Vietnam

Best Months 
Beijing Great Wall Trek: April - May and September -late October
Unpacked Suggests 3 Days

Arrive: Ho Chi Minh City

 Upon arrival into the Ho Chi Minh International Airport you are met and transferred to your accommodation. -Deliberately located away from the city centre in Thao Dien, this riverside boutique villa-style hotel is a sanctuary of peace and calm — a rarity in Ho Chi Minh City. Beautiful, Indochine-influenced design, a great setting and good drinking and dining options make this a great, non-city center choice.

What remains of your day is at leisure.  Tonight we dine with master chef  Chi Nghia, despite her gourmet credentials her preference has always been for the simple, delicious dishes characteristic of traditional Vietnamese cuisine ... albeit with a special flair all her own.

 Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City

Today we head to Saigon's premier cooking class for your introduction to preparing Vietnamese specialties with master chef Luke Nguyen's expertly trained staff. 

Afterwards you'll hop on the back of a vespa for a unique chance to experience Saigon as a local.

Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City

​After taking a short transfer to Xishuiyu Village, we start today with a wonderful day’s trek along the Huanghuacheng, also known as the Yellow Flower City, section of the Great Wall. Today begins again with a steep climb up a woodland path, before reaching the Wall itself. The Huanghuacheng section of the Great Wall is, in many places, completely unrenovated and very remote. It is an exciting and beautiful part of the Wall, as you will be clambering up and down rocks, through crumbling watchtowers and over some screetype terrain. There are some steep stepped descents and ascents today, so make sure to prepare for these. An incredible view of Huanghuacheng Reservoir and Jintang Lake will greet you as you near the end of the trek. You will be looking over the beautiful scenery as you make your final descent off the Wall, and through another woodland area down to the ground. On completion we will take another transfer back to the same lodge that you were in last night. Approx trekking time – 5 hrs.  

​Day 4: Mutianyu - 12kms

​After your usual morning transfer, you will start trekking from a small village just underneath the wall. Today commences with a steep walk up through lush woodland for around 2kms, with the sight of your first watchtower looming far above you. After the final steep push you will ​reach this watchtower, and climb a wooden ladder to get onto the Wall itself. From here, you will be trekking on very old, unreconstructed wall for around 3kms. The terrain is uneven, crumbly in places with displaced rocks and stones around. Some sections of the Wall are completely overgrown, with shrubbery growing through the paving stones. After several watchtowers, you eventually come to the reconstructed section of Mutianyu, which is where visiting heads of state are usually brought. It will be quite a shock here to see the vast numbers of tourists on this section, as you have so far been trekking in peace and quiet. You will descend the famous Heavenly Stairway, and then continue the descent down thousands of steps all the way back to the Wall entrance. You will have a late lunch here, before transferring on to your overnight lodge. Approx trekking time - 5hrs. 

Day 6: Gubeikou Gateway – approx 14kms

​The day starts with a drive (approx 45mins) to a village where your trek begins. Today is a long day’s trek along the Gubeikou section of the Wall, which lies between two passes in the mountains of North-East China. There is a huge variety of terrain today as you start the trek on mainly collapsed and old Wall, which builds up as you start seeing the remains of the Watchtowers. It’s useful to count the watchtowers as they lead you closer to your lunch stop! You will be moving along a mixture of renovated and unrenovated Wall, and although the day is long, there are not as many steps to climb as other days, with the wall mainly undulating over the ridge of the mountain. There is a long descent off the Wall into farmland after lunch, before a steep climb up a narrow path to rejoin the walkable sections of the Wall. After another 3kms you will start making your final descent and finally reach the beautiful sight of your vehicle waiting for you. Transfer to your overnight lodge. Approx trekking time - 7/8hrs. 

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