China Adventure

Ni Hao! Welcome to Beijing. You will start your trip by meeting with your local guide at 6pm in the hotel lobby. They will welcome you and go over details about your trip including meeting up with your guides in each city. After that, your guide will take you on an orientation walk.

Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities:
• Beijing – Acrobat show
• Beijing – Kungfu Show
• Beijing – Lama Temple, Confucius Temple and Imperial College
• Beijing – Beihai Park, Bird Nest and Water Cube

There will be a lot of walking today, as well as using the subway to get around some of Beijing’s most famous sights. Starting with Tiananmen Square; one of the world's largest public squares and home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People continue to the Forbidden City (built 1406-1420), the ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for more than 500 years. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.
After the Forbidden City, we will enjoy our lunch in a local restaurant, savoring authentic Chinese dumplings. Spend the afternoon strolling through the alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyards known as Hutongs, this is the best way to experience the local life of Beijing.

Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Today is a free day to explore this fantastic city. You can climb to the top of Jinshan Park for a bird's eye view of the three palaces: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace – as well as Tiananmen Square. Visit Temple of Heaven & Lama Temple. You can also visit the fakes market to test your barging skills.

Accommodation:
•Campanile Hotel Guanganmen or similar (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• Breakfast
Optional Activities:
• Beijing – Acrobat show
• Beijing – Kungfu Show
• Beijing – Lama Temple, Confucius Temple and Imperial College
• Beijing – Temple of Heaven, Hongqiao Pearl Market & Summer Palace

Mutianyu (about 2 hours out of Beijing) is one of the best-preserved and restored sections of the Great Wall so it is easy to climb, but you can still appreciate the difficulty and scale of its construction.
Return to Beijing in time for an overnight sleeper train to Xi’an.

Accommodation:
• Overnight on hard-sleeper train Beijing to Xi’an (1 night)
Meals Included:
• Breakfast

Upon arrival meet your local guide and head out to the Terracotta Warriors and learn much about this incredible archaeological find. After being buried for 2,000 years it was discovered in 1976 by farmers digging a well. Three main pits are open for you to view. Here just under 2,000 of the total 6,000 warriors – each individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height and even facial expressions – stand in battle formation along with horses and chariots. The scale is incredible.

After marveling at this incredible display, we will return to Xi’an city. The rest of the day is free for your own explorations – the Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter are definite highlights.

Optional Activities in Xi’an:
• Xi’an –Great Mosque and Muslim Quarter

Free morning for your further exploration in Xi’an. You may visit the Ming Dynasty City Walls, even ride a bike on the wall. Or visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda in the Qujiang District as well as the Bell and Drum Towers.
Then it is about 4 hours by fast train to Chengdu. On arrival transfer to the hotel then head out for an orientation walk.

Accommodation:
• Wutongli Youth Hostel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
Optional Activities in Xi’an:
• Xi’an –Bell & Drum Tower and Ancient City Wall
• Xi’an –Big Wild Goose Pagoda

A morning visit to the Panda Breeding Center where you can witness the conservation efforts being made to save this endangered species. Pandas look adorable with amazing body movements. They are bred and protected at this base and you can get quite close to them, watching them at play, eating, napping, and munching bamboo.
This afternoon free with a range of optional activities available. You may take part in a cooking class and try your hand on Sichuan Cuisine. Enjoy a traditional Sichuan opera show in a local theatre or visit Jinli Street and Kuaizhai Alley – your guide is on hand to make suggestions and arrange your activities.

Accommodation:
• Wutongli Youth Hostel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
Optional Activities in Chengdu:
• Chengdu – Cooking class
• Chengdu – Jinli Street and Kuanzhai Alley
• Chengdu – Sichuan Opera

Today is a free day! In the morning, you have the option to visit the Leshan Great Buddha, about 148km from Chengdu. Carved into the cliffs of Mt. Lingyun - a local saying describes the Buddha like this: "The Mountain unveils a Buddha, while the Buddha fades into the mountain." On the way to the Buddha, you will also visit a Tea plantation and experience how to make local Chinese tea.
This evening you will fly to Zhongdian (3276m), also known as Shangri-la, referencing the mythic utopia created by James Hilton in his novel Lost Horizon. Zhongdian literally translates to Royal Ground, referring to the rich and fertile pastures surrounding the city.

Accommodation:
• Guest House (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
Optional Activities in Sichuan:
• Leshan –Excursion tour to Leshan Giant Buddha and tea plantation

This morning you will explore Dukezong Ancient Town, which has a history of over 1,300 years. Wander through the archaic lanes crammed with wooden white-wall dwellings, Tibetan Temples, gilded prayer halls and pagodas. Join the locals in their leisure activities such as singing and dancing in the central square.
Afternoon free at leisure. You may visit Sungtseling Monastery. Built in the 17th century by the 5th Dalai Lama it is one of the most significant Tibetan Monasteries outside Tibet. Five stories high and housing over 700 practicing Buddhist monks it is an active center of Tibetan culture. The main assembly hall, with its dim light and substantial red pillars, takes you to another era – surrounded by numerous chapels with historic woodcarvings and paintings.
Or you may visit a nearby Tibetan Village, meet the local people and learn more about the Tibetan lifestyle.

Accommodation:
• Guest House (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
Optional Activities in Shangri-La:
• Shangri-la– Sungtseling Monastery & Tibetan family visit

Fulfilling the dreams of hikers around the world, you will set out to trek through the Tiger Leaping Gorge. This stunning canyon of the Jinsha River is nestled below the snowy mountains and offers some of the most diverse and beautiful landscapes in all China.
You will leave your large backpacks behind and take only essentials for the two-day hike. Follow up a twisting path to a Naxi Family home, enjoying the breath-taking views en-route. Then the trek becomes more challenging, as you climb the 28 zigzagging turns to revel in a panoramic view of the entire Gorge. After that it is about one more hour to Tea Horse Guesthouse where you will stay overnight. Today’s trek is about 3 hours.

Accommodation:
• Tea Horse Guest House (1 night)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today

Today’s hike is slightly more challenging (approx. 3 hours). You may find yourself sharing the walking trail with donkeys and horses as this is still a popular form of transport in the more remote areas. The steep sections are well rewarded by the panoramic views that the ascent provides. After a lunch break at Tina's Guesthouse, a private transfer will take you through the beautiful mountain landscape to Lijiang (about 2.5 hours).
This afternoon you will explore the Old Town of Lijiang. The town is located on the Lijiang plain at an elevation of 2,400 meters in northwest Yunnan, where a series of strategic passes give access to the surrounding mountains. The Old Town is made up of three parts: Dayan Old Town (including the Black Dragon Pond), Baisha and Shuhe housing clusters. This afternoon, you will explore this beautiful old town and get a better feel of this ancient city.

Accommodation:
• Guest house in Lijiang (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

This morning you will continue to explore the Old Town of Lijiang. Your first stop is the Black Dragon Pool, a famous pond in the scenic Jade Spring Park (Yu Quan Gong Yuan) located at the foot of Elephant Hill. It was built in 1737 during the Qing dynasty and standing on the white marble bridge offers you a spectacular view of the region's tallest mountain, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Next, you will visit the nationally famous Lion Hill Park located in the center of the old town It is built against the hill which resembles a lion lying sleeping, hence its name. From the ancient buildings in the park there is a great bird's-eye view of Lijiang's old town.
Afternoon free at leisure. You may head out of town for a hike from the Naxi village of Baisha to Shuhe village, or you may explore the Jade Snow Mountain.

Accommodation:
• Guest house in Lijiang (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities in Lijiang:
• Lijiang– Hiking tour from the Naxi Village of Baisha to Shuhe
• Lijiang—Half-day tour to Jade Snow Mountain

This morning transfer to the station for public bus to Dali Ancient Town. Dali boasts a prime position between the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake, making it one of China’s most alluring ancient cities.
In the afternoon explore the ancient town of Dali and learn more about the history of this beautiful area - then the evening is free for your own explorations. You may circle back to the Foreigner Street, where handicrafts and local culinary delights attract many visitors or chose a nice restaurant for some traditional local food.

Accommodation:
•Guest house in Dali (2 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

This morning we will head out of town on bikes to Xizhou Village, 23 kms from Dali. Xizhou is famous for its Butterfly Spring and Bai architecture. Take a guided tour of the town and the local markets which offer a great chance to learn more about Bai culture and architecture. Interact with some local families living in the traditional courtyards and get a feel for local life. Be sure to try some tasty local snacks such as baba (fried
rice cake) or the local cheese. After that, bike around the vast blue Erhai Lake before returning to the old Dali Town at dusk.

Accommodation:
•Guest house in Dali (2 nights)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

This morning, take a fast train from Dali to Kunming (approximately 2.5 hours). Upon arrival, your local guide will greet you at the station, and take you on a tour to the Green Lake Park by metro. This park was established early in the 17th century on the West side of the Wuhua Mountain. There are hundreds of species of trees and plants, as well as numerous birds and water flows.

Later, you will go for a walk around this pleasant 'Eternal Spring City' famous for its temperate climate. Check out The Loft, an area west of the city center that used to be a factory and is now home to many small art galleries and cafés. Also visit Yuantong Temple, the grandest Buddhist temple in Yunnan Province.
Later head back to the station for an overnight train to Guilin (around 18 hours).

Accommodation:
• Overnight on hard-sleeper train from Kunming to Guilin ( 1 night)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

From Guilin it is a 1.5-hour journey to Longji. The Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces are an agricultural spectacle with a history of more than 650 years. The terraces are named for their resemblance to a dragon’s scales whilst the mountain summit looks like the backbone of a dragon. The most eye-catching part of the terrace cluster is the Ping'an Village Rice Terrace; the first to be discovered by tourists and photographers. After settling into your guesthouse in Ping’an, head out to Huangluo Yao Village by sightseeing bus. The village is also known as the Long-hair Village as the women here are characterized by their red embroidered dresses and their long hair, which is long enough to have their home recognized as the "world's longest hair village" by Guinness World Records.

Accommodation:
• Liqing Guesthouse or similar( 1 night)
Meals Included:
•There are no meals included today

Hike through the Longji Valley and its rice terraces, bamboo trees and chestnut forests. Despite some challenging hills, much of the hike is spent walking along stone paths, passing waterfalls and rice fields. At the end of the hike our vehicle will meet us for the trip to Yangshou (3 hours). A small village set amid green karst hills and rice fields Yangshou has become a favorite traveler center of southern China.

Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today

A free day to explore Yangshuo. Opt to enjoy a bike tour around the countryside of Yangshuo.
Yangshuo offers excellent opportunities for biking and hiking. After breakfast we head out of town on bikes to cycle through the surrounding countryside and gain an insight into China’s rural life and marvel at the surroundings. Each turn in the road reveals another picture-postcard view. Stop at Moon Hill, one of the most popular attractions in Yangshuo, easily recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch. The hill offers stunning panoramic views of the countryside with its unique karst formations.

Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• There are no meals included today
Optional Activities in Yangshuo:
*Yangshuo– Bike tour around the countryside of Yangshuo including a visit to the Moon Hill.

A free day to explore Yangshuo. You may start your morning by joining a Tai Chi class with a local Master. After that, you might choose to take a cooking class or visit a local farmers' market where you can get a feel for the regional produce and daily life. Yangshuo is also famous for rock climbing and caving. Your guide will help you to organize any activities you might want to try.

Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today

Today is your last day in Yangshuo. You are free until being transferred to Guilin train station for a fast train to Hong Kong where the tour ends.

Meals Included:
• No meals included today