Adventures in China

11-Day Enlightened Tour

You’ll really get a sense of China, both ancient and modern, on a tour that fills all the senses and creates a real sense of awe at the sheer scale of human endeavour.

So Much is Included in the Price

• Return flights to and from the UK including all UK taxes

• Visits to Beijing, the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China Shanghai, Xian and Terracotta Warriors

• Over night train from Beijing to Xian

• Sightseeing as specified with transfers and entrance fees included

• At each destination you’ll be met and accompanied by a local guide who’ll share their in-depth knowledge of the country, history and culture

• Free time to explore independently

• 9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner

Want to Extend Your Holiday?

Pandas in Chengdu from £745pp

If you would like to see a whole other side to China, we can arrange optional extensions to visit the fascinating Panda Breeding and Research Centre in the charming city of Chengdu.

A Taste of Traditional China from £935pp

Alternatively, you can opt for time in Lijiang in Yunnan Province. The town itself is an experience, with its maze of centuries old winding streets and intriguing local Naxi people. You can also include visits to Tiger Leaping Gorge and Yak Meadow.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow

Your overnight flight leaves this afternoon.

Day 2 Arrive Beijing

On arrival in Beijing, you’ll transfer to your hotel, the Novotel Xinqiao, for a 3 night stay. This evening you’ll join the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Dinner.

Day 3 Beijing

This morning’s packed tour takes in the famous Tiananmen Square, where you’ll pass the imposing Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao’s mausoleum and Tiananmen Gate. You’ll also enter the Forbidden City, where you can see the elaborate collection of palaces and pavilions that were closed to the outside world for centuries. This afternoon, you can join an optional rickshaw ride through the hutongs; Beijing’s twisting, lively backstreets.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 4 Beijing

An unforgettable full day’s tour takes you to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China; a quieter part where you can really acknowledge the scale of the wall as it snakes along the mountain ridges. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll return past the 2008 Olympic Park and Bird’s Nest Stadium.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 5 Beijing to Xian

You have a free day today, and you may like to explore the Temple of Heaven and its grounds where locals like to stroll or perform tai chi. We’ve arranged a late check out for you so you can relax in your room before your overnight train to Beijing. The compartments on board are shared (4 beds per cabin), and upgrades to a private cabin can be purchased at the time of booking.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 6 Xian

When you arrive this morning, transfer to the Grand New World Hotel for breakfast at the start of your 2 night stay. Xian lies at the end of the fabled Silk Road and was once one of the most powerful cities in the world. This afternoon your tour takes in Wild Goose Pagoda, the city walls and the Muslim Quarter.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 7 Xian

You’ll visit the amazing Terracotta Warriors this morning; individually detailed, life-sized statues which date back to 210 BC. After lunch you’ll visit a village and learn something about local life. This evening, there’s an optional excursion to the Tang Dynasty show; a music and dance performance with dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 8 Xian to Shanghai

A morning flight brings you to the well-located Green Land Hotel in the dynamic city of Shanghai where you’ll stay for 3 nights. This afternoon, you’ll visit the traditional Yu Yuan Chinese Garden in Shanghai’s Old Town, the famed waterfront of the Bund and Nanjing Road, where the old city meets the new.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 9 Shanghai

You’re free today. You might like to head to the Xintiandi district, which means ‘new heaven and earth’ and is the hot new part of the city. This evening you can take an optional extra excursion to the impressive acrobatics show.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 10 Shanghai

Another free day to explore. Alternatively choose an optional excursion to Suzhou, a picturesque town built on a series of waterways.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 11 Arrive London Heathrow

After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight home, arriving later today, unless you’ve booked one of our tour extensions to Chengdu or Lijiang.

Meals: Breakfast.