China tour - Panorama
| country: | China |
| location: | Yunnan, Sichuan, Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 11 Oct, 25 Oct 2009: 7 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 11 Apr, 25 Apr, 9 May, 23 May, 6 Jun, 20 Jun |
| price: | From £2228 (29 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
This journey offers you a comprehensive experience of China. Yunnan Province is home to a large number of the country's ethnic minority people, each maintaining their own unique custom, religion and often colourful costumes. A visit to the charming small towns of Dali and Lijiang, home to the Bai and Naxi people, and the Tibetan centre of Zhongdian enables you to appreciate a diversity that people do not usually associate with China.
The scenery is also impressive, with beautiful lakes, soaring mountains and the impressive Tiger Leaping Gorge. A two-day walk through the gorge requires a moderate level of fitness, but the rewards are enormous as you take in breathtaking views at every turn. Charming Yangshuo is situated on the Li River, near Guilin, and is surrounded by towering limestone outcrops that dominate the countryside. Enjoying lunch as a guest at a village household is a great way to get to meet the local people and see how they live.
The mighty Yangtze River, known locally as the Changjiang River, is China's greatest waterway and the third longest river in the world. A cruise through the Three Gorges enables you to view the most beautiful section, as well as witness the construction of the world's largest dam. Sichuan is home to very spicy cuisine, elaborate Buddhist cave art, a massive Buddha statue and giant pandas. In Xian and Beijing you pay homage to some of the world's most important historical sights, such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Terracotta Warriors.
The scenery is also impressive, with beautiful lakes, soaring mountains and the impressive Tiger Leaping Gorge. A two-day walk through the gorge requires a moderate level of fitness, but the rewards are enormous as you take in breathtaking views at every turn. Charming Yangshuo is situated on the Li River, near Guilin, and is surrounded by towering limestone outcrops that dominate the countryside. Enjoying lunch as a guest at a village household is a great way to get to meet the local people and see how they live.
The mighty Yangtze River, known locally as the Changjiang River, is China's greatest waterway and the third longest river in the world. A cruise through the Three Gorges enables you to view the most beautiful section, as well as witness the construction of the world's largest dam. Sichuan is home to very spicy cuisine, elaborate Buddhist cave art, a massive Buddha statue and giant pandas. In Xian and Beijing you pay homage to some of the world's most important historical sights, such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Terracotta Warriors.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Tue) Arrive in Kunming and transfer to hotel. |
| Day 2-3: | Walking tour of Kunming. Bus to Dali. Free time to explore Dali. |
| Day 4-5: | Bus to Lijiang. Free time to explore Old Town. |
| Day 6: | Bus to Tiger Leaping Gorge. Half day walk |
| Day 7-8: | Half day walk. Short walk out and bus to Tibetan-influenced Zhongdian. |
| Day 9: | Tour to Songzanlin Monastery, surrounding valley and visit Tibetan family. |
| Day 10: | Fly to Kunming. Visit Tang Dynasty Pagodas. |
| Day 11-12: | Fly to Guilin. Cycle tour around Yangshuo. |
| Day 13-14: | Overnight train to Wuhan. Drive to Yichang, board boat. |
| Day 15-17: | Yangtze River Cruise, sailing past the spectacular Three Gorges, ending in Chongqing. |
| Day 18-20: | Disembark. Buddhist caves at Dazu, bus to Chengdu, Giant Buddha at Leshan. |
| Day 21-22: | Giant Panda Breeding Centre. Fly to Xian. Walking tour (Muslim Quarter/South Gate). |
| Day 23: | Terracotta Warriors. Overnight train to Shanghai. |
| Day 24-25: | Walk along The Bund. Optional Shanghai Acrobats. Overnight train to Beijing. |
| Day 26-28: | Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, The Great Wall at Simatai. |
| Day 29: | Trip ends in Beijing this morning (Tue). |
travellers' tales
The scenery around Yang Shuo with the stone mountains was certainly spectacular and the raft trip with bicycles on the back was something my wife and I really enjoyed.
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small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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Our tours offer a great opportunity to experience China through the eyes of a local. Near Yangshuo you visit a local family in a village house, where you enjoy lunch as a guest of the family. This brings money into the local economy and also encourages cross-cultural interaction. Through a question and answer session, you learn how the local people live and gain an appreciation of their daily routines. These tours also include a cruise down the Yangtze River, where you learn about the ecological issues surrounding the world's third longest river. Later you visit the Giant Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu, where we support an important project to save this endangered species. A key component of the tour is your local Tour Leader.
Tourism is a relatively new concept in China and we have implemented training programs for all its leaders, covering a variety of issues, from environmental awareness to First Aid. This not only assists in the conduct of a tour but also provides leaders with important life skills. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |