China
| country: | China |
| departures: | This trip is no longer running |
| price: | From £2800 (14 days) including flights from the UK. London to Shanghai is an overnight flight. Hong Kong to London is a same-day flight |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
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introduction to China
The Solar Eclipse on 22 July over Hangzhou, in Eastern China, will be the longest and most spectacular on the planet this century. This is a superb journey through China's historical, cultural and scenic heartlands, giving the traveller a thorough introduction to this fascinating country. The journey begins on arrival in the cosmopolitan and vibrant metropolis of Shanghai. This is a city unlike any other in China, whose bright lights, shopping malls and European architecture give it a flavour that is very different to the historical cities elsewhere on the tour. The attractive city of Hangzhou is where you'll see the Eclipse itself, at Qiantang River. You'll be in position at around 10:30am for this unique event, before witnessing a powerful tidal surge up the river itself.
Following the Eclipse you'll fly north to the capital, Beijing, home to so many of China's historical highlights, both modern and old. Communist and Imperial China confront each other as vast Tiananmen Square is overlooked by the magnificent Forbidden City. A day trip out to the Great Wall at Jinshanling will prove to be a highlight of the trip, as you take in breathtaking views with hardly a visitor in sight. An overnight train to Xian will provide a glimpse of the lives of the Chinese themselves before arriving at the home of the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors. The sheer size of this complex is difficult to comprehend until you see it for yourself, as is the effort and manpower that must have gone into its construction, more than 2000 years ago.
The journey through China finishes with a taste of China's scenic beauty, at Guilin. Here you'll cruise on the Li River though spellbinding rural countryside, dominated on all sides by the bizarre limestone peaks that rise vertically out of the ground, an image that has evoked poets and artists for centuries and is well recognised across the world.
Following the Eclipse you'll fly north to the capital, Beijing, home to so many of China's historical highlights, both modern and old. Communist and Imperial China confront each other as vast Tiananmen Square is overlooked by the magnificent Forbidden City. A day trip out to the Great Wall at Jinshanling will prove to be a highlight of the trip, as you take in breathtaking views with hardly a visitor in sight. An overnight train to Xian will provide a glimpse of the lives of the Chinese themselves before arriving at the home of the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors. The sheer size of this complex is difficult to comprehend until you see it for yourself, as is the effort and manpower that must have gone into its construction, more than 2000 years ago.
The journey through China finishes with a taste of China's scenic beauty, at Guilin. Here you'll cruise on the Li River though spellbinding rural countryside, dominated on all sides by the bizarre limestone peaks that rise vertically out of the ground, an image that has evoked poets and artists for centuries and is well recognised across the world.
best time to go
This itinerary is restricted to dates around the 22nd July Solar Eclipse. It is possible to reverse the arrangements and see the Eclipse towards the end of the trip, with a departure date of around 12th July if required.day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Flight to Shanghai. You fly overnight to Shanghai, arriving the next day. |
| Day 2: | Arrive Shanghai. On arrival you'll be met and driven to your hotel in the city centre. The rest of the day is at your leisure to relax and recover from your journey. |
| Day 3: | Guided city tour. You'll spend today with your guide, visiting the unmissable sights of the city, such as The Bund and the French Concession, as well as the excellent Shanghai Museum. |
| Day 4: | Day at leisure. You have a further day at leisure to explore the city at your own pace. |
| Day 5: | Hangzhou. You drive to Hangzhou today, via the interesting old town of Wuzhen and have the rest of the day free. |
| Day 6: | Solar Eclipse. It's an early start this morning to witness the Solar Eclipse and Tidal Bore at Qiantang River. This should prove to be a truly memorable occasion that will not be seen again this century. Later on you will fly to Beijing, China's northern capital. |
| Day 7: | Tiananmen Square. This morning you visit Tiananmen Square and the magnificent Forbidden City with your guide. This afternoon you drive out to the ancient Summer Palace, on the outskirts of the city, the retreat of emperors in Imperial China. |
| Day 8: | Great Wall. Today you will visit the Great Wall at Jinshanling, with its spectacular views and mountain scenery. This is one of the least developed and most attractive parts of the wall. |
| Day 9: | Temple of Heaven. This morning you'll visit the beautiful Temple of Heaven and perhaps see some locals performing T’ai-chi. Afterwards you'll see the Hutongs of Beijing and the traditional way of life that remains within this network of lanes before driving to the station this evening for your overnight train to Xian. You will have a private compartment for the duration of the journey. |
| Day 10: | Xian. On arrival in Xian this morning you will be taken to your hotel for an early check-in. Later you will visit the Shaanxi Museum and the lively Muslim Quarter. |
| Day 11: | Terracotta Warriors. This morning you will drive out to see the awe-inspiring Terracotta Warriors before heading for the airport for your flight to Guilin. Here you'll be met and taken to your hotel. You'll have the rest of the day at leisure. |
| Day 12: | Li River & Yangshuo. This morning you take a cruise on the Li River to the picturesque town of Yangshuo. After checking in to your hotel your guide will take you out into the countryside, visiting local villages and fabulous scenery. |
| Day 13: | Departure day. You have the morning free before driving to Guilin airport for your flight to Hong Kong. Here you connect for your flight back to London. |
| Day 14: | Arrive. You arrive home early this morning. |
how this holiday makes a difference
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Environment:
The Solar Eclipse of 22 July is the real focus of this trip, being one of nature’s outstanding events of the 21st Century. In a country where environmental problems are well documented, the purpose of this itinerary is to provide a glimpse of China’s countryside and rural way of life, as well as taking in its unmissable cultural and historical highlights. The visit to the Great Wall at Jinshanling aims to avoid the large crowds at other sections closer to Beijing. Jinshanling is far more peaceful and less developed for tourists, which makes for a more rewarding experience. The views from here as well are outstanding. Taking the overnight train to Xian avoids a further flight in the itinerary, which helps to reduce the carbon footprint of the trip. Community: Also in Beijing, the Hutongs tour is a chance to put money back into the local community by visiting local families for lunch. They are paid to receive visitors in this way and genuinely enjoy the experience. Taking the overnight train to Xian also is an excellent way to involve yourself with ordinary local Chinese, who you would otherwise miss by flying as air travel is too expensive for most people. In Yangshuo, the local economy is heavily dependent on tourism these days and visits into the countryside do support the local people who provide the produce for restaurants, and operate bamboo rafts and other tourism-related ventures. You can also try your hand at a local cookery course, which will include buying the ingredients from a local market. Also in Yangshuo, you’ll be staying in a locally-run, traditional guesthouse which will provide a different experience to the larger hotels you will have stayed at in the cities. |
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. |
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