Walking The Great Wall of China

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 53 reviews.

John Sharples

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written May 2011
As a usual spain packaged family holiday guy, my son wanted to do something exciting with his dad before he goes to Uni, So this was completely out of my comfort zone. I researched the holidays on the net and i thought Exodus was by far the best.And what an amazing experiance!, Here i was the other side of the world trekking up and down mountains, with fantastic views. Talk about tough, but i dug deep and completed it everyday. And what a fantastic group of people, all friendly and willing to discuss their prevoius adventures.And thanks for Barry for lending me his shades.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
This was definately on the last day, when me and my son had reached the last step, held our hands high and one of the the lads sang the rocky tune and we danced up and down to it.
And knowing that me and my son had completed this together.
What did you think of your group leader?
I cant thank John and Jason enough, they were superb! always very attentive to the groups needs and discussed lots of historical importance, and they were really nice guys to.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Do it!
The China Wall trek is amazing.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Exodus were superb! very organised, and always very help.
Thankyou for an amazing unforgetable holiday!.
Rachel Chapman

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written May 2011
Fantastic walking, getting to really remote parts of the wall. Some days we didn't see another tourist.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The Simitai section of the wall. Sadly the last part was closed for refurb, but even just viewing it was amazing.
Most unexpected/amusing: having walked all morning in the heat in the middle of no-where without seeing another person we spotted an elderly Chinese man toiling up the slope ahead of us carrying a large box. When we caught up with him, he had walked up there to sell us ice-cream and beer. We all bought ice-cream, he made a fortune and deserved to!
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent! Flexible, positive, always smiling and his lack of perfect English was not particularly an issue.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Great trip for anyone who likes walking off the beaten track.
Take a towel and sleeping bag liner!!!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Don't take the trip notes too literally (which is unusual for Exodus as trip notes are usually spot on). The extras were more expensive than stated andwe felt the walks were in general less challenging, perhaps because some sections of the wall are with closed for refurb or have become unsafe. But don't let that put you off, all in all it was great!
Jessica Preshaw

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written April 2011
This trip packs so much into such a short period of time. A combination of stunning scenary, fabulous tombs, temples and palaces, wonderful food alongside the opportunity to witness chinese acrobats and kung fu masters and explore Beijings markets and alleyways.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Few words can do justice to describe stepping along such a formidable path steeped in so much history! Incredible!
What did you think of your group leader?
Danny was a fantastic group leader, organised, kind, accomodating and fun! He worked so hard to ensure everyone had a fabulous holiday and his knowledge of Chinese history, the Great Wall and monuments is astounding. He was not only a group leader but a tour guide!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I would rate this trek as moderate not challenging. The timings given in the trip notes are for the summer months. In the spring with a more temperate climate each trek is completed in a faster time frame and there is more time at the end of each day to relax or explore further.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I regret not extending my trip to see the Terracotta Army so I would recommend people seriuosly consider it when booking! It's a long way to travel to miss it!
Giles Staddon

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written October 2010
Overall a wonderful exprience - the contrast of being out on the wall and the hustle and bustle of Beijing.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Being out in the most amazing scenary when the only man made object you can see is the wall you are standing on and you've either walked or going to walk all you can see.
What did you think of your group leader?
He took a bit of encouraging to walk with the group, but once he did he was friendly and good company. He didn't know a great deal about the wall and we had to rely on him to join us to translate the local guides. But their knowledge was sometimes limited.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Go for it!
I've not got a head for heights, but coped OK with that. The food and people are wonderful.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
just do it!
Kerry-Ann Thompson
WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written April 2010
This was my first trip with Exodus and such like adventure and I absolutely loved it! The walking, the views, the experience, the group - all exceeded my expectations! The trip does what is says on the tin - there is a lot of walking along the Great Wall, but it is fantastic. Covering so many different sections keeps it interesting along with the local guides and Danny (group leader) offering plenty of history and information. I got an insight into China and would love to go back to learn a few more chinese phrases, explore more...
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
All of the trip was very memorable for me. Highlights include:
walking along remote sections of the wall with nobody else around us
the varying terrain - a bit of a challenge at times
being able to enjoy the walk, views, company of fellow travellers etc - the schedule wasn't pressured
fantastic views for miles ahead
staying in local homestays during the trip
eating an Easter Egg when reaching the top of a Watchtower on Easter Sunday
albeit painful, getting a chinese massage
successfully eating with chopsticks and surviving a shot of Rice Wine!
What did you think of your group leader?
Danny Mao was a great group leader. He is incredibly knowlegeable and clearly enjoyed sharing history and information with us. He takes his role seriously but is equally laid back, fun and good company. He has a sense of adventure, many interests and was happy to share those with us and an insight into his life in China.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
I sought a mountain of advice before i went away, perhaps too much. You really need to find what's right for you and do so when travelling. For novices, key advice would be:
take plenty of tissues, antibacterial wipes/spray
take cereal bars / snack bars (the food was acceptable and there was plenty, but if you're a snacker like me, pack some!)
water was available to purchase ( approx 50p for 2 bottles) every day, so don't pack water filters and attachments etc like i did
take approx £200 spending money. I only purchased a few souvenirs and attended both shows (approx £36), Great Wall Wine (red wine) varied between approx £6 - £24 a bottle, with local and extra tips etc - it goes quickly.
take a walking pole. I'm not a big user at home when walking, but i found it did come in handy.
take a sleeping bag. I didn't & layered up quite a bit. In April it gets quite chilly at night time, so an extra layer would have been welcome. Even if you don't experience the cold, it may make the sometimes hard beds more comfortable.
include cold/flu tablets and throat sweets in your first aid pack! I packed Boots Pharmacy with me and would have been able to deal with the most awful of ailments. Unfortunately I got a cold but didn't have a tune or lemsip in sight!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
We didn't visit the school that i had read about and checked out about before departure. I got the sense this is less likely to happen and will not be included in future trips. I gave the gifts i bought to some local children, but perhaps check before buying and packing items.
The time on the bus was far less that i expected. It was great to drive past different sections of the wall and through villages etc along the way. The worst bit was (trying) to drive through Beijing on Friday rush hour - not great!
Get used to climbing steps and uneven terrain. Having been quite unfit, I prepared for this trip and it paid off. It's not the most difficult of walks, but some sections are uneven, wobbly etc or play on your thighs a bit! The pace was good throughout. We are apparently the fastest group ever to complete sections of the wall - ok, so for 2010 so far ;)!
The food was varied at each sitting, but did become repetitive after a while e.g. tofu, spongy tofu, smoked tofu.... Danny was receptive to some of our requests and managed those as best he could. I'm pleased to have tried local foods etc but it is not very exciting.
Use your group leader, they have a wealth of local knowledge e.g. we dined together on the free days and went to restaurants that i'm sure we would have walked past.
Barter in the local market - it's great to get a bargain!
Overall though - it was great!
Carl Arrowsmith

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written April 2010
Excellent trip with great guides that was an excellent introduction to China the great wall and culture.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking the great wall was just fantastic, the sights, the inclines and especially getting to the top and then finding the wall went even high for even better views was just wonderful. The selection of food at each meal and hospitality were great, plenty of selection for everyone (even us fussy eaters).
What did you think of your group leader?
Danny (who for some reason I kept calling Tommy) was friendly and all around brilliant guy, he went to extra efforts to provide us with extra food "western" foods for breakfast, lots of tea supplies and treats. His knowledge was good and he'd be able to advise on all aspects of the trip and places to go in free time.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't go to tea shops in Beijing, especially with people that want to "learn/improve english" it may turn out rather expensive for a single cup of tea!
Unplug the water heaters in the bathrooms before you have a shower (they plug into ordinary sockets), prevents getting electrocuted like I did.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
You'll enjoy this trip, anyone relatively fit that takes a walk or two a week will be fine. I'd extend the Beijing part of your trip for a day or two to fit in the summer Palace. Travel on the underground is excellent and signs are in English, only around 20p a trip and £2.50 to the airport for those not on the group flight.
Moira Hankinson

WALKING THE GREAT WALL

Written April 2010
A great trip - Walking the Wall is an amazing experience, particularly the more remote lengths where we were about the only people there, and you could see it snaking over the ridges for miles ahead and behind. Danny Mao was an excellent guide, to the walking and in helping us to understand something about this very different culture. It was great getting away from the tourist lengths of the wall, and seeing more remote rural China - although some accommodation was, of necessity, fairly basic and, in early April, very cold.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The day after an evening thunderstorm, when the air was clear and you could see for miles, past the great ridges of Simatei, to the Wall climbing a distant snow-capped mountain.
What did you think of your group leader?
Danny Mao was excellent - self-effacing but very able. He made sure that all the range of abilities had a great walking experience; gave us digestible chunks of the history of the Wall, always in context; had worked very hard at making sure that we had proper local food, but without anything that we'd have found repellent; addressed any problems calmly; fortunately managed to avoid being the classic Chinese 'tour guide' (of whom we saw plenty in Beijing) - no endless spiels, follow-my-leader flags and the like. Several of the group got upgrades at the Dong Fang in Beijing, probably due to Danny; he was proud of his country, and appeared pleased to help us understand it a bit more.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
It was very cold in early April - ice on the north sides of the valleys and in the village streets. The unheated hostels (for 3 nights) were cold; we had to have our meals wearing outdoor kit, sleep in freezing cold beds (one hostel did have electric blankets). Take warm layers, wincyette pyjamas, socks to sleep in, probably a sleeping bag and, ideally, someone to keep the bed warm for when you come back from a trip across the yard to the loo in the middle of the night.
Also - 'challenging' in the trip notes does mean what it says - some of the lengths of wall are in very poor condition, with, effectively, rock-climbing and perpetually very steep ups and downs.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
The Forbidden City in Beijing is a 'must see', but preferably not with our given Beijing guide (Danny handed us over at the gates). We had the classic long-winded, too fast, too tedious, too long-in-one-spot guide-speak. It's very, very crowded - every Chinese person wants to see it. It would have been better to get there the minute it opens, and be let loose to wander and marvel.