When is the event? Saturday 21 March to Sunday 29 March 2026
Where is the event? The Great Wall of China
Who can take part? You must be 18+ to join this trek
How much does it cost? There are three payment options - see below for further details
Join Trek China to embark on an incredible journey and make a difference!
Whether you’re an experienced trekker or a first-time adventurer, this once-in-a-lifetime experience will inspire you to push your limits while supporting local hospice care.
On 21 March 2026, you’ll embark on an extraordinary journey as part of a team of fellow Trek China adventurers and fly to Beijing to begin an unforgettable expedition along the iconic Great Wall. Together with your fellow team members, you will experience breathtaking scenery, immerse yourself in China’s rich history and culture, and push your limits for local hospice care.
Over the next 7 days you will trek across historic and stunning sections of the Great Wall, from the Ming-era Gubeikou to the iconic Simatai, with daily walks ranging from 3 to 8 hours. Along the way, enjoy authentic rural China, sweeping mountain views, and stays in charming guesthouses. The journey concludes in Beijing with visits to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, before flying back home.
Read the full itinerary here.
Want to find out more about Trek China?
Make every step count for local hospice care
Embark on the adventure of a lifetime with Trek China and help make a real difference! By joining our trek, you’ll not only challenge yourself along the Great Wall but also raise vital funds for Rennie Grove Peace.
Our goal is to raise £74,000 to support families facing life-limiting illnesses. This amount could pay for a year of care from one of our specialist nurses, in our Inpatient Unit/in a patient’s home/in our Living Well programme, to provide care, support and symptom management.
There are a three payment options available for Trek China (see below), allowing you to choose a plan that suits your budget and makes your adventure more accessible.
You pay a registration fee and fundraise £4350 to cover the cost of your trip.
You pay a registration fee and a proportion of the costs of your trip and have a lower fundraising target.
£500 trip cost + £3,850 fundraising target (for example)
You pay the registration fee and pay the full amount to cover the cost of your trip, plus to aim to raise £2,175 for Rennie Grove Peace.
£2,175 trip cost + £2,175 fundraising target
Want more information about payment options?
Our Events team would be happy to discuss the options above with you and provide more details. You can email events@renniegrovepeace.org, call 01442 89 02 22 or book a Teams call by clicking here.
Register your interest for Trek China: Start your adventure today
Trek China – what can I expect?
The trek is rated moderate to challenging with steep uphill and downhill sections. You must carry a 6-7kg daypack and cover short distances that can take 6-7 hours due to hilly terrain. Daily ascents and descents range from 515m to 866m. The trek includes hilly, undulating terrain with steep sections. You’ll alternate between walking on the Great Wall (smooth, restored areas and crumbling, challenging original sections) and through countryside with grassy or dry ground.
Breakfast includes hot drinks, noodles, rice, eggs, dumplings, and fruit. Packed lunches consist of sandwiches, fruit, nuts, and snacks like Oreos. Evening meals are traditional Chinese dishes such as rice, noodles, meat, tofu, and vegetables. Bring additional snacks for the trek.
The Different Travel Company who are organising the trip, is an ATOL-bonded tour operator that specialises in overseas charity challenges and adventure holidays. The vast majority of their charity challenges include all aspects of the tour from flights and accommodation to permits and guides.
Trek China itinerary: 21 March - 29 March 2026
Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime with Trek China 2026! Over 8 unforgettable days, you’ll journey through some of the most breath taking and historic sections of the Great Wall, experience rural China’s beauty, and explore the vibrant city of Beijing.
Day 1: UK - Beijing
Depart from the UK on an overnight flight to Beijing.
Day 2: Beijing
Arrive in Beijing and check into a central 3* hotel in time for a group dinner and a briefing on the week ahead.
Day 3: Beijing to Gubeikou
After breakfast, we transfer by bus to Gubeikou (approx 3 hours). After lunch we start the trek at a leisurely pace before reaching our first guesthouse (approx 3-4 hours walking).
Day 4: Gubeikou
Departing the guesthouse this morning, we ascend to explore a spectacular section of the wall, framed by distant mountains. The wall dates from the Ming Dynasty here, and this little-visited section will be one of the highlights of your trek. We return to Gubeikou tonight (approx 7 hours walking).
Day 5: Gubeikou to Jinshanling
We set off early today to trek through cornfields and farmland for a taste of true rural China before exploring this classic section of the wall, well off the beaten track, known locally as the ‘dragon standing on the beautiful golden mountain’. With broad sweeping views, it’s easy to see how the wall resembles a dragon’s back weaving its way across the land. The views are stunning and you will have hundreds of great photographic opportunities. This evening we stay near the wall in Simitai (approx 7 hours walking).
Day 6: Jin Shan Ling to Si Ma Tai
Today’s hike takes us along a restored section of the wall, built in the 15th century, and of great military significance. We descend on a winding trail into the Miyun county of Beijing, and return to the same guesthouse in the village of Simatai for the night (approx 7-8 hours walking).
Day 7: Si Ma Tai to Beijing
After breakfast we head off for an exhilarating half-day climb below the summit of Mt Simatai, taking in two villages with stunning views of the hinterland. Unlike other sections of the wall, this area has seen little restoration and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. After lunch we transfer back to Beijing (approx 4-5 hours walking).
Day 8: Beijing
A day to explore Beijing, with visits to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square. Farewell dinner tonight.
Day 9: Beijing to UK
Transfer to the airport for the return flight to the UK (may arrive following day, depending on flight schedules).
This itinerary offers the perfect mix of adventure, history, and personal achievement. With expert support every step of the way, you’ll create lasting memories while making a real difference for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care.
FAQs for Trek China
Please see below for information about the Trek China. To get in touch with our events team, please email: events@renniegrovepeace.org or call 01442 89 02 22. You can also book a Teams call at a time that suits you, by clicking here.
About the Trek
The trek is rated moderate to challenging. There are many steep uphill and downhill sections to contend with and you must be prepared to carry a daypack weighing 6-7kg. Although the distances trekked may appear short, due to the hilly terrain it can take 6-7 hours to trek just 5km, as ascent and descent profile each day ranges from 515m-866m.
The terrain is hilly and undulating with steep sections. You will not trek on the wall the entire time, often you will walk next to it through the countryside so be prepared for a variety of ground underfoot from the grassy, dry terrain of the countryside to the stone steps of the Great Wall.
The Great Wall has been restored in some sections so you will find smooth paved ground with steps built up the hillside. In the original sections, the Wall may be crumbling, with earth and stone rubble that shifts underfoot like scree, making it challenging to climb. In general, you should expect to climb a lot of steps during the challenge so you must train with this in mind and ensure you do plenty of hill walking to prepare for the hills.
The trek day will start with a breakfast of hot drinks, noodles, rice, eggs, Chinese dumplings and fruit. You will prepare your own packed lunch each day which will consist of sandwiches with jam or peanut butter, fresh fruit, Oreos (or similar), dried fruit and nuts etc. You should bring snacks to eat throughout the day.
A freshly cooked traditional Chinese evening meal will be served at the guesthouse comprising rice, noodles, meat, tofu and vegetable dishes.
Signing up and sponsorship
You must be 18+ to join this trek. However, if accompanied by a parent or guardian, you may be able to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old. There is no upper age limit.
An ideal candidate for the trek would be someone who enjoys being out of their comfort zone and trying something new.
You should have a good level of fitness to ensure fast recovery from each day of trekking.
If you attempt to complete the trek without training, it will be unnecessarily challenging and will hinder your experience, and the experience of your teammates.
If you do not already regularly exercise it is advised that you start training (including plenty of hills) as soon as you book to ensure your best chance of enjoyment on the trip. This could include speed walking, hill walking, swimming, running, cycling, gym workouts, team sports, boot camps, yoga etc. You can download several free apps, which will help you train and track your progress. E.g. iMapMyRide (for cyclists), C25K (couch to 5k run), and MyFitnessPal (for a variety of sports).
A £380 registration fee is payable at the time of booking and then, with the support of our team, you have the following options to raise the £4,350 fundraising target:
Charity Sponsorship: You pay a registration fee and do lots of fundraising to cover the cost of your trip and support the care of our patients and their loved ones.
- £4,350 fundraising target
- 80% of fundraising target (£3,480) due on 27 December 2025 to confirm your place. The remainder is due by the end of March 2026.
Mix Funding: You pay a registration fee and pay a proportion of the costs of your trip and have a lower fundraising target
- £500 trip cost + £3,850 fundraising target
- 80% of fundraising target (£3,080) due on 27 December 2025 to confirm your place. The remainder is due by the end of March 2026.
Self-Funder: You pay the registration fee and pay the full amount to cover the cost of your trip, plus aim to raise £2,175 for Rennie Grove Peace.
- £2,175 trip cost + £2,175 fundraising target.
- The full trip cost is due by 27 December 2025 to confirm your place.
We recommend that you set up an online donation page using JustGiving. It is easy to do, and you can share your page link with friends, family and colleagues via email or social media, and the funds you raise come straight to Rennie Grove Peace. We provide a downloadable link to a sponsor form for you to share too (link) Check out our fundraising tools and tips for ideas and inspiration.
Register online today! Complete our registration form today and a member of our events team will be in touch. If you would like to book a Microsoft Teams call with Emma or Bobbi from our events team you can do so here
You can reach Rennie Grove Peace’s event fundraising team on 01422 89 02 22 or you can email events@renniegrovepeace.org .
You can also book a Teams call with the team at a time that suits you.
The Different Travel Company is an ATOL-bonded tour operator that specialises in overseas charity challenges and adventure holidays. The majority of their charity challenges include all aspects of the tour from flights and accommodation to permits and guides. They offer a full pre-departure package which includes specialist advice on what to pack for your trip, practical support such as visa tips and much more. They can also offer a range of post-trip extension options for those who wish to stay on and do some further exploring. As a licensed ATOL bonded travel tour operator, you can also rest assured that when you book with them, you’re protected.
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