Travel and Hiking

Hongluosi is located at the southern foot of Hongluo Mountain in Beijing’s Huairou District, Hongluo Temple is one of the most important Buddhist temples in northern China, with a history of over 1,600 years. Often referred to as “the leading Buddhist sanctuary of the North,” it offers a rare blend of nature, culture, and tranquility. It is well known as a place for reflection and renewal, attracting visitors seeking calm, inspiration, and meaningful moments in nature.

Hongluosi is one of the most important temples for Beijingers to pray at during the Chinese Spring Festival. We would like to avoid the busiest days, so we plan to post the event in advance. It is a beautiful temple to visit; at the same time, we are designing the experience as a hiking trail rather than a typical tourist visit. Therefore, we have redesigned the route to make it more fun and engaging. This route begins with a hike on a quieter trail and later connects to the main tourist area. To ensure compliance and a smooth experience, we will purchase entrance tickets in advance, even though we are not entering through the main gate.

Hike Information:

l Date: Feb.7th (Saturday)

l Location: Huairou

l Drive time: 1.5hours each way

【The route type】Comfortable dirt road with paved road

【The route description】Starting dirt road behind the tourist area, then we climb the hill 400 meters and then reach a big stone to cross it. Then the rest of path is paved road, it is easy to walk. One more time: We’ll start the hike on a quieter trail and then join the main tourist area from inside the park. Even though we’re not using the main entrance, we’ll still buy entrance tickets as usual to keep everything simple and trouble-free.

l Distance: 8.5km

l Time to complete: 5hours

l Total ascent: 424m

l Total descent: 425m

l Peak: 492m

l Lowest point: 78m

Notice:

1. Take at least 2 bottles of water.

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots are recommended.

4. More details will be posted in the group before hiking.

Itinerary:

Along this trail, we add 1–2 pickup stops for hikers if it works smoothly. Waiting times will be strictly enforced, and we will not wait for late arrivals. Drop-off will be at the same location as pickup when we return.

07.45: Departure from Dongzhimen line2 exit B(B1/B2). [Option A]

08:00: Liangmaqiao line10 exit B. [Option B]

08:15: Shaoyaoju . [Option C]

09.30: Arrive the point, beginning of hike.

15.00: Ending the hike.

Activity Fee: 160RMB/person without entrance fee.

Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver

2. Hiking Leaders: Lengzhi and Nuanyang

3. One day outdoor insurance

4. Payment: transfer the fee by Wechat or Alipay when we confirm the event on Thursday.

(Note: the offical entrance fee is 54.00RMB/person. Let's see if we could have a group discount when we are there.)

Please note:

- Do not participate if you are sick or showing symptoms of ever or couching.

- Customer service: Mona. If you have any suggestions or complaint, please feel free to leave messages.

- Photos will be used in the social media platform. If you don't want to show in the picture, let us know.

Hikers:

If you are a bilinguist, your language skill will help leaders solve some troubles. Don't be shy, show it off. We need you.

Cancellation:

1. Kindly reminder: You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Friday 18:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus and pay the driver and the guides. After deadline, we will have charge you 80% activity fee. Or you find another person not yet registered to join the hike. If your cancellation is on Saturday morning or if you are late and missed the hike, please pay 100% activity fee. We repect your choice. When you register for this activity, you accept this cancelation policy.

2. Bad weather plan:We will message you 1-2 days before the hike to let you know about theweather condition. If there is a thunderstorm, heavy rain or strongwinds it will be dangerous to do the hike in the high mountains. So we will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Scan the QR in below to note the name of event. Then add you into the group.

Hike a loop around Xiangtun Village, hiking down by the frozen stream in ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon, passing through chestnut and walnut orchards, and taking a quick look at some of the Great Wall in the area.

We hike by Xiangtun Village on some of our longer walks, and the main attractions in the area are the Longquanyu Great Wall, and the ‘Big Cloud’ Canyon, a deep canyon with a small stream running down the middle.

Previously a farming area, the village is a small collection of courtyards and houses that are now mostly converted into guesthouses and small restaurants. The villagers still maintain their chestnut and walnut orchards, and when we’re not hiking up on the Great Wall or down in the canyon, we’ll be walking narrow dirt tracks through the orchards on the hills around the village.

For this visit we’ll start in the village and then hike down the canyon. We’ll hike up a short, steep, section of Great Wall, and finish the hike with an easy walk out through chestnut orchards.

Our walk ends in the village square, and we’ll organise some light snacks and drinks at a village restaurant. Nearby the restaurant, in the village square, you might also be able to shop for walnuts, chestnuts, and other village produce.

This outing is best for ages 6 and up. Younger kids could walk in places but would need to be carried for most of the hike.

Cost: ¥380 / ¥340 for members / ¥220 for kids 5+ / free for kids 3-4yo

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1792/xiangtun-village-easy-loop/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

On this two-day trip to Yu County in Hebei Province you’ll walk the streets of well-preserved Yuxian Ancient Town, visiting the pavilions and pagodas, as well as visiting Jimingyi, the remnants of a Ming Dynasty postal relay center. And, on the first evening, we’ll take in a performance that includes dashuhua, a 300-year old local tradition that translates as ‘making a tree of flaming flowers’ and results in molten iron being flung against the city walls instead of a fireworks display!

During Chinese New Year Beijing empties out as people return to their hometowns to celebrate Spring Festival with their families. With everyone home in Yu County for the holiday it’s sure to be lively, and there will also be extra special shows and performances in the streets of the old towns we visit.

Trip overview

Day One: Drive to Yu County, check in to hotel, out for a walking tour of Nuanquan Town after lunch, dashuhua performance, dinner at the hotel.

Day Two: Breakfast at the hotel, walking tour of Yuxian Old Town including Yuhuang Pavilion, city walls, North Gate, and big pagoda; hike near White Horse Temple, lunch and a walking tour of Jimingyi Ancient Town, back to Beijing.

Cost: ¥2,300 / ¥2,090 for members / ¥1,870 for under 18s

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/433/yu-county-ancient-walled-towns-overnight/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Walk from Gubeikou to Jinshanling, following stretches of restored and unrestored Great Wall and taking a detour through the pretty farmland that surrounds Hemp Village, finishing all the way over at the eastern end of Jinshanling.

The hike begins at the Gubeikou section of the Great Wall in Miyun County, very close to the border of the Beijing and Hebei provinces. Even though it’s designated as a park, this section of the Great Wall is largely unrestored. It’s not often visited either, probably because it is so far away from central Beijing.

We’ll start the walk with a short climb up to a tower on the Wall. There are a lot of towers on this stretch of the Wall – some in good condition, some tumbled down to foundations only. From the first tower we can see the Wall stretching off into the hills of northern Miyun. We’ll be following it the other way, towards Jinshanling, and Hebei Province.

Along the way to Jinshanling we’ll get a different view of the wall, walking a trail by the base of the Mongolia side, and making a few tricky ascents and descents on the way to the archway that will get us back on top. This section is the west side of the Jinshanling Great Wall.

We’ll be following the Jinshanling Great Wall from west to east, starting off on the unrestored section before heading down into the main restored area. We’ll follow the wall into the middle section of the Jinshanling Great Wall, and then up past both ‘Small’ and ‘Big’ Jinshan towers to reach Houchuankou Pass.

Cost: ¥510 / ¥460 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1037/gubeikou-to-jinshanling-great-wall-east-4/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Explore an ancient interconnected series of cave dwellings in the hills of Yanqing County; visit the Longqingxia Ice Festival on the way home.

Tang Dynasty Cave Dwellings

Nobody is certain exactly who it was that established the cave dwellings, only that they were made during the Tang Dynasty (618-907AD) and inhabited for approximately 200 years. The cave dwellings were carved from the sandstone cliff and are extensive and well-designed, connected by tunnels and stairways, and featuring heated “kang” beds, temples and meeting rooms, and animal shelters on the lower levels. Most of the rooms are three to four cubic meters in size, and some are high up on the cliff face.

It was hard for the cave-dwellers to survive on the produce of the valley, and they would often raid the nearby villages for food (and sometimes women). This annoyed the villagers, and after a while it became known that the hidden valley was inhabited by rebels and bandits. By this time, the Tang Dynasty had fallen to the Khitans who established the Liao Dynasty (907-1125AD). The valley was besieged by the army of the Liao, and all of the inhabitants (approximately 1,000) were killed.

Local legend has it that the caves were built in the body of a dragon, and that a curious rock on one of the paths is a meteorite fallen from the sky. In the 1960s some of the caves at the foot of the valley were used to store weapons and ammunition. In 1976 the caves were damaged by an earthquake. As a result, some of outer rooms are visible in cross-section.

We'll get an early dinner at a local restaurant after the hike, after which it should be dark enough to witness the full spectacle of the Longqingxia Ice Festival.

Longqingxia Ice Festival

The Longqingxia Ice Festival is sort of a mini-Harbin Ice
Festival – smaller in scale, but closer to Beijing … and we're pretty sure it's not going to be -40°C!

We're timing our visit for near the beginning of the Chinese New Year holiday, hopefully avoiding huge crowds but still getting a good look at the sculptures before the festival winds down.

We’ll organise our visit at Longqingxia as sort of free time – with two hours to look around, you can stick with the group or explore by yourself, and we’ll all meet up again back at the bus at the predetermined time.

Cost: ¥555 / ¥500 for members / ¥300 for kids

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1212/longqingxia-ice-festival-and-tang-dynasty-caves-2/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

Moderately difficult hill walking in the mountains north of the Ming Tombs.

We start off at Longevity Village, the midpoint of our popular Silver Pagodas hike. We’ll be heading in the opposite direction to the pagodas, aiming to cross a notch in a ridge on the southern side of the village.

The first part of the hike is on mostly flat ground, first on the road that leads through Longevity Village, and then on a dirt trail that heads up into the hills, passing through all the terraced chestnut fields that are a major source of income for the villagers.

As we get closer to the point where we cross over the ridge, the trail starts to zig-zag as it climbs up the hillside, eventually rising to the saddle between two peaks—a good place for a rest!

From the saddle, we follow a largely disused trail down into the valley on the other side.

Near the bottom of the valley, we pass through a nice narrow ravine before arriving at the village on the other side of the hill. Just before the village we walk along a narrow lane between brick buildings that are some sort of small factory. Depending on the mood of the workers, and the state of the gate, we might need to skirt around the buildings instead of strolling through.

A sealed road leads down into the village where we begin a hike called Tomb Raiders, and, after a sharp turn at the village square and exercise machine yard, we’re back into the hills, following another valley trail up on to a ridge.

It’s a slightly tougher climb this time, getting rather steep near the top. There are quite a few false peaks on the way up, but these provide a good opportunity for a rest! If you don’t think it’s tough enough, there’s an option to take a short detour to the highest hill in the area, where there’s a rusted trig and great 360° views of the area, including many of the Ming Tombs.

We hike by and around a few of the closed Ming Tombs, but can’t go inside either of them. This hike is more about exercise than tomb-visiting.

Cost: ¥380 / ¥340 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/345/longevity-village-to-the-ming-tombs/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com

A moderately difficult hike that follows a line of wild wall up to a tall tower with 360° views of mountains, valleys, small villages, and a long line of wall heading high into the hills. Some sections extremely tricky underfoot.

We start the hike not far past Chenjiapu Village, taking a short walk up a concrete road before turning off on to a dirt track that leads up a valley towards the Great Wall.

The valley is narrow to begin with, and slowly opens up to give views of Great Wall and towers on a high ridgeline.

At the top of the valley we’ll find the Great Wall, with two mostly-intact towers sited to guard a pass at a dip in the mountains.

We’ll be headed north from the dip, following a rough line of ‘wild’ Great Wall through the two towers and up to the local “General’s Tower”.

At an elevation of 1,040m, the General’s Tower has superb views of all the Great Wall in the area.

To the east we’ll be able to spot the eastern side of the Stone Valley Great Wall and possibly parts of the Badaling Ancient Great Wall; to the south we’ll see the higher parts of this line Great Wall, and, if it’s a clear day, the High Tower on a faraway peak.

Cost: ¥420 / ¥380 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1920/chenjiapu-great-wall-4/

Beijing Hikers—fun and friendly hikes and trips around Beijing and greater China, since 2001.

For more updates on hikes and trips follow our WeChat account BeijingHikers北京爱山 and keep an eye on www.beijinghikers.com

https://www.beijinghikers.com / info@beijinghikers.com