the day better for us, with his information and chats about the Wall and his life in China. The local Food was fantastic at the end of the hike, we were starving by then! Thank you Catherine Lu and thank you Eran it was amazing.