China Highlights
from AUD 1240 for 8 days
China Discovery
from AUD 2525 for 15 days
Visiting: ChinaThis trip has just about everything that you could wish for from a tour in China. Stay at the guesthouse of a delightful Zhuang minority family, cycle around beautiful Yangshuo, relax on a Yangtse cruise, marvel at the 2000 year old Terracotta Warriors AND hike along the spectacular Great Wall. All in just two weeks!
Brief Description Show detailed
Day 1 - HONG KONG
Arrival day.
Day 2 - HONG KONG - GUILIN
Free morning in Hong Kong before a short afternoon train ride to Shenzhen. Overnight train to Guilin.
Day 3 - YANGSHUO
Morning arrival in Guilin and transfer to Yangshuo. Explore the beautiful countryside on foot or by bike. In the afternoon we have a Chinese lesson to get you ready for the trip ahead.
Day 4 - YANGSHUO
A free day to explore on foot or by bike (US$2 bicycle hire). Pass through beautiful rural scenery with lovely old stone buildings and farmers working in the paddies. You may also want to learn some of the local culture by taking a lesson in Chinese cooking (US$11/14), Tai Chi or calligraphy (US$5.5 per hour).
Day 5 - YANGSHUO - LONGSHENG
Transfer to Longsheng. Late afternoon is a great time to take walks in the rice paddies with spectacular views of the terraces.
Day 6 - LONGSHENG – CHONGQING
A free morning for further exploration before we return to Guilin for the overnight train to Chongqing.
Day 7 - CHONGQING
Arrive in Chongqing where we board our cruise boat.
Day 8 to Day 9 - YANGTSE RIVER CRUISE
We cruise down the Yangtse River, passing through the spectacular Three Gorges. along the way we stop for various excursions to places of interest. (BLD)
Day 10 - YICHANG – XI’AN
We disembark in Yichang and take the overnight train to Xi'an (B).
Day 11 - XI’AN
Morning arrival in Xi'an and guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors. A free afternoon to wander through the markets, haggling over souvenirs or try some of the delicious northern Chinese cuisine with a bowl of steaming dumplings or noodles.
Day 12 - XI’AN – BEIJING
The day is free for you to explore this ancient city and its many amazing sites. In the evening we catch the overnight train to Beijing.
Day 13 - BEIJING
Morning arrival in Beijing. We visit Tiananmen Square before free time to visit the magnificent Forbidden City and any other sites you wish to see.
Day 14 - BEIJING - GREAT WALL
A day at the Great Wall. We have the option of hiking along one of the less-visited but most beautiful sections.
Day 15 - BEIJING
Tour ends.
Itinerary Notes
WINTER ITINERARY: For winter departures, the China Discovery tour will follow an amended itinerary from Days 6 to 10, as follows:
Day 6, LONGSHENG - Today we trek along the ridge to another picturesque village, and after lunch take a bus back to the guesthouse.
Day 7, SHANGHAI - We transfer to Guilin and fly to Shanghai. Free afternoon to explore or take a river cruise.
Shanghai
One of the great cities of the world, Shanghai is currently undergoing a major face-lift. Historically renowned as the seat of colonial power in the east, with all the resulting decadence, excitement and vices, Shanghai entered a period of stagnation when the communists came to power. Now it is being redeveloped, and part of the city has become a Special Economic Zone, its streets full of gleaming new office buildings and crowned by the space-age Pearl TV Tower. The rest of the city is also undergoing huge change, with much of the old being pulled down to make way for the new. It is an exciting and vibrant place which embodies the astonishing development which China has been experiencing in recent years, and exemplifies the economic powerhouse that China has become. Despite the frantic construction, the colonial legacy lives on in the form of beautiful neo-classical buildings which housed the major trading corporations of the east, most notably along the Bund, the road running along the waterfront.
A highlight of any visit to Shanghai are the astonishingly dextrous Shanghai Acrobats, who put on an incredible performance which inevitably leaves you rather humbled.
Day 8, SHANGHAI - A full free day to explore the bustling city. In the evening we see the famous Shanghai acrobats.
Day 9, SHANGHAI - CHENGDU - We fly to Chengdu. This evening there's a chance to see the fascinating Sichuan variety performance and try a traditional hotpot dinner, typical for this region.
Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, is a vibrant, modern city of almost 12 million people, which still manages to retain some of its older characteristics and traditions. One of these traditions you can experience for yourself in the form of the 200-year-old Sichuan Opera. The singing, comedy, puppets and incredible 'changing faces' act performed in old halls or courtyard buildings are a feast for the eyes. For a relaxing afternoon, visit one of Chengdu's parks or temples, scattered with teahouses. You can while away an afternoon sipping tea and watching the locals play chess, cards or mah-jongg. You may even be invited to give it a try yourself. No visit is complete without a meal in a local Sichuan restaurant. The cuisine is spicy, and peppercorns and chillies abound, but often in a surprisingly subtle way.
Key: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner
Trip Code : AACD
Next Available Departure
8th March 2009
from AUD 2525
