Amanda Power's Great Wall fundraising journey

A six-day journey along the Great Wall brought Amanda and Richard Power to northern China with a South African fundraising group in 2009. Their story connects a demanding walking holiday with a charitable purpose: raising awareness and support for people affected by breast cancer. It is a historical travel account, with useful reminders about terrain, pacing and travelling as a group.

The journey in 2009

Tour Beijing's China Challenge travelogue describes a party of 32 South Africans undertaking an approximately 85-kilometre challenge. Amanda's diary records six walking days in April, including Great Wall sections, mountain paths and villages northeast of Beijing.

Walking day	Places described in the diary
5 April	Jinshanling and Gubeikou
6 April	Jinshanling towards Simatai
7 April	Simatai and Gangfang village
8 April	Wuzoulou Mountain
9 April	Black Dragon Pool Park
10 April	Mutianyu

The account remembers changing weather, steep steps, uneven surfaces and basic lodge accommodation, alongside shared meals and the support of fellow walkers. CANSA's published account provides further background on the fundraising journey. Our 23 February 2009 newsletter belongs to the preparations before the trip.

Planning your own Great Wall walking day

Begin by choosing the section and the amount of walking that suits your group. Our Great Wall comparison guide explains the differences between developed visitor areas and more demanding landscapes. Mutianyu is one option for a first visit; Jinshanling appeals to walkers who want more time among towers and ridges.

Historic through-routes are a record of their time. They do not establish today's permission to cross between visitor areas. Confirm the authorised route, open towers, entrance and exit before booking. In particular, arrange Jinshanling and Simatai as separate destinations unless the relevant operators explicitly confirm a permitted connection for your date.

Keep the outing realistic. Discuss stairs and walking time with your guide, leave space for rests, and agree on a collection point and return time. A lift can shorten part of a climb, but it does not turn every route into a level walk. Pack water, sun protection and an extra layer; adjust the day if weather or visibility makes the planned walk unsuitable.

Compare the whole arrangement

Ask for a quotation that names the Great Wall section, vehicle, collection location, guide, admission, internal transport and any cable-car tickets. Compare the cost per person for your actual party size, together with meals, cancellation terms and the planned return to Beijing. A short day visit and a multi-day supported hike involve very different arrangements.

Beijing Page is associated with Tour Beijing. Its Great Wall guides and tour information provide related options. Build the rest of your stay around a comfortable rhythm using our Beijing sightseeing guide, rather than adding a strenuous excursion between an arrival flight and a tight onward connection.

A separately priced present-day walking option

Tour Beijing’s GWPD-09 Jinshanling private day tour is a one-day reference, not the six-day fundraising event described above. Its example allows about nine hours including the road journey and lunch, with roughly two hours on the wall: hotel collection around 08:00, Jinshanling around 10:30, the walk and lunch, then a return to Beijing around 17:00. Confirm the authorised section and timing for your travel date.

The operator’s published USD per-person reference, checked 13 October 2026, depends on the number travelling together privately:

Travelling party	USD per person
1	259
2	149
3	125
4–5	109
6–9	95
10+	75

The listed basis includes a private air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide, admission and Chinese lunch. Gratuities and the cable car are excluded. It does not buy a through-walk into Simatai, an overnight stay or the historical challenge’s support arrangements. No price-validity end date is given; request a dated confirmation, child conditions and cancellation terms before payment. Beijing Page is associated with Tour Beijing.