The Road to Shanghai
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 31 Aug, 28 Sep, 26 Oct, 23 Nov 2009: 11 Jan, 8 Feb, 8 Mar, 5 Apr, 3 May, 31 May, 28 Jun, 26 Jul, 23 Aug, 6 Sep, 20 Sep, 18 Oct, 15 Nov, 13 Dec |
| price: | From £615 (14 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $200. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
We'll see all the major attractions between Beijing and Shanghai with awesome man-made sights such as the Terracotta Army and the Great Wall proving dramatically different to the lovely hometown of Confucius and the welcome of China's rural communities as we stay with a local family on a working farm.
While travelling in China we stay in small local hotels, employ many local guides and representatives as well as a mix of foreign and local tour leaders - who all receive the SAME wages for the same job. We have also built up long term relationships with many of the local faces groups meet time and time again on tours. Near Taishan we spend the night as guests of local families at Buyang Village - a working farm. Travellers are spread out among the village houses - usually 2-3 per house - so as many families as possible benefit directly from our visit.
While travelling in China we stay in small local hotels, employ many local guides and representatives as well as a mix of foreign and local tour leaders - who all receive the SAME wages for the same job. We have also built up long term relationships with many of the local faces groups meet time and time again on tours. Near Taishan we spend the night as guests of local families at Buyang Village - a working farm. Travellers are spread out among the village houses - usually 2-3 per house - so as many families as possible benefit directly from our visit.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Beijing. Arrival day. |
| Day 2: | Beijing - Great Wall. A day at the Great Wall with a 3-5 hour hike along one of the less visited sections. |
| Day 3: | Beijing - Xi'an. Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Overnight train to Xi'an. |
| Day 4: | Xi'an. Morning arrival and transfer to the hotel. Full day at leisure to explore this ancient city. Perhaps visit the Great Mosque or the Muslim markets. |
| Day 5: | Xi'an- Tai'an. A free morning for more sightseeing before boarding the overnight train to Tai'an. |
| Day 6: | Tai’an - Farmstay: Get a glimpse of life for some of the farmers in China. Although things are changing fast elsewhere, the way of life here remains simple. You can only be amazed at the generous hospitality shown by our hosts. (LD) |
| Day 7: | Tai’an: After breakfast return to Tai’an where there’s the opportunity to climb Tai Shan, one of China’s holiest mountains. Overnight train to Nanjing. (B) |
| Day 8: | Nanjing. Morning arrival and transfer to the hotel. Free day to discover some of Nanjing's incredible past. |
| Day 9: | Nanjing. We take bicycles to the mausoleum of revolutionary leader Dr Sun Yat Sen and continue via the Ming city walls to Lake Xuanwu |
| Day 10: | Hangzhou. We take a local train for the short ride to Hangzhou, a lovely lakeside city. A free afternoon for sightseeing. The stunning Feilai Feng temple complex is certainly worth a visit. |
| Day 11: | Hangzhou. We follow the classic 'Nine creeks and eighteen gullies' route by bike through the famous tea plantations of Longjing. Relax by the lakeside in the afternoon or take your bike and explore further afield |
| Day 12: | Shanghai. Another short local train journey brings us to Shanghai. Opportunity to take a river cruise. |
| Day 13: | Shanghai. A full free day to explore this bustling city. In the evening we see the famed Shanghai acrobats. |
| Day 14: | Shanghai. Tour ends. |
travellers' tales
Hiking along the Great Wall of China was the highlight. It wasn't easy and was quite scary in places where it was steep or the path was uneven. But it felt like a huge accomplishment when we got to Simatai. (more)
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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While travelling in China we stay in small local hotels, employ many local guides and representatives as well as a mix of foreign and local tour leaders - who all receive the SAME wages for the same job. We have also built up long term relationships with many of the local faces groups meet time and time again on tours. Near Taishan we spend the night as guests of local families at Buyang Village - a working farm. Travellers are spread out among the village houses - usually 2-3 per house - so as many families as possible benefit directly from our visit.
At the Great Wall we walk a remote section which is not usually frequented by tourists, however our groups almost always find themselves accompanied by local villagers who help them along difficult sections and try to sell a few postcards at the end. Our tour leaders have built up good relationships with many of these villagers and encourage travellers to gain an insight into their lives and make a contribution by buying postcards. |
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. |