Adventures in China - Journeys of Distinction Light

11-DAY CHINA 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 with Virgin Atlantic, and internal flights, including all UK taxes
• Visits to Shanghai, Yu Yuan Garden, Terracotta Warriors, Xian, Beijing, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall of China
• 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 and 2 lunches
• Quality hotels throughout

Extend Your Holiday
Once the travel bug bites you, it’s hard to return to normal life; but you can always put it off for a bit longer by booking an extension to give yourself a few more days’ holiday and a wealth of different experiences.

Chengdu Extension

Day 1 Shanghai to Chengdu
You’ll fly from Shanghai to the capital of the Sichuan Province, Chengdu.

Day 2 Chengdu
Early this morning you’ll visit the Panda Breeding and Research Centre. This afternoon, you’ll visit the 1700 year old Huanglongxi Old Town.

Day 3 Chengdu
Spend your free day exploring the Wen Shu temple and Jinli cultural street.

Day 4 Chengdu to Heathrow
You’ll transfer to the airport for your flight home via Hong Kong, arriving the next day.
Meals: 3 breakfasts, in-flight
Hotel: 3 nights Minshan Lhasa Grand Hotel

From £853 per person

Lijiang Extension

Day 1 Shanghai to Lijiang
You’ll fly to Yunnan, China’s most south westerly province, and transfer to Lijiang with its centuries old maze of winding streets and local Naxi people.

Days 2 & 3 Lijiang
You have two free days to explore or take an optional excursion to Tiger Leaping Gorge or Yulong Mountain and Yak Meadow, which includes the famous Impressions Show.

Day 4 Lijiang to Heathrow
This morning you’ll transfer back to the airport for your flight home via Kunming and Hong Kong, arriving early the next day.
Meals: 3 breakfasts, in-flight
Hotel: 3 nights Wangfu

From £944 per person

Tour itinerary

Day 1 Depart Heathrow
Your overnight flight leaves this afternoon.
Meals: In-flight

Day 2 Arrive Shanghai
You’ll transfer to your hotel in the dynamic city of Shanghai this morning. This afternoon, you’ll visit the Yu Yuan Garden in Shanghai’s Old Town, which is one of the most traditional Chinese gardens. Your final stop is the Bund and Nanjing Road, where the old city meets the new.
Meals: In-flight
Hotel: Green Land

Day 3 Shanghai
Today you’re free to explore. You might like to head to the Xintiandi district, which means ‘new heaven and earth’ and is the hot new part of the city. Alternatively choose an optional excursion to Suzhou, a picturesque town built on a series of waterways.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Green Land

Day 4 Shanghai to Xian
Today you’ll fly to Xian which lies at the end of the fabled Silk Road and was once one of the most powerful cities in the world.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Grand New World.

Day 5 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
Hotel: Grand New World

Day 6 Xian to Beijing
You have a free day today, and you might like to spend some time walking around the city walls of Xian, which are some of the oldest and best preserved city walls in China. We’ve arranged a late check out for you so you can relax in your room before your overnight train to Beijing.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Shared train compartment

Day 7 Beijing
Once you arrive in Beijing, you’ll transfer to your hotel for breakfast, then you have the rest of the day to get to know Beijing. You might like to visit the ornate Temple of Heaven, the symbol of Beijing.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Novotel Xinqiao

Day 8 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, temples 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
Hotel: Novotel Xinqiao

Day 9 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
Hotel: Novotel Xinqiao.

Day 10 Beijing to Shanghai
You’ll fly back to Shanghai this morning, where you’re free for the rest of the day to explore or relax. This evening you can go for an optional excursion to the impressive acrobatics show.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Green Land

Day 11 Arrive Heathrow
After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your direct flight home, arriving later today, unless you’ve booked a tour extension to Chengdu or Lijiang.
Meals: Breakfast, In-flight