28 Jul 2018
Engaging and athletic guide Lisa picked us up early (7 am) at our hotel so that we arrived at Mutianyu before the crowds. We had no wait time to take the chairlift up to point 6 on the Wall. We hiked to point 10 and then back to point 1. It was a drizzly day but the sun came out for our hike to give us magnificent views. The hike can be strenuous with lots of steps up and down and steep in places. We were looking forward to the toboggan ride down but it started to sprinkle again so we had to take the chairlift back down. Lisa took us to a local restaurant for fresh fish and typical Chinese fare—she fished the trout out of the water that was cooked up for us. After lunch we headed to the unrestored section of the Wall, Huanghuacheng. This section was beautiful and isolated from tourists but more challenging than most of our group was prepared for. It was very HOT and HUMID. After a full day, Lisa accompanied us to the Pearl market in Beijing. She was a delightful guide—always smiling, ready to laugh, but also respectful of individual limitations. Her English is excellent.
This is a great tour for physically fit travelers who enjoy hiking. Be prepared for extreme heat and humidity.