Great Wall Marathon, Half & 8.5K 2024

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

Arrive at Beijing International Airport (PEK) between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  Scheduled transfers to The Kempinski Hotel will be provided during these times.  Additional transfers can be booked on request. 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 course.  It is very important to familiarize yourself with that specific section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may participate in this strenuous walk (good physical condition is required). (breakfast and lunch included)

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

RACE DAY!  It will be an early morning departure for the Great Wall Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 8.5K fun run.  A boxed breakfast will be provided upon departure and a lunch from Subway is 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. We will walk through the square from the south to the north, passing Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum.  Next is 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 1900’s. 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 to the hotel.  The group will tour the enormous Ming Dynasty city wall and then have a guided walking tour through the Muslim quarter of Old Town. This afternoon check-in to the Hilton Xi’an. Please note that lunch today is on the plane. Tonight, we enjoy the famous dumpling banquet at Defachang’s.  (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast we will visit the famous life-sized Terra Cotta Warriors who have been guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi for 2,000 years and the Horse Museum. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and then enjoy the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show where actors will take you back in time to an era when Xi’an, then Chang’an, was 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 specialty, 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. After boarding the cruise ship Century Victory, you will enjoy an delicious dinner buffet. Our ship will depart port around 10:00 PM. (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. Optional Evening show “The War Fire of Three Kingdoms” (sign up in advance for additional cost) (breakfast, lunch and dinner included). 

As we continue down the Yangtze River, we will see more dramatic landscapes carved by the mighty Yangtze River. An 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 & 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 Portman Ritz Carlton. (breakfast, lunch & snack on plane included)

After breakfast today, we will visit the Shanghai Urban Planning Exhibition Center, located in the People’s Square where you will see a large-scale model of the entirety of urban Shanghai.  Afterwards, visit old town and Yu Yuan Garden, which dates back to 1559 and is known as the “Garden of Happiness”.  Enjoy a dim sum lunch and visit the Bund/Waterfront followed by a visit to the French Concession and Xintiandi with your guide before returning to the hotel. (Breakfast & lunch included)

After breakfast, enjoy the day at your leisure or take part in the optional half-day tour to Zhujiajiao Ancient Town from Shanghai.  This tour includes a boat ride and lunch. We will enjoy a farewell group dinner at a local restaurant and recount our adventure over local food & wine. (Breakfast, lunch & dinner included)

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

Arrive at Beijing International Airport (PEK) between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  Scheduled transfers to The Kempinski Hotel will be provided during these times.  Additional transfers can be booked on request. 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 course.  It is very important to familiarize yourself with that specific section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may participate in this strenuous walk (good physical condition is required. (breakfast and lunch included)

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

RACE DAY!  It will be an early morning departure for the Great Wall Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 8.5K fun run.  A boxed breakfast will be provided upon departure and a lunch from Subway is 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 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 is 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 1900’s. 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 to the hotel.  The group will tour the enormous Ming Dynasty city wall and then have a guided walking tour through the Muslim quarter of Old Town. This afternoon check-in to the Hilton Xi’an. Please note that lunch today is on the plane. Tonight, we enjoy the famous dumpling banquet at Defachang’s.  (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

After breakfast we will visit the famous life-sized Terra Cotta Warriors who have been guarding the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi for 2,000 years and the Horse Museum. We will have lunch at a local restaurant and then enjoy the Tang Dynasty Dinner Show where actors will take you back in time to an era when Xi’an, then Chang’an, was 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 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.  Scheduled transfers to The Kempinski Hotel will be provided during these times.  Additional transfers can be booked on request. 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 course.  It is very important to familiarize yourself with that specific section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners may participate in this strenuous walk (good physical condition is required. (breakfast and lunch included)

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

RACE DAY!  It will be an early morning departure for the Great Wall Marathon, Half-Marathon, and 8.5K fun run.  A boxed breakfast will be provided upon departure and a lunch from Subway is 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. We will walk through the square from the south to the north, passing Chairman Mao’s Mausoleum.  Next is the Imperial Palace and the Forbidden City, one of China’s architectural masterpieces.  This was forbidden to the common people until the early 1900’s. 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 visit the Temple of Heaven, a tea house, and Lama Temple with lunch enjoyed at a local restaurant.  We return to the hotel briefly before departing for a Peking Duck dinner and Chinese acrobat show. (breakfast, lunch and dinner included)

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

Arrive to Beijing Capital (PEK) or Beijing Daxing (PKX) airport.  Shuttle buses to Jizhou, Tianjin will run at set transfer times (starting at 7:00 AM every 2 hours with last transfer departing at 11:00 PM). If you are unable to book a flight that matches the set transfers, individual transfers can be purchased.  Albatros 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 to explore Jizhou (formally Jixian). No meals are included today.

After breakfast we will depart to the Great Wall for a mandatory inspection of the on-Wall route. Race officials and medical staff will be present to answer any questions you may have.  The drive is approximately one hour, and a box breakfast will be provided.  All runners must walk the 3.5 km of the wall, which is part of the Great Wall Marathon course.  It is very important to familiarize yourself with that specific section to take proper precautions and incorporate it into your race strategy. Non-runners are welcome to participate in this walk (good physical condition is required for this strenuous walk). We will return to Jixian around 5:00 PM.  The rest of the evening is free to enjoy at your leisure. (breakfast & sandwich lunch included)

Today is yours to enjoy before your race tomorrow. Take in the local atmosphere of Jizhou, Tianjin, or go on the optional excursion that takes visitors to Qing Dynasty Tombs. Covering an enormous area and housing five of China’s emperors, 14 empresses and 136 concubines, the Qing tombs are more impressive than the famous Ming dynasty graves but are visited by relatively few.  Lunch is included in this optional tour ($100/pp purchased in advance). (breakfast included)

Today is the big day! After an early breakfast we will leave Jizhou at 5:00 AM.  You must check out of your hotel room in Jizhou as we will leave for Beijing after the race. The race starts at 7:30 AM. Sandwich lunches will be provided for everyone after the race as well as a 20-minute massage. Buses will take runners back to Beijing between 12:00 PM and 4:30 PM. Enjoy the evening on your own.  (boxed breakfast and sandwich lunch included)

Today is your recovery day!  Sleep in, relax or do a bit of shopping in the Silk Market. You may choose one of the two optional excursions (must be booked in advance): the Summer Palace Tour ($95 per person and includes lunch) includes a visit the Beijing Zoo (giant panda exhibit only), the Summer Palace and a pearl exhibition hall just outside the palace.  Or visit the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square and the Temple of Heaven ($90 per person including lunch) which will showcase classic Beijing highlights. In the evening, all participants will be picked up at their hotels and taken to the Gala Dinner venue.  (breakfast and dinner included)