Beijing to Hanoi overland tour
| country: | China, Vietnam |
| departures: | Departs weekly and fortnightly throughout most of the year |
| price: | From £1110 (31 days) excluding flights, local payment US $750. We can arrange flights from the UK. All departure dates are guaranteed |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Travel through some of the grandest cities and most remote villages of Asia on an awesome adventure from Beijing to Hanoi. Trek along the Great Wall, marvel at China's ancient treasures of Beijing and meet hilltribe people in the misty mountains of Vietnam. This is an incredible adventure from ancient to modern and everything in between.
Highlights
Trek the Great Wall Experience the buzz of Beijing Explore fascinating Xi'an Visit ultra-modern Shanghai Wander the dramatic landscapes of Guangxi Hike along the rice terraces of Longji Meet the hilltribes of Vietnam Explore the Old Quarter of Hanoi
Highlights
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-3: | Beijing. Beneath its modern facade, Beijing is awash with ancient sights. Explore the Forbidden City or wander among the shops and restaurants of the traditional hutongs. |
| Day 4-5: | Great Wall. Walk along a remote section of the Great Wall and spend the night in a simple guesthouse nearby. |
| Day 6-8: | Xi'an. Admire the Terracotta Warriors, mingle with the local Hui people or ride a bike around the impressive Ming Dynasty city wall. |
| Day 9-11: | Shanghai. Check out the space-age skyscrapers of Pudong and stroll along the elegant Bund. There is also the option to see the famous Shanghai Acrobats perform gravity-defying feats. |
| Day 12-15: | Yangshuo. Try tai chi, take cooking lessons or cycle along country lanes amid the dramatic limestone peaks of Guangxi province. |
| Day 16-18: | Longji Terraces. Head to the hills and explore the towering rice terraces of Longji Valley, clinging spectacularly to the side of 800m-high slopes. |
| Day 19-20: | Hong Kong. Be prepared for some fast-paced action in Hong Kong. Cruise the harbour, take the cable car to Victoria Peak or check out the local nightlife. |
| Day 21-24: | Kaili. Travel to Kaili, the capital of the south-east Miao Autonomous Prefecture of Guizhou province. Spend time among the rice paddies of rural China, exploring nearby waterfalls and markets, and stay overnight with a local family. Absorb everyday life among the Ming and Qing dynasty relics of the Forest City, Guiyang. |
| Day 25: | Kunming. Bid China goodbye, perhaps with a traditional blind massage or a tasty feast. |
| Day 26-29: | Sapa. Cross the border to Vietnam and discover a strikingly different countryside. Starting at the old French hill station of Sapa, trek through the extraordinary rural mountainscapes that are home to the colourful H'mong, Tay and Dzao people. |
| Day 30-31: | Hanoi. Get back into the fast pace of city life in ambient Hanoi. |
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's 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 people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
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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This trip allows for plenty of time to explore the culture of two very fascinating yet different countries. Travellers are encouraged to explore with the group and on their own, learn a few words of the language and interact with the locals as much as possible.
All travellers are given a given a responsible travel bag at the beginning of the trip as we have plenty of opportunities to shop at local markets and say no to plastic. We also encourage travellers to eat with a reusable set of chopsticks to avoid the waste of a throwaway pair at every meal. During our stay in Xi’an, you will have the opportunity to visit Huiling, a Chinese-run charity which provides support and education for young adults with disabilities. Lunch is provided and the students are always very excited to perform some traditional dances and show off their skills. In the south of China we base ourselves in a small country guesthouse in Chaolong and use bikes as a less polluting and less intrusive means of discovering the Guangxi countryside. We have the chance to meet and learn about the culture of the minority people in this area. In Sapa we put on our trekking boots and follow the tracks to meet the local villagers. |
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. |