Essential China From Hong Kong - 26 days

Hong Kong - Yanghsuo. Welcome to China. At 7:00am we meet at the hostel. Here you will be met by your tour leader and the rest of the group. We then travel to Victoria Peak for spectacular views of the cityscape and harbour. Return to the hostel to collect our bags before independently boarding the bullet train to Guilin (3 hours). Here you will meet your new tour leader and transfer to the hostel in Yangshuo for an evening at leisure.



Please note: The pre-departure meeting is at 7:00am on day 1, so we recommend that you arrive in Hong Kong the day before your tour starts. We can arrange pre-tour accommodation for you.

Yangshuo is a picturesque resort town, surrounded by dramatic karst mountains and known for its outdoor adventure opportunities. Day 2 is at leisure, with available optional activities including a Chinese cooking class, kayaking along the Li River or a Chinese therapy experience, where you can enjoy traditional hot cupping.



Day 3 sees us heading out to enjoy some included activities. We start the day with a bike ride before transferring to bamboo rafts to cruise down the Yulong River. Later, you can enjoy an optional mud bath, visit a nearby cave complex or enjoy a dip in some hot springs. There's optional karaoke in the evening!



Day 4 is free to continue exploring independently. We strongly recommend hiking amongst the limestone peaks of the area, or you can opt to visit your local guide's home village for an insight into traditional life in Yangshuo.

Yangshuo - Chengdu. Our final morning in Yangshuo is at leisure to see any last minute sites before we leave beautiful Yangshuo and our tour leader behind and travel by bus and bullet train to Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province and home to the largest and best-known Panda breeding and research centre. On arrival we are met by our local tour guide and make our way to our hostel for an evening at leisure.

On day 6 we take a short drive out of town to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, to visit China's animal emblem. We spend the day exploring the grounds, watching the pandas eat their bamboo breakfast and seeing other endangered animals including red pandas, golden monkeys and more. Visit the panda nursery and get close to the new born or infant pandas.



In the afternoon we learn some useful Mandarin phrases in a brief lesson with our tour leader before returning to our accommodation. The rest of the evening is free to relax. For those looking for an authentic experience, there is the optional traditional Sichuan opera.



Day 7 is at leisure to explore Chengdu, and perhaps wander down Jinli street or explore the Tibetan districts. We also have the opportunity to visit Leshan for a visit to see the worlds largest stone Buddha. This evening return to Chengdu for an optional hot pot dinner and a night out!

Chengdu - Xi’an. Our final day in Chengdu is free for you to laze in the hostel or head out for some last minute exploring. Perhaps you would like to visit the Chengdu People's Park? Home to an artificial lake, it is the largest green space in the city, perfect for an early morning stroll or a jog to burn off last night's dinner! There is also an optional visit to a rehabilitation centre for children with autism.



At around 5pm you will board the train to Xian. Your new tour guide will meet you at the other end and take you to the hostel.

The morning of day 9 is at leisure. In the afternoon there is an optional bike ride along the Ming Dynasty Xi'an City Walls, an unforgettable experience which we strongly recommend you partake in! You can also join an excursion to visit the Bell Drum Towers and the Muslim Quarter to learn more about the history of the Silk Road and taste some delicious street food.



On the morning of day 10, we visit the jewel of Xi’an - The Terracotta Warriors. The army was made to guard Emperor Qin Shihuang in the afterlife after he unified China for the first time in history. Take time to walk through this impressive army and museum, which has been built on top of the emperor’s underground palace and burial site. In the evening, you can opt to watch the music and light show which takes place at the fountain near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, one of Xi'an's most famous landmarks.

Xi’an - Shaolin. Today we leave Xi’an behind and board the bus to Shaolin (approx. 7 hours). On arrival we make our way to our family run guest house, located a stone’s throw away from the Shaolin Temple. This afternoon there is an optional Kung Fu lesson and show at a local children’s home run by a master from the Shaolin Temple. We finish our day with another Mandarin lesson from our trip leader.

Shaolin - Beijing. You can choose from two incredible optional activities today. Visit the Shaolin Temple, the home of Kung Fu. Here you can admire the masters practicing physically impossible moves in the courtyard. Then, hike to Dharma cave, located on Elephant Trunk Mountain, and be rewarded with stunning views of the surrounding shrines and landscapes.



Alternatively, you can visit the UNESCO-listed Longmen Grottoes. This is one of the finest depictions of Chinese Buddhist art, with more than 100,000 Buddhas of varying sizes carved into the rock face.



There's time for a late lunch at the guest house before we check out and travel to Zhengzhou. Here we board the overnight train to Beijing.

Beijing - The Great Wall. Disembarking the overnight train in Beijing, you will be met by your local guide and taken to a hostel for a rest and to freshen up. We aren't staying the night here so you won't have rooms, but there are showers you can use and a communal area to relax.



After a couple of hours, we enjoy another Mandarin lesson and your new language skills are put to the test in a series of challenges around Beijing's ancient streets.



Then it's on to China's most famous attraction, the Great Wall. We’ll stop at a local farming village for lunch (at your own expense) and to gain access to the ‘locals only’ section of the wall; deserted sections where we’ll have the place to ourselves to set up camp. Walk along the wall as the sun sets before returning to camp.



Please note: Due to cold weather bookings made before the end of April and after the end of September will be staying in a guesthouse near the Wall but will return to the Wall to watch the sun rise.

We wake early on day 14 in order to watch the sunrise over the Great Wall. There is a strong possibility this will be the highlight of your trip! Take in your surroundings and appreciate the early morning silence.



At around 9am we transfer back to Beijing. Opt to take a walk-through Tiananmen Square and visit the Forbidden city, the once imperial palace of 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. There's also an optional Chinese acrobatics show and a group dinner for those who would like to sample traditional Peking duck, a meal fit for an emperor!



Day 15 is free. You can visit the fake goods markets or the Temple of Heaven, used by emperors for sacrifices to appease the heavens. There is also an optional visit to Nanluo district, one of the best-preserved historical areas in Beijing, famous for its hutongs and siheyan courtyards as well as an array of bars and cafes.

Beijing - Hong Kong. Our final morning in Beijing is free for you to tick off any last sights or experiences. Make sure you have enjoyed a rickshaw ride, or you could head to the imperial Summer Palace. In the afternoon, we return to Hong Kong by train, and our tour comes to an end. If you would like to stay in the city for a few more days, we can book post-tour accommodation for you.