How I did it: I stayed at a hostel in Beijing and organised the tour through them. My girlfriend had already done a tour a few years back to one of the reconstructed areas and said that although it was interesting, it was crowded and unpleasant. We instead opted for one of the 'secret tours' - we had to walk up a pretty steep hill, but were then pretty well free to roam all over the old ruined walls. The tour also included a lunch in someone's home in the village.

Lessons & tips: If you're physically fit, I recommend doing one of the 'secret tours' where you can actually climb the ruins, rather than the hotel-organised tours to the reconstructed areas, where you are constantly hounded to buy postcards.

Nov 12, 2008, 04:25PM PST | 0 comments | 3 cheers