Home > Cycling > 11-Day Beijing Cycling & Hiking Exploration Trip
TRIP OVERVIEW
Cycling in Beijing can be a fantastic experience! Mountains on three sides of the city trap Beijing's notorious air, but drive over the first mountain range and cycling heaven awaits—so too does better air and blue skies. Out here, high above the city, lies thousands of kilometres of quiet, snaking mountain roads to rival the best cycling destinations in the world.
Don't believe us? Come and give it a go. We promise you'll be totally blown away!
We've been riding these roads for 10 years and this 4-day, hotel-to-hotel trip explores the best Beijing has to offer. Expect stunning scenery, big climbs, adventurous back roads and of course, coffee stops and some great local restaurants.
Beside five days cycling tour, the other 2 days tour will show you an authentic Beijing, an authentic China. As one of China's four ancient capitals, with its profound history of 3000 years and 20 million people, covering 16,808 square kilometers in area, Beijing is the cultural, political, and historical center of China. It is widely considered to be one of the most magnificent cities in the world. Let's share a journey of exploration which will ultimately invest in your life story!
Note: All the time and distance etc shown below are approximate and indicative only, if there is inconsistency, it will depend on the weather, local road conditions and other actual situations. Besides, the duration might be revised according to your physical level.
Quick Inquiry
(B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner)
DAY 01  Arrive in Beijing (D)
Meet you at the Capital Airport then take you to hotel for rest. In the late afternoon, we will verify our equipment and welcome dinner will be followed. (We could also make changes of today's arrangements according to the group's flight schedule, as we think you need to adjust to the Jet Lag.)

Overnight at a 4 star hotel in Beijing

DAY 02  City exploration: Temple of Heaven –Forbidden city (BLD)

Cycling Distance:35 kilometers
Route: Hotel- Beijing City Wall Relics- Temple of Heaven- National Centre for the Performing Arts- Tiananmen Sauare- Forbidden city- Jingshan Park- Houhai- Drum Tower – Nanluoguxiang - Hotel
Summary:It is a great chance to explore Beijing from former imperial residence to modern hutong life

Meet your guide at the hotel to start today's bicycle tour. Riding a bicycle with your English speaking guide along the middle axis of Beijing. We will first take a quick trip down to Beijing City Wall Relics, most parts of the wall have collapsed or been destroyed. Then cycle to the Temple of Heaven where the God of Heaven was worshipped by the Ming and Qing Emperors, park the bikes and walk in, go to see the local people doing their morning exercises Tai Chi in Temple of Heaven and visit the temple of heaven.
After visit, get on the bike and head westward along Changan Avenue to get a glance of the National Centre for the Performing Arts. Then cycle to Tian An Men Square to the Chinese "White House" (which is, of course, RED) and along the moat to the Fobidden City, cyclers can stop here and walk into the huge Palace preserved well and completely. You could also choose to walk into Jingshan Park, climb the hill in the center of the park, where you can catch a remarkable view of the Forbidden City.
Journey on to old hutongs namely lanes where we see traditional lifestyle of old Beijing, Like Houhai Lake, a part of Shichahai Lake, man-made city lake built in Yuan Dynasty in 12th century; Drum Tower and Bell Tower, both time-telling structures built in Ming Dynasty; We will also have a chance to visit a local market, located in the far-end of hutong where local residents buy their daily use stuff, fresh vegetables and other food there.
Onward to Nanluogu Lane, one of the oldest Hutong in Beijing. There are numerous of restaurants, small shops and bars along the hutong.
After the tour, turn back to the hotel.

Overnight at a 4 star hotel in Beijing

DAY 03  Lama Temple –Temple of Earth - Olympic village- 798 Art District (BLD)

Cycling Distance:41 kilometers
Route: Hotel- Lama Temple- Temple of Earth- Bird's Nest- the Water Cube – 798- Hotel
Summary:Cycle on the trail of the Beijing Olympics and cycle for Fashion and Art

Cycle along the Hutongs to Olympic Park, stop here and buy a ticket to one of Beiing's best public parks, home to the Temple of Earth. Before you hit the north fourth ring road, head northward along Heping West Street several kilometers. Bike northward until you see the unmissable site of the 2008 Summer Olympics. The Bird Nest and Water Cube stadiums are still as impressive as it was originally built. Head north until you reach Olympic Forest Park. Here, you'll find local serious bikers, who meet at nights to bike laps on the open road.
Afterwards, proceed to your last destination, 798 Art District. 798 Art Factory, also called 798 Art District or Dashanzi Art District, was once an electronic equipment factory built by German architects in the Bauhaus style in the early 1950's. Now it is a new rising, avant-garde and trendy space that hosts high-level cultural, artistic, and commercial activities, which can hold more than 1,000 guests at a time. As a modern multi-functional region, 798 has large exhibition area, places for entertainment and dining, book shops for contemporary art, cinema and theater.
At the end of the tour, cycle back to the hotel.

Overnight at a 4 star hotel in Beijing

DAY 04  Beijing - Miyun Reservoir – Gubei Water Town (BLD)

Cycling Distance:80-100 kilometers
Cumulative Climbing: 318m

Our guide will meet you at the hotel at 08:00, drive to today's hiking start point, check bikes and grab a coffee before heading out for some rolling hills around the Miyun Reservoir to freshen the legs up. Today's ride is a short one but can be extended if time permits. The end point of today's ride is Gubei Watertown at the bottom of Simatai Great Wall. Check-in the comfortable traditional style room in the Watertown. Tonight you will be treated with a great dinner.
Mandarin Duck Lake lies at the foot of the wall, with a water town by the lake. Located in North Beijing's suburban Miyun county, Gubei Watertown is a newly developed tourist destination combining mountains, lakes, ancient-style villages and luxury five-star hotels. Travelers can experience at the same time the beauty of the water town as well as the grand Great Wall. A replica of Wuzhen Watertown in East China's Zhejiang province, Gubei Watertown makes a great destination where people can tour by boat when the weather is warm. When the lakes are frozen in winter, Gubei Watertown offers a different kind of charm at the foot of Simatai Great Wall. Besides sightseeing, visitors can experience unique local customs and participate in native activities.

Overnight at a boutique guesthouse in Gubei Watertown

DAY 05  Great wall hiking: Gubeikou to Jinshanling (BLD)

Hiking Distance:10 kilometers
Cumulative Climbing of the hike: 659m

In the morning, take a short drive to Gubeikou section of the Great Wall, have a short visit of Gubeikou village first, then we will hike from Gubeikou to Jinshanling Great Wall and enjoy the breathtaking views with a relatively peaceful hike. Partway along the hike, we will slowly up to the 24-Eyes Tower, the tallest in the area. It's named as such because it was built with six windows on each sides. the panoramic view is wonderful. If the weather is clear, we will be able to see all the way down to the southwest to the Miyun reservoir and the Wangjing Tower in the Simatai Section. From here it's theoretically possible to follow the wall all the way to Jinshanling. However, please be aware that a portion of the Gubeikou Great Wall lies in the middle of a military base and is thus forbidden to all non-military personnel. In order to get around this forbidden area, we will disembark the wall and walk around this restricted zone and then hike back onto the Jinshanling Great Wall where it is open to the public, heading to the east. At the end of the hike, take a short drive back to Gubei Water Town. Leisure in the evening.

Overnight at a boutique guesthouse in Gubei Watertown

DAY 06   Gubei Watertown (BLD)
Today is left free for us either to climb to the top of Simatai Great Wall for the panoramic view of the whole area, or to explore the Watertown and take part in some culture activities(e.g. learining tie-dye, kite painting, need to be booked ahead of time).
The Gubeikou Great Wall was built along the precipitous mountain ranges, rising and falling at various sections. Simatai, built on a cliff, is extremely steep. A famous Great Wall specialist said: "The Great Wall is the best of Chinese architecture, and Simatai is the best of the Great Wall."
The Simatai Great Wall is not only recognised as the World Culture Heritage Sites by UNESCO, but also the No. 1 site on the list of the "must-see-in-your-life-time" by The Times. This section was constructed under the supervision of Qi Jiguang, a famous general in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It stretches 3.4 miles (5.4 kilometers), and is separated into eastern part and western part by Mandarin Duck Lake. This section has 34 beacon towers, with 18 of them in the western part and 16 in the east. They are relatively close to each other, with the average distance apart about 460 feet (140 meters). Presently, only the eastern part from No. 1 Tower to No. 10 Tower has been restored and officially opened.

Overnight at a boutique guesthouse in Gubei Watertown

DAY 07  Gubei Watertown-Huairou (BLD)

Cycling Distance:124 kilometers
Cumulative Climbing: 2580m

Today's route takes in some of the most beautiful geography Beijing has to offer. We'll ride up through the spectacular Baihe Valley, known among local Beijing riders as the "100km natural art gallery" for its incredible views. We'll follow a perfect, smooth and virtually carless road that snakes its way up the white cliffs lining the valley, before finishing off in Huairou for a well-earned feast at one of Beijing's best loved eateries, specialising in Sichuan food.

Overnight at a local guest house

DAY 08  Huairou to Yanqing (BLD)

Distance:112 kilometers
Cumulative Climbing: 1400m

Today's roads were raced each year during the UCI Tour of Beijing. We will tackle one of Beijing's biggest climbs - the mighty Sihai mountain - and take in a few back roads where you'll be lucky to catch a glimpse of car. We'll stop mid-ride for lunch and a walk on the Great Wall. Don't forget your camera.

Overnight at a nice hotel in Yanqing

DAY 09  Yangbiancheng Great Wall to Dayingpan (BLD)

7km/4hrs hiking; the maximum elevation: 1,297m;

This is a great hike combine the best preserved Great Wall with fantastic mountain views and the countryside field with tiny villages. Located in the mountain near Miaogang village, Yangbian Great Wall is also called the Miaogang Great Wall. We will start the hike from Miaogang village. Get out of the village we will climb slowly along the abandoned country road up the mountain to the Yangbian Great Wall. Compared to the Great Wall around Beijing, Yangbian is comparatively "wild." It was built using stones and rocks in irregular shapes from the mountainside. After hundreds of years though, some parts of the Wall are broken, by both the weather and people who needed stones to build houses. We have time to take in the intriguing rock formations of the wall before trekking to view a huge dilapidated water gate. We stop for some lunch before continuing in the afternoon trekking through canyons and then up the country field until we arrive at a very small village called "Dayingpan". Here we have a chance to meet some of the local villagers before trekking down the mountain to meet our bus. Back to the hotel.

Overnight at a nice hotel in Yanqing

DAY 10  Yanqing to Changping (BLD)

Cycling distance:130-160 kilometers
Cumulative Climbing: 1586m

Today is adventure day. We take you through a maze of tiny back roads and long forgotten climbs. Cars don't travel here much, but plenty of riders do. See if you can match Beijing's best climbers on the short climbs we tackle today. We finish off with a celebratory dinner in Beijing.

Overnight at a 4 star hotel in Beijing

DAY 11 Beijing/Home (BLD)
We will transfer to Beijing International Airport for your return international flights.
-The end of tour-

Please Note: While we plan to follow the itinerary as much as possible, weather, trail conditions, river crossings, and other circumstances may force us to alter the itinerary in this remote and relatively untraveled region.
The tour cost includes
  • Meals daily as listed in the itinerary, picnic lunches in remote area if required.
  • Service of English-speaking guide.
  • Scenic spots admission fee; Nature Reserve Protection fee and/ or camping permit fee (inside nature reserve) if required.
  • Accommodation: double-occupancy in 4 star hotel in big city, and the best hotel in small cities or counties, clean guest house/hostel/or home-stay in villages as clarified in the itinerary; camping in non-residential area as mentioned in the itinerary(tent and mattress).
  • One bike for each and supportive vehicles as required(For tours in the mountainous area like Yunnan, Qinghai, Tibet, etc. we strongly suggest the participant bring your own mountainous bike with you).
  • All domestic flights/trains/local airport taxes if there is in the itinerary.
The tour cost does not include
  • Personal travel accident insurance.
  • The fee of rescuing for any accident, including but not limited:
    a. Asking the help from the international SOS;
    b. Transfer service and amending fee, if the bike is seriously damaged.
    c. While repairing the bike, the rental fee must be paid.
    d. Any others.
  • The medicine for the sickness or accident while on the way.
  • Transfer, guide, entrance tickets, and meals in your free time.
  • Sleeping bag if camping.
  • Photography charges at monasteries/palaces/sites.
  • Chinese visa fees; Excess baggage charged by Airlines; Single room supplement; Tips to guides and drivers.
  • Domestic or/and international flights and related airport taxes not listed.
  • The extra cost due to the unforeseen events or weather; supplementary trips and services not mentioned, and personal expenses and the items don't listed in the "The tour cost includes" column.
Cancellation and Refund Policy for Tours Reservation
Cancellation in advance Cancellation penalty
More than 30 days No Cancellation Fee
30-10 days 50% of the full payment
9-0 days or no show 100% of the full payment
  • Once you confirm the trip, the quotation in RMB is fixed (subject to the items above). However, as exchange rates may continue to fluctuate, we reserve the right to modify the price quoted in USD to match the original RMB quotation, when you pay.
  • Reservation should be made at least ONE MONTH before departure time.
  • The train and flight schedules are presented according to time-tables available at time of publication; they are subject to change according to any new schedule, and we reserve the right to choose alternate flights.
  • Prices may be somewhat higher if tour dates fall on public holidays (including, but not limited to, Chinese National Day Sep. 30th -Oct.8th , Or other Special Festival time).
  • The quotation is based on the present domestic air fare and discounts available; we reserve the right to modify the price according to the airline's policy.
  • If you prefer to have a single room, you are expected to pay the single supplement.
  • This is a tentative itinerary, the really itinerary and hotel/hostel maybe different from the itinerary. For the enjoyment of your trip a "go with the flow" attitude is necessary. Many factors will influence your trip, such as weather conditions, health, route conditions, etc. Please prepare two days more as "cushion" day in case of delays in travel due to unforeseen events.
  • The part of the area we will visit has not been well developed like Beijing and Shanghai. While it is good to enjoy the well protected nature view and experience unique primitive folk customs, we should prepare for that even the star hotel is not so good and though we will try our best, the food may not be so delicate and various.
  • Very important: When you are planning to do mountain biking, you acknowledge that there are risks involved in this sport and confirm that you are fully aware of and accept these risks. You may or may not be required to sign a separate acknowledgement and acceptance of personal liability by the local supplier before being allowed to do cycling. And if you are not allowed to participate because you refuse to sign, you will have no claim against CSH or the supplier and will not be entitled to any refund or compensation.
  • The participants we are looking for: HEALTHY!!! able to cycle for over 6 hours a day; prepared to cross high altitude passes and over difficult terrain in remote areas; experienced in mountainous area riding (with many bends, turns, and possibly switchbacks); excellent physical condition required with a positive attitude and a strong determination; previous hiking experience preferred. Please keep in mind that this is a general guide only. A variety of factors, including weather, may add to the challenge.
  • This is a tentative itinerary, the final itinerary and hotel/hostel may vary considerably from the itinerary. For the enjoyment of your trip, a "go with the flow" attitude is necessary. Many factors will influence the trip, such as weather conditions, health, route conditions, etc. Please allow one extra days as "cushion" days in case of delays in travel due to unforeseen events.
  • Regardless of your previous high-altitude experience, it is crucial that you be self-confident, superbly fit, committed, and determined at the outset of the expedition and possess the necessary stamina and experience to be a contributing player in the excursion.
  • Biking Gear suggested: Wind/waterproof coat, Hip pad, kneepad, gorro, helmet, Headlight, towel, sun block, glove, shoes for cycling etc.
  • While you will most-certainly enjoy the fantastic views offered with this exciting biking adventure, there will also be unexpected encounters with other vehicular traffic, especially big trucks making wide turns, so you should ride very carefully in these places.
  • Many tourists have an uncomfortable feeling in the high-plateau areas, generally headaches and being out-of-breath; don't be worried about it and you will adapt to the altitude in 2-3 days.
  • To counter altitude-sickness in the high plateaus, be sure to take extra rest and try to avoid arriving with a cold. Although extra oxygen will be available for those who need to stop and take an extra breath or so, any quantity brought along will be limited, and cyclists cannot be dependent on its availability.
  • Please be respectful of local customs and religion while you are in any area of a minority people; pay attention to any instructions given by the local guide and cooperate with him/her.
  • Please be aware not to expect/order the meat of dog, horse, mule, pig, or donkey, all of which are forbidden in Tibetan areas; eating the meat of any animal slaughtered without proper religious supervision is also forbidden.
  • It's not allowed to watch the Tibetan sky burial without their permission.
  • To be polite, it is expected that you finish any beverage served to you in a cup, upon being greeted by a Tibetan; if you cannot finish the drink, please politely beg their pardon.
  • When greeted by a Tibetan who puts a silk scarf around your neck as a present, leave it on – do not immediately take it off.
  • There are some special taboos in Muslim area, such as exposed skin, head coverings, and proper conduct in mosques – listen to the guide.
  • It's prohibited to drink or to smoke in any Tibetan Monastery.
  • Check with the guide regarding taking photographs; it's forbidden to take any photos in a monastery without permission, although you may be allowed to "buy" permission. Always ask permission before taking a photo of monks or women, regardless of where they are.