Great Wall Marathon, Half & 8.5K

(Please note: This package is not hosted by Marathon Tours & Travel staff)

Arrive at Beijing International Airport (PEK) at your convenience and make your own way to the JW Marriott hotel in Beijing. Transfer to the hotel is not included, but taxi and shuttle details will be provided before your travel. Enjoy your first evening in Beijing at leisure.

(No meals included today)

Following an early breakfast, check out of the Beijing hotel and transfer to the Great Wall for a mandatory inspection of the on-Wall route. Both runners and spectators will visit the Great Wall and receive race details. All runners must walk the 3.5 km section of the Wall, which forms part of the Great Wall Marathon 2025 course. It is crucial to familiarise yourself with this section to incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may participate in this strenuous walk, though good physical condition is required. After the race briefing, your tour leader will arrange a transfer to your hotel in Jizhou, located 45-60 minutes from Huangyaguan Great Wall, where you will spend the next two nights.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

Today is yours to enjoy at your own pace before tomorrow’s race. Explore the local atmosphere of Jizhou, Tianjin, or join the optional excursion to the Qing Dynasty Tombs. These impressive tombs house five of China’s emperors, 14 empresses, and 136 concubines, covering an enormous area. Despite being more impressive than the Ming Dynasty graves, the Qing tombs are less frequently visited. Lunch is included with the optional tour.

(£130 per person, booked in advance)

(Breakfast and dinner included – lunch is included with the Qing Tombs tour)

Race day has arrived! After an early breakfast, depart from Jizhou at 05:00AM. You must check out of your hotel room as we will return to Beijing after the race. The race begins at 07:30AM. After the race, enjoy a sandwich lunch and a 20-minute massage. Buses will transport runners back to Beijing between 12:00PM and 16:30PM. Check into your hotel and relax with your fellow runners for the evening.

(Boxed breakfast and sandwich lunch included)

Today is your recovery day! Sleep in, relax, or explore the Silk Market for some shopping. You may choose from two optional excursions (must be booked in advance):

• The “City of Emperors” tour takes you to the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, and the Silk Exhibition Hall (£115 per person, lunch included)
• Alternatively, the “City of People” tour (£95 per person, lunch included) offers a traditional Mongolian hot pot lunch following a rickshaw tour through Beijing’s historic hutongs. In the evening, all participants will be collected from their hotels for the Gala Dinner.

(Breakfast and dinner included – lunch included on optional tours)

After breakfast, we will travel to the Great Wall for a mandatory inspection of the on-Wall route. Both runners and spectators will visit the Great Wall and receive race details. All runners must walk the 3.5 km section of the wall that is part of the Great Wall Marathon 2025 course. It is essential to familiarise yourself with this section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may also participate in this strenuous walk (a good level of physical fitness is required)

(Breakfast and lunch included)

This morning, enjoy a behind-the-scenes tour of Hutong, the old city of Beijing, exploring the ancient alleyways via three-wheeled bicycle rickshaws. We will then visit the Summer Palace for a tour of the man-made lake, followed by lunch and some shopping. We will return to the hotel early enough to allow you some rest before race day. Tonight, we will gather at the hotel for a pre-race pasta dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

RACE DAY! We will depart early for the Great Wall Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 8.5K fun run. A boxed breakfast will be provided upon departure, and lunch from Subway will be available after the race. You will also have the opportunity to get a massage! Tonight, dinner is at your leisure.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

After breakfast, we will take a bus to Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world. We will walk through the square from the south to the north, passing Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum. Next, we will visit the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, one of China’s architectural masterpieces. Entry to the city was forbidden to common people until the early 1900s. We will have lunch in a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the Gala Dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

After breakfast, we will check out of the hotel and transfer to Beijing Airport for a 90-minute flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by an English-speaking local representative who will coordinate the transfer and check-in at our hotel, The Hilton Xi’an. You will have time to explore local restaurants for lunch. Later in the afternoon, the group will tour the enormous Ming Dynasty city wall by bike. Built in 1370, the Xi’an City Wall spans over 13 km and is one of the best-preserved city walls of the Ming Dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD to house Buddhist texts from India, will be a stop on this half-day tour. This evening, we will enjoy a famous dumpling banquet at Defachang’s.

(Breakfast, snack on the plane, and dinner included)

After breakfast, we will visit the famous life-sized Terracotta Warriors, who have been guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi for 2,000 years, and the Horse Museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, we will return to the hotel for an afternoon at your leisure, followed by the Tang Dynasty Dinner Banquet & Show in the evening. Actors will take you back in time to an era when Xi’an, then known as Chang’an, was the capital of China.

(Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included)

(Please note: This package is hosted by Marathon Tours & Travel staff)

Arrive at Beijing International Airport (PEK) between 10:00AM and 16:00PM. Scheduled transfers to The Kempinski Hotel will be provided during these times. If your flight does not correspond to the included transfers, a private transfer can be arranged at an additional cost. This evening, enjoy a welcome cocktail reception at the hotel.

Following breakfast, we will travel to the Great Wall for a mandatory inspection of the on-Wall route. Both runners and spectators will visit the Great Wall and receive race details. All runners must walk the 3.5 km of the wall, which is part of the Great Wall Marathon 2025 course. It is essential to familiarise yourself with this section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may participate in this strenuous walk, though good physical condition is required.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

This morning, enjoy a behind-the-scenes view of Hutong, the old city of Beijing, travelling through the ancient alleyways via three-wheeled bicycle rickshaws. We then visit the Summer Palace for a tour of the man-made lake, followed by lunch and some shopping. We will return to the hotel early enough to allow for rest before race day. Tonight, we will gather at the hotel for a pre-race pasta dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

RACE DAY! We will depart early for the Great Wall Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 8.5K fun run. A boxed breakfast will be provided upon departure, and lunch from Subway will be available after the race. You will also have the opportunity to get a massage. Tonight, enjoy dinner on your own.

(Breakfast and lunch included)

After breakfast, we will take a bus to Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world, and walk through it from south to north, passing Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum. Next, we visit the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, one of China’s architectural masterpieces. Entry to the city was forbidden to the common people until the early 1900s. We will have lunch in a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for the Gala Dinner.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast, we will check out of the hotel and transfer to Beijing Airport for a 90-minute flight to Xi’an. Upon arrival, we will be greeted by an English-speaking local representative who will coordinate the transfer and check-in to The Hilton Xi’an. You will have time to find a local restaurant for lunch. Later in the afternoon, the group will tour the enormous Ming Dynasty city wall by bike. Built in 1370, the Xi’an City Wall spans over 13km and is one of the best-preserved city walls of the Ming Dynasty. The Big Wild Goose Pagoda, built in 652 AD to house Buddhist texts from India, will be a stop on this half-day tour. Tonight, we enjoy the famous dumpling banquet at Defachang’s.

(Breakfast, snack on plane and dinner included)

After breakfast, we will visit the famous life-sized Terracotta Warriors, who have guarded the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi for 2,000 years, and the Horse Museum. After lunch at a local restaurant, return to the hotel for an afternoon at leisure. In the evening, enjoy the Tang Dynasty Dinner Banquet & Show, where actors will transport you back in time to an era when Xi’an, then known as Chang’an, was the capital of China.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Chongqing. We will be greeted by our English-speaking guide and enjoy a local speciality, a hot pot lunch, before touring Chongqing and learning about the hilly city. Explore the People’s Liberation Monument Square, a well-known commercial area for food and shopping, and visit Hongya Cave, a well-preserved grouping of stilted buildings. After boarding the cruise ship Century Victory later in the afternoon, you will enjoy a delicious dinner buffet. Our ship will depart from the port around 22:00PM.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

Join us for early yoga or Tai Chi on the sunshine deck before breakfast, or sleep in. As we travel down the Yangtze River, we will see dramatic landscapes along the gorge. After breakfast, take the excursion to Fengdu Ghost City, where you will learn about the culture of ghosts and the integration of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism with Chinese traditions. A variety of onboard activities and lectures will be available in the afternoon. Optional evening show “The War Fire of Three Kingdoms” (sign up in advance for an additional cost).

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

As we continue down the Yangtze River, we will see more dramatic landscapes carved by the mighty river. Optional shore excursions can be added after breakfast, or spend the morning at your leisure. After lunch, a three-hour excursion on Shennv Stream is included. We will board smaller sampan boats for a short cruise down the gorge to see the famous hanging coffins.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast, join the shore excursion to the Three Gorges Dam Site, the largest hydro dam and water conservancy project in the world. We will disembark in Yichang after our tour, have lunch, and visit the local bungee jump site before heading to the airport for our flight to Shanghai. This evening, we check into the Conrad Shanghai.

(Breakfast, lunch and snack on plane included)

After a sumptuous breakfast buffet, you will visit the Yu Garden, a must-see in Shanghai. This classical garden, dating to 1559, is known as the “Garden of Happiness”. Enjoy a dim sum lunch and visit the Bund/Waterfront, a “living museum of building architecture” that illustrates the colonial history of the 1800s. You will find Gothic, baroque, and neoclassical architecture side by side along this stretch of 52 buildings. Finally, we visit the Shanghai Tower, the tallest building in China and the second tallest building in the world. Enjoy a spectacular view of the river and the many landmarks of Shanghai from the comfort of the observation deck. Our full-day tour is topped off with a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.

(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included)