Travel and Hiking

Last weekend, we reached the last round of red leaves. From now, it is the time to enjoy "bright yellow" ginkgo leaves. We choose a classic hiking route. It is friendly route with beatiful view; and at the end of hike, also you can go to the famous place - Tanzhe temple. We always say "First there was the Tanzhe Temple, then there was Beijing city." Follow our rhythm, you won't miss any view.

Tanzhe temple is a typical Buddhist temple, lies in the Tanzhe Hills on the western outskirts of Beijing. It was the first temple that built in the Beijing area. It was built during the Jin Dynasty (AD265- 420) and over 1700 years. It predates Beijing's establishment as a capital, making it a notable site for understanding the region's early history. The name "Tanzhe" comes from "Tan" (潭), which means "pool" or "pond," and "Zhe" (柘), referring to the type of tree called "cudrania" that grows nearby. These natural features, along with surrounding hills, contribute to the temple’s tranquil setting. If we have to choose a season to visit there, Tanzhe temple belongs to Autumn.

Tanzhe Temple is home to a famous ancient tree known as the "Emperor Tree" (帝王树). This tree, often thought to be over 1,000 years old, is a Chinese ginkgo tree located within the temple complex. The tree has gained legendary status, with stories saying that several emperors came to Tanzhe Temple and paid their respects to it, leading to its title.

Another well-known tree at Tanzhe Temple is the "Princess Tree" (公主树), which is also an ancient ginkgo, located near the Emperor Tree. Local folklore holds that if both trees survive, it symbolizes peace and stability for the temple and its surroundings. These trees, along with the ancient architecture, contribute to the temple's status as one of Beijing's oldest and most historically rich sites.

As local Beijinger, we say Tanzhe Temple is indeed considered an auspicious place for praying for marriage and romantic harmony. Many visitors believe that the temple has a unique spiritual significance, particularly for those seeking blessings for love and marriage.

One reason for this association is the presence of the "Princess Tree" and the "Emperor Tree," which are said to symbolize a harmonious, lasting union. Local legends claim that couples who pray or make wishes near these trees can receive blessings for a strong, happy relationship.

Additionally, Tanzhe Temple is historically connected to various forms of Chinese culture and spirituality, including marriage blessings. As a result, it has become a popular destination for individuals and couples.

Hike Information:

l Date: Nov.9th (Saturday)

l Drive time: 1.5 hours each way

【The route type】Mountain route + dirt with rubble + mountain stone steps

【The route description】The route is friendly and easy to go ups and downs. No dangeous section, all is mountain route. Our hike will end at the entrance of Tanzhe temple. You have enougt time to enjoy Tanzhe temple if you'd like to go visitng inside temple. (The entrance ticket is 50.00/person.)

l Distance: 12km

l Time to complete: 5hours

l Total ascent: 592m

l Total descent: 593m

l Peak: 787m

l Lowest point: 266m

Notice:

1. Take at least 2-3 bottles of water

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots are recommended.

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

Itinerary:

07.30: Departure from Dongzhimen (line2 exit B)

09.00: Arrive the mountain, beginning of hike

18.00: Arrive back in Beijing

Activity Fee: 150RMB/person

Activity Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver

2. Hiking Leaders: Lengzhi, Nuanyang

3. One day outdoor insurance

Payment: transfer the fee to Mona by Wechat or Alipay.

Please note:

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

- Customer service: Mona (wechat id: mona_zhangli) If you have any suggestions orcomplaint, 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.

Cancellation:

1. You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Friday 18:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus 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, 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. Sowe will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Add mona_zhangli as your wechat, or scan the QR in below. (Please note which events you'd like to join.)

Badaling Great Wall Beijing (Daily)

Language: English & Chinese

Departure time: 8:00/9:00/10:00/12:00

Pick-up location: Beijing Subway Line 8&Line 10, Beitucheng Station, Exit C.

Each tour can be tailored to your individual needs, so please get in touch with us if you would like to make any changes.

Price: 200 RMB/person

For more details:

Contact Lucy(MOB): 18600208126

Wechat: lucy18600208126

Wucai Qianshan literally means "the Shallow Mountain". The area is located in the northeast of Shunyi, which is in the yanshanmountain area. There is 308 square kilometers with mountains, water, scenic areas, rural. It is created 5 kinds of color theme landscape for having a colorful leisure outdoor activities. Let’s see if we can catch the last opportunity.

Hike Information:

l Date: Nov. 3rd

l Drive time: around one hour each way

【The route type】Mountain path + dust road

【The route description】The route situation is good. we will have few ups and downs slowly. You need to fit the distance. ^^

l Distance: 10km

l Time to complete: 5 hours

l Total ascent: 475m

l Total descent: 483m

l Peak: 295m

l Lowest point: 60m

Notice:

1. Take at least 2-3bottles of water.

(Remember to drink and eat constantly on the trail, if you have to drink because you are thirsty you are not drinking often enough, if you need to eat because you feel weak you haven't been eating enough.)

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots are recommended.

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

Itinerary:

07.30: Departure from Dongzhimen (line2 exit B)

08.50: Arrive the village, beginning of hike

16.00: Arrive back in Beijing

Activity Fee: 160RMB/person

Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver.

2. Hiking Leaders: Lengzhi and Heihei (Internship).

3. One day outdoor insurance.

4. Snacks or drinks.

5. More details will be posted in the group one day before hiking.

Please note:

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

- Customer service: Mona (wechat id: mona_zhangli) If you have any suggestions orcomplaint, 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.

Cancellation:

1. You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Saturday 12:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus 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, 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. Sowe will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Add mona_zhangli as your wechat, or scan the QR in below. I'll add you into HikersFamily group.

The place is as beautiful as the name. Safflower valley is located in the Jizhou District of Tianjin. It is a mulberry-growing region with a thousand-year history, situated along the southern side of the Yuqiao Reservoir. This area attracts visitors not only for its rich natural landscapes but also for its historical and cultural significance. After the frost (last Wednesday), the hills are filled with thousands of Smoke trees, making it one of the best locations to view autumn leaves. The peak season for viewing is from late October to mid-November. Let's catch up the last round red leaves.

Hike Information:

l Date: Nov.2nd (Saturday)

l Drive time: 2 hours each way

【The route type】Mountain route + dirt with rubble + cement road

【The route description】There is not too much description. It is not as easy as Beijing Chaoyang park. Still, it is a leisure walking route. The climbing up is about 200 meters. We start from a farmer's garden. They will charge 10.00/person entrance fee.

l Distance: 9km

l Time to complete: 5hours

l Total ascent: 200m

l Total descent: 200m

l Peak: 220m

l Lowest point: 43m

Notice:

1. Take at least 2-3 bottles of water

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots are recommended.

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

Itinerary:

07.30: Departure from Dongzhimen (line2 exit B)

09.30: Arrive the mountain, beginning of hike

18.00: Arrive back in Beijing

Activity Fee: 150RMB/person

(Note: the entrance fee is 10.00/person excluded.)

Activity Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver

2. Hiking Leaders: Lengzhi, Nuanyang

3. One day outdoor insurance

Payment: transfer the fee to Mona by Wechat or Alipay.

Please note:

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

- Customer service: Mona (wechat id: mona_zhangli) If you have any suggestions orcomplaint, 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.

Cancellation:

1. You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Friday 18:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus 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, 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. Sowe will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Add mona_zhangli as your wechat. (Please note which events you'd like to join.) Alao welcome to follow our INS account "hikersfamily_beijing".

Although autumn is short season in Beijing, its beauty is unforgettable. To make the most of this golden season, we've organized a event on Sunday. Whether it's the golden mountain scenery or the red leaves in the valleys, you'll experience the charm of autumn here.

Shuiguan Great Wall is the eastern section of Badaling Great Wall, which was built at the valley. It was built in the Ming Dynasty and opened to the place in 1995 after repair. It was for preventing foreign invasion and built military defense style. It is a rare ancient architecture on the ancient battlefield. It is around 11km, but few sections you need to use your hands to climb up from the valley gap. Also we have a backup GreatWall hiking plan since the section of the wall is not completely open to the public.

Hike Information:

l Date: Oct.27th (Sunday)

l Drive time: 2 hours each way

【The route type】Mountain route + dirt with rubble

【The route description】Most of time we are walking on the dirt path till reaching the wall. Then we walk along with the wall which is rebuilt the road. Then we go down from the wall. The road is dirt with some rubble, and it is a bit slippery. The biggest challenge is going down from the wall, and we need to go through an archway (photos in below for reference.) Note: If we block at the entrance, we will go to the neighbor GreatWall - do a small loop.

l Distance: 11km

l Time to complete: 5hours

l Total ascent: 500m

l Total descent: 529m

l Peak: 596m

l Lowest point: 491m

Notice:

1. Take at least 2-3 bottles of water

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots are recommended.

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

Itinerary:

07.30: Departure from Dongzhimen (line2 exit B)

09.30: Arrive the mountain, beginning of hike

18.00: Arrive back in Beijing

Activity Fee: 170RMB/person

Activity Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver.

2. Hiking Leaders: Lengzhi OR Nuanyang; Shan'nan (intership).

3. One day outdoor insurance.

4. Payment: transfer the fee to Mona by Wechat or Alipay.

Please note:

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

- Customer service: Mona (wechat id: mona_zhangli) If you have any suggestions orcomplaint, 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.

Cancellation:

1. You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Friday 18:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus 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, 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. Sowe will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Add mona_zhangli as your wechat, I'll add you into our group. Also welcome to follow our INS account "hikersfamily_beijing" to check photos of all events.

Last time, we hiked half round because of some reasons. So we promised to hike the entire route again in Autumn. Although it is not the best time (since the temperature drops down fast), the landscape is still in the late Autumn, and all the grassland becomes dark yellow now. It is easy to feel strong visual impact compared with summer time. Basically, we rarely organize the grassland in Autumn, hope you won't miss it this one. ^^

Crossing North Lingshan, it is one of classical hiking routes. With high altitude and vast alpine meadows, this is one of the most popular routes around Beijing in summer time. We chose a route that offers a little bit of a challenge, but you definately can make it.

We will end of the trip at Huangcaoliang. Huangcaoliang, an alpine meadow stretched from east to west for several kilometers on the mountain, only a few months of the year, it turns green to green, most of the time it is dark yellow. Let's enjoy the precious moment.

Hike Information:

l Date: Oct.26th (Saturday)

l Drive time: 2.5 hours each way

【The route type】This route mainly consists of dust roads+grassy paths, with two steep slopes to ascend and descend. (Probably there is a 10.00RMB entrance fee, or maybe not in the chill day. Let's see.)

【The route description】At the first section, there is an oberioulsy climbing up from the starting point to the summit of North Lingshan. There is a short shaded path through the forest. From the summit to Huangcaoliang, the trail is mostly downhill, with a bit steep section at the beginning. From Huangcaoliang to the GreatWall tower, the trail is uphill but slope is slowly. The last descent section mostly follows the valley, with a significant slope. It's recommended for using knee pads or trekking poles. Additionally, there are forks in the path; if you lose sight of the group ahead, please wait for the group behind to catch up. It is not good for hikers who has no any hiking experience.

l Distance: 16km

l Time to complete: 7 hours

l Total ascent: 580m

l Total descent: 1220m

l Peak: 1884m

l Lowest point: 964m

l Location: Mentougou

NOTE:

1. Take at least 3 bottles of water. (Remember to drink and eat constantly on the trail, if you have to drink because you are thirsty you are not drinking often enough, if you need to eat because you feel weak you haven't been eating enough.)

2. Bring some lunch, and some snacks.

3. Hiking boots is necessary.‍

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

Itinerary:

07.30: Departure from Dongzhimen (line2 exit B)

10.00: Arrive the village, beginning of hike

19.30: Arrive back in Beijing

Activity Fee: 160RMB/person (Further distance)

Activity Price includes:

1. Transportation with a driver

2. Hiking Leaders: Nuanyang, Lengzhi

3. One day outdoor insurance

4. Payment: you can transfer the fee to Mona by Wechat or Alipay.

Please note:

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

- Customer service: Mona (wechat id: mona_zhangli) 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.

Cancellation:

1. You can cancel anytime till the deadline on Friday 18:00PM. As we have to fix capacties for the bus 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, 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. Sowe will cancel it or change the dates.

Join us:

Add mona_zhangli as your wechat list; then I'll add you into the group. Also welcome to follow our INS account "hikersfamily_beijing" to check photos of all events.

A Pinggu District ramble that follows wooded trails, passes abandoned or lightly-inhabited villages, and crosses short rundown stretches of Great Wall.

The mountains in the north of Pinggu District are big enough to hold villages up in hidden valleys. Many of these villages are partially abandoned due to lack of water, or because the valleys have been leased by businessmen hoping to turn the area into a park.

Our walk begins from the entrance of one of these parks. We'll stop to buy tickets for you, and then head on in, passing the big hotel they've built. Maybe this time there will be some people staying at the hotel! On previous visits we've only seen hotel staff hanging about.

During the war, the Japanese army forced residents in one of the mountain villages to destroy a nearby section of the Great Wall and carry the bricks down to the village as a demonstration of loyalty to Japanese forces. That's where the name of the hike comes from.

We'll climb up on to the wall and stop for a lunch break. If you've got a bit of extra energy we'll take you up to the remains of a big round tower. It’s just a pile of stones now, but perhaps part of the wall that the villagers were forced to pull down.

We follow the general path of the wall until we reach the valley that marks our turn off, following an old field path through fallow, terraced fields, passing abandoned stone houses on the way to a concrete road that marks the upper bounds of another of the parks in the hills.

We’ll arrive at a spooky, crumbling building that was once a hotel. Take a look inside … if you dare!

On the way to the end we'll pass a village with an interesting back story. The village is named Paomachang, which roughly translates as ‘horse running field’, as in a racecourse.

Cost: ¥420 / ¥380 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/592/prove-your-loyalty-longer/

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

Follow an ancient pilgrims' trail through the hills and forests of Mentougou District, finishing up with a BJH-style picnic and a look about Dajue Temple.

On this hike we’ll be following what we call an ‘incense trail’, an old pilgrim’s path between temples in the mountains west of Beijing city. We call it an incense trail because many of those pilgrims would have been carrying incense to burn as an offering in the temples. The paved sections of the pilgrim’s trail date back to the Qing Dynasty, and it’s likely the trail was in use well before then.

Dajue Temple – the Temple of Enlightenment – was founded in 1,068 A.D., during the Liao Dynasty (916-1,125 A.D.). Since then, it has been expanded, repaired, and renamed several times. The majority of what can now be seen dates back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties (1358-1644 A.D. and 1644-1911 A.D.). The Qing-era construction was reputedly overseen by a reformed eunuch – not reformed in the sense that he was ‘restored,’ moreso that he grew tired of his role in the intrigues of the court of Empress Dowager Cixi, found faith, and became a patron of local Buddhists.

Cost: ¥390 / ¥350 for members

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/277/walk-down-the-incense-trail-to-dajue-temple/

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 hike you’ll see both repaired and unrepaired Great Wall, as well as lakes, mountains, and streams.

The Lakeside Great Wall is a park area that features repaired Great Wall that both rises above and dips down into the Xishuiyu Reservoir.

Out the back of the park area is the Longquanyu Great Wall, where you’ll hike along the last part of unrepaired Great Wall in the area as well as some that has been repaired more recently.

After exploring the unrepaired wall we’ll hike back into the park area and follow the lakeside trail back to the bus. (Optional—buy a ticket for the speedboat instead of walking.)

After the hike we’ll head to a nearby village restaurant for a big hot meal and cold drinks.

Cost: ¥470 / ¥420 for members / ¥240 for kids

See a full description, more photos, and book online at https://www.beijinghikers.com/hike-in-beijing/view/1725/lakeside-great-wall-and-longquanyu-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