Introduction

We offer you a journey through history and the great diversity that is China. Our itinerary will allow you to admire, up close, the largest structure ever built by humans - the Great Wall of China. It is the result of almost 2,000 years of labour and stretches over more than 5,000 kilometres. During the seven days of the trek, our journey will reveal to you will the most beautiful sections of the Wall, outside Beijing and in Hebei Province, while travelling through the villages. We will be welcomed by the local communities who are providing our travellers with exclusive camping sites. This will give you the opportunity to fully experience the hospitality and reality of rural China and its magnificent landscapes. It is a rare privilege to be able to sit side by side with the inhabitants as they go about their daily life. Also on the program is a visit to Beijing and the main historical sites of the capital city - the Imperial Palace, better known as the Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square with the Summer Palace, once used by the Emperors of the Quin Dynasty. We will end our adventure together, gathered around a good meal in one of the city's historical neighbourhoods.

Overview of the itinerary (Spring 2011)

Day 0 (May 17) Departure from Montreal
Day 1 (May 18) Arrival in Beijing
Day 2 (May 19) Visits to the city's cultural sites
Day 3 to 8 (May 20 to 25) Trekking on the Great Wall in Hebei Province
ay 9 (May 26) End of the trek and return to Beijing
Day 10 (May 27) End of the trip, return to Canada

Detailed itinerary (Spring 2011)

Day 0 (May 17)

Departure from Montreal

Day 1 (May 18) Beijing

Upon arrival at the Beijing Airport, you will be met and transported to your hotel (if you arrive on the group flight). In the afternoon, there will be free time for you to discover the city on your own. A welcome meal will be organized.

Day 2 (May 19) Beijing

The day will be devoted to discovering the architecture and history of the most beautiful sites in the city. On the program, the Temple of Heaven, without a doubt the temple with the loveliest religious architecture in the country. It is there that the Emperors of the Ming and Qing Dynasties offered sacrifices to Heaven and prayed to the gods for bountiful harvests. You will explore the breath-taking Forbidden City. Located in the centre of Beijing, it is the largest grouping of traditional architecture in China. It has more than 9,000 rooms arranged symmetrically along a north-south axis. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch, we will visit the superb Hou Hai District, north of Beijing.

Day 3 (May 20) To Hebei Province and start of the trek (3 to 4 hours walk)

We will take the road towards the border of Hebei Province, where we will start the trek. This section of the Wall with its original architecture and intriguing design was constructed in the 15th Century. It was particularly effective against the Mongol invasions. Today's pace will be slow along the pathway and, that night, we will sleep at the very foot of the Great Wall.

Day 4 (May 21) Houchuan (8 hours walk)

Departure around 8 a.m. Direction: Mount Simatai. It's going to be a full day! The trek will be demanding with mountainous sections and difficult terrain but your efforts will be quickly rewarded by a spectacular view of Hebei Province.

The Great Wall of China was constructed by almost a million people, mainly prisoners, soldiers and peasants. Thousands of them died, working under extremely arduous conditions. During our trek along this ancient section of the Wall, we will be able to imagine all the effort and engineering that was needed to create this Chinese national treasure. This historical section is now one of the cultural sites protected by UNESCO.

We will camp on an exclusive site in the village of Houchuan. Our camping site, a private agricultural property, is that of our host family. We will have plenty of time to get to know our hosts. Despite the language barrier, you will be amazed to learn the extent to which we can communicate with a few gestures and a touch of humour.

Day 5 (May 22) Houchuan – Jinshanling (7 to 8 hours walk)

Again, today, we will enjoy the diversity of the Chinese countryside by walking through the cornfields and agricultural lands. Here, we are really off the beaten path and will be able to observe the daily life of the villagers. Picnic. Setting up our camp near the village of Jinshanling. Just like every evening, our team will prepare the meal in collaboration with the host family.

Days 6 and 7 (May 23/24) Jinshanling – Guibeikou (6 hours walk per day)

We will start the day early and walk through farmlands before exploring this classic section of the Wall. The Chinese, known for their poetic way of viewing the world, nicknamed it "Dragon Standing on the Golden Mountain." Rejoining the wall, we will descend gradually to the Gu Bei Kou Pass, the entrance to which is located at the bottom of a valley. This part of the trek offers superb views of the surrounding mountains. In the afternoon, we will arrive at the pass through a small village to set up the campsite. After that, we will explore the section of the Wall located west of the Bei Kou Pass.

On the seventh day, we will leave to discover the old wall of the Song Dynasty.

Day 8 (May 25): Transfert vers Mutianyu ( 2 à 4 heures de marche)

Transfert en véhicule vers la section Mutianyu de la Grande Muraille réputée pour les quelque 200 pins d’une centaine d’années qui l’entourent. Une vingtaine d’entre eux ont même de plus de 300 ans! La partie Mutianyu serpente sur 3 km entre hautes montagnes et crêtes. La randonnée est considérablement plus facile dans cette portio n restaurée située à seu lement 90 km de Beijing.

Nous marcherons quelques heures en après-midi vers notre hotel, situé à Mutianyu, où vous pourrez prendre une douche bien méritée.

Day 9 (May 26) Gubeikou – Beijing

Transfer to go to Beijing in the afternoon. Good-bye supper with the group in a restaurant in Beijing.

Day 10 (May 27) Beijing

Transfer to the airport for your return flight.

Attention: the itinerary is provided for information purposes only. We reserve the right to change the program for practical or safety reasons. 

The cost of the adventure

The minimum cost for this superb adventure is $5,200. The funds you raise for research, which will go to Diabetes Quebec, and for which you or your sponsors can obtain a tax receipt must be a minimum of CDN$1,500 in order for you to participate in the Huma Challenge/Diabetes Quebec. The cost of the trip is CDN$3,700.