China tour, Yangtze & beyond
| country: | China |
| location: | Yunnan, Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors |
| departures: | 2010: 10 Mar, 24 Mar, 7 Apr, 12 May, 26 May, 9 Jun, 23 Jun, 7 Jul, 21 Jul, 4 Aug, 18 Aug, 1 Sep, 15 Sep, 20 Oct, 3 Nov, 17 Nov |
| price: | From £2060 - £2170 (18 days) excluding flights, based on twin share. Price depends on season, deluxe option available. Single supplement available, maximum group size 15. We can arrange flights from the UK from £500 per person including taxes. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
"This tour gives you the chance to see so much of China visiting the famous sights and cities as well as cruising down the magnificent Yangtze and venturing into village life. There’s plenty of time to soak in the Chinese culture and way of life as well. For me, the Great Wall and the stunning scenery would have to be the highlights."
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
- Lani, responsibletravel.com
the amazing things you'll be doing
Beijing - Great Wall - Xian - Guilin - Longsheng - Li River - Yangshuo - Yangtze River Cruise - Three Gorges - Zhujiajiao - Shanghai
This inspiring journey combines two of China’s most spectacular rivers. Soak up the stunning mountain scenery on the Li River in Guilin and see the impressive Three Gorges of the Yangtze. In between we visit some of China’s other world famous sights including the Great Wall, Xian’s Terracotta Warriors, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. A journey that covers China’s major historic and scenic features at a relaxing pace.
Price includes: 13 night's hotel accommodation, 1 overnight sleeper train, 3 nights on Yangtze cruise boat, internal flights per itinerary, road transport (modern air-conditioned vehicle), sightseeing per itinerary (excluding entrance fees), daily breakfasts, 4 lunches & 2 dinners, tour leader (based on minimum of 7 people) and local English speaking guides.
Highlights include:
Great Wall at Mutianyu Morning and evening walks Comfortable cruising on the stunning Li and Yangtze Rivers Awesome karst landscapes at Yangshuo Rice terraces and ethnic minorities at Longsheng Water town of Zhujiajiao Calligraphy lesson with local children French Concession walking tour Views of the Bund and Huangpu River from the Shanghai Mansions Hotel.
This inspiring journey combines two of China’s most spectacular rivers. Soak up the stunning mountain scenery on the Li River in Guilin and see the impressive Three Gorges of the Yangtze. In between we visit some of China’s other world famous sights including the Great Wall, Xian’s Terracotta Warriors, Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. A journey that covers China’s major historic and scenic features at a relaxing pace.
Price includes: 13 night's hotel accommodation, 1 overnight sleeper train, 3 nights on Yangtze cruise boat, internal flights per itinerary, road transport (modern air-conditioned vehicle), sightseeing per itinerary (excluding entrance fees), daily breakfasts, 4 lunches & 2 dinners, tour leader (based on minimum of 7 people) and local English speaking guides.
Highlights include: day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-4: | Beijing. Start your journey to China with its most formidable city and capital, Beijing, the historical and cultural heart of the Middle Kingdom. Over the next four days you will have time to visit its ‘must see’ attractions and delve deeper into this fascinating city. On arrival in Beijing, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to meet your group and tour leader for a welcome drink and tour briefing. We then commence our exploration of Beijing with the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, the world’s largest public square. We also take time to explore the classic lanes and hutongs in the fascinating backstreets of the city. Travel to the amazing Great Wall of China, visit the dramatic Temple of Heaven, and wander through the vast grounds of the Summer Palace. There will be time for shopping, night market visits and backstreet walking tours, as well as chances to sample some of Beijing’s most famous culinary delights, before experiencing a comfortable overnight train trip to Xian. |
| Day 5-6: | Xian. The Xian region has been home to some of the oldest cities in human civilisation and its colourful past has seen the tumultuous uprisings of many great Chinese dynasties. In Xian we explore the city’s Muslim quarter, the Great Mosque, the ancient, fortified city walls and Wild Goose Pagoda before continuing to Xian’s greatest sight and one of China’s most awesome - the Terracotta Warriors. Buried for over 2000 years and uncovered in the 1970s, this vast army of warriors was created to protect Emperor Qin Shi Huang in the afterlife. |
| Day 7-10: | Guilin, Longsheng, Li River, Yangshuo. On flying to Guilin we experience another side of China with our arrival in some of the country’s most spectacular landscapes that have inspired artists and writers over the centuries. Here we take a day trip out to Longsheng to admire the spectacular Dragon’s Backbone rice terraces. We enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Li River, renowned for its stunning limestone mountain scenery, to Yangshuo where we take some time to absorb the enchanting atmosphere. Join the group on a cycling trip into the countryside for a glimpse into local village life, passing rice paddies, lotus fields and spectacular rural scenery. |
| Day 11-14: | Yangtze River cruise. We fly to Chongqing to begin our cruise down the mighty Yangtze, third longest river in the world and the lifeblood of this vast country. Leaving behind the industrial city, we cruise through rolling hills, passing small towns, villages and an array of river transportation. Stop at the Abode of Ghosts at Fengdu, and visit its garish temple on the hill. The old town of Fengdu has disappeared under water with the first flooding stage of the Three Gorges Dam Project. Be on deck as we sail through the might of the three gorges – Qutang Xia, Wu Xia and Xiling Xia – and enjoy a small boat ride up the clear green waters of Shennong Stream. Witness the enormity and scale of the Three Gorges Dam and ship lock before we disembark in Yichang and fly to our next destination, Shanghai. |
| Day 15-18: | Shanghai & Zhujiajiao. We fly east to Shanghai, Asia’s most amazing modern city – with its soaring skyline dwarfing the grand colonial structures of old. We explore the majestic Bund, the Shanghai Museum (China’s finest), the bustling activity of the Chinese Quarter and the Yu Garden and Bazaar. We experience local life on a visit to a busy Children’s Palace, and catch a glimpse of Shanghai’s future in the Urban Planning Exhibition Centre. We also head out to the ancient canal town of Zhujiajiao where we stroll the backstreets, cruise the canals and absorb the charming old world atmosphere. Your tour ends on day 18 with a transfer to the airport. |
small group adventure holiday
These small group journeys have a maximum of 15 like-minded travellers which ensures that all travellers have an amazing overall experience with the destination and that they enjoy the flexibility that comes with the small group dynamic. On this trip you will stay at boutique accommodation with character. Our numbers are discreet enough for us to interact with local families in their homes and meet people in markets, bazaars and temples – something that’s just not possible when you arrive as part of a large tour group. Along with our unique combination of Western tour leader and local English-speaking guide this will ensure an unforgettable travel experience.how this holiday makes a difference
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We believe that travel should entail an exchange of knowledge and perspectives, a sharing of wealth, and a genuine appreciation of China’s natural environment. This philosophy underpins the heart and soul of our style of travel. We recognise that poorly planned itineraries or poorly informed tourists contribute less to cross-cultural understanding and less to the livelihoods of local people.
Experience the incredible diversity of China from the might of Beijing to bustling Shanghai via the impressive Three Gorges of the Yangtze River. In the former enjoy a delicious home-made lunch with a local hutong family – an experience which allows for cross-cultural exchange. Then hop on rickshaws for more close-up glimpses of local life in these laneways. These environmentally friendly rickshaw tours benefit drivers who tend to be socio-economically disadvantaged. During this journey we also actively encourage our travellers to patronise or financially assist numerous not-for-profit organisations in China including the blind masseur centres in Beijing and Shanghai.  On this journey our local guides are trained to share their knowledge of cultural and other local issues in a balanced, informative way; in this journey alone you are likely to meet several local guides from different provinces in China. They share real experiences from their own lives and insights into their family life, influences and beliefs, thus providing our travellers with a deeper understanding of the places they visit. This is what motivates our guides, not shopping commissions. |
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. |