Into the Wilds: Beijing's Excursion Groups & Tour Companies
Beijing has a lot to offer the intrepid soul, but sometimes you’ve got to escape. Aside from the convenience and good company, group travel can allow participants access to locations and information that would be difficult to find without excellent Chinese, a lot of patience and a car. Below is a list of organizations that operate in the Beijing area.
Beijing Day Trips
Organizes unique and exclusive day trips to the Great Wall, the Wild Wall, the Summer Palace and various other sights in and around Beijing.
www.beijingdaytrips.com
Beijing Hikers
This group has been organizing hikes in the hills around Beijing every weekend since 2001. Prices vary for overnight hikes; weekend hikes are RMB 250/300 (adult, half price for children under 12), which includes round-trip transport, snacks and beverages during and after the hike, a detailed map of the hike and professional guidance. Personalized hikes also available.
(6432 2786) info@beijinghikers.com, www.beijinghikers.com
The Bicycle Kingdom Tours & Rentals Co., Ltd.
In addition to its large selection of bikes (including mountain bikes and collapsible bikes) that can be booked online and delivered to hotels or subway stations across the city, this store also offers guided bike tours of Beijing’s hutongs, the Tian’anmen area, as well as of Olympic venues in English and custom bike tours.
34 DonghuangchenggenNanjie, Dongcheng District. (133 8140 0738) www.bikebeijing.com 东城区东皇城根南街34号
Chinese Culture Club / Beijing Amblers
Chinese Culture Club is a non-governmental and non-profit organization dedicated to promoting Chinese culture. In addition to its weekly and monthly seminars, workshops and lectures on traditional Chinese culture, it also organizes tours to sights in and around Beijing, as well as in other parts of China.
Kent Center, 29 Anjialou, Liangmaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District. (6432 9341/1041) www.chinesecultureclub.org 朝阳区亮马桥路29号安家楼肯特中心院内
CnAdventure
This tour company offers 4x4 driving and horse-trekking tours into the Inner Mongolian grasslands. They also organize trips to Tibet and along the fabled Silk Road.
5/F, Daxiang Investment Building, A1, Dongbinhe Lu, Dongcheng District. (5166 9102) www.cnadventure.com 东城区东滨河路甲1号大象投资大厦5层
Cycle China
Cycle China organizes day-long and weekend hiking, rafting and horseback riding tours in Beijing and beyond, as well as cycling tours, including a hutong tour, a Summer Palace tour and a Great Wall tour and weekend excursions to Inner Mongolia. All guides speak English. Customized trips available. Prices range around RMB 300 for trips around Beijing.
12 Jingshan East Street (East gate of Jingshan Park), Dongcheng District (6402 5653, 1391188 6524) www.cyclechina.com非常之旅，东城区景山东路12号（景山公园东门对面）
Lüye
“Green Leaf,” as it translates into English, is a China-wide, web-based outdoor adventure club. Website users post trips for sign-up online (Chinese language only).
绿野 www.lvye.info, www.lvye.org
High Club
In season, High Club organizes riding excursions near Kangxi Grasslands. RMB 270 per person includes two hours of riding, transportation, tolls, English tour guide and lunch.
(8580 5080) www.highclub.cn 海卡俱乐部
Nordic Ways
One of the most developed groups for organizing sporting events around Beijing, Nordic Ways promotes Nordic-friendly sports like cycling and cross-country skiing. Highlights include the September Great Wall Bike Festival, and the winter ski events like a qualifying race for the Cross-Country Sprint World Cup.
www.nordicways.com
Sanfo
A Chinese outdoor equipment store that organizes weekend and week long hiking, camping and horseback-riding trips. Their Chinese-only website has information about upcoming tours.
www.sanfo.com. Bldg 5, 4 Madian Nancun, Beisanhuan Zhonglu, Chaoyang District. (6204 3094/6201 5559 ext 11) 三夫户外, 朝阳区北三环中路马甸南村4号楼5号
Tour-Beijing Travel Service
Beijing-based tour company offers a host of tours in and around the capital, including ski, spa, cooking, traditional Chinese medicine, night tours and more.
(6716 0201 ext 1006, 1007) www.tour-beijing.com
WestChina
This small tour company organizes original tours around Beijing and beyond, as well as custom tours (including winery and spa tours). Trip guides are knowledgeable and seek to provide less physical, fun tours for everyone.
Contact Caroline (135 8168 2703). www.westchina.net.cn
WildChina
Organizes package tours for destinations all over China, as well as ones near Beijing, include birding in Shandong and sightseeing in places like Pingyao in Shanxi province.
Rm 801, Oriental Place, 9 Dongfang Donglu, Dongsanhuan Beilu, Chaoyang District. (6465 6602) 朝阳区东三环北路东方东路9号东方国际大厦801室
Adapted in part from the Insider’s Guide to Beijing 2010. Call 5820 7101 or e-mail distribution@truerun.com to order a copy.