DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing

Arrive in Beijing, the sprawling capital of China with an ancient history, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Beijing is situated in the northeast of the country, and is separated from the Gobi Desert and Mongolia by a green chain of mountains over which The Great Wall of China runs.

Time permitting, start your sightseeing this afternoon with a walking tour of the fascinating ‘hutongs’ found near your hotel, a network of narrow lanes between the closely built quadrangular homes found in the centre of the city. Mostly built during the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, they are fast disappearing as developers modernise these areas.

Day 2: Beijing City Tour  

Today enjoy a guided tour of Beijing, including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven.

We start on Tiananmen Square, where you will be able to take in the panorama of the largest public square in the world which has long been a gathering place for locals and visitors alike. On the north side of the square is Tiananmen Gate (the Rostrum). It was from this balcony that  Mao Zedong, chairman of the Communist Party, proclaimed the founding of the People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949.

From Tiananmen Square you will enter the Forbidden City, the largest and most complete group of ancient buildings in China. Built in the 15th century, the Imperial Palace was home to 24 emperors, from Emperor Yongle in 1402 until the last Qing emperor, Puyi, left in 1924. It was a forbidden area for over 500 years, until the revolution of 1911 and was home to two royal dynasties, the Ming and Qing emperors. The entire complex consists of 8,706 rooms in which an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 people lived, all within 170 acres, including 3,000 eunuchs as well as maids and concubines. It was from this palace that the emperors governed China, stepping out of its confines extremely rarely.

Continue to the Temple of Heaven, located in the centre of Tiantan Gongyuan Park. This spectacular Ming temple dates from 1420. Its intricate carvings and bright colours illustrate the opulent Ming style and its wooden pillars support a 38m curved ceiling, without any cement or nails. In the temple complex is the Echo Wall, a circular structure with polished bricks on the inside. Twice a year during imperial times, the emperor and a magnificent procession of some 1,000 eunuchs, courtiers and ministers would leave the Forbidden City for the temple. At the winter solstice, he expressed thanks for the previous harvest, and on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar year, he begged the gods of sun and moon, clouds and rain, and thunder and lightning to bless the coming harvest. Today the temple and its surrounding altars, gates and park are a meeting place for the people of Beijing and you can see the locals enjoying a game of chess, or practicing the ancient art of Tai-Chi.  

After an included lunch at a Chinese restaurant, enjoy a shared coach tour to the Summer Palace in the northwest of the city, including a boat ride on the lake. Regarded as one of the finest landmarks in Beijing, it has long been a royal garden and was considerably enlarged and embellished by Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century.

Dinner is for your own account tonight. Perhaps try authentic Peking Duck, which has been prepared since the imperial era.

Day 3: Great Wall of China & Train to Xi’an

Today enjoy a guided tour to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu Pass, about 1-2 hours drive from Beijing. Being further out from the city, it is less crowded.

Stretching from the Gobi desert to the Yellow Sea, this is the largest man-made structure on earth and is an amazing feat of engineering, labour and sacrifice. The original wall was begun 2,000 years ago to keep out marauding nomads, when China was unified under Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The construction used hundreds of thousands of political prisoners and an estimated 180 million cubic metres of packed earth. At Mutianyu you can see a collection of watchtowers and ramparts snaking along the mountain ridges, and across the skyline far into the distance.

A Chinese lunch at a local restaurant is included, before returning to Beijing.

In the evening your guide and driver will take you to the train station for your overnight journey to Xi’an. A private 2 berth deluxe cabin (with en-suite bathroom) will be reserved for your exclusive use.

Day 4: Xi’an City Tour

You will be met at Xian North railway station and transferred to your hotel to refresh and check in, before enjoying a guided city tour.

Located on the Guanzhong Plain in central China, Xi’an is one of the oldest cities in China. With a history that dates back over 3,000 years, it was the capital of 13 dynasties including the Qin Dynasty which first unified the country, as well as the Tang Dynasty that is often considered to be China’s ‘Golden Age’.

Our tour starts with a visit to the Shaanxi Museum, considered to be one of the best in China. We then visit the Xi’an City Wall, one of the oldest and best-preserved in all of China. The wall is about 9 miles long and is surrounded by a deep moat. It is 12m high, with a gateway and watchtowers on each side. First built in the 2nd century BC, when Chang’an (as it was then known) was an ancient capital of China, the existing wall dates back from the Ming Dynasty and was completed in 1370 AD.

After lunch at a local restaurant, we travel 2.5 miles south of the city to the Da Ci'en Temple complex, a well-preserved ancient building and Buddhist holy place that is a symbol of ancient Xi’an. Here you will find the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. It was originally built in 652 during the Tang Dynasty and was named after a goose that fell out of the sky to feed a group of hungry pilgrims, who later built a pagoda where the goose fell. 

Day 5: Terracotta Army & Muslim Quarter

This morning we leave the city to visit the site of the Terracotta Army. One of the world’s greatest archaeological finds, they were discovered quite by chance in 1974 by a group of peasants who were digging a well on the outskirts of Xi’an.

Buried for 2,000 years, these sculptures of thousands of life-sized warriors with their chariots and horses in battle formation were funerary statues, made to accompany China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, to the afterlife. The figures were buried with artefacts and weapons of the day and every soldier differs in facial features and expressions. The dig is still in progress, as it is believed that the site is part of an even larger army still buried underground.

We return to Xi’an for a local Chinese lunch. In the afternoon we continue our tour of ancient Xi’an with visits to the Bell Tower, Drum Tower and the historic Muslim Quarter. Located in the centre of the walled city, the bell in the Bell Tower was sounded at dawn when the city gates were opened, whilst the drum in the Drum Tower was sounded at dusk when the gates were closed. The renovated Bell Tower (dating from 1384) was moved to its present site in 1582, where it stands 118 ft high. It is now encircled by downtown's shopping and commercial centre.

The Great Mosque is situated close to the Drum Tower in Huajue Xiang Street, surrounded by the old houses and narrow lanes of Xi’an's Muslim (‘hui’) community. It is the oldest in the city (founded in 742 AD according to a stone tablet in the mosque, although nothing from this Tang period survives), and is still used as a place of worship today. The Great Mosque survived the Cultural Revolution virtually unscathed and remains an outstanding Chinese interpretation of an Islamic place of worship. The present layout dates from the 14th century, with an architectural style almost indistinguishable from a Chinese Buddhist temple. But look closely and you will see the Arabic script and Islamic motifs that decorate the mosque. Also the main axis of the mosque is aligned in a very non-Chinese east to west direction, in order to face Mecca.

Day 6: Fly to Guilin

Transfer to Xi’an airport for your flight to Guilin, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

The rest of the day will be free for you to relax and explore this charming riverside city at your own pace.

Day 7: Cruise Down Li River to Yangshuo 

After breakfast you will be transferred to the river, where you will board your boat for a leisurely 4 hour cruise down the picturesque Li River.

Enjoy the stunning scenery as your boat meanders between dramatic forested peaks and past bamboo fishing villages. This is one of the most enchanting river journeys in China, with great photo opportunities along the way. A simple Chinese packed lunch will be served on board.

On arrival in Yangshuo, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore this resort town, known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape.

Day 8: At Leisure

Today you are free to roam the Guangxi countryside independently. By far the best way of getting around is by bike, although walks of any length are also available.

Spending time on the water, either on the Li itself or by bamboo raft along one its many gullies, is a memorable way to explore. Numerous other activities are also available such as a cooking class at the Yangshuo Cooking School, shopping along central West Street, taking in the evening ‘Son et Lumiere’ show, or arranging a trip to witness the fascinating ‘fishing with cormorants’ method still practised by local fishermen.

Day 9: Fly to Shanghai

Transfer to Guilin airport this morning for your flight to Shanghai, where you will be met and transferred to your hotel.

Shanghai was originally a small seaside fishing village on the estuary of the mighty Yangtze River, but today it is an international metropolis.

This afternoon you have some free time to explore this vibrant city independently. You can wander around the Old French Concession, take an evening boat trip along the Huangpu River, or simply people watch in one of Shanghai’s pretty parks.

Day 10: Shanghai Tour

Today enjoy a guided tour of the city, starting with a visit to the Shanghai Museum, set in a distinctive building on People's Square designed in the shape of an ancient bronze cooking vessel called a ding. This museum holds the country’s foremost collection of ancient Chinese art and antiques. The bronze collection is considered to be the best in the world, with other first-rate exhibits of sculpture, jade, calligraphy, painting, Ming and Qing dynasty furniture and art.

Our next stop is Yuyuan Garden in the old city. Although much of Shanghai's old quarter has been destroyed, what remains gives an interesting insight into its past. Yuyuan Garden dates back to the Ming Dynasty and offers a place of peace and comfort in the heart of the bustling city. You can sip tea in the tea pavilion or shop in the adjoining market, before taking lunch in a local restaurant.

We continue to The Bund, a waterfront area lined with fine colonial buildings dating from the 1930s when the city was occupied by European, American and Japanese banks, trading houses, clubs, consulates and hotels. These buildings have been restored and are spectacularly lit up at night.

Day 11: Fly Home

Transfer to Shanghai airport for your flight home.

PRICING

Price is based on two adults sharing en-suite accommodation on a bed & breakfast basis, with local Chinese lunches where specified (but not drinks). All specified transfers, trains, guided tours and river cruise are included. International and domestic flights are not included and will be quoted separately.

We offer a choice of hotels at different prices, so please discuss your requirements with us. All hotels are subject to availability.

It is essential that you have personal holiday insurance. The FCO should also be consulted.