Sleep ON The Great Wall of Chin, package Tour, same location as Survivor on the Great Wall

Sleep ON The Great Wall of China

Wake Up and Experience Living History

plus The Ming Tombs

Final resting place of 24 residents of the Forbidden City

and the 2008 Olympic Venues

China’s future history – see the Bird’s Nest, Swim Cube & Green

with Fine Food

A Peking Duck lunch, country dinner with homemade dumplings and dishes, endless drinks and beer, fresh brewed coffee and muesli delivered on the wall at sunrise.

The China Guide Tours

A branch of CITS Beijing

(China International Travel Service)

5-133 Jianguomenwai Waijiaogongyu

Beijing, 100600 China

Enquiries & Bookings

Email: book@thechinaguide.com

or phone +8610 8532 2274 (English spoken)

Thank your interesting in booking our Sleep on the Wall tour. Although this tour has been going for 5 years now, because of Olympic security measures by the Chinese government, sleeping on the wall has been suspended over the Olympic period. Our apologies for this. However we cannot control government decisions.

Although you may not sleep on the wall, you can still enjoy sunset and a hike the next day on one of the less touristy and most spectacular sections of the wall. This includes a night at the Jinshanling hotel, right at the base of a spectacular section of the wall.

Details:

Morning pickup at your hotel

Visit the Ming Tombs, two stops: The Sacred Way and the underground Ding Tomb

Local lunch: either Peking Duck or Local dishes restaurant - includes unlimited standard drinks (bottled water, soft drinks, local beer, Chinese tea)

Drive to Jinshanling Great Wall

Check into the Jinshanling courtyard style hotel at the base of the wall

The complete modified itinerary can be seen on www.thechinaguide.com/sleeponthewall

Hike up to the wall and enjoy sunset - your guide will provide you with your preferred cold drinks/beers to take up on the hike and enjoy while on the wall.

Come back down and enjoy a feast in the Jinshanling restaurant. You may sit indoors or dine out in the courtyard. Includes unlimited standard drinks, and if you are still hungry your guide will order you another dish or two or a desert.

Sleep in the Jinshanling hotel, includes hot shower, towels and comfortable room with private bathroom.

Wake up in the morning and enjoy western breakfast of fresh coffee, juice, pastries, muesli and fresh fruit.

Check out of the hotel, put your bags in the vehicle.

Hike on the Great Wall from Jinshanling to Simatai. The most spectacular of all great wall hikes, this section of the wall is just partially restored. This is 6 miles/10km. We provide you with 2 bottles of water per person plus snacks. This hike usually takes 3-5 hours at a leisurely pace. You may stop and take photos, rest, and enjoy the hike at whatever pace you prefer. As you are already at the wall (2 1/2 hours out of Beijing) you can start before other groups from the city arrive and before the sun gets too hot. Bring sun lotion.

Arrive in Simatai and enjoy Chinese style lunch including unlimited standard drinks.

Return to Beijing

Enjoy Tea Ceremony in a classical courtyard style building on one of Beijing's old canals. Birds in cages, often live music and certainly a private tea ceremony and tasting.

Return to your hotel at 3-5pm.

This itinerary is identical in price to the current itinerary. Be sure to bring your passport as you need it to check into the hotel.

Overnight *ON* the Great Wall of China or in a courtyard style hotel at the base of the wall.

For those sleeping on the wall we provide sleeping bags, mats, pillows and shelter in a watchtower, a tent or you may sleep on the wall under the stars. Your guide stays with you on the wall overnight.

There are two guided hikes on the wall. One sunset hike and one morning walk 10km (6 miles). Those preferring not to do hike may ride in the bus.

On the way to the wall we visit the Ming Tombs - resting place of 13 Chinese Emperors. We make two stops, one at the Sacred Way and a second at the underground Ding Tomb.

English speaking guide.

Transportation & entrance fees.

All meals including two lunches in local restaurants (one Peking duck, one Chinese style), a home made country style dinner with hand made dumplings (jiaozi) in Jinshanling village at the base of the wall, western breakfast on the wall (muesli, bananas, milk, fresh brewed coffee).

Tour Dates

These tours below will run on any date you select. Please let us know when suits your schedule.

Tour Prices

Prices starting Sept 2008 - Mar 2009 (non Olympic)
2 people	CNY 1900 each	US$285 each
3 - 4 people	CNY 1800 each	US$270 each
5 to 9 people	CNY 1700 each	US$255 each
10 to 15 people	CNY 1600 each	US$240 each
16+ people	CNY 1500 each	US$225 each

The more people who book and pay together, the lower the price. Guests from different bookings traveling on the same day are grouped together. These are not private tours. You do not receive a discount for joining with others, only for the number you bring who book and pay together.

We will run trips with only two people. Single travelers will be grouped with other travelers on dates with confirmed bookings and will pay the two person rate.

Payment Methods

1. Bank transfer or deposit to our Bank of China account.
2. Paypal / Credit Card - Paypal incurs a 5% service fee.
3. Cash payment in our office at least 24 hours in advance.
4. Cash payment we send courier to collect cash at your hotel at least 24 hours in advance (RMB 50 courier fee).

Child Discounts

Children under age 12 receive 25% discount. Children under 5 free.

Enquiries & Bookings:

Cancellation Policy:

E-mail: book@thechinaguide.com

Phone: +8610 8532 2274

(Beijing office hours)

Advance payment in full required

Cancellation 24 hours or more before start...80% refund. Less than 24 hours before tour starts, no refund.

Rescheduling may be done more than 24 hours in advance without penalty.

Our Service

While we are in a branch of CITS Travel, we are not your typical Chinese travel agency and operate independently. American owned and operated, our aim is to give you western standard service and an experience which is extraordinary. Your satisfaction is our priority. There are no unscheduled or mandatory shopping stops.

While sleeping on the wall we don’t limit you to the standard tour of one cup per meal, you can drink your fill of bottled water, soft drinks and local beer. From free beer on the wall under the stars to fresh hot coffee in the morning, we make your tour as we like it ourselves. The tour is designed, tested and monitored by our western management. As a branch of CITS Travel our tours are legitimate and insured, as are our certified guides and drivers. Our vehicles are licensed for tourists.

Emergency contact phone: If your family needs to contact you during your tour or you have problems on your tour which your guide cannot resolve you can contact our tour director. Phone +86 – 13911063172.

Itinerary

Day 1
8:30 – 9am – Pickup in Beijing from your hotel.

Ming Tombs – Final resting place of 13 Emperors. We make two stops to give you a complete experience. Walk the Spirit Way and the descend into the underground Ding Tomb.

Lunch - Chinese style.

Afternoon – arrive Jinshanling at the base of the Great Wall. Have a cold drink, beer or fresh coffee/tea if you like and then walk up on the wall. Take a complementary drink with you to enjoy with the sunset view.

Dinner – served in Jinshanling village at the base of the wall. Enjoy a home cooked Chinese banquet. More food than you can possibly eat, including many stir-fry dishes and spectacular home made dumplings (“jiaozi”). Dinner also includes free flow of soft drinks, bottled water, beer, fresh coffee and tea.

Evening – after dinner your guide will take you back up to the watchtower on the Great Wall where you will spend the night. This is a 15 minute walk. We supply flashlights. If you have other bags we will lock them in the vehicle for the night. Take what you need for the walk on the wall in the morning as we do not come back down to Jinshanling before walking on the wall to Simatai.

Day 2
Morning – wake up and enjoy fresh coffee as the sun rises on your panoramic view of the Wall. The morning light can produce amazing photographs. Breakfast is western, including German muesli, bananas, milk, noodles, tea and other drinks. No cooking is allowed on the wall so sorry, no hot breakfast! At this time of day there are usually no other tourists on the wall, you have it to yourself.

After breakfast - embark on a 3 to 5 hour walk with fantastic scenery along restored and un-restored sections accompanied by your guide. The hike is medium difficulty with ups and downs and some loose rocks. We give you two bottles of water each to carry with you. You may bring your own snacks but we will also give you some. If you prefer not to hike you may choose to ride the bus to Simatai. Any bags left on the bus overnight will remain on the bus.

Lunch – is served in Simatai which is Chinese style including drinks.

After lunch – drive back to Beijing. We will drive by the Olympic Swim Center (Water Cube) and the Stadium (Bird’s Nest) so you can catch a glimpse of these architectural wonders and take photographs.

Late afternoon – your group will be given a choice of stopping for Chinese Tea Ceremony where you can sample various teas or you may stop at the Silk Market and see a live demonstration of how Chinese people cultivate silk worms and weave the silk into fabric. If your group is too tired to do this you can elect to go back to your hotel.

Finally – you will be dropped off at your hotel. Arrival is about 4pm.

Accommodation on the Great Wall – what to expect

As the Great Wall is a World Heritage Site there is no development allowed. Accommodation is similar to camping. We provide sleeping mats, sleeping bags, pillows, flashlights, food and drinks. You may sleep inside the watchtower, under the stars on the wall or in a limited number of two person tents (due to limited space). There is no electricity, running water or toilets. There are public toilets in Jinshanling and Simatai, otherwise be prepared to commune with nature.

The package includes:

Accommodation on the Great Wall in a watchtower including bedding.

Optionally you may stay in the courtyard style hotel, twin share.

English speaking guide.

Return transportation from your Beijing hotel.

Ming Tombs tickets (Sacred Way and Ding Tomb) and lunch.

Chinese banquet dinner including unlimited soft drinks, beer, bottled water, fresh coffee and Chinese tea.

After dinner walk up to the wall where you may enjoy more complimentary soft drinks and beers under the stars.

Western continental breakfast served on the Great Wall along with hot fresh coffee after waking up.

Chinese lunch on arrival in Simatai.

All tickets for the Great Wall.

Olympic Venues – view the Swim Center and Stadium

Tea Ceremony or Silk Market tour.

Insurance

You are responsible for your own international travel insurance.

What to Bring

Walking shoes or hiking boots, sunscreen, bug repellant, sunglasses and personal items such as medications, toiletries and a change of clothes. A warm jacket or sweatshirt is needed in the spring and fall as its cooler on the wall than in the city. When you hike from Jinshanling to Simatai your bags will be transported in the bus. Use a knapsack to carry your things for overnight and the hike the next morning. You may bring snacks to eat while walking on the wall however we will give you some as well.

In case of Rain

We cannot promise good weather. If the weather looks bad you may call up and change the date of your trip the day before. On the day of the trip we cannot cancel. If the weather is bad we will put you in a hotel at the base of the wall, no extra charge. Because of safety concerns you cannot sleep on the wall if there is a lightning storm and the local government will order us off the wall. In light rain you can still sleep inside the watchtower. However rain is rarely a problem as there is little of it on the wall in the summertime.

Combining this tour with another tour

We can help you combine this tour with other activities in Beijing or for a complete custom itinerary for you in Beijing / China depending on your interests. We can arrange discount Kung Fu, Acrobat show or Peking Opera tickets for your evening entertainment in Beijing.

Meals and Special Requests

Dinner is authentic home-made northern Chinese cuisine which includes meat (usually pork and/or beef), vegetable, eggs, rice and pork dumplings. Breakfast is western continental. Lunches are Chinese style in restaurants. Meals include soft drinks, beer, coffee and tea. We supply bottled water in your vehicle and at the wall.

If you have special dietary needs please let us know when you book. We can provide vegetarian, vegan, non-pork or other variations according to your requirements but it must be booked in advance.

Tips

You may tip your guide and driver for good service as they work hard for you. Recommended tipping ratio 2:1 for guide:driver.

Contact and Bookings

Enquiries and bookings:

Email: book@thechinaguide.com

or phone +8610 8532 2274 (English spoken)