Is it possible to walk the entire Great Wall of China and how long would it take?

About 15 years ago, a British couple walked the entire Great Wall of China. After conquering a distance of almost 9,000 km, the travelers remained in good health and in addition lost 38 kg for two people. We wondered how realistic it is to repeat their experience and whether an ordinary tourist would have enough strength for such a feat. We found out what experts think about it and how to do something similar without going abroad.

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Young people walked about 40-50 kilometers a day, which is a very tough regime for the body in terms of exercise and weight loss. It turns out that every month they managed to lose 7 kg. But it is not recommended to lose more than 2-3 kg per month. For the body is a great stress. If you want to lose weight, it is better to do it gradually.

Is it possible to walk the whole Great Wall of China?

Hiking along the Great Wall of China, if you believe the sources, has been done before. So, to conquer the unique construction is quite a feasible task. William Edgar Gale was the first to walk the largest architectural monument from and to the wall in 1908 in five months. He proved by his own example that it is feasible. But there will be difficulties, because the great distance is not the only difficulty a traveler may encounter.

To pass such a path, you need good physical fitness and endurance. Without this, the chances of overcoming at least part of the route are very low. Given the steep terrain and hilly elevation of the site, trekking experience will also come in handy. Another necessary skill to avoid getting lost is the ability to navigate the terrain. Especially since most of the structure is propped up or destroyed. Moreover, the weather in the Gobi Desert, where the Great Wall stretches, is harsh – a test of endurance and willpower. And an important point – only a small part of the Great Wall is accessible to tourists. Closed sections of the monument were opened to previous travelers as an exception.

How long will the journey take?

It is said that to pass the main profile of the structure from east to west – from Shanhaiguan to Jiayuguan – requires at least 3-5 months. If additional branches and new sections are added to the route, it will theoretically take 1.5 years. But in reality it may take longer. It all depends on the traveler. For example, in 1905, the head of the program to protect the Great Wall of China took 508 days to cover the entire distance on his own. Another Chinese explorer, Liu Yutian, took two years.

But there are others who took less time – among them father and son Ren Erlin and Ren Zigeng, American couple Jamie Bradish and Rob Ingland, and that British couple Tarka L’Herpiniere and Katie-Jane Cooper. The first two spent 89 days inside the walls of the facility, the second two spent 10 months, and the third two spent 167 days. It is quite possible that the history keeps something silent – especially since there are many legends around the Chinese Wall. But this is not the main thing in our question. We are interested in how many kilograms you can lose weight (without losing your health) within such an unusual trip. In general, let’s not linger and pass the word to the experts.

How many kilograms can you lose and is it not dangerous?

Young people from the UK, who made a hike on the structure, lost 19 kilograms each. Their path to “weight loss” was thorny and lasted no less than 167 days. During this time, the girl twice went to the hospital. The first time with gastroenteritis and dehydration, and the second time – with a bad back because of the heavy backpack.

Along the way, the couple overcame one of the hottest deserts in the world and reached the mountain peaks, where the temperature dropped to minus 35. Taking into account the peculiarities of the structure, the guys walked not just in a straight line, but went up, down, went on gentle descents and ascents. If you calculate, the average distance they covered during the day was about 50 kilometers – almost a marathon.

Daniel: To avoid exhausting your body, I would recommend walking no more than 30 kilometers a day – this is the best option. The total will be 295 days – almost 10 months. With such a load it is quite realistic to lose 38-40 kg, if the weight was excessive – about 100-110 kg. Even if on some days it will be possible to overcome a slightly greater distance, the entire distance will take at least six months.

In general, everything here is individual. The more weight, the more calories will be burned at the start. An overweight person will lose weight faster at the beginning of the distance than at the end. This process will also be influenced by the weather – if it is hot, the weight will go away faster than in the cold season. It is quite realistic to lose about 40 kg during a walk of almost 9 thousand kilometers, says Daniel. If the weight at the start is normal, a person will dry up well and build up endurance.

How to prepare for such a trek?

Daniel: As for the diet, a balanced diet is important for such loads, which will contain foods with a high energy value. This is necessary in order not to create a deficit state in which there will simply be no strength left. It would be useful to add energy and protein bars. In terms of format, we will get a low-intensity workout, which will include elements of cardio on the ascent, at altitude changes. To ease the load, I would recommend breaking the daily distance into short sections of 5-10 km and making stops.

Speaking of equipment, special attention should be paid to footwear. Wear resistance when covering such distances does not have any sole. The average mileage of sneakers is 800-1000 km in running mode. If there is no shock load, and instead of it will be calm walking, you can increase the allowable mileage up to 2000 km. Even in this case, you will need 4-5 pairs of sneakers, preferably running shoes with shock absorption and good ventilation to make your feet as comfortable as possible.

It is difficult to get to China, and you want to repeat such an experience. What to do?

We listen to your comments and realize that it is an impossible task to get to some countries nowadays. That’s why this time we offer an alternative that everyone can do. You don’t have to fly to China to do something like this. You can walk the Great Wall of China without leaving the city (and without quitting your job). It is enough to come up with a program – for example, for a year or two. To do this, it is important to correctly distribute the distance and walk the right number of kilometers per day, which will result in a distance traveled equal to the length of the Chinese Wall. For example, if you are ready to devote to walking five times a week for two hours, taking into account the average walking speed of a person, the distance of 9 thousand kilometers will be overcome a little earlier than in 3.5 years.

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Such a period, of course, will not suit many people. Therefore, walking can be replaced by running. The goal in this case will be achieved much faster, namely it will take a little more than a year – 14 months. Just imagine that, regularly running in the evening or in the morning, after only about a year and a half you can say that you also ran the entire Great Wall of China or a distance equal to it. And that’s another reason to be proud of yourself. On top of that, you’ll be doing your body a tremendous amount of good. Regular running pumps you up physically and spiritually.

Walking is also very useful at any age. Nordic walking, for example, is gaining popularity. The world creates such conditions in which you almost never have to move and actively move throughout the day, week, month, after all. The body and the organism as a whole have been evolutionarily always on the move and used to function not only with fingers and brain, but with all parts. This is the only way to keep it working properly and functional, otherwise failure will occur. Walking will do a great job of keeping the body toned.

Ivan: There are a lot of benefits, but there are also risks. You can injure your knee joint if you choose the wrong shoes or do not know the technique of running. That’s why you need to prepare yourself first. Then you will definitely overcome the length of the Great Wall of China, without leaving your country and in more comfortable conditions than the couple we mentioned earlier. Running and walking will help you get rid of excess weight with proper diet and will not bring any unpleasant consequences. There will be no problems if you competently prepare for the process, choose the right shoes and clothes, understand the technique, and also consult with your doctor, in what mode it is better to run (fast, medium, slow) and at what time of day (morning, afternoon, evening).