Great Wall Marathon

18 May 2024

Great Wall Marathon 2024 - 6-day package

With three nights in Jizhou (formerly Jixian) near The Great Wall Marathon venue of Huangyaguan, and two nights in Beijing after the race, this tour package combines classic Beijing with a touch of China outside the great metropolis.
15-20 May 2024
6 days
1 695 USD

Book package

It's the more relaxed tour option as your Jizhou base is closer to the Great Wall. Thus, this 6-day package offers more time to relax before the race and a shorter drive on the morning of race day.

If you want to spend all nights in Beijing, have a look at the 7-day itinerary.

English

Itinerary

The itinerary is detailed below. This is what you'll be doing during your stay!

15 May 2024Welcome to China and Jizhou

Arrival to Beijing Capital (PEK) or Beijing Daxing (PKX) airport.
Shuttle buses to Jizhou, Tianjin will run at set transfer times (see transfer times below under important info). If you are unable to book a flight that matches the set transfers, or you don't want to wait up till 2 hours, an individual transfer can be purchased.
Great Wall Marathon representatives in the arrival halls will guide you to the bus.

After checking-in at your hotel in Jizhou, Tianjin, your Race Pack will be handed out by the guide. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Jizhou (formerly Jixian).

Meals: Not included

Pre-night - 14 May: Please note, a pre-night in Beijing can be added to your travel package. Either online at the time of booking or at a later stage by emailing us. Note that requests for pre-nights received after 18 April 2024 cannot be guaranteed.

16 May 2024Route Inspection Day

Today is Inspection Day!
An important event for you to inspect the part of the route along the Great Wall and prepare yourself mentally for the challenge ahead.
Race officials and medical staff will be present to answer any questions you may have.

After breakfast we board our bus and head to the Great Wall of Huangyaguan - a bus ride of 45-60 minutes.
All runners are expected to walk the 3.5km section of the wall that is part of the marathon, half-marathon and 8.5k Fun Run course. Non-runners are also welcome, although good physical condition is required.

A sandwich lunch will be served after the wall walk.
Once the group is gathered again we head back to Jizhou, Tianjin and have the afternoon free to explore the town.

Meals: Breakfast and sandwich lunch

17 May 2024Relaxation in Jizhou with tour option

Today is a good day for relaxing before the big race day tomorrow.
Take in the local atmosphere of Jizhou, Tianjin, or go on the optional excursion that takes visitors to Qing Dynasty Tombs. The tour includes lunch. Learn more about this tour below, under "Excursions".

Tonight dinner in your hotel is included with additional rice and noodle dishes.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included (lunch is provided for those going on the optional excursion)

18 May 2024Race Day

Today is the big day! After an early breakfast, we'll leave Jizhou at 05:00am and head to the race venue in Huangyaguan.

Please remember to check-out of your hotel room in Jizhou, as we will leave for Beijing at the end of the day.

After an aerobics warm-up and speeches by local officials, the race will start at 7:30am.

Sandwich lunches will be provided for everyone in the finish area. A 20-minute massage on site is included after the race.
Shuttle buses will take runners back to Beijing between 12 and 4:30pm. For more information about the race, look here.

Meals: Breakfast and lunch

19 May 2024Explore Beijing - excursion options & Evening Celebration Party

Today is a day of recovery. Sleep in, relax, do a bit of shopping in the Silk Market or fill your senses with the sights and sounds of Beijing.

Two optional excursions are available today. Please note, these must be purchased prior to your arrival in China. Take in classic Beijing highlights with the City of Emperors tour or visit the giant panda and Summer Palace on the City of People tour.

In the evening, we all gather for the big celebration dinner. All participants will be picked up at their hotels and taken to the party venue tonight.

Meals: Breakfast and dinner included (lunch is provided for those going on an optional excursion)

20 May 2024Farewell China or hello extension

Depending on your departure time, you might be able to do some last-minute shopping or take in more of Beijing's sights.
Hotel check-out is before noon.

Please note that the departure transfer is not included in the package but can be pre-booked at an extra cost. See prices for details.

Meal: Breakfast

Post-night - 20 May: Please note, a post-night can be added to your travel package when booking your package online, or at a later date by contacting us via email. Booking requests received after 18 April 2024 cannot be guaranteed.

Excursions

Qing Tombs

17 May | 1 day | 100 USD
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This excursion consists of a tour of the Qing Dynasty tombs followed by a Chinese lunch.

Today we'll make our way to the magnificent Qing Tombs located in Zunhua and nestled between four mountains.

The Qing imperial tombs cover an enormous area and house five of China's emperors, 14 empresses and 136 concubines. Although the Qing tombs are more impressive than the famous Ming dynasty graves, these Qing burial sites are visited by relatively few.

Our first stop will be at Yuling, one of the most splendid royal tombs. Emperor Qianlong is buried here in a magnificent chamber consisting of a series of rooms separated by solid marble doors. The walls and arched ceilings are resplendent with Buddha figures and more than 30,000 words of Tibetan scriptures.

Next, we'll pay a visit to Ding Dongling, the tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi, the woman who ruled imperial China behind a curtain for 48 years. The main hall contains reproductions of pictures produced in 1903 by Cixi's photo studio located at the Summer Palace. The tomb bears a striking resemblence to the Empress Dowager's quarters in the Forbidden City.

This excursion can be purchased with the 6-day itinerary. 

Please note: The excursion begins from the hotel lobby. The exact time will be announced by your tour guide in advance. Optional tours must be booked before arriving in China.

  • Tombs of the emperors of Qing dynasty
  • Yuling Tomb
  • Stone archway
  • Tomb of Empress Dowager Cixi
  • View of Qing Tombs
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Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven

19 May | 1 day | 85 USD
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Beijing served as the capital for five dynasties over a period of 800 years. This excursion takes us on an imperial journey to the three most important and popular landmarks of imperial China.

We begin the excursion at Tiananmen Square, one of the largest squares in the world. Located in the heart of modern Beijing, Tiananmen Square was first built during the Ming Dynasty. Covering an area of 44 hectares, the enormous square also serves as the entrance into the Forbidden City.

We continue north to the Forbidden City and enter through the arched gateway with the iconic portrait of Mao. This magnificent complex with its many palaces and halls features more than 800 buildings with over 9,000 rooms, resplendent golden-glazed roofs, lacquered pillars and vermillion walls. Most of the morning will be spent exploring the extensive grounds and many buildings.

Lunch will be a delectable meal consisting of the city's signature dish, roasted Beijing Duck.

After lunch, we'll continue sightseeing at the beautiful Temple of Heaven in the southern part of Beijing. This was a site of worship for the Ming and Qing emperors. Ceremonies for better harvests were performed at the Temple of Heaven. The area consists of the 38m-high Hall of Prayer, the Imperial Vault of Heaven, the three-tier Circular Altar, Echo Wall and the Thrice-Echoing Stone. The afternoon will end with a visit to a silk exhibition hall where we'll be introduced to the intricacies of silk-making from the reeling of silk from cocoons to dyeing the fabric. A large variety of silk products such as dresses, blouses, bedding and hats can be purchased here.

This excursion can be purchased with the 6-day itinerary. 

Please note:
The excursion begins at one of The Great Wall Marathon hotels at around 8:30am. The exact time and place will be announced by your tour guide in advance. If you are not staying in one of the Great Wall Marathon hotels, you will need to arrange your own transportation to the hotel from which the tour starts. Excursions must be booked before arriving in China.

  • Portrait of Mao at Tianamen Square
  • Inside Forbidden City
  • The Forbidden City Gate
  • Temple of Heaven - Hall of Prayer
  • Temple of Heaven - View of Hall of Prayer
  • Temple of Heaven
  • Temple of Heaven - Imperial Vault of Heaven
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Summer Palace

19 May | 1 day | 85 USD
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This excursion will take us to the Beijing Zoo to see the endangered giant panda. We will continue to the Summer Palace in the outskirts of Beijing. 

Our day will begin with a visit to the Beijing Zoo to see giant pandas. The giant panda is an endangered species and its population is small and vulnerable. Despite being a protected species, habitat destruction and poaching continue to pose a threat to the species. After the visit to the zoo, we'll head to the Summer Palace, just outside of Beijing.

The Summer Palace was built several hundred years ago during the Jin Dynasty but has been renovated on numerous occasions since then. In 1860, it was plundered during the Second Opium War but in 1888, the notorious Empress Dowager Cixi rebuilt it using money intended for the Navy and turned it into an opulent summer retreat for the imperial family. 

After the Summer Palace, we will visit a pearl exhibition hall, which is located just outside the palace. On the way back to the city, we'll make a photo stop outside the Olympic Village, where we'll be able to see the Bird's Nest National Stadium and Water Cube National Aquatics Centre. Lunch is included.

  • Entrance to Beijing Zoo
  • Giant pandas
  • View of the Summer Palace
  • Area by the Summer Palace
  • The Summer Palace
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The Terracotta Army

20-22 May | 3 days | 900 USD
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Today Xi'an offers a great mix of old and new. Despite it’s more than 8 million inhabitants the city is much more tranquil than Beijing, yet its streets brim with life, reminiscent of its ancient glory.

  • 20 May: Beijing - Xi'an

    We begin our journey from Beijing to Xi'an on the famous Bullet Train, a sleek and long airplane-shaped high-speed train, which travels up to 300 km per hour.

    The inside of the train offers wide windows, comfortable seats and attendants. 5-seat rows are available in the train. Upon arrival, we will check in to the Grand Dynasty Hotel, located right at the edge of the distinctive Muslim Quarter, a haven for snack lovers. The tour leader will take us on an evening stroll through this bustling part of the city.

    The Muslim Quarter, known for its peculiar architecture, has structures designed with the styles of both the Ming and Qing Dynasties, but has been inhabited by Muslims for many generations, providing a rich combination of cultures to this area and the sight of over ten mosques. In its market, run by the locals, you will find all sorts of dried fruits, breads and cakes, many restaurants, and stalls of exotic food and snacks.

    Meals: Breakfast

  • 21 May: Terracotta Army

    2,200 years ago, the Emperor Qin Shi Huang Di commissioned the creation of an estimated 8000 clay warriors, an army that would protect him in the afterlife. These clay statues, together with terracotta acrobats and bronze figures of swans and other birds, are unlike anything discovered before. During our second day, we will visit this location; learn about the intricate process of restoration, involving unprecedented modern medical technologies.

    In the afternoon, we will take a bike ride on the city wall, a National Historical and Cultural site, created by the Ming Dynasty to fortify Xian, and which has impressive moats, watchtowers, corner towers and covers a total of 14km.

    In the evening we visit the Tang Dynasty dancing show, one of the main attractions of Xi'an and a proud representative of Chinese entertainment; a vibrant and colorful performance which is accompanied by great Cantonese delicacies.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner at the Tang Dynasty dancing show.

  • 22 May: Return to Beijing

    Our visit to Xi'an is now over, so we will have a morning transfer to the train station, and from there, take a bullet train once again heading towards Beijing, where we will arrive in the afternoon, marking the end of our tour. Once there, transfer to the airport is not included, but taxis are plentiful. Alternatively you can book the departure transfer. We recommend you book your flight after 19:00 (7:00 pm), to ensure you have enough time to get from the train station to the airport.

    Meals: Breakfast

  • Price information

    Shared double room: 900 USD
    Single room supplement: 170 USD

  • Inclusions

    Second class tickets with bullet train Beijing-Xi'an-Beijing
    2 nights’ accommodation at Grand Dynasty Hotel – 3 star
    Terracotta Army sightseeing incl. entrance fee and transportation
    Tang Dynasty dancing show
    Meals according to itinerary
    Albatros tour leader

  • Exclusions

    Beverages
    Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
    Personal expenses
    Travel and health insurance
    Anything not mentioned under “Inclusions”

  • Post-night

    It is possible to book an extra night in Xian if you wish to spend more time exploring the city. Transfer to the train station will still be arranged just as the return train ticket will be extended with a day.

    Price pr. person in shared double room: USD 140
    Single room supplement: USD 85
    Price incl. breakfast.

  • First Class ticket

    It is possible to request a first class train ticket. Please email us if you wish to travel first class and we will confirm if available.

    Price to upgrade to First Class for both train rides: USD 150

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Avatar Mountains

20-25 May | 6 days | 1 790 USD
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  • 20 May: Beijing - Zhangjiajie

    In the afternoon, we will begin the next chapter of your journey through China with an evening flight from Beijing to Zhangjiajie in China’s Hunan province. Upon arrival in Zhangjiajie, we will drive directly our 4-star hotel for check-in.

    Meals: Breakfast

  • 21 May: Day of Sightseeing & National Forest

    After a good night’s sleep and an early breakfast, we will enjoy a full day of sightseeing in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. Also known as the first national forest park in China, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s unique landscape inspired the floating "Hallelujah Mountains" of Pandora in James Cameron’s award-winning movie, Avatar.

    The day’s excursion will begin with a cable car ride, which will transport us from Zhangjiajie City up into the National Forest, where you will truly capture a bird’s-eye view of the stunning scenery.

    The National Park is home to a varied landscape, including sandstone formations, limestone caves and subtropical and temperate forest. Nestled beneath the towering peaks, the numerous ravines, gorges, and caves, as well as wandering streams, waterfalls and pools provide a home for verdant, leafy vegetation and some endangered plant and animal species. Be on the lookout - you might event spot birds, salamanders and curious monkey hanging nearby!

    One of today’s highpoints (literally!) will be Zhangjiajie National Forest Park’s gigantic, rugged quartz-sandstone monoliths, which stand tall in stark contrast to the lush tufts of dense, green foliage that adorns them. These narrow peaks rise from the valley floor, creating a beautiful and mystical landscape that appears to hang suspended amid the misty clouds.  Of the thousands of pillars dotting the skyline, we’ll be sure to set our sights on the colossal 1,080-foot (3,544-foot) high “Southern Sky Column”, otherwise known as “Avatar Hallelujah Mountain”. For the geologically curious, the narrow pinnacles of these unique geological formations have been shaped over eons due to erosion by the elements, changes in temperature and the growth of vegetation. 

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner 

  • 22 May: Tianmen Mountain & Cave

    On day 3 of our visit in Zhangjiajie, we will be picked up from our hotel for a brief drive to Tianmen Mountain and the world’s highest naturally formed cave, Tianmen Cave. For those not afraid of heights, it is possible to book a ticket to the Glass Stack Road - a narrow path of glass floor built into the vertical cliffside of Tianmen Mountain. Talk about adrenalin rush!

    Tianmen Mountain is also famous for its unique natural wonder, Tianmen Cave, a door-like cave or “Heaven’s Gate Cave” that formed in ancient times following the collapse of a rock precipice. This area is known for its rich Chinese culture… To reach the cave, one must climb up 999 steps, known as “Heaven’s Stairway”. Surely not a coincidence, the number nine in Chinese numerology is considered a positive number because its pronunciation sounds like the word meaning “eternity” or “everlasting”. It’s a tiresome climb that will take about 30 minutes, but the views are spectacular and well-worth the effort.
    On the way back, we will stop at a local market. Following dinner, we will drive approximately 3 hours to the old town of Fenghuang, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, and will check-in to our 4-star hotel.

    “Ancient Fenghuang Town” is known for its classic architecture with antiquated stone streets, glowing rice paper lanterns, local minority people outfitted in ethnic attire beautiful riverside buildings and the traditional bridges that arch across Tuojiang River. Part of this town’s charm is the local people’s enduring relationship with the river- they live by it and rely upon it, much as they have for centuries.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • 23 May: Dehang Miao Minority Village

    We will visit the Dehang Miao Minority Village, explore its marvelous mountain scenery and learn more about one of China’s most colorful ethnic tribes. In the local language, “Dehang” means “beautiful valley” and the site of this village is precisely that – a beautiful, lush green valley situated below steep cliffs.

    Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • 24 May: Changsa

    The morning is yours to enjoy at your own pace. Upon checking out of our hotel, we will head to the Huaihua Railway station and take the bullet train to the city of Changsa. Upon our arrival in the late afternoon, we will visit the Mawangdui Museum - also known as the "Oriental Pompeii". Afterwards, we will check-in to our 4-star hotel.

    The evening will begin with a classic Hunan Cuisine dinner, followed by a visit to the local night food market.

    Meals: Breakfast and dinner

  • 25 May: Beijing

    After an early breakfast, we will head to the airport for our flight to Beijing. We expect to arrive in Beijing before noon.

    If you are leaving China from Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), you should not book your flight earlier than 16:00. If your flight out of China is also today, but from Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX), you should not book any flight departing earlier than 19:00.

    Meals: Breakfast

  • Price information

    Shared double room: 1790 USD
    Single room supplement: 300 USD

    Glass Stack Road entry: 65 USD

  • Inclusions

    Domestic flights: Beijing-Zhangjiajie one-way and Changsa-Beijing one-way
    Second class train ticket Huaihua-Changsa one-way
    5 nights’ accommodation according to itinerary
    Sightseeing according to itinerary incl. entrance fees
    Transportation according to itinerary
    Meals according to itinerary
    Albatros Tour Leader
     

  • Exclusions

    Beverages
    Meals not mentioned in the itinerary
    Glass Stack Road entry
    Personal expenses
    Travel and health insurance
    Anything not mentioned under “Inclusions”

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Price information

Have a look at package prices below. Please note that prices include the race package.

Price information

Below package prices are inclusive of the race entry.

6-day Itinerary - 15 to 20 May 2024

All prices per person

Hotel rating Shared double/twin Single room supplement Extra night - shared double/twin Extra night - single room supplement
Standard, Central           1695 USD +350 USD 80 USD +80 USD
Comfort, Central 1950 USD +400 USD 110 USD +110 USD
Deluxe, Central 2175 USD +580 USD 175 USD +175 USD

 

Optionals for the 6-day package Date Price per person
Qing tombs 17 May 100 USD
City of Emperors - Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven & more 19 May 85 USD
City of People - Giant Panda, Summer Palace & more 19 May 85 USD
Departure transfer 20 May 65 USD

Kindly note, excursions can be purchased at the time of booking, or later by contacting us via email. The deadline for adding excursions to your travel is 18 April 2024. It is not possible to participate in both the City of Emperors and City of People excursions.

Price includes

  • 5-nights accommodation
  • Transfer from airport to hotel on set transfer times as advised under Important information
  • Meals as stated in the itinerary
  • Transportation as per itinerary
  • The Great Wall Marathon race package which includes: start number, bib chip timing, running T-shirt, supplies on route, English speaking medical team from Denmark and finisher certificate. For more information, see Race Info.
  • Comprehensive information packet and guide book for the Great Wall Marathon event which includes detailed maps and day-by-day descriptions.

Price excludes

  • Flights
  • Visa for China
  • Departure transfer to airport (can be purchased separately)
  • Optional tours (must be booked in advance)
  • Travel insurance
  • Meals not stated in the itinerary
  • Beverages
  • Personal expenses
  • Anything not mentioned under 'Inclusions'

Registration deadlines

Registration for the 2024 Great Wall Marathon closes on 18 April 2024.
After this date, no new entries will be accepted.
We advise you, however, to book early to avoid disappointment. Some packages sell-out well in advance of the regular registration period.

If you sign up after 19 March 2024, a late registration fee of 150 USD will be applied to each person on your booking. In addition, the full amount (ie. not just the deposit) must be paid to complete the booking.

Important Info

We've put together a list of important information about travel in China. Have a look below.

Visa information

Almost all non-Chinese nationals will need a visa to enter China. There are different categories and you will most likely need a tourist visa (L). Please contact your local Chinese embassy or consulate for more information. The procedure normally requires submitting a visa application form, paying a fee, and providing the Chinese authorities with a service voucher from the Great Wall Marathon containing hotel information and dates.

6-8 weeks prior to the race you will receive the service voucher which you can use for acquiring a visa. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Please note that your passport must be valid for at least six months after entry.

Transfers

The following arrival transfer times to Jizhou, Tianjin are included in the package price:
07:00, 09:00, 11:00, 13:00, 15:00, 17:00, 19:00, 21:00, 23:00
It is possible to purchase a private transfer if your plane arrive later than 22:00 (minimum 1 hour should be estimated to get through immigration and customs) or do not want to wait in the arrivals hall for the set transfers.

To make sure everybody have room on the transfers you must provide us with your arrival flight details no later then 4 weeks prior to your arrival.
If you arrive to Beijing before 15 May and/or by other means of transportation than flight it is your own responsibility to make it back to PEK or PKX to catch the set transfers to Jizhou, Tianjin, but again we need to know which transfer you then want to go on.

Transfer time from PEK to Jizhou, Tianjin is approximately 2 hours while an extra hour should be calculated when arriving to PKX.

There will be Great Wall Marathon representatives in the arrivals hall during the set transfer time hours to welcome you and show you to the bus.

Departure transfers are not included in the package and can be booked separately. The optional departure transfer only goes to Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX). If you would like to add a departure transfer to your reservation, please select this option on the booking form and let us know your departure flight details.

Room options

If you are a single traveler and choose a shared double room when booking, we will pair you with another traveler of the same gender. If you prefer to have your own room, choose single room. A single room supplement will apply.

Payment

Please note that if you register more than 75 days prior to departure, you will be charged an initial 25% of the total price and the remaining 75% will be deducted from your credit card 75 days prior to departure. If you register less than 75 days to departure, the full amount will be charged.

Take notice than when booking online you accept that we, via ePay, can withdraw the full amount automatically from your credit card, so while it looks as the full amount is credited right away, we will only withdraw the 25% deposit unless your booking is placed less than 75 days before the tour starts.

Travelling to Beijing

Participants must book their flight into Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) or Beijing Daxing Airport (PKX) with arrival no later than the day your tour starts (15 May 2024). See under transfers for information on how to get to your hotel.

Your departure from China can be arranged as you prefer, but kindly note that the optional departure transfer only goes to Beijing Capital Airport or Beijing Daxing Airport.

Book this package

You will be taken to our booking site where you can complete your booking.