China holiday and Yangtze river cruise






Optional single supplement £760.
Minimum age 16.
Description of China holiday and Yangtze river cruise
Classic tours in China should always include some of the country's, and the world's, most iconic symbols with the Great Wall of China, Terracotta Warriors and crowd-pleasing national animal, the giant panda, needing no introduction for cultured travellers and tourists alike.
However, take your tours in China on a Yangtze cruise and you'll start to see the country from a whole new perspective with limestone rock formations around Yangshuo and the jaw-dropping Three Gorges, along the middle of the Yangtze, adding to the excitement of an all-encompassing 20 day China holiday.
No China tour would be complete without comparing the ancient world and the contemporary equivalent with the hutong districts and Forbidden City in Beijing providing the perfect platform to travel overnight on sleeper trains and Yangtze cruise boats all the way to the bright lights of the Bund in Shanghai.
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5 Reviews of China holiday and Yangtze river cruise
Reviewed on 03 May 2019 by Jean Thomas
The food, the Terra Cotta warriors and the pandas were the most memorable parts of our holiday. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Nov 2018 by Heather Magowan
Walking the Great Wall of China was the most memorable part of the holiday Read full reviewReviewed on 13 Nov 2018 by Ruth Thompson
The time in Yangshuo was the best part of the holiday. That landscape is amazing. Read full reviewReviewed on 28 Oct 2016 by Christine Casey
It was excellent. We were particularly impressed with the local guide- his organisation local knowledge etc was tremendous and really made the holiday. Read full reviewReviewed on 14 May 2015 by gillian black
The walk along part of the Great Wall of China. 9 out of 10! Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
Accommodation and Meals:On this trip we spend 12 nights in hotels, 3 nights on a cruise boat and 3 nights on a first class sleeper train. All of the hotels and the cruise company we use are locally owned and locally staffed, which is way of boosting employment levels in the areas we visit. We also try to select accommodation for environmental awareness, which is still in its infancy in China. For example, the hotel in Beijing encourages clients switch off lights with signs, has optional daily linen changing and air-con is only turned on when temperatures hit 26 degrees outside. Where meals are not supplied, tour leaders will take clients to locally owned restaurants where food is authentic and either locally grown or sourced.
UK Office:
It all starts at home so we have first worked at reducing our carbon footprint in our UK Offices. Through energy conservation measures and recycling policies, we are proud to be actively reducing the waste produced and our impact on the environment. We support various projects all over the world to try and give something back to the places we visit.
Group Size:
This small group tour has a maximum of 16 participants, meaning that we have a low impact on the environments and communities we visit and are able to ensure that we do not disrupt or lead to the displacement of local people. The small number also allows us to stay in unique, family-run hotels that cannot benefit from coach tours and other mass tourism due to their limited sizes.
People
Community:Often people can experience quite a culture shock when travelling in China, so our local guides are always keen to help clients understand the culture better and to connect more genuinely with local communities. Part of this cultural exchange and support of community is made by visiting small businesses throughout the trip. There are several occasions where guests are encouraged to do this- for example, in the Muslim Quarter in Xian, there are bazaars and food markets where it is possible to support local producers and even see crafts and food made (dumplings, pancakes, fruit drinks etc.).
Local Craft and Culture:
There is so much on offer in terms of culture on this trip. Just to name a few activities, we see the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, the Great Mosque and Terracotta Warriors in Xian and the Leshan Buddha. We even offer optional activities where you can see the opera, an acrobat show or take a kung fu lesson! Crafts are available throughout the trip and there are some wonderful, traditionally made souvenirs available- especially in Yangshuo. Leaders will be able to advise where the best places to shop are and what should be avoided e.g. traditional medicine made from endangered animals.
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