Activity holiday in China
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2009: 23 Mar, 20 Apr, 4 May, 18 May, 1 Jun, 15 Jun, 29 Jun |
| price: | From £1180 (14 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $300 |
the amazing things you'll be doing
An amazing journey for the active traveller through enigmatic China. Hike up the holy mountain of Hua Shan for an early morning sunrise, trek along a remote section of the Great Wall and cycle through rural villages past the endless rice fields of southern China. So get out those hiking boots, strap on a helmet and get ready to hike and bike China!
Highlights include:
Warm up in vibrant Hong Kong Cycle through rural villages Explore the storybook landscapes of Yangshuo See the Terracotta Warriors Hike up Hua Shan Explore Beijing by bike Trek along the Great Wall
Highlights include:
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Hong Kong. It's worth arriving early to explore this lively city. Hike up to Victoria Peak for fantastic city and ocean views, wander through Stanley Market or jump on the famous Star Ferry to visit one of the nearby islands. |
| Day 2-3: | Longshan. After transferring by catamaran to the mainland, cycle on paved roads from Zhaoqing to Longshan across the beautiful and peaceful Guangdong region. A picnic lunch and school visit in one of the remote, countryside villages make this a memorable first day's ride. |
| Day 4: | Wuzhou. Limestone caves, picturesque villages and lush rural vistas lie between the traditional village of Wuzhou and Yangshuo. After visiting Dragon Cave, pedal through the Guangxi countryside via ancient towns and markets. |
| Day 5-7: | Yangshuo. With the Li River snaking past limestone pinnacles and emerald rice fields and then through the town itself, the landscape that surrounds Yangshuo is legendary. Spend half a day cycling through the countryside to Moon Hill. |
| Day 8-10: | Xi'an/Hua Shan. Behold the ancient wonder of the Terracotta Warriors of Xi'an; thousands of these statues guard the underground necropolis of the First Emperor. An overnight visit to Hua Shan, one of China's sacred Taoist mountains, provides some great hikes and amazing views. |
| Day 11-14: | Beijing/Great Wall. One of the world's greatest cities, Beijing is sure to charm. Take a guided tour of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and explore the city's ancient hutongs by bicycle. A hike along a lesser known part of the Great Wall concludes the adventure. |
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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Get on your bike for a great way to see rural China in an environmentally friendly way. We explore the beautiful southern China countryside and say ‘ni hao’ to the many farmers who we see working in the fields. If we are lucky we may even be invited to share a cup of ‘cha’!
There are many rural schools in the south and we may have the chance stop for an English/Chinese language exchange with the students. We also visit a paper mill en route and see how recycled paper is produced. In Beijing we visit a branch of Huiling, a Chinese-run charity which provides support and education for young adults with disabilities. Lunch is provided and the students are always very excited to perform some traditional dances and show off their skills. All travellers are given a given a responsible travel bag at the beginning of the trip as we have plenty of opportunities to shop at local markets and say no to plastic. We also encourage travellers to eat with a reusable set of chopsticks to avoid the waste of a throwaway pair at every meal. |
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. |