actionchallenge Grand Cultural Challenge An incredible ten day challenge, combining adventure travel with five star luxury whenever possible. This is a fabulous opportunity to experience the best of China in style. We begin our trek on wild, un-restored sections of the, far away from the tourist trail and surrounded by breathtaking mountain scenery. Together we walk the Great Wall at Huangyaguan dating back to 6AD, we join the Gubeikou wall at the narrow pass between the Yanshan Mountains and we follow the Jinshanling circuit along its beautiful, ruined sections of wall, dotted with impressive watchtowers. At Badaling, where the wall has been restored, we see this incredible military defense system, as it would have looked at the time of its construction. Every evening we return to the luxury of our fabulous hotels with beautiful décor and excellent food - the perfect way to relax after a hard day on the wall! Back in Beijing we enjoy a two day cultural experience, exploring the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace, learning to make dumplings and write calligraphy, taking part in a traditional tea ceremony and shopping in local markets. On our final night we enjoy a fabulous dinner together to celebrate our fascinating journey to this incredible country. at a glance Activity: Trekking Location: China, Beijing Duration: 10 Days / 5 days trekking Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 40 km Group size: 15-25 trip highlights Hike the wild wall at Huangyaguan See the restored wall at Gubeikou Stay in luxury hotels Visit the Forbidden City Walk in Black Dragon Pool Park Learn to make Chinese dumplings Visit 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 the 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 trek 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 from London Beijing - Huangyaguan Huangyaguan Great Wall Gubeikou Great Wall Jinshanling circuit what s included Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Black Dragon Pool Park Badaling The Forbidden City Exploring Beijing Return UK International flights Action Challenge trek 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 Action Challenge vehicles National Park entrance fees Celebration dinner 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 Please visit our website for more details All inclusive trip cost from 1,749 Initial 399 deposit to sign up Three payment options available Please visit our website for more details This challenge requires a good level of fitness to trek 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 trek 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 We meet our Action Challenge guide at the airport in London and together we board our overnight flight to China. Meals: Dependent on flight schedule DAY 2 - Beijing On arrival at Beijing airport we meet our local guides and transfer 2.5 hours by coach to the town of Huangyaguan where our hotel is based. This town lies along the river at the foot of mountains topped by the impressive Great Wall. Upon arrival we have time to freshen up before lunch with a free afternoon to visit the old town centre and its famous Dule Buddist Temple. Tonight we have a welcome meal in our five star hotel, followed by a briefing from our guides. Meals: L,D Accom: Hotel DAY 3 - Huangyaguan Great Wall We wake to a good (Chinese) breakfast before starting our trekking and cultural adventure. We walk directly from our hotel to an area of the wall which dates back to 6AD, during the Tianbao reign of the Qi Dynasty with repairs carried out during the Ming Dynasty in the 16 th century. This section of the wall is far off the tourist track and offers incredible mountains views. The walk today takes around four hours and is a good introduction to walking on the wall. After our walk, we transfer to our hotel in Jinshanling. DAY 4 - Gubeikou Great Wall This morning we have a short transfer to one of our favourite sections of the wall at Gubeikou. This has long been a town of military significance and an important passage to the capital city. The Yanshan Mountain range winds from east to west and is cut off at Gubeikou, forming a natural narrow pass. From ancient times, Gubeikou has served as a route of strategic importance, linking the southern and northern areas of the Yanshan Range. Today s walk is about five hours, finishing at the village of Jinshanling. From here we make our way to the traditional local five star resort for tonight s stay. A Chinese breakfast each morning will be in our hotels 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. Enjoy traditional Chinese food throughout the entire trip! We can cater for all dietary requirements if informed in advance. 7 nights in 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. Also, please contact us if you decide you would like to upgrade your flight to business or first class. DAY 5 - Jinshanling circuit Our five hour Jinshanling circuit trek leaves directly from our lodge. On this wonderful day of trekking we visit around 20 towers and some beautiful sections of wall that have been left as ruins. After our trek on the wall we make our way to the comforts of our 5* Shi Hao Hotel in Miyun and an evening meal of local delicacies. Tonight we have the opportunity to wander around this typical Chinese town and visit the riverside park, popular with locals enjoying a leisurely stroll. 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 6 - Black Dragon Pool Park After breakfast we have a half hour transfer to the Black Dragon Pool Park, a spectacular nature reserve set in a deep valley with cliffs rising impressively on either side of crystal clear pools. Our trek is steep in places and at times hard going, but the scenery is stunning. We have lunch at a waterfall before continuing over the pass for our final long descent to our waiting transport. Tonight s accommodation is at one of our favourite five star hotels, full of Chinese character and serving excellent food. DAY 7 - Badaling After breakfast we head to the Badaling section of the wall. We started our time in China on remote, wild and non-reconstructed sections of the wall, today we end on one of the busiest sections which has been fully restored to its former glory. It is an experience in itself to be on this section with so many Chinese tourists! The Badaling section was constructed in the fifth century and rebuilt around a thousand years later by the Ming Dynasty. It is considered to be one of the most strategically important parts of the wall because of its link with Beijing. We celebrate our last day of trekking with a lion-dancing spectacle at the foot of the Badaling Great Wall before having a late lunch and transfering back to Beijing to our modern, comfortable hotel. Dinner tonight is in a western restaurant, offering some variety from our week of Chinese meals. 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. DAY 8 - The Forbidden City This morning we transfer to the famous Tiananmen Square before enjoying a guided tour of the recently restored Forbidden City. We visit a local family in the Hutongs who teach us to make Chinese dumplings. After enjoying our self-made lunch, we take a rickshaw ride through the Hutong areas and have a chance to learn Chinese calligraphy with the locals. Later, time permitting, there is an opportunity to shop in a local market. Tonight we enjoy a fabulous dinner at an excellent local restaurant to celebrate our amazing adventure in China. Meals: B,D Accom: Hotel DAY 9 - Explore Beijing Today we transfer to the Temple of Heaven Park where we see hundreds of locals performing their daily exercises, including Tai Chi. Here we will have the opportunity to learn some moves from a Tai Chi master. We explore the impressive Temple of Heaven, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and after taking part in a traditional tea ceremony, we travel to the Summer Palace, described by UNESCO as a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design. Later we transfer to the Olympic Park before dinner in a local restaurant. Finally, we transfer to the airport for our overnight flight. Meals: B DAY 10 - Return UK We arrive back in the UK in the afternoon. 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. 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 399 (for 2015) 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 2015), which, after you pay the 399 Registration Deposit, leaves a balance of 1,350. 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 2,700 (for 2015) 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 2,700 (for 2015), your charity will pay for the balance of your trip costs to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 1,350 (the same as if you were you were Self Funded ) - the charity will retain at least 1,350 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)207 609 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 2,100 (for 2015), your charity will pay a portion of your trip cost to Action Challenge. That balance, paid by your charity, is 850 At the same time, you will be required to pay the remaining balance yourself, which will be a figure of 500 (These two amounts added up to the same as the Self Funded final balance) - the charity will retain at least 1,250 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