Date House... · stone slopes between each watch tower. It’s a challenging day but the stunning...
Transcript of Date House... · stone slopes between each watch tower. It’s a challenging day but the stunning...
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
[email protected] 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.