Date: Saturday 12th—Sunday 20th October 2019

Duration: 9 days/8 nights

Depart: London airport

About the trek

Join us on this 9 day adventure as we hike for 5 days

along one of the most spectacular wonders of the

world - the Great Wall of China. We’ll head off the

beaten track and discover remote sections of the Wall,

from Gubeikou to Jinshanling and Simatai. As we

follow the winding path, you’ll marvel at the

magnificent panoramic views of luscious green rolling

hills stretching to the misty mountain ranges. Staying

in guesthouses throughout the trek will allow us to

learn all about the fascinating Chinese culture as we

discover the lifestyle of the local people and taste

their incredible cuisine.

We’ll finish this once-in-a-lifetime adventure in

China’s historic capital—Beijing, with visits to the

Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

This trek is exclusive to Julia’s House fundraisers and

offers a great opportunity to come together with

other supporters of Julia’s House to explore this

fascinating Wonder of the World, whilst raising much

needed funds for our families.

About China, the Great Wall and Beijing

China is a vast country which boasts seaside, jungles,

mountain ranges, wildlife, architectural heritage and

fascinating culture. The huge depth of culture can be

experienced in a number of ways, even from the

variations of cuisine throughout the country; from the

spicy stir fries of the Szechuan province to the piquant

Peking duck of Beijing. A journey to China is a

mesmerising adventure that from start to finish leaves

you with an appetite for more.

The Great Wall of China is the longest manmade

structure on the planet. The Wall was built, rebuilt

and maintained from 5BCE to 16CE to protect the

Chinese empire from invaders. It stretches

approximately 8,850 km (5,500 miles) across the

rolling hills of northern China to the sea. Many

sections of the Wall are unrestored, scarred by battles

of the past. A visit to the Great Wall offers the

challenge of a lifetime and an opportunity to step back

in time to marvel at the ingenuity and tenacity of the

Chinese dynasties and the millions of soldiers who

defended their land.

Beijing, also known as Peking, is the capital of China

and one of the most populated cities on the planet.

Beijing is home to a staggering 21.5 million people in

an area of only 16,000km2. You will find ancient

architecture next to high rise buildings and fast food

restaurants. You can find peace and serenity in

enchanting temples located next to busy highways,

and of course just slightly north of Beijing you find the

awe-inspiring Great Wall. Beijing is also home to

delicious cuisine so take your time to explore the

restaurants, sampling Peking duck, dumplings,

noodles and much more.

Itinerary

Day 1 (Sat 12 October 2019):

London to Beijing

Depart London on our overnight flight to Beijing.

Day 2 (Sun 13 October 2019): Beijing

Arrive in Beijing and check into a central 3* hotel. We

have time to freshen up before our first traditional

Chinese meal and briefing on the week ahead. If time

permits, why not explore the maze of alleys (hutongs)

where you will find traditional houses, small local

shops and other wonders.

Evening meal included.

Day 3 (Mon 14 October 2019):

Beijing to Gubeikou

Today we transfer by coach to the Great Wall (approx.

3 hours). After a delicious lunch, we enjoy an

introductory trek to prepare us for the terrain and

what lies ahead. We wind our way uphill and enjoy

stunning views of the Great Wall snaking across the

countryside. As we descend, we drop down the

hillside and make our way through trees and

woodland until we reach the small town Gubeikou and

our first guesthouse. Even though it is a warm up day,

the Great Wall steps will still challenge you!

Trekking time approximately 3 hours.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 4 (Tue 15 October 2019): Gubeikou

After breakfast, we set off to explore the beautiful

Gubeikou section of the Great Wall. Dating back to the

Ming Dynasty, this section of the Wall is completely

original and will be a challenge for us. It is one of the

lesser visited sections and is believed to have seen

more battles than any other part of the Great Wall. It

has long been a place of military significance and an

important passage to the capital city. We will start the

day by climbing part of the Wall which is almost

completely worn away. There are so few people

around us, it will feel like we are stepping back in

time. We return to the guesthouse this evening.

Trekking time approximately 6-7 hours.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 5 (Wed 16 October 2019):

Gubeikou to Jinshanling

Today we will trek up to a section of the Wall known

locally as the ‘dragon standing on the beautiful golden

mountain’. It’s easy to see how the Wall resembles a

dragon as it weaves across the land. The views are

stunning and you will have hundreds of amazing

photo opportunities. Unlike other sections of the wall,

this area has seen little restoration and many of the

stairs and turrets have crumbled away to leave steep

stone slopes between each watch tower. It’s a

challenging day but the stunning views of the Great

Wall snaking along the hilltops will keep us going! We

descend through forests and past farmland before

transferring to our guesthouse in Simatai.

Trekking time approximately 6-7 hours.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Itinerary

Day 6 (Thu 17 October 2019): Jinshanling to Simatai

Today’s trek takes us along a restored section of the

wall originally built in the 15th century. Here you can

see how the wall looked when it was built centuries

ago and appreciate the immensity of the task and

meticulous attention to detail undertaken in building

this incredible structure. It is truly beautiful and the

vista of the Wall disappearing over the mountains is a

memorable sight. We descend through the forest and

transfer to our guesthouse in Simatai.

Trekking time approximately 6-7 hours.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 7 (Fri 18 October 2019): Simatai to Beijing

After breakfast we start our exhilarating final trek up

to a remote and rarely visited watch tower. After time

to soak up the breath-taking panorama, we descend

on a winding trail through the forest and past fruit

farms before transferring back to the guesthouse for

lunch and a final farewell to our team. After lunch we

transfer back to Beijing.

Trekking time approximately 4-5 hours.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 8 (Sat 19 October 2019): Beijing

Today you will have guided visits to the Forbidden City

and Tiananmen Square, the must-see sights of Beijing.

You will then have some free time before our special

farewell dinner this evening.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 9 (Sun 20 October 2019): Beijing to London

Transfer to the airport for the return flight to London.

You may arrive in London the following day,

depending on flight schedules. Breakfast included.

N.B. This itinerary may change due to unusual

weather patterns, the ability of the group and so on.

We will do our best to keep to the set itinerary

however we cannot be held responsible for changes

that might occur outside of our control. In all such

circumstances your guide and tour leader will have

the final say in the interest of the health and safety of

the group.

INFORMATION EVENING: 18TH SEPT 2018

Come to our free information evening on Tuesday

18th September 2018 from 6pm and find out if this

amazing adventure is for you! Find out more about

the trek, how the money you raise will make a

difference to our families and meet some of the team

before you book onto the challenge.

Book now: juliashouse.org/walk

Your questions answered...

What’s included?

All flights (including airport taxes and fuel

supplements), accommodation, transfers in China,

trekking permits, all meals, drinking water, ATOL

protection, English-speaking guides and support crew.

Everyone will receive a free Julia’s House t-shirt,

certificate and medal.

It does NOT include personal travel and medical

insurance, Visas, Vaccinations, tips or expenses such

as extra drinks, snacks or souvenirs.

Who accompanies us?

The trek is accompanied by local English-speaking

guides who have an excellent knowledge of trekking in

the region. The guides are first aid trained and will

support you throughout your journey. You will also be

supported by an excellent team of assistant staff,

cooks and drivers, a Different Travel Company UK tour

manager and a representative from Julia’s House. You

will be in very safe hands!

What is the terrain like?

We have graded the challenge level for this trek as

‘moderate’. The terrain is hilly and undulating with

steep sections to contend with. We will trek 5-12km

each day over 4-8 hours. We will be walking on

different sections of the Wall and through the

countryside, so be prepared for a variety of terrain

from grassy and dry farmland to the steep stone steps

of the Great Wall. In some sections where The Great

Wall has been restored you will find smooth paved

ground with steps built up the hillside. The original

sections the Wall may be crumbling, with earth and

stone rubble that shifts underfoot like scree, making it

challenging to climb. You should be prepared for a lot

of steps and you should train with this in mind. You

will need to do plenty of hill walking to prepare for the

undulating terrain.

What is the weather like and what should I wear?

You should experience sunny, clear days with

temperatures in October usually ranging between 15°

C- 20°C during the day and 10°C-0°C at night. Rain is

unlikely (but always a possibility!), with just 5 days of

rain recorded historically throughout the month.

It’s important to be prepared for all weather

conditions and temperatures by packing non-cotton

trek layers and waterproofs - It’s better to have warm

layers and waterproofs and not need them, than to

not have any at all! Although the temperatures and

conditions are historically accurate, climate change

can impact the seasons so you may experience

uncharacteristic conditions during the trip which are

out of our control. Should this happen the guide will

assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the

best enjoyment and ultimately safety of the group.

You will need to wear good quality hiking boots that

you have broken in. We will provide you with a

detailed packing kit-list nearer to the time and we are

always available if you need advice.

Where will we stay?

In Beijing we will stay in 3* hotels on a twin-share

basis with en-suite facilities. During the trek we will

stay in local guesthouses on a twin-share basis.

Depending on the group size, you may sleep in two or

more neighbouring guesthouses but we will all eat

and relax in the evening together. If you are travelling

as a group, please let Hannah know who you would

like to share a room with.

Your questions answered...

What are the bathroom facilities like?

At the hotels in Beijing you will have en-suite

bathroom facilities. During the trek, toilet and shower

facilities will be available at all guesthouses. If you

need to use the toilet during the trek you will need to

be at one with nature! We will sometimes pass public

toilets but toilet paper is never provided so please

bring some with you. Toilet paper must never be left

on the trail and should be disposed of in the bins

provided at each guesthouse—NEVER flushed. We

recommend bringing baby wipes and hand sanitiser

for general hygiene throughout the day.

What is the food like?

Breakfast, lunch and dinner is provided throughout

the trip—there will be plenty of hearty local food to

keep you going! Breakfast will be hot drinks, fruit,

biscuits, noodles, rice or porridge. We will have a

picnic lunch each day which will consist of sandwiches,

fruit, biscuits, dried fruit, nuts etc. A freshly cooked

traditional Chinese evening meal will be served at the

guesthouse comprising of rice, noodles, meat, tofu

and vegetable dishes. Plates and mugs are provided as

are chopsticks. If you’re concerned about using

chopsticks you may wish to bring cutlery. Please

inform us in advance if you have any dietary

requirements or preferences.

What happens with my luggage?

Your luggage will be transported by road between

each guesthouse/hotel. You should also bring a small

daypack to carry personal items needed during the

day as you will not have access to your main luggage

until the evening. Anything you do not need for the

trek will be left in a secure luggage room at the hotel

in Beijing.

How tough is the trek?

We strongly advise you to train hard and make sure

you are of a good fitness level before departure. An

ideal candidate would be someone who is open

minded, positive, flexible and enjoys the challenges of

the great outdoors. Adventure travel involves an

element of the unexpected so do not expect the

standards to be the same as you are used to at home.

Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (because

of group pace, weather conditions, local bureaucracy

or other factors) and itineraries may be altered to

allow for this.

You must be prepared for trekking 4-8 hours a day on

steep, rough terrain while carrying a light daypack. We

expect all participants to train hard in advance to

achieve this challenge, but we also respect everyone’s

limits. The challenge has been designed so that

everyone can go at their own pace: this is not a race.

Health declaration

We require a medical form to be completed by

everyone upon registering. Any pre-existing

conditions, medications and other medical issues

must be declared and (if relevant) signed off by your

GP. Any conditions that later arise must be declared

and a new medical form completed and signed.

ATOL protection

Julia’s House is acting as agent for The Different Travel

Company, ATOL 6706. This flight-inclusive trip is

financially protected by the ATOL scheme. When you

pay your registration fee you will be supplied with an

ATOL Certificate and ATOL Confirmation Invoice.

Please ask for our booking conditions for further

information or for more information about financial

protection and the ATOL Certificate go to:

www.atol.org.uk/ATOLCertificate.

Fundraising

How to fund your challenge

If you would like to take part and support Julia’s

House, there are three ways you can get involved:

Option 1: Sponsorship funded

Pay a deposit of £299 when you book and pledge to

raise at least £2,900 for Julia’s House. At least 50% of

the £2,900 will be treated as a donation to Julia’s

House and 50% will go towards the cost of your trip. If

you raise over £2,900,100% of the surplus will directly

benefit Julia’s House.

80% of the minimum sponsorship must be received no

later than ten weeks before departure. The remaining

20% must be received one week before departure.

Option 2: Flexi

Pay a deposit of £299 when you book + £500 towards

the cost of the trip (due by 1st July 2019). Pledge to

raise £2,400. At least 60% of the £2,400 will be

treated as a donation to Julia’s House and 40% will go

towards the cost of your trip. If you raise over £2,400,

100% of the surplus will directly benefit Julia’s House.

80% of the minimum sponsorship must be received no

later than ten weeks before departure. The remaining

20% must be received one week before departure.

Option 3: Self-fund

Pay a registration fee of £299 when you book.

Then pay a balance of £1,466 by 1st July 2019. There

is no minimum sponsorship commitment but we would

love you to try and raise a minimum of £1000.

If you choose to self-fund your trip then every penny

you raise (minus the cost of your t-shirt and medal) will

go towards supporting local children and their families.

The registration fee is non-refundable and non-

transferrable. We recommend that you organise travel

insurance at the time of booking as this will protect

your non-refundable registration fee in the event of

unexpected cancellation.

How will I raise the sponsorship required?

Most people find fundraising is far easier than they first

imagined. We will support you every step of the way to

ensure you reach and even exceed your target! We will

send you a fundraising pack full of ideas on how to

reach your target when you sign up. Here are some

suggestions:

Ask your friends, family and colleagues to

sponsor you through Just Giving: £450

Five cake sales at work throughout the year: £40

x 5 = £200

Car boot sale or eBay auction: £250

Host a couple of dinner parties and charge your

friends £10 to come: £200

Hold a couple of quiz nights and raffle at your

local pub: £500

Ask your work or local school to hold a non-

uniform day: £300

Ask your local supermarket if you can bag-pack

or hold a couple of collections throughout the

year: £500

Hold a couple of sweepstakes with family,

friends and colleagues throughout the year:

£500

Total: £2,900

We can’t do it without you

Regular respite is a life-saver for families living with a

child who has a life-limiting condition. By fundraising

for them, you are throwing these families a lifeline and

giving them the well-earned break they so desperately

need.

With just six per cent of our annual funding coming

from Government, we rely on your generosity and

support. Quite simply, without the support of people

like you, Julia’s House would not exist and families

struggling to cope would have nowhere to turn.

Respite, counselling, sibling activities —the list of

services goes on and we are able to fund these

services through the support of local people.

The children and families we care for face challenges

every day and we hope you decide to support them by

taking on a challenge of your own.

Want more information? Come to our free

information evening.

Come to our free information evening at our Dorset

hospice in Corfe Mullen on Tuesday 18th September

2018 from 6pm and find out if this amazing adventure

is for you!

The evening will include a talk from the trek leader

about the challenge, as well as the chance to ask

questions about the trek or advice about fundraising.

You will also find out why your support is so valuable

to local life-limited children and their families with a tour

of the hospice.

Bring your friends, family and anyone else who is

interested in joining us.

Places are limited so be sure to book your free place

on our website at juliashouse.org/walk.

Made your mind up?

Sign up on our website or call Hannah on 01202 644

220 to secure your place today. Once you have

registered we will send you a supporter pack, training

advice and exclusive discount vouchers.

We often find some of our fundraisers are more

nervous about raising their minimum sponsorship than

about training – don’t be! Whether it’s your first or fifty-

first challenge, we’re here to help you along the way.

If you have any questions feel free to email

hannah.miller@juliashouse.org or ask to speak to

Hannah on 01202 644220.

Due to the huge demand for accommodation, we

ask you to book no later than 30th November 2018

to guarantee your place on the trip. We can still

take bookings after this date subject to availability.

Please note that places on the trip are also limited

so we recommend booking early to avoid

disappointment.

Sign up today and get ready for the

adventure of a lifetime! Call Hannah Miller on

01202 644220 to pay your deposit and secure

your place on the trip.