We've grouped the most Frequently Asked Questions. We welcome your inquiry at greatwalltour@yahoo.com if you have questions can not be found in our FAQs

1, Why with Us?
a, western standard service.
b, no hidden cost, all the charge are quoted before your start.
c, licenced and knowledgable guides, experienced drivers, comfortable and safe vehicles.
d, no single supplement.
e, wide selection, group, private, customized tours.
f, your satisfaction and safety is our priority.

2, How to book the trip?
mail: greatwalltour@yahoo.com; 24/7 call: 0086-10-8581-9432

3, How far ahead do i need to book the tour?
please make sure you can finalize your schedule at least 1 day ahead of the tour.

4, How to pay? when is the final payment due?
No pre-payment or deposit is required when no flight ticket or train ticket issued, you can choose to pay the cost either upon arrival by cas or by PAYPAL in advance(Please aware that the 4% transaction fee is required if pay by PAYPAL)
When you need to buy flight ticket or train ticket ahead of your arrival, we will inform you to pay via PAYPAL(4% PAYPAL service charge is required) , the payment need to be done 3 or 7 days ahead or your arrival.

5, Which are your favourit trips?
It's hard to answer question like this as each of our tour lines is designed to fit different customers' requirements, tastes, expectations.

6, Where do i get the detailed information about trips?
you can get the detailed information from relevant webpages.

7, Can i also book hotels and other service in Beijing with GreatWallTour.Net?
Yes, we provide not only great wall tour service but also hotel booking, flight booking, train, transfer, etc, we can make your trip no worries.

8, What should i wear?
comfortable shoes come first, of course proper clothes according to the weather. please pay attention to weather forcast before your trip.

9, How much luggage can i take?
As a general rule, the less luggage you bring with you, the better. You will probably be buying souvenirs and the like along the way, so leave some space! There will be times when you will be carrying your luggage on and off vehicle when staying overnight near the wall, so you should consider travelling with a backpack or a soft duffel bag. Porters are not always available to carry your luggage for you.

10, What's the weather like on the Great Wall?
It’s meaningless to say the exact weather on the wall. There are different sections of the wall far away from Beijing, and it depends on which section you are going to do. Generally speaking spring and autumn are comfortable. In summer rain and wind can occur on the wall at any time, because you are walking along high ridges, you are exposed to the elements. Please check the weather report three days before your departure.

11, How much spending money do I need?
Not a lot! Your entrance fee, accommodation, transport and hiking guide are included. A regular Chinese meal will cost RMB 30-50 (USD 5-8). A bottle of water will cost RMB 1 in supermarket in Beijing, and RMB 3 on markets near the wall. Depending on where you are, you'll generally get by on about US$20 a day, covering meals, drinks and the like.

12, What is the best way to take money with me?
Cash, travellers cheques, or credit cards… that is the question! The safest way to carry money with you is in the form of credit cards; however, many of our past clients have said they wished they had brought more cash with them because of the difficulty in withdrawing cash in remote areas etc. We recommend a combination of the them - cash, credit card and travellers cheques, but be aware that most insurance companies will not cover for the loss of cash. As a general rule, American Dollars are accepted at the banks in Beijing, but make sure you have small denomination bills, and that they are not ripped or marked, as this may affect your ability to change them. When doing a multi-day hiking, you have to prepare Chinese cash before your departure from Beijing as there’s no ATM near the wall, nor can the guesthouse accept foreign currencies.

13, What is the currency in China?
China's legal tender is Renminbi (RMB). Foreign currencies can not be used directly in mainland China.

The basic unit of RMB is Yuan. 1 Yuan (or Kuai) =10 Jiao (or Mao). RMB is available in both paper notes and coins. The denominations of paper notes are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 Yuan; 5, 2 and 1 Jiao. The denominations of coins are 1 Yuan; 5 and 1 Jiao. The currency in Hong Kong is HK dollar.
Foreign currencies may be converted into RMB at all banks, bank branches or hotels at the exchange rate quoted on the foreign exchange marker on the day. When you exchange money at the banks, you should ask for a certificate, with which you can change RMB back to foreign currency when you leave the country.

The Bank of China is the bank which specializes in handling credit cards issued in foreign countries. They include Visa, MasterCard, Diner's Card, American Express, JCB, Million Card and Federal Card. These cards can be used at international hotels and shopping centers where the Bank of China has branches.

14, Is it easy to find an ATM in Beijing/China?
You won’t have any problems finding an ATM in the main cities in China like Beijing, though you probably won’t be able to find one in remote areas or the smaller towns. The rapid emergence of ATMs in main cities in China means that you can now withdraw money from your Visa or MasterCard accounts, or even directly from your savings account, if you are linked with Cirrus or Maestro. Whilst this can make things extremely convenient, we advise that you do not rely solely on this form of obtaining funds, as there will not always be an ATM handy. Credit cards can also be useful, but we suggest you bring these in case of an emergency, rather than as a day-to-day spending tool.

15, What credit cards are accepted in China?
Most of the internationally accepted credit cards are usable in China, including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diner's club, and the JCB card of Japan. Credit cards are accepted only at international hotels, large shopping malls and stores and top-end restaurants. Usually the local restaurants, shops and supermarkets will not accept credit card payment.

16, Which traveller’s cheques are handled by Bank of China?
Issued by Currencies
Thomas Cook USD HKD CAD AUD JPY CHF GBP
International Payment Co. USD GBP CAD
American Express Co. USD
Citibank USD
Nanyang Commercial Bank USD HKD
Swiss Bank CHF
Bank of Tokyo JPY
Mitsui Bank JPY
Sumitomo Bank JPY
Fuji Bank JPY
If you have any problems, please contact the Bank of China, Beijing Branch (Tel: 86-10-6303 5128).

17, Is tipping common place in China?
Yes, tipping is commonplace in travel industry in China. Tipping is expected - though not compulsory - and shows an expression of satisfaction with the people who have assisted you on your tour. Although it may not be customary to you, it is of considerable significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. You may do this individually or as a group at the end of the tour.

If you go to a local restaurant or catch a taxi, it’s no necessary to tip the service provider.

18, Can I bring gifts for people?
If you want to give something to the local people please bring something useful like pens or school books, not lollies. The other thing we insist upon is that the distribution of these gifts are done in an organised manner - either through the headmaster of a school or ask your tour guide what the most beneficial approach is. Some children, and even adults, may ask for things on the street, in villages, etc, and although giving a ‘present’ may give both of you a brief moment of joy, handing things out like this only encourages begging and is destructive in the long term.

19, Do I need to get a visa for my China trip?
Yes, all visitors traveling to mainland China, whether for business or leisure, do require a visa.

GWT recommends that you obtain your visa before leaving the country where you live. The costs and the length of time to process a visa vary from country to country. Please check the website for the Chinese Embassy in your country to find the information applicable to you. Application forms can usually be downloaded from the website.

20, Where can I get my Chinese Visa?
GreatWallTour.net recommends that you obtain your visa before leaving the country where you live. The costs and the length of time to process a visa vary from country to country. Please check the website for the Chinese Embassy in your country to find the information applicable to you. Application forms can usually be downloaded from the web site.

For more information about visas relevant to your nationality, visit Chinese embassy in your country. To find an embassy in your country, please visit the following website:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China
http://www.fmprc.gov.cn/eng/wjb/zwjg/2490/default.htm
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in Australia
http://au.chineseembassy.org/eng/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the United States of America
http://us.chineseembassy.org/eng/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in Canada
http://ca.chineseembassy.org/eng/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in New Zealand
http://nz.china-embassy.org/eng/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
http://www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/eng/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in France
http://fr.chineseembassy.org/fra/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in Germany
http://de.chineseembassy.org/det/
Embassy of People’s Republic of China in the Kingdom of Netherlands
http://www.chinaembassy.nl/eng/default.htm

21, What do I need for visa application?
Your passport (original, not a copy), which must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of travel, with at least one blank visa page (amendment pages and pages with bar codes are not acceptable for visa stamping). One completed, signed Visa Application Form for each passport, with two passport photos.

22, What type of visa do I need? Should I apply for special visa when leaving and re-entering mainland China?
Single-entry China visas are usually valid for 3 months after the issue date, and will permit you to stay in China for a maximum of 30 days. This visa will allow you to travel as a tourist or conduct general business activities. Most people need only to apply for a single-entry.

You need to apply for double entry Chinese visa if you need to leave and re-entering mainland China. Please note if you are travelling from China, into Hong Kong or Macau, then back into China, you will need a double entry Chinese visa.

23, Should I apply for visa now, or should we wait until we are closer to the time of travel?
The Chinese visa is generally valid for 3 months from the issue date to enter China. Please apply for your visa within 3 months of entry into according to your travel itinerary, and avoid expiry of visa, or extra cost of urgent fee due to lack of application process time. Please also decide the duration of stay in China. The permitted duration of stay of Chinese visas are generally up to 30 days. If you need to stay longer, please apply to the local public security bureau in China for visa extension.

24, What should I do if I lose my passport during my stay in China?
If you do lose your passport, call your tour guide or travel advisor for help and notify the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) immediately. The PSB will then issue you a proof of lost passport, with which, you need to go to the nearest embassy or consulate of your own country to apply for a new passport. To have the replacement, you will need to know all the information previously recorded and show identification and proof of citizenship. With the new passport issued, you can get a new visa in the PSB, so you can go on your trip or re-enter your country. Please note that in some cases, a replacement may take weeks to process, and it may be valid only for a limited time. So take especial care of your passport in your journey.