Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Expect to make a few trips up to the north to walk on the Great Wall, for your own sightseeing, or to
play tour guide for relatives or friends who visit.
Perhaps one of the one of the most interesting stretches of the Great Wall is between
Simatai and Jinshanling. Not recommended for the middle of winter, it's magnificent at al-
most any other time of year. This section of the wall is a lot farther out, requiring a three-
hour drive to get there, and has some steep, challenging climbs. Those with vertigo or phys-
ical limitations might want to think twice about taking the hike between these two sec-
tions. You can organize the day for yourself, but there are also tour groups around town
that run hikes that are well worth the money. One of the best is managed by the Beijing
Downtown Backpackers (
www.backpackingchina.com
)
. Book a few days in advance to
secure your place. Other tours worth investigating include those run by Beijing Hikers
(
www.beijinghikers.com
)
and the China Culture Center (
www.chinaculturecenter.org
)
.
Day 11
For today we investigate the neighborhood surrounding Ritan Park, defined roughly by the
square created by the intersection of Lines 1, 2, 6, and 10. You're really in the thick of it
within this sector. There is an intense concentration of business, housing, and lifestyle ven-
ues to be found here. It's one of the major diplomatic areas, with some excellent shopping
options and even an outdoor climbing wall in the picturesque Ritan Park.
