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Hong Kong & Giant Pandas
Your odyssey begins amidst the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong. Traveling into mainland China, you discover Guilin’s peaceful countryside – a landscape of dramatic limestone sugarloaf peaks. Further north in Sichuan you’ll encounter giant pandas at a conservation centre before walking the pilgrim trail on Mt. Emei, one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism (3099m).

Three Gorges & Imperial Capitals
You’ll journey downstream on the Yangtse River through the spectacular Three Gorges, then fly to Xian and visit the legendary 2000 year old Terracotta Warriors. Finally in Beijing you can stroll in the famous Tiananmen Square and explore the Forbidden City – once home to Chinese emperors. You’ll also make a trip to a less visited section of the Great Wall to end this journey of a lifetime.

Holy Mt. Emei
Since 1976 tourists have been able to join pilgrims who steadily make their way to Emei Shan’s summit. Mt. Emei was one of the four holy mountains of the ancient Middle Kingdom. The pilgrimage route is dotted with monasteries and temples and there are fantastic views of the surrounding area.

Responsible Travel
Our visit to see the pandas at Chengdu provides vital revenue for this project. Staying at the monastery on Mt. Emei provides an important source of income for the monks. You may also have the opportunity to visit the Moon Bear Rescue Centre near Chengdu. Operated by Animals Asia, it provides a home for bears rescued from the cruel trade in bear bile extraction

Itinerary and Map

Essential China - 21 days - Flight inclusive* Holidays to China | Guilin landscapes | Hong Kong, Xian & Beijing | Three Gorges boat trip Magical journey seeing the very best of China. This tour seems to have it all, everything from Hong Kong and Imperial Capitals, to the Three Gorges and giant pandas. And, as if that is not enough, you will see the legendary 2000-year-old Terracotta Warriors. This is a Gentle tour that is fun-filled for the entire family. The maximum participants for this tour is 16. Click here for additional information about this particular tour. For a map of the tour, and the day-by-day itinerary, click on Itinerary and Map.

Click on The Adventure Company link below for additional information and current pricing. The Adventure Company provides the best in adventure travel.

Day 1/2 Overnight flight to Hong Kong Day 3 In Hong Kong; ride on the Star ferry Day 4 Overnight train to Guilin Day 5/6 Yangshuo; bike ride & optional activities Day 7/8 Fly to Chengdu; free day Day 9 Visit panda centre Day 10/11 Mt. Emei area; walk pilgrim trail Day 12-14 Bus to Chongqing; Three Gorges trip Day 15 Fly to Xian Day 16/17 Xian; Terracotta Warriors. Overnight train to Beijing Day 18-20 Beijing; Forbidden City, Great Wall Day 21 Fly to London

*NOTE: Guaranteed departure - Includes festival - Teenage departure - Single parents - Airfare included from the UK only.

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Forbidden City & Great Wall
Beijing has been the heart of imperial China for centuries, and on your visit to the Forbidden City and Temple of Heaven you’ll see the city in all its glory. Heading north, you’ll walk a little visited section of the Great Wall – a superb piece of engineering, almost 2000 years old and offering stunning views across the countryside.

Shaolin Monks and Terracotta Warriors
The holy mountain of Song Shan is home to the Shaolin temple, the birthplace of kung fu. Watch in awe at the strength and agility of the monks who still live and train here. After visiting the countless statues of Buddha at Longmen, you arrive at the ancient city of Xian. The city is home to the thousands of life size statues that make up the Terracotta Warriors. The pace changes and you’ll embark on a boat journey along the Yangtse, through the incredible Three Gorges, before the finale of your trip, a stay in Shanghai - a fascinating contrast of history & modernity.

Responsible Travel
We make extensive use of local guides to provide the historical references and detail about the sites. This helps ensure that money from our visit is spread far and wide amongst the people who need it most.

Itinerary and Map

Monks and Warriors - 15 days - Flight inclusive* Three Gorges River Journey | Historic Beijing & cosmopolitan Shanghai | Terracotta Warriors & Shaolin monks An incredible journey to the highlights of imperial China. Along with all of the many interesting things you will do on this tour, you will be given the opportunity to walk a little visited section of the Great Wall. This is a Gentle tour that is fun-filled for the entire family. The maximum participants for this tour is 16. Click here for additional information about this particular tour. For a map of the tour, and the day-by-day itinerary, click on Itinerary and Map.

Click on The Adventure Company link below for additional information and current pricing. The Adventure Company provides the best in adventure travel.

Day 1/2 Overnight flight to Beijing Day 3 Forbidden City; Tiananmen Square & Temple of Heaven Day 4 Great Wall Day 5 Free day; overnight train to Luoyang Day 6 Luoyang; Shaolin Monks Day 7 Longmen Caves; train to Xian Day 8 Xian; Terracotta Army, Shaanxi History Museum. Day 9 Walk in the old city; fly to Chongqing; overnight on boat Day 10-12 Cruise the Three Gorges; fly to Shanghai Day 13 Full day tour to Suzhou Day 14 City tour & free time Day 15 Fly to London

*NOTE: Guaranteed departure - Includes festival - Teenage departure - Single parents - Airfare included from the UK only.

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From Beijing to The Wall
From Beijing you head straight out west into the untamed Chinese countryside and up on to the famous Great Wall, which snakes like a dragon through the hills of northern China from the Yellow Sea to the Gobi Desert. We’ve carefully selected remote areas of the wall to walk on, in different provinces. Exploring on foot and even enjoying a night in a farmer’s house - this is a brilliant way to discover China’s history and culture.

Villages, Caves & Watchtower
You’ll walk spectacular sections between Pianguan and Fengzhen before stopping at a local village and exploring the Buddhist grottoes at the Yungang Caves, near to Datong. Displaying a mixture of styles influenced by Indian and Central Asian Buddhism, the caves are among China’s finest sights. Upon arrival at Jinshanling you’ll get a taste of a guard’s life as you stay in a watchtower on the wall itself! Waking up to the sunrise from this unique vantage point is simply an experience you’ll never forget.

Responsible Travel
Staying with local farmers and in a watchtower on the wall gives a unique insight into Chinese culture and helps the locals make a living by keeping their national heritage alive.

Itinerary and Map

Walk The Great Wall - 12 days - Flight inclusive* Great Wall treks | Yungang Caves | Stay on the wall in a watchtower An amazing journey by foot as you trek the famous Great Wall. Part of your adventure is the opportunity to visit the untamed Chinese countryside on your way to the wall. Unlike some of the very popular tours, where the wall becomes filled with tourists, you will have the opportunity to se some of the more remote areas of the wall. And the, after marveling at this great wonder, you will enjoy an night in a farmers house. This Gentle tour that is fun-filled for the entire family. The maximum participants for this tour is 16. Cick here for additional information about this particular tour. For a map of the tour, and the day-by-day itinerary, click on Itinerary and Map.

Click on The Adventure Company link below for additional information and current pricing. The Adventure Company provides the best in adventure travel.

Day 1/2 Overnight flight to Beijing Day 3 Beijing sightseeing; overnight train to Shuozhou Day 4 Continue to Yanmenguan and walk on the Great Wall; stay in a farmers village Day 5 Drive to Pianguan & walk the wall around Laoniguang Day 6 Drive to Shahugou; trekking the Great Wall & continue to Fengzhen Day 7 Minority village visit at Yanggao; afternoon walk on the wall Day 8 Drive to Datong and visit Yungang Caves; continue by road to Yangqing Day 9 Walk on the Great Wall at Mutianyu; transfer to Jinshanling; watchtower stay on the wall Day 10 Four-hour Great Wall trek to Simatai Day 11 Walking around Simatai before driving back to Beijing Day 12 Fly to London

*NOTE: Guaranteed departure - Includes festival - Teenage departure - Single parents - Airfare included from the UK only.

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Dunes & Desert
Traders have followed the Silk Road for centuries and now you can do the same! Starting in Beijing in the east, you’ll walk a section of the famous Great Wall before coming face-to-face with the mighty Terracotta Warriors. An overnight train takes you deeper into China. From the mighty Jiayuguang Fortress, you head into the desert to Dunhuang to explore dunes at sunrise and caves. Then take a tranquil boat ride on Heaven’s Lake and spend a day wandering the amazing local markets at Kashgar.

Bazaars, Mosques & Palaces
Crossing the border into Kyrgyzstan you’ll spend a night in a traditional yurt and wander in Bishkek’s bazaar. Your journey continues through the open steppe and rugged mountains of this beautiful region to Uzbekistan where you’ll explore the myriad of alleyways, mosques and palaces in the city of Khiva. Continuing south you’ll enter ancient Bukhara and admire the blue tiled buildings and dazzling architecture of Samarkand.

The Silk Road
The Silk Road was a network of routes, plied by merchants and traders traveling between China and the Mediterranean. Crossing entire deserts and great mountain ranges required careful preparation and the choice of route was further influenced by often hostile weather conditions and the threats posed by bandits or unfriendly locals!

Responsible Travel
Local leaders will give you an insight into each country’s culture and you may have the opportunity to visit a school in Uzbekistan. They welcome English literature classics!

Itinerary and Map

The Silk Road - 24 days - Flight inclusive* Great Wall & Terracotta Warriors | Kashgar’s markets | Fabled Bukhara & Samarkand Travel east to west tracing the legendary deserts, markets and minarets of the Silk Road. For centuries traders have followed the Silk Road, and now it is your chance to do the same. Beginning in Beijing, you will also see the Great Wall, the mighty Terracotta Warriors, and even the deserts or China to see the dunes at sunrise. See China as few have the opportunity to see it. See mosques, palaces and bazaars, and even visit Dyrgyzstan. This is a Gentle tour that is fun-filled for the entire family. The maximum participants for this tour is 16. Click here for additional information about this particular tour. For a map of the tour, and the day-by-day itinerary, click on Itinerary and Map.

Click on The Adventure Company link below for additional information and current pricing. The Adventure Company provides the best in adventure travel.

Day 1/2 Overnight flight to Beijing Day 3 Walk on the Great Wall Day 4 Forbidden City & Temple of Heaven Day 5 Fly to Xian; walk in the old city Day 6 Terracotta Warriors; overnight train to Jiayuguan Day 7 Arive Jiayuguan; visit Wiejing Tomb Day 8 Walk on the Great Wall; through the desert to Dunhuang Day 9 Dunes for sunrise, Mogao Caves; overnight train to Turpan Day 10 In Turpan; sightseeing Day 11 Boat ride on Heaven’s Lake; to Urumqi Day 12/13 Fly to Kashgar; visit markets Day 14 Cross into Kyrgyzstan; night in yurt Day 15/16 Drive to Bishkek; sightseeing Day 17/18 Fly to Uzbekistan; to Khiva; sightseeing Day 19/20 Drive to Bukhara; sightseeing Day 21/22 Continue to Samarkand; sightseeing Day 23 Drive to Tashkent; city tour Day 24 Fly to London

*NOTE: Guaranteed departure - Includes festival - Teenage departure - Single parents - Airfare included from the UK only.

To help you choose the right trip, The Adventure Company has graded every itinerary. Obviously, grading is quite subjective - what is demanding for some people may be easy for others, and vice versa - so please keep this in mind when choosing a trip. Most healthy, active people will be able to take part in and enjoy nearly every trip. Just click on the grade assigned to the tour you are interested in -- Gentle - Easy - Active - Moderate - Demanding - Strenuous.

Gentle	These trips are more about culture, landscapes and sights, rather than activity. There may be the odd walk on reasonably flat terrain, but be aware that walking city streets or clambering over ancient monuments can still be tiring. The itinerary could involve some tough traveling, so a sense of adventure is essential; you should be flexible, open-minded and prepared for the unexpected. Anyone in good health should be able to take part.
Easy	This type of trip might have the odd half-day (say 2-4 hours) walk, or possibly longer. There will invariably be some ascent and descent but on generally easy gradients. Max. altitude 2000m. Suitable for anyone in good health and normal fitness.
Active	Can involve activities like cycling, kayaking, walking, rafting, or even dog-sledding, for a half or full day. Suitable for anyone in good health and of normal fitness. No previous experience required, but you should undertake a program of exercise before the trip to get the most enjoyment out of each activity.
Moderate	Harder half/full-day walks (3-6 hours) over rugged terrain and involving regular steep ascent and descent (max. 700m) and possibly with some minor obstacles. Max. altitude around 3000m. You will have to carry a daysac (up to 6kg). Requires reasonable physical condition. Previous experience or preparation beneficial.
Demanding	Tough half day or full day-walks (up to 8 hrs) over rough paths, involving considerable ascent/descent (up to 1000m) on steep slopes with some minor obstacles or hazards. Max. altitude around 4000m. You will have to carry a large daysac or small rucksack (occasionally with a sleeping bag and personal gear up to 12kg). Good physical condition is essential. Some previous experience and/or preparation essential.
Strenuous	Challenging, full-day walks of up to 12 hours, on very steep slopes in difficult terrain, with ascent/descent of over 1000m, at altitudes of over 4000m and/or in a rigorous climate. Many obstacles – some major. Scrambling may be involved. This also applies to treks of extended duration and any trek which is unsupported, i.e. where you must carry a rucksack with personal gear, food and equipment. Excellent physical condition and previous experience and appropriate preparation are essential.

Note: technical skills, e.g. rope-work, using crampons or ice-axes, are not needed on any trip.