Thursday, June 3, 2010

‘Sleep on the Great Wall’ and Get Close to History with The China Guide


Avoiding the standard tour patterns, The China Guide (http://www.thechinaguide.com), a trendy Beijing-based travel company, is offering a unique and exciting option for Mainland travelers – their famous “Sleep on the Great Wall” tour. This out of the ordinary tour provides guests with an all-inclusive 2 day itinerary complete with hiking, a home-cooked meal and a monumental Great Wall sunrise with a hot cup of coffee and western breakfast on the wall.

"Since we pioneered this experience five years ago it has been the highlight of many travelers’ trips to China,” says Peter Danford, owner of The China Guide. “It is completely off the beaten path.”

‘Sleep on the Wall’ takes guests to the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall, about 2.5 hours from Beijing city. Tour goers will enjoy a home-cooked meal in the village at the base of the Wall after an evening sunset hike. Overnight accommodation will be on the Wall, either under the stars or in the shelter of a watchtower. The China Guide provides all necessary sleeping equipment for the night as well as snacks and local beer. “There is also a great little guest house at the base of the wall for those who don’t want to camp on it. They can still wake up early and walk up onto the wall to catch the early morning light,” adds Danford.

Day two of the tour begins with breakfast on the Wall, a cup of hot coffee and picturesque sunrise views. The Jinshanling section is not touristy but a favorite for local photographers eager to catch the rural scenery. Guests will then commence on a six mile hike to the Simatai section of the Great Wall. This span of Wall stretches along the mountain tops and hikers will pass through more than thirty watch towers along the way. The China Guide describes the hike as moderately difficult in some places but achievable and fun for all travelers aged eight and older.

‘Sleep on the Wall’ can be booked individually or as part of a longer China itinerary. Prices are based on group size and travelers can join in with other groups using The China Guide’s convenient matchmaker site, http://www.thechinaguide.com/index.php .

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