Secrets of The Wall actionchallenge in China This is a unique challenge and a fabulous king adventure that takes us to the stunning eastern section of China s Great Wall, far off the beaten track. This nine day trip is an incredible opportunity to experience one of the wonders of the world, deep in the heart of rural China. The is an incredible feat of engineering, snaking its way over vertiginous ridges, open plains and mountain passes forming an impenetrable military defence stretching over 13,170 km. Our challenge begins with a visit to the famous Old Dragon Head, built during the Ming Dynasty. From here, as a group we walk the wall s well-restored sections near the Shanhaiguan Pass before making the tough climb up Jiao Mountain on steep steps, some nearly a meter high! At Luweishan we hike along the atmospheric, un-restored wild wall to Liujiakouwe, famous for it s water tower and stunning pass. We see incredible turrets, ramparts and panoramic views along our route as well as gaining a unique insight into the way of life in rural Chinese villages. After our on the wall, we end our adventure exploring Beijing s cultural and historic sites including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City before celebrating our together with a fabulous Chinese meal. at a glance Activity: Trekking Location: China, Beijing Duration: 10 Days / 5 days king Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 45 km When: September 2014 & 2015 Group size: 15-25 trip highlights Enjoy an all inclusive 10 day group challenge Visit the Ming Dynasty s Old Dragon Head Climb the giant steps up Jiao Mountain Walk the wild wall at Luweishan Trek the remote Huangyaguan section Experience rural village life Explore the sights of Beijing Action Challenge have been leading inspirational team adventures across the world for individuals, private groups, charities and corporate clients since 1999. Our trips enable people to experience the world s most exhilarating locations, often in aid of charity. At the heart of every challenge is team spirit and fulfilment; together we take on once-in-a-lifetime adventures, achieve formidable goals and forge friendships for life. www.actionchallenge.com
introduction This fully-inclusive adventure to China will begin as soon as you register! You will receive a challenge pack including a training guide, kit list and discounts for all the essentials you may need. If you are raising money for a charity, we will sort out all the formalities so you can concentrate on your own preparation and fundraising. We offer pre-challenge briefings and training weekends in the UK, where you can meet our leaders, members of your group and others taking part in challenges around the world. On the day of departure you will meet your group and Action Challenge leader at the airport in London. Whether you re joining the challenge on your own or with others, you will instantly be made to feel welcome. As a team we will board our flight to Beijing, ready to take on the and the hike of a lifetime! brief itinerary Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Depart London Beijing- Shanhaiguan Shanhaiguan-Jiaoshan Jiao Mountain Sandaoguan Dongjiakou-Chengziyu what s included Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Luweishan-Liujiakou Taipingzhai-Huangyaguan- Beijing Beijing Arrive UK International flights Action Challenge leader Full support team, including local guides UK medic All accommodation All meals, except in free time Airport / Air travel taxes Treated drinking water All transfers in local vehicles National Park entrance fees Celebration dinner in Beijing Invitation to a challenge briefing in London Discounted training weekends in the Peak District, Brecon Beacons & Snowdonia Fitness and training guide Discounts from UK retailers Reduced rates at Nomad Travel Clinics and Masta Health September 2014 / 2015 Please visit our website for more details All inclusive trip cost from 1,749 Initial 299 deposit to sign up Three payment options available Please visit our website for more details This challenge requires a good level of fitness to the route, the terrain is varied with some steep uphill climbs, downhill sections and steps. Some prior aerobic fitness training is necessary. Why not stay on after the challenge and explore some more of Beijing s highlights? Extensions include: Terracotta Warriors Giant Panda Research Centre Hong Kong The weather in China can be very humid, particularly during the summer months when there are high temperatures and rainfall. The best times of year to the Great Wall are in the spring and autumn, when it will be drier and little cooler, without being too cold. It is advisable to pack for all weathers to ensure that you are prepared for changeable conditions.
itinerary DAY 1 - Depart London Meals: Dependent on flight schedule DAY 2 - Trek Beijing to Shanhaiguan On arrival at Beijing International Airport we are met by our local guide who will be with us throughout the challenge. We have a comfortable transfer east out of Beijing to the town of Shanhaiguan in the Hebei province, built during the Ming Dynasty. On arrival, we check into our hotel where we will be based for the next two nights and have the rest of the afternoon free to relax and recover from our long journey. This evening we have a welcome meal and briefing by our guides on the challenge ahead. Meals: L,D Accom: Hotel DAY 3 - The Old Dragon Head to Jiaoshan We start our first king day at the most easterly point on the Great Wall with a visit to the famous Old Dragon Head, dating back to the Ming Dynasty. According to popular Chinese mythology it is here that the beautiful young Meng Jiangnu threw herself into the sea with a broken heart. We start king on a section of the wall restored in 1985, close to the Shanhaiguan Pass or the First Pass Under Heaven. This complete military defence system includes 26kms of the Great Wall and 10 passes. After lunch we visit the Great Wall Museum before king up to the Jiao Mountain Great Wall. After our fantastic warm-up day we transfer back to our hotel to relax. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Trekking time: 4-5 Hours Breakfast each morning will be in our hotel/lodge whilst lunches will be en route. Evening meals will be at the hotel or a local restaurant, except in free time. All meals are full of carbohydrates, protein and nutrients to keep us well fuelled throughout the trip. We can cater for all dietary requirements if informed in advance. Hotels All accommodation is on a twin/tripleshare, single-sex basis and we will pair you with someone of a similar age, where possible. If you wish to share a room with someone you are travelling with, please specify this on your registration form. If you decide that you would like to have your own room on the challenge, we can accommodate this in the majority of places. DAY 4 - Trek Jiao Mountain to Sandaoguan This morning, after a good Chinese breakfast, we north of Shanhaiguan to climb Jiao Mountain where the path rises steeply for 3km along a very well preserved section of the wall. This section has many incredible steps, some almost a meter high, which makes this one of the toughest king days of our challenge. Half way through the day s walk, we reach the small temple of Qixian before continuing on to our end point at Sandaoguan. Here we are high amongst the mountains with stunning views of the Great Wall. Once we reach Sandaoguan, we make our way back to our hotel. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Trekking time: 6-7 Hours Insurance - approximately 60 Visa - 30 Vaccinations - Up-to-date on boosters Tips for local staff - recommended amount 30 Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as applied by airlines. Please note that this is capped at a maximum of 150.
DAY 5 - Dongjiakou to Changchengcun This morning we on a new section of the wall at Dongjiakou, northeast of Funing County. This section was an important strategic point stretching for 14kms, rising to an altitude of 556m and fortified with 36 turrets, 28 ramparts and 16 beacon towers. Our from Dongjiakou to Chengziyu takes us three to four hours as we pass various architectural forms before coming off the wall for a local lunch at a farmer s house. This afternoon we visit a village for a fascinating insight into the way of life in rural China, before continuing our from Chengziyu to the Great Wall Village and on to our hotel in town. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Trekking time: 6-7 Hours DAY 6 - Trek Luweishan to Liujiakou After breakfast we drive to Luweishan to begin our second challenge. We start king along the wild wall from Luweishan to Liujiakou, well known for its water tower and pass. The going is quite tough along this relatively short route making this our second toughest day. On arrival at Liujiakou our coach will transfer us to our comfortable hotel in Zunhua. A kit list will be sent to you on receipt of registration. Many everyday items can be used on this challenge, and we offer a kit hire service to keep costs down. If you are planning on travelling to China before the challenge or wish to organise your own flights, we do offer a land only option, with a significant discount off the trip price. You will be required to meet your group at the hotel on day two of the itinerary. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Trekking time: 5-6 Hours DAY 7 - Taipingzhai to Beijing After a good breakfast we drive to Huangyaguan Great Wall, an important pass, for our final day on the wall. This section is well off the tourist track and dates back to 556AD during the Tianbao reign of the Qi Dynasty, with repairs carried out in 1567 during the Ming Dynasty. We finish our at Taipingzhai where we have free time to wander around the pass city before heading back to Beijing and our hotel. Meals: B,L,D Accom: Hotel Trekking time: 5-6 Hours DAY 8 - Beijing Today we have a full day tour of Beijing s most important cultural and historic sites including Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Lunch is with a local Hutong family before we take rickshaws for a tour of the rest of the Hutongs. Tonight we have a celebration dinner to mark the end of our challenge and our stay in China. Meals: B,D Accom: Hotel training weekends / briefings We run a number of training weekends throughout the year in the Peak District, Breacons and Snowdonia. These are fully-inclusive - 2 night s accommodation and all meals. We also organise training days in London and the North and South downs. On both, you will get the chance to meet our mountain leaders and test out your kit and fitness! You will also receive an invite to a challenge briefing in central London. DAY 9 - Free Day In the evening transfer to the airport for departure flight. DAY 10 - Arrive UK Alcoholic drinks Drinks and food outside of meals, other than water Personal kit / equipment Airline fuel surcharge / supplement as applied by airlines. Please note that this is capped at a maximum of 150.
payment options A REGISTRATION DEPOSIT of 299 (for 2014) is required to secure your place. We offer 2 deposit payment options: OPTION 1: Deposit paid in full, by card at the time of registration. OPTION 2: Deposit paid in two 50/50 split payments. The first 50% is paid when you register and the second is charged to your payment card at the end of the following month. For this option, a 10 supplement will be charged with the first instalment. ATOL is a scheme that protects you from losing money or being stranded abroad if your travel company collapses. Action Challenge is 100% ATOL bonded, which provides you with full financial protection. On receipt of your registration fee, you will receive an ATOL certificate explaining your protection. Once registered, there are 3 PAYMENT OPTIONS to fund the balance of the trip cost. Full details are on our website. 1) SELF FUNDED For anyone who wants to pay for the entire trip themselves. It s then completely up to you whether or not you choose to raise any money for a charity of your choice. The total all inclusive cost of this trip is 1,749 (for 2014), which, after you pay the 299 Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of 1,450. This final balance is due for payment 10 weeks before your departure along with any fuel surcharges levied by the airline. 2) SPONSORSHIP FUNDED This is for anyone who wants to take on this challenge and will link it with fundraising a significant sum of money for a charity of their choice. You would have to raise at least 2,900 (for 2014) via sponsorship and donations from friends, family and colleagues, and be confident at the outset that you can achieve this total. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 2,900 (for 2014), your charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,450 (the same as if you were you were Self Funded ) - the charity will retain at least 1,450 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. how to book To book on to this challenge, please visit our website; www.actionchallenge.com for a full list of prices and all available dates. private groups If you are a charity, business, school or private group with a minimum of 10 people and fancy your own bespoke trip, please call us on +44(0)207609 6695 or you can send us an email to events@actionchallenge.com for more information. 3) MIXED FUNDED A mix of the 2 options above! You pay about half the trip cost yourself, and also fundraise for your charity. They pay the remaining balance of your trip costs. Ideal For anyone who wants to take on the challenge and also fundraise for a charity, BUT is happy to pay a reasonable proportion of the trip cost themselves, which with your registration deposit, is set at a level that covers at least the costs of flights & accommodation; perfect for those who feel more at ease asking for sponsorship in respect to the challenge component of their trip. Pay the Registration Deposit and nominate a charity to fundraise for. All fundraising goes directly to your charity and providing that you raise at least 2,175 (for 2014), your charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 875. At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance yourself, which will be a figure of 575 (These two amounts added up to the same as the Self Funded final balance) - the charity will retain at least 1,300 to help fund their work. You will have to pay any airline fuel surcharges 10 weeks prior to departure. @actionchallenge www.facebook.com/actionchallenge Action Challenge UK Ltd United House North Road London N7 9DP United Kingdom