China Family Adventure

Beijing (Arrival)

Ni Hao! Welcome to Beijing. Upon your arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your guide, and transferred straight to the hotel. Your tour begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm in your hotel lobby where your guide will go over more details about your trip including meeting up with your guides in each city. After that, you will take an orientation walk followed by a Beijing Duck dinner.

Beijing; Great Wall at Mutianyu

The Great Wall at Mutianyu (approx. 2 hours drive) is one of the best-preserved and restored sections of the Wall so it is easy to climb and walk along, but you can still appreciate the difficulty and extent of the Wall’s construction. A picnic lunch to eat on the Wall is provided. This afternoon you will visit a local school for a glimpse of school life in China; take part in a class and make some new local friends. Returning to Beijing in the late afternoon you have time to relax or explore the local market

Beijing

Today your guide will take you on an exploration of some of Beijing’s most famous sights. There is quite a bit of walking and you will also use the subway along with the locals.

First stop, Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest public squares, home to the Monument of the People's Heroes and the Great Hall of the People. From here enter the Forbidden City, built 1406-1420; a ceremonial and political center of the Chinese government for more than 500 years. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987 and is listed by UNESCO as the most extensive collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world.

Later experience the local lifestyle of Old Beijing with a stroll through the alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyards known as Hutong.
Evening board the overnight train to Luoyang.

Luoyang

From Luoyang station, it is a 1.5hrs drive to Shaolin Monastery, the birthplace of Chinese Kung Fu. Your local guide will show you around the complex, including the Hall of Heavenly Kings, the Pagoda Forest and the Dharma Cave. You will have a chance to witness the real Kung Fu as performed by Shaolin monks. Next, visit a nearby Martial arts school. Seeing the little kids learning martial arts is an absolute highlight of the day.

Returning to Luoyang in the late afternoon explore the old town, starting from the ancient cultural street. It is a lively place with residential areas, snack streets, souvenir shops and old buildings. When night falls, thousands of lamps light up the town and you will feel you are back in the Tang Dynasty.

Longmen Grottoes

Nearby Luoyang is the World Heritage Longmen Grottoes. Steep limestone cliffs extend for almost a mile and contain approximately 110,000 Buddhist stone statues, 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions carved on steles. Most date between the end of the 5th century and the middle of the 8th century—the periods of the Northern Wei (486–534 C.E.) through early Tang dynasties (618–907 C.E.). Then it is time for the bullet train to Xi’an where you will spend the afternoon exploring the Muslim quarter. Firstly, we will visit one of the best-preserved old residences dating back 400 years. The courtyard was once home to seven generations of the Gao family –notable officials of the royal court and houses period furniture, pottery, porcelain, and paintings. Later, stroll through the narrow streets dotted with small shops, markets and restaurants.

Xi’an; Terracotta Warriors

The Terracotta Warriors were buried for 2,000 years before being discovered by farmers digging a well in 1976. Three of the main pits, containing almost 2,000 of the 6,000+ warriors, archers and chariots, are open to view. Each figure is individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height and even facial expressions –stand in battle formation. After marveling at this incredible display, we will enjoy lunch in a local village before returning to the city to spend the late afternoon cycling on the ancient City Wall. This is the most significant and best-preserved city wall extant in China, running over 8 miles around Xi’an.

Chengdu

It is about 4 hours by fast train to Chengdu. On arrival transfer to the hotel then head out to explore Jinli Street. This street is famous for its historic atmosphere, bustling business and, most of all, for its local snacks. Enjoy sticky rice cakes with sesame sauce, spicy chicken on a stick, sweet rice jelly, fried beef pancakes and, for the more adventurous, seasoned rabbits’ heads. Later in the afternoon head to Kuanzhai Alley, a landmark of Chengdu. Here we will see the historical remains of the old Chengdu city and experience the leisure lifestyle of Chengdu locals.

Chengdu

A morning visit to the Panda Breeding Center, where we can witness the conservation efforts being made to save this endangered species. Here they are bred and protected; and you are able to get quite close, watching them at play, eating, napping, and munching bamboo.

After the Panda, return to downtown Chengdu. Evening sample a Sichuan hotpot dinner.

Chengdu - Guilin flight, Longji Rice Terraces

It is a short flight from Chengdu to Guilin, then about 1.5 hours drive through great scenery to Longji. The Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces are an agricultural spectacle with a history of more than 650 years. The terraces are named for their resemblance to a dragon’s scales whilst the mountain summit looks like the backbone of a dragon

The most eye-catching part of the terrace cluster is the Ping'an Village Rice Terrace, the first to be discovered by tourists and photographers. After settling into your guesthouse, your guide will take you on an orientation walk.

Yangshou

Hike through the Longji Valley and its rice terraces, bamboo trees and chestnut forests. Despite some challenging hills, much of the hike is spent walking along stone paths, passing waterfalls and fields. At the end of the hike, our vehicle will meet us for the trip to Yangshou (4 hours). This small village set amid green karst hills and rice fields has become a favorite traveler center of southern China.

Bicycle tour through Yangshuo countryside, Moon Hill

Yangshuo offers excellent opportunities for biking and hiking. Today cycle through the surrounding countryside to gain an insight into China’s rural life and marvel at the surroundings. Each turn in the road reveals another picture-postcard view. Stop at Moon Hill, one of the most popular attractions in Yangshuo, is easily recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch. Ascend to the summit via a steep and rough path to be rewarded with spectacular vistas. Stop for lunch at the house of our local friends and savor a tasty meal made from locally grown produce.

After a day taking in natural beauty, return to town and enjoy an evening at leisure.

Guilin - Hong Kong

Transfer back to Guilin train station for a fast train to Hong Kong.
The trip ends at the airport.