My wife and I recently completed a day-long tour of the Great Wall with Jessie. In addition to being very knowledgeable about the history of the areas that we toured, she spoke excellent English and was able to answer all of our questions. Her driver was very experienced and polite, and we really enjoyed being able to have a customized tour that avoided the tourist traps and forced shopping that seem to be a part of the larger group tours.
The attractions themselves were fantastic. I was a little worried that the snowy weather might impact our trip to the Great Wall, but everything went fine, and there weren't many people out at all that day. I suggest wearing strong shoes—the Great Wall is really a hike. And on snowy or rainy days, the surfaces are pretty slippery(滑的)!Seeing this area in winter was really unique, and the snow made for great pictures. Jessie kept us entertained with stories and facts about the construction of the Great Wall, and always pointed out great spots for taking pictures. Even though she's in fantastic shape, she cared about our level of fitness and often stopped to let us catch our breath.
When we got back to our hotel, Jessie gave us a great recommendation for dinner and some tips for our planned stops the next day. If I find myself in Beijing in the future, I will certainly be contacting Jessie for more tour opportunities, and I've already recommended her to some friends who are visiting the area later in the year. I can't say enough about how kind and knowledgeable she was, and she really gave us a great tour experience.
