China tours, highlights of China
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| departures: | 2008: 31 Aug, 14 Sep, 28 Sep, 12 Oct, 26 Oct, 9 Nov, 7 Dec |
| price: | From £1140 (10 days) excluding flights. Price depends on season, deluxe option available. Single supplement available, maximum group size 15. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Beijing - Great Wall - Xian - Zhujiajiao - Shanghai
The ideal China experience if you have limited time. This comfortable journey begins in the historical and cultural heart of Beijing and takes in the incredible sights of the Great Wall and Xian’s Terracotta Warriors before concluding in bustling Shanghai. We also include a side trip to the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao.
Highlights include:
Great Wall at Mutianyu Fascinating morning walks Rickshaw ride into Beijing’s backstreet hutongs Water town of Zhujiajiao Calligraphy lesson with local children French Concession walking tour Views of the Bund and Huangpu River from the Shanghai Mansions Hotel.
Price includes: 9 night's hotel accommodation, internal flights per itinerary, road transport (modern air-conditioned vehicle), sightseeing per itinerary (excluding entrance fees), daily breakfasts, 1 lunch, tour leader (based on minimum of 7 people) and local English speaking guides.
The ideal China experience if you have limited time. This comfortable journey begins in the historical and cultural heart of Beijing and takes in the incredible sights of the Great Wall and Xian’s Terracotta Warriors before concluding in bustling Shanghai. We also include a side trip to the ancient water town of Zhujiajiao.
Highlights include:
Price includes: 9 night's hotel accommodation, internal flights per itinerary, road transport (modern air-conditioned vehicle), sightseeing per itinerary (excluding entrance fees), daily breakfasts, 1 lunch, tour leader (based on minimum of 7 people) and local English speaking guides.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-4: | Beijing. Start your journey to China with its most formidable city and capital, Beijing, the historical and cultural heart of the Middle Kingdom. On arrival in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to meet your group and tour leader for a welcome drink and tour briefing. We then explore Beijing’s amazing array of historical sights including the world’s largest public square, Tiananmen Square. Wander through the splendid Forbidden City before exploring the classic lanes and hutongs of Beijing’s backstreets by rickshaw. On Day 3 we travel to the amazing Great Wall at Mutianyu and marvel at the enormity of this man-made structure. Our final day in Beijing is spent visiting the dramatic Temple of Heaven – the famous symbol of the city - and exploring the magnificent grounds of the Summer Palace, once favoured by the infamous Empress Dowager Cixi in the late 19th century. In the evening we take a flight to Xian. |
| Day 5-6: | Xian & Warriors. The Xian region is home to some of the oldest cities in human civilisation and became the focus of international attention when a buried army of Terracotta Warriors was uncovered by a peasant in 1974. Xian is also the Chinese starting point of the legendary Silk Road – the historic junction of eastern and western civilisations. Here we explore the Muslim Quarter and see the interesting fusion of Middle Eastern and Chinese architectural styles in the Great Mosque. We also visit the ancient city walls and Wild Goose Pagoda before viewing the remarkable Army of Terracotta Warriors where each figure is unique in facial features and expressions. From here we take a flight to our next exciting destination, Shanghai. |
| Day 7-10: | Shanghai & Zhujiajiao. Shanghai, with its soaring skyline dwarfing the grand colonial buildings of the Bund, is Asia’s most amazing modern city. Shanghai’s energy and momentum is unmatched anywhere. It is also a city rich in history and with a firm place in China’s compelling future. We take a walking tour of the famous Bund riverfront and see the bustling commercial and shopping activity of Nanjing Road. We also visit the Shanghai Museum – China’s finest – the lively Chinese Quarter, Yu Garden and Bazaar. We experience local life on a visit to a busy Children’s Palace, and catch a glimpse of Shanghai’s future in the Urban Planning Exhibition Centre. We also head out to the ancient canal town of Zhujiajiao where we stroll the backstreets, cruise the canals and absorb the charming old world atmosphere. On day 10, your journey concludes with your airport transfer. |
small group adventure holiday
These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of China’s natural environment. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.
 Experience the incredible diversity of China from the might of Beijing to bustling Shanghai. In the former enjoy a delicious home-made lunch with a local hutong family – an experience which allows for cross-cultural exchange. Then hop on rickshaws for more close-up glimpses of local life in these laneways. These environmentally friendly rickshaw tours benefit drivers who tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged. During this journey we also actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in China including the blind masseur centres in Beijing and Shanghai. On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different provinces in China. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions. |
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. |