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Go ChinaGo China is an itinerary that will take you to all the important Chinese cities, cultural and natural attractions. In three weeks you'll take a trip back in time while walking over the Great Wall of China and you'll travel to the future in the modern city of Chengdu or when you board the high speed commuter train in Shanghai. Naturally you'll visit the bizarre archaeological find, the Terracotta Army, the panda research centre and the winding little streets of Lijiang which are beautifully lit by lanterns in the evening.In this China highlights itinerary you'll also have time to relax and unwind on the water in a dragon boat on Erhai Lake by Dali, or on a boat ride down the river with a fairytale landscape of karst mountains and green pastures surrounding you. |
| Duration: | 20 days/ 19 nights | Departure: |
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| Comfort level (1-5): | 3 (see accommodation) | Accommodation: | Comfortable and characteristic hotels and 1 night in a night train |
| Price: | From £1558 per person - based on 2 people sharing (including 4 domestic flights) | Included: | Transport, accommodation, 4 domestic flights, transfers and excursions as described below |
| Transport: | All arrival transfers, transfers between cities and towns (see below) | Excluded: | International flight, (airport) taxes, meals and drinks, entrance fees |
Day 1: Arrival in BeijingUsually your flight to the East will leave in the late afternoon and arrive in Beijing the following morning. Flying time without layovers is approximately 10 hours.One of our local representatives will be waiting for you in the arrival hall holding a sign with your name on it; our representative will take you to your hotel. There is an ATM in the arrival hall where you can secure your first Yuans. The airport is about an hour drive away from the centre of Beijing. In keeping with local style, you'll stay in a traditional courtyard hotel with fruit trees, magnolias and flowers. The small scale and architecture of these hotels is quite charming. The staff at the reception area are quite well versed in English, very helpful and very friendly. There are several large streets next to the hotel filled with stores. Be prepared for a very hard bed, unfortunately all beds are in China. The rest of the day on the China highlights itinerary is yours to spend as you wish; to recuperate from your flight, to get used to the time difference and to explore the area surrounding your hotel. |
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Day 2: BeijingTime to explore Beijing by car with a driver and an English speaking guide. You'll be picked up at 8:30 in the morning. Your first stop is Tian'anmen Square: Gate of Heavenly Peace. This famous square where buildings of parliament are found as well as the entrance to the Forbidden City and Mao Zhedong's mausoleum is most likely the first place you'd want to visit. After a rest stop you'll visit the Temple of Heavenly Peace (entrance fee 35 Yuan, approximately £3.50) and the colourful Lama Temple (entrance fee approximately £2.50). These are Beijing's most important temples. You'll walk among red pagodas, monks and prayer houses with the scent of incense and sandalwood all around you. Since you will have a guide accompanying you, you can not only ask him everything about Beijing, but also any practical questions you may have. For instance, when you're visiting Tian'anmen around 12:30 when your driver sends you on your way you can ask your guide to give you tips on the best places to visit for lunch.During the afternoon you'll walk along with your guide into the Forbidden City where you'll have a look at the 18th century residence of the emperor (open until 16:00, entrance fee approximately £6). Once you've seen all you wish to see, your guide will help you find a taxi cab back to your hotel (£1.50). While travelling in China, be sure to always bring along a business card from the hotel you'll stay at in China.... taxi drivers may not always understand you and a business card can get you back to your hotel. |
Day 3: Beijing - Great Wall of China walking tourMost travellers will agree that the Great Wall of China is one of the highlights of any China itinerary; however many parts of the wall are magnets for mass tourism. You'll leave Beijing early in the morning and you'll head towards a quiet part of the wall, about three hours from Beijing. Here you'll walk over the wall for about 10km; it's quite a vigorous walk and not appropriate for people with a fear of heights. It should take you about four hours to complete the entire course. First you'll walk over a long stretch of wall going upwards and later you'll descend for quite a bit. Many parts of the wall are still the original wall segments which have not been restored. Since this area is less frequently visited and you'll be spending such a long time on the wall, you'll really get a feel for the sheer size of the Great Wall. At the end of the route you'll encounter the busy Beijing streets once again; arrival will be around 18:30.If 10km is a bit much for you to walk during your holidays, we can make reservations for you to visit a part of the wall where you'll begin and end at the same part of the wall. This will enable you to walk as little or as much as you would like to. This part of the wall is a little more crowded than the other part of the wall that the 10km walk will originate from. There are more souvenir stores and more Chinese tourists. |
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Day 4: Beijing - Xi'anToday you'll have another day off in Beijing. After your walk on the Great Wall of China yesterday, your muscles may be a bit stiff. If you'd like to spend the day in peace and quiet, you may want to take a taxi cab to Beihei City Park to visit the classical Chinese gardens or you can visit the Summer Palace. This estate is located about 40 minutes from Beijing (a taxi cab will cost you £4-7 depending on how much traffic is on the road) and was once the Emperor's Family getaway. The entrance fee is 30 Yuan or 50 Yuan if you want to visit the Garden of Virtue and Harmony as well. If you want to spend your day more actively, go for a walk or ride a bike in Beijing's old neighbourhoods, the hutongs.Head back to your hotel around 15:00, where you'll be picked up at around 17:00 and taken to the train station. We'll make reservations for a hard sleeper in the night train to Xi'an for you. Once on board you'll find it difficult not to fall asleep to the rhythmic sound of the train rolling over the tracks. |
Day 5: Arrival in Xi'anYou'll be awakened from your slumber before arriving in Xi'an (if you prefer not to travel by train, there are several daily flights to Xi'an). We'll make reservations for you in a centrally located, comfortable hotel. You'll be greeted in the arrival hall and taken straight to your hotel. The transfer should take approximately 15 minutes.The rest of the day on the China highlights itinerary is yours to spend as you wish. You may want to have a look around the large boulevards and we would suggest visiting the charming Muslim neighbourhood. The heart of the city is the large Bell Tower in the middle of the traffic intersection. Nearby you'll also find the Drum Tower. If you climb the tower around 17:00 you'll have a wonderful view of the city, the Muslim neighbourhood and you'll catch a demonstration of Chinese kettle drums. The area around the Drum Tower is quite lively in the evening; it's filled with lively and chatty young people. A taxi cab back to your hotel will cost you about one or two Euros (or you could take a tuk-tuk) . |
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Day 6: Xi'an - Terracotta Army excursionThis morning you'll be picked up at 9:00 and taken to the excavation site where you'll see more than 7000 amazing clay soldiers, clay horses and clay chariots. This is the world famous Terracotta Army, and the second major highlight on your China itinerary.The site is located about 40 minutes from Xi'an and was once created as the future royal tomb for the then 14 year old King Zheng. Start your visit in hall 3 and then go on to hall 2 and 1; this way you'll save the best for last. After about two hours you'll have seen all there is to see; however transport to and from the site will cause you to spend about half a day on this excursion. You'll be back in Xi'an around 13:00 in the afternoon. If you're looking for more action in the afternoon, go for a bike ride across Xi'an's city wall. The wall runs for 12km in a square surrounding the city. If you want to avoid the busy city of Xi'an, this is quite a treat. You'll pay 40 Yuan to access the wall and another 15 Yuan for 1.5 hour bike rental and a 200 Yuan deposit. |
Day 7: Xi'an - ChengduThis morning you'll head out to the airport using your own arranged transport (a taxi to the airport costs approximately £4), where you'll catch a plane to Chengdu.You'll be met by one of our representatives who will take you to a comfortable hotel in the centre of town, within walking distance from several backpacker hostels. This offers you the chance to benefit from the know how of the hostels English speaking staff as well as the affordable activities and excursions that they organize. You'll have the best of both worlds. The area surrounding your hotel has many fine restaurants; you may want to try the areas most popular dish, the Sichuan Hotpot. This is a bowl with boiling hot water that is placed on the table with raw meat, vegetables and herbs served separately for you to cook in the bowling water. Holly's hostel usually offers Sichuan cooking classes to teach you the basics of Sichuan cooking. |
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Day 8: Chengdu - Panda Research Centre excursionYou'll be picked up at 7:30 in the morning so that you can arrive at the panda research centre when the pandas are fed. It may be a zoo; however it is a very responsible and well maintained zoo. It's endearing to watch the pandas eating, playing and sleeping and if you visit the instructional panda museum you'll understand more clearly why the panda is an endangered species. This was one of our favourite days on the China highlights itinerary. We weren't a big fan of the optional 'red miniature panda hugging' which can be done for a surcharge. It seemed very unnatural and unpleasant for the pandas. After an hour or two you'll have seen all there is to see at the panda research centre and the sight of these giant teddy bears will be forever ingrained in your memory. You'll be back at your hotel around 11:30. |
Day 9: Chengdu - Lijiang
You'll arrange your own transport to Chengdu airport (approximately £4) where you'll fly an hour to fairy tale town Lijiang. On arrival you'll be greeted by our representative and taken to our courtyard hotel in the historic part of town. This area known as the 'old town of 'Dayan' is listed on Unesco's world heritage list. Your hotel has a courtyard with sitting areas, plants and lanterns. Since you'll stay in the old town, a pedestrian area, you won't encounter traffic and you can walk easily over the cobble stone and wooden plank paths past bars, restaurants and stores. Lijiang is the number one tourist destination for Chinese tourists. You'll be amazed at the typical Chinese tourist behaviour: they enjoy purchasing the most kitschy souvenirs and it seems that they are always taking pictures opposite of the most interesting attractions. |
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Day 10: LijiangOn this morning of the China highlights itinerary you and a guide will go on a bike ride through the area surrounding Lijiang. You'll ride on a flat road with high mountains to the right and left of you and after about an hour you'll reach the authentic Naxi village Baisha, where the legendary herbal practitioner Dr. Ho lives. He is now over 80 years old; however he is very kind and hospitable and would love to invite you into his home for a cup of tea (he may even show you some of his newspaper clippings of articles about him in foreign newspapers).In the beginning of the afternoon you'll be back in Lijiang and you'll say goodbye to your guide and your bike. After lunch you may want to visit the Black Dragon Pool Park (entrance fee 60 Yuan). The most photogenic spots in China can be found in this park. For instance you'll see a lake in which the sun creates reflections of a temple and the tops of the surrounding mountains. |
Day 11: Lijiang - DaliToday you'll visit a part of the Chinese countryside and a bus will take you from Lijiang to Dali, which will take approximately 4 hours. The last part of the drive will take you past Lake Erhai. Historic Dali, the part of town that you'll stay in, is the most fun part of Dali to stay in. Many Chinese tourists stay in the new part of Dali, which lies 20 minutes away from where you'll stay at. Your hotel is completely immersed in Tibetan style. It lies just outside of the walled in part of town. There are many pictures of the local inhabitants here: the 'Bai' and the 'Yi'. They only live in this part of China and live according to ancient traditions.Take a stroll through the illuminated southern gate in the evening, into the historic heart of town. There are small wooden homes, stores and restaurants on both sides of the streets. 'Foreigner Street' is the place where western tourists get together and share stories and experiences. |
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Day 12: DaliThis day can be spent however you please. Your hotel offers a variety of interesting excursions to choose from. On Mondays you can visit the colourful Shaping morning market; you could also visit surrounding villages around the lake or visit the Yi minority in the company of a guide. Naturally you don't have to book an excursion to have a great time; you can also choose to go out on your own. For 10 Yuan you can rent a bike and explore the area surrounding Dali independently. There are also horseback rides through the forests and mountains. There are plenty of options.... and in the evening you can enjoy the nightlife in the walled off part of Dali.If you decide to book an extra night in Dali, take the chair lift behind the Three Pagodas temple complex into the mountains. There you'll find the start of a beautiful 10km hike along the mountain ridge. The trail is flat and can be hiked by almost anyone. At the end of the trail you'll take a gondola down the mountain. When you get out you can catch a taxi cab. |
Day 13: Dali - Kunming - Guilin - YangshuoToday you'll travel by comfortable public transport bus to Kunming within 5 to 6 hours. This will be another ride with hills and mountains surrounding you and through farmland and villages. You'll pass through several long tunnels and then you'll drive into the Kunming outer limits. If you would like to visit the Stone Forest near Kunming, you can spend two nights in the city. During our time here, we found that there were too many tourists visiting the area and therefore we've chosen to continue this China highlights itinerary in Guilin.On arrival at the Kunming bus station a transfer will be waiting to take you to the airport for a 2 hour flight to Guilin. At the end of the day you'll arrive at one of our favourite China highlights on the itinerary: the karst mountains near Guilin. You'll be greeted by our local representative in the arrival hall and we'll arrange a connecting transfer to the next destination, Yangshuo, which is about two hours away. All in all you'll be travelling for quite some time, however all the travelling will be well worth it. |
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In order to reach Yangshuo’s Karst Mountains, you’ll fly to the city of Guilin first. Many travel organisations book hotel accommodation in the large city of millions, Guilin, and arrange a boat ride on the Li River on to Yangshuo. This may sound like fun; however more than 50 double- deck boats filled with Chinese tour groups go up and down this River each day. Instead of being able to enjoy the splendour of nature all around you, you would most likely be distracted by the cacophony of ship horns honking and very loud tour groups shouting over the river. Instead of arranging accommodation in Guilin, we’ll arrange accommodation for you in a charming retreat located in between the karst mountains. Only 20 minutes away from Yangshuo, you'll be surrounded by farmland and rice paddies. The room you'll stay in is basic, yet well maintained and the staff are very friendly. There are mountain bikes, kayaks, bamboo rafts and tubes for rent and naturally this area is great for walking. You could hike to the river and catch a glimpse of the bamboo boats you'll be sailing in tomorrow. We found Yangshuo to be quite busy during the evenings and therefore we would usually have a quiet dinner at the hotel under a brilliantly starry sky. |
Day 14: Yangshuo - bike, bamboo boat excursion Yulong River
Today a bike tour and bamboo boat ride are on the agenda. We'll arrange a bike, a boat and an English-speaking guide for you. He will tell you more about life in the area and will bike and sail along with you. You'll travel in a small group today along with other Western travellers. You'll start off the day with a bike ride along the Yulong River. The scenery here is every bit as beautiful as it is at the Li River and it features a dramatic array of karst mountains on the banks of the river. During your bike ride you'll leave the main roads and peddle over paths along the river, through farmland and rice paddies and you'll have the karst mountains as constant companions during your ride. You'll be able to stop for drinks or snacks in the small villages that you'll pass during your ride. After biking for a while, the bamboo raft will be waiting to take you down the river. You, your guide and other boats will sail through the peaks of the karst mountains. After a few kilometres you'll get back on your bike and peddle towards the 'highlight' of this trek, Moon Hill. You can choose to climb the hill if you wish. In warm temperatures, this could be quite a strenuous climb. However the view from the top will make up for any inconvenience of getting there. Eventually when you return to your hotel you can unwind with a beer or glass of wine on the terrace. |
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Day 15: YangshuoToday you’ll have the entire day to spend as you please; there is plenty to do in this area. You can rent a kayak from the hotel, spend another day on a bicycle to explore the area on your own or you can even take a Kung Fu lesson for an hour. We'll gladly give you more options.There's quite a lot to see on and along the Li and Yulong Rivers in the evenings. The name Zhang Yimao may not ring a bell, however he is the most well known movie director in China and was also responsible for directing the opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. He’s created an outdoor show here with a backdrop of mountains and the river that attracts about 1000 visitors each and every night. As with most things in China, this show is a large production. No less than 500 actors and actresses in full dress and make-up perform the Chinese love story by San Jie Lu on the banks of the river and on the river itself. The surrounding mountains are part of a magnificent light show every night during the performance. The show can be viewed daily from 20:00 - 21:00. Tickets are on sale on location from £15. After the show you may want to venture out for some souvenir shopping or have a bite to eat in one of Yangshuo's busy streets. |
Day 16: Yangshuo - Ping'anAt around 9:00 you'll be picked up and a transfer will take you north through Guilin to the Longji rice terraces. The village Ping'an is located in the middle of this area and is only accessible by foot. You'll be met at the end of the drive and someone will join you on the 20 minute walk to the village. If you prefer not to carry your suitcase/ backpack during the walk, you can have your baggage carried for 30 Yuan. By lunchtime you'll reach the village of only 800 inhabitants.You'll stay in a basic, well maintained guest house in the village. Electricity and warm water are available in the mornings and evenings. Your room will have its own private bathroom. The guest house has a large veranda where you can enjoy the view of the rice fields and mountains in the crisp clean air. In the afternoon you can walk through the village and visit the Two View Points. Along the way you're sure to encounter the Zhuang. This local minority introduced the terraced irrigation system that is used in this area about 5000 years ago. |
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Day 17: Ping'anThe last morning mist between the mountain peaks will disappear before your eyes during your breakfast on the veranda this morning. At around 9:00 you and a guide will head out for a day of hiking through the most vast area of rice terraces at the world's highest altitude. This area is called Dragon's Bone or Longji. The hike isn't difficult and is possible for anyone with an average level of physical fitness. You'll mostly be walking through the rice terraces; however you'll also walk through forest or marshes. You'll see the Zhuang hard at work in their paddy-fields pushing their oxen through the mud. Around lunchtime you'll have a bite to eat in a small town and then you'll continue hiking for another two hours. Then you'll catch a bus back to the end of the road leading to Ping'an where you'll walk back to your guest house in the village with your guide. In the evening you'll be able to enjoy a stunning sunset from the veranda. We considered our stay here as one of the most relaxing moments during our China trip. |
Day 18: Ping'an - Guilin - ShanghaiAfter you've checked out of the guest house, you'll walk back to the parking lot with your baggage. A transfer will be waiting to take you to Guilin airport (1.5 hour drive), where you'll catch a plane to an entirely different part of China.... harbour city Shanghai! Domestic flights arrive at the Hongqiao airport, 18km from Shanghai city, a 30 - 60 minute drive depending on traffic. We will make arrangements for a transfer to take you to your centrally located hotel on arrival. All rooms have air conditioning and tv. The hotel is truly located at the best possible spot; in the evening you can simply exit the hotel and walk onto the Shanghai river boulevard, The Bund. |
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Day 19: ShanghaiWhile strolling along the Bund past the large classic colonial buildings (quite a few Chinese will stroll along with you by the way) you'll feel like you're walking through ancient 18th and 19th century China. Much like during the golden days, business is still booming here. International fashion boutiques, yuppie bars and beautifully renovated buildings such as the infamous Peace Hotel all stand side by side. On the other side of the Bund you'll see Pudong's skyscrapers shooting into the heavens like a brand new Shanghai. The ancient street lanterns on the Bund unfortunately cannot outshine the laser show illuminating the buildings in Pudong's business district. |
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A popular attraction in this area, albeit a very touristy and crowded one, is the Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si). However, if you only want to visit one museum during your stay here, we recommend visiting the Shanghai museum with its incredible collection of everything in China that was worth saving. If you just feel like relaxing and unwinding, you may want to visit the famous Yu-garden, not far from the Bund. Try to visit the garden close to closing time, the quietest time of the day. The calming atmosphere will not only rest your feet, but also your head. If you plan on going out in the evening, you'll want to visit Xintiandee, a district made up of pedestrian walkways, tea houses, restaurants and renovated Shikumen houses, and even a French district. Staying 'in' for the evening in your hotel is not an option..... a night on the town is part of the Shanghai experience! |
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Day 20: Shanghai - End of China highlights itineraryAll good things must come to an end. Today you'll return to the airport (arrange a transfer at your hotel reception for just a few pounds) and catch your flight back to the UK.If this itinerary sounds the trip for you, just click the quote request form link below and select it. Send us the form and we'll send you a detailed, no-obligation quote. |
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