Private Tour: Great Wall of China at Juyongguan and Ming Tombs from Beijing

My tour guide was Rock, he spoke English very well and was fun to be with. Great Wall at Juyongguan was very exciting and beautiful but steep, be prepared for some serious stair climbing! Lunch was excellent, Ming tombs were very interesting, not something I had previously known about. Highly recommend this tour!

Juyongguan is spectacular. You can pick your way and go right or left once you are at the base. We chose the shorter segment, which just about everyone chooses. But it has a tough part that is very long and very steep. My daughter did triathlon training until about 6 months ago and she found this to be a very hard climb. The elderly and people with physical disabilities just cannot go up there. Another suggestion is to make it early in the morning. As early as possible because we did it at noon and the sun will cook you alive after the hike has rendered you unconscious. At the top there is a small store selling sodas, water and ice cream. Going the other way the climb is much longer, much steeper and there is no store waiting for you, but the view must be magnificent. Of course we did not even think of doing this. I don't remember seeing any homo sapiens attempting to go up there. The Ming Tombs is an excellent site at any time.

We really enjoyed this tour for a number of reasons. Our tour guide, Tina, was extremely punctual, pleasant and very knowledgable about the culture and history in this part of China. We totally feel the tour to the Ming Tombs was worth it. After visiting the Forbidden City and Summer Palace, it's very interesting to travel outside Beijing to further see and understand the ways of the Emperor. We particularly enjoyed the walk down the Sacred Way. Visiting the tomb is very unique. After crossing a large gate, you enter a very peaceful courtyard. There is a lovely museum with interesting royal items. You are then able to climb the back structure and view the entire area. The tombs are actually in the hillside behind the structure, but it's still a remarkable place and a UNESCO site. From there, we had a decent chinese lunch at a Jade Factory. Because we've done tours like this in other countries, we had told Tina right off that we are interested most in culture and history - we are not shoppers and that is a big misconception of many American tourists. She understand exactly what we meant and respected our wishes - so while we ate in the Jade building, we didn't actually enter the factory or have to visit the gift shop. There are western restrooms here that are very clean. From lunch, we drove out to the Juyong Gap. Words will not even adequately describe how awe inspiring this adventure was. Smog was bad this day as it was a milder winter day and the view was beyond spectacular. As opposed to Badaling where you take a cable car from what we understand, Juyong is all foot power. You approach a level lot with shops, restrooms, etc. and immediately start climbing steps. You can literally climb and climb to your hearts content. NOTE - lunch can be a bit heavy and we are SO glad we didn't overeat given the strenuous nature of the climb. I would suggest at least 2 hours here. There are guard towers that break up the climb - and I'm still amazed how high you can really go. Tina leads you to the wall and you arrange a return meeting time at the lower level - but you are on your own to climb at your own rate. On the car ride back to Beijing, Tina continued to answer our questions and we really had a great discussion comparing and contrasting various cultures. A wonderful day that created lifelong memories! NOTE - If you have ANY health issues or physical limitations, this might not be the best spot to climb the Great Wall. Badaling provides a tram but it's also typically a lot more crowded because of the accessibility. If you want a more natural experience, Juyong Gap is a great option!

It wasn't necessarily just the sites we visited that made this as enjoyable... it was our tour guide, Nikki! We can't say enough positive things about her. She was SUPER informative and very educated on the history of the Ming Tombs and Juyongguan segment of the Great Wall. She definitely made this tour exceed all of our expectations. This is a must do .... and ask for Nikki! Oh, and the sites themselves? Definitely worth it! Check out the photos and see for yourself.

The tour guide Erica was great and very knowledgable. The driver was a bit rough on the roads. The Wall was stunning - have to be fit to do this climbing tour. Had my Fitbit on and we did equivalent of 77 floors ! Ming tombs were incredible.l Go on a Monday when there are few tourists.

It was great! She was very informative and the PRIVATE tour is the way to go. Our driver was courteous and safe.