Great Wall of China & Yangtze Warriors holiday
| country: | China |
| location: | Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| departures: | 2008: 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 2 Nov, 16 Nov 2009: 8 Mar, 22 Mar, 5 Apr, 19 Apr |
| price: | From £695 (16 days) excluding flights. Local payment US $250 |
read 3 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
In a little over two weeks, we take a journey encompassing some of the 2,000 years of China’s incredible history. We visit such historical sites as the Forbidden City and the Ming Tombs; we explore authentic villages and towns, and witness the modern face of China in cities such as Shanghai.
If that isn’t enough, we walk along the Great Wall, witness the army of Terracotta Warriors standing in full battle formation, visit the historical city of Nanjing and take a 2-day riverboat cruise up the spectacular Yangtze River. Bring it on!
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £8 - this does not include your international flight.
If that isn’t enough, we walk along the Great Wall, witness the army of Terracotta Warriors standing in full battle formation, visit the historical city of Nanjing and take a 2-day riverboat cruise up the spectacular Yangtze River. Bring it on!
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £8 - this does not include your international flight.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-3: | Beijing & Great Wall Our trip begins in Beijing and the following day we head to the Great Wall, which stretches from Shanhai Guan on the east coast to Jiayu Guan in the Gobi Desert. The original wall was commenced during the Qin Dynasty (221-207BC) to keep out marauding nomads and took over 1800 years to complete. We also go to the Ming Tombs, the final resting-place for many emperors from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). In Beijing we enjoy a tour of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square and have free time to wander through the backstreets or ‘hutongs’ – home to bustling local markets, shops and traditional houses. |
| Day 4-5: | Shanghai Shanghai is one of the world’s fastest growing cities – where modern skyscrapers tower above the ancient alleyways and opulent Art Deco boulevards. There’s plenty of time to explore the famous riverside Bund, as well as Shanghai’s many museums, markets, restaurants and bars. |
| Day 6-7: | Nanjing Nanjing was China’s capital during the Ming Dynasty. This attractive city has had a long and turbulent history. We visit Sun Yat Sen’s Mausoleum and you have the chance to explore places such as the Nanjing Museum and the impressive Ming City Gates. |
| Day 8: | Yichang We travel by train, past rich rural farmland, to Yichang, arriving late afternoon. There is time to stretch our legs and take a sunset stroll along the banks of the mighty Yangtze River, in readiness for our riverboat journey the next day. |
| Day 9-12: | Yangtze River Over the next two days we cruise upstream, passing quiet riverside towns and large industrial cities. We travel through spectacular gorges with sheer cliff faces towering above us on either side. A breathtaking scene awaits us at every river bend. On arrival in Chongqing, we board our sleeper train to Xian. |
| Day 13-14: | Xian & Terracotta Warriors Discovered in 1974, the vast army of Terracotta Warriors is one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th Century. Over the last two decades, thousands of life-size figures and their horses have been unearthed in full battle formation. There is time to wander through the back laneways and the markets of the enchanting Muslim Quarter. A walk along the ancient city walls is also a highlight. |
| Day 15-16: | Beijing On arrival in Beijing our trip comes to an end. You may extend your stay in China or perhaps join another Gecko’s trip. |
travellers' tales
Seeing the Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall were the most memorable parts. (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.
award winner how this holiday makes a difference
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This is an excellent introductory journey that features all the main attractions while travelling on a multitude of local transport – allowing you to immerse yourself in some of the many cultures that make up modern-day China. In fact 'cultural immersion' is a key component of all our trips in China.
On the Yangtze River, you travel on a Chinese cruise boat (in preference to a 'foreign-style' tourist boat) allowing a wonderful cross-cultural experience. Between major cities you travel on local trains, another great opportunity to sit down and get to know your Chinese travelling companions. In addition, all our leaders are locally born and bred which allows a far greater understanding of Chinese customs and traditions than can be achieved with a western leader. In many places, local guides are also employed, which in turn benefits these people and their families. This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people. We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. |
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. |