Uncover the Spirit of the Himalayas

Today on your China holiday, you'll have a chance to explore Beijing by car with a driver and an English-speaking guide. You'll be picked up at your hotel around 8:30 in the morning. The first stop is Tian'anmen Square: the gateway to heavenly peace. This infamous square is home to the buildings of parliament as well as the entrance to the Forbidden City and Mao Zhedong's Mausoleum and is most likely top of your list of must-see's while you explore China. After a stop you'll visit the Temple of Heavenly Peace (entrance fee 35 Yuan) and the colourful Lama Temple (entrance fee approximately 25 Yuan). 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. As you have a guide accompanying you, you can not only can ask them everything about Beijing, but also any practical questions you may have. For instance, when you're visiting Tian'anmen around 12:30, you can ask your guide to give you tips on the best places to visit for lunch.

Most travellers will agree that the Great Wall of China is one of the highlights of any China holiday. You'll leave Beijing early in the morning and 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. Many parts of the wall are still the original wall segments, completely unrestored and dating back to around 1570. At the end of the route you'll encounter the busy Beijing streets once again; arriving back at around 18:30.

Recently the Simatai section of the Great Wall has been closed for renovation and is unavailable for clients to hike. The hike that we offer will still depart from Jinshanling and continue onto the point of closure at Simatai and then continue back to Jinshanling. Even with the closure of the Simatai section we still feel that this is the best way to experience the stunning landscapes in the mountainous area of the Luanping County.

Today you'll be awakened from your slumber before arriving in Xi'an where you'll continue to explore China. 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. If you'd prefer not to travel by train, there are several daily flights to Xi'an.

Today is free to spend as you please! We would recommend heading to the Muslim Quarter. Here you'll find quaint little tea shops, street stalls selling all sorts of delicious vegetarian food and the Great Mosque of Xi'an. This is a great place to buy souvenirs as it's much cheaper (and more authentic) than the other, high-street shops around Xi'an.

You'll have most of the day to spend as you wish. You could go cycling along the city wall. The wall is 12km long and is built in a square around the city. If you’re looking to do something different while you explore China, this is your best bet and you'll get a great view of the whole city. You’ll pay 40 Yuan to access the city wall and 20 Yuan to rent a bicycle for an hour and a half (enough time to ride all the way around the city walls) and a 200 Yuan deposit. The south gate is the best starting point and this is where you will find the bicycles for rent. There are several cafés located at the various towers. The wall is open for cycling from 8:00 - 22:00.

In the evening you'll make your own way back to Xi'an train station where you'll board the sleeper train to Lanzhou. This time you'll spend the night in a hard sleepr couchette. Despite it's name, a 'hard sleeper' isn't as bad as it sounds; it actually offers practically the same bed as you would receive if you booked a soft sleeper. So why is it referred to as a 'hard sleeper'? Because class differentiation is strictly prohibited in China, and therefore first and second class differentiations aren't allowed.

After your night aboard the sleeper train you'll awake in Lanzhou. You’ll be picked up by mini van and taken to the city of Xiahe in mid-western China (it's a hefty 5 hour drive). Along the way you’ll pass small Muslim villages and most likely make a stop in Linxia for a meal before heading on.

Xiahe, in the Gansu province of China, lies at an altitude of 3000m. When you get out of the car you’re sure to feel the effects almost immediately. The village is nothing more than a 3km long street with stores and several hotels. The street ends at the famous 16th century Labrang monastery, recognizable by its golden roof. This is the second largest Tibetan monastery in China after the Potala Palace in Lhasa. You’ll have all the time you need to visit the monastery while you explore China. There is a guided tour every day at 15:15.

You’ll spend the night in a simple hotel near the monastery. There is warm water, however the area is known to have frequent power outages. Simple meals are available in the hotel.
 

As you explore China on this trip, we recommend that you visit the main monastery in Langmusi. The temple usually has morning services. Your guide will lead you through the prayer hall where the highest priest of the monastery sits on a plateau; a type of throne. Anyone who passes him should bow their head as a sign of respect.

Afterwards you'll head towards Songpan in the north west of the Sichuan province. Your journey will take you to a few different mountain passes and grassy plains. En route your driver will take a rest stop at a small Buddhist monastery belonging to the order of the Red Caps. The landscape will then change into green valleys, rock formations and farmland. Once you reach Songpan, you’ll say goodbye to your driver and guide and you’ll spend two nights in a small basic hotel. The power supply may falter at times so don't forget your torch.
 

Songpan is a small town on the banks of the Min River. The population is a mix of Tibetans, Hui Muslims and Han Chinese. A myriad of religions and traditions coexist here. You'll have the day free to relax and explore China at your own pace.

The village is friendly and charming with many little wooden houses along small streets. Some travellers visiting Songpan on a China trip to the Sichuan province also explore the hills surrounding the city by horse, this is something that you can easily arrange on the spot.

If you don’t feel like going on a horse trek during your travels through China, you could also head to Guanyin pavillion where you will get a great view of the town and of Songpan's surroundings.

Today you'll have free time to arrange your own visit to the Emerald lakes of Juizhaigou. Your hotel can provide you with any information or tips you need about the park. At the entrance, you'll need to pay an entrance fee (Y220 per person). Once inside the park there are shuttle buses to different points in the park (Y100 per person). You’ll follow a trail along the terraced pools and go trekking to the multi-coloured lakes. There are several different trails so you can decide how challenging you want it to be.

During your time in the park, you can also explore one of the Tibetan communities dotted around the valley, their villages decorated with the characteristic Tibetan prayer flags.

After a good night's rest, you'll continue your journey. Once you’ve checked out you’ll be picked up by your driver who will take you to Jiuzhaigou airport where you'll board a flight to Chengdu.

One of our representatives will be waiting for you on your arrival to transfer you to your hotel. Our hotels in Chengdu are centrally located in town and within walking distance from the backpacker guest houses. Your own accommodation will be more comfortable than the guest houses and you’ll spend the night in a comfortable mid-class hotel with a shower, toilet, telephone, and air conditioning in your room. If you have the time you could explore China's Jinli Street in the afternoon; a charming, pedestrian district next to the Wuhou temple. You'll enjoy walking through the small, traditional streets, having a bite to eat on ‘Snack Street’ and having a drink at one of the lantern lit bars or Chinese tea houses. You won’t know where to look, there’s so much to see!
 

Day 22: Chengdu - UK