Royal Devon Hospitals Charity is offering a once-in-a-lifetime chance to trek the Great Wall of China.
Walk one of the world’s great wonders! Join us on a mesmerising adventure of wild and remote landscapes, green rolling hills and mountain peaks. Enjoy delicious cuisine, ancient architecture and find peace and serenity in enchanting temples.
This 10-night awe-inspiring trip takes place from November 4-12 2026 and places are limited. They can be booked with a £395 deposit, which includes return flights to Beijing, all accommodation, food, transport in China, trek permits and English-speaking guides and support crew.
In return, we ask you to raise £3,500 – fundraising that will help our hospitals go even further for local patients and their families.
Interested? If you’d like to find out more, call our fundraising team on 01271 311772 or email rduh.charity@nhs.net
Or if you’re keen to join our Great Wall of China-trekking team, you can book here.
What can you expect?
The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure on the planet and stretches approximately 8,850 km (5,500 miles) across the rolling hills of northern China to the sea. It was meticulously built and restored over thousands of years, from as early as the 7th Century BC to protect the Chinese empire from invaders.
You and the team will fly from London to Beijing, before heading out to Gubeikou to begin a 38k 4-day trek along parts of the Wall. The trek is rated moderate to challenging and although daily distances trekked may appear short, the terrain is hilly and undulating and there are many steep sections. It can take 6-7 hours to trek just 5km and the ascent and descent profile each day ranges from 515m-866m.
Many sections of the Wall are unrestored, scarred by battles of the past. A visit to the Great Wall is an opportunity to step back into history and marvel at the ingenuity and tenacity of the Chinese dynasties and the millions of soldiers who defended their land.
You will also have an opportunity to trek through wild and remote landscapes with distant views of green rolling hills, mountain peaks and one of the great wonders of the world as the backdrop. Staying in guesthouses throughout the trek allows you to gain an understanding of authentic Chinese culture as you discover more about the lifestyle of the local people and taste some incredible local cuisine.
There will also be time to explore Beijing and its maze of alleys (hutongs), traditional houses and small local shops, as well as guided visits to the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.
Great Wall of China Trek 2026
If you’d like to find out more about this challenge, you can also join us on Zoom on Wednesday 4th June at 6pm for a presentation by our trip provider Different Travel. Just send us a quick email and we’ll send you the meeting link and passcode. Email alice.hope2@nhs.net
