Days
26
Price from
From Kunming to Shanghai, see the best of China on this immersive journey
Take a journey into a land overflowing with ancient history, myth and legend but heading fast into the modern world. Step back in time with the painterly scenery of the Yunnan provinces, where the Yangtze River crash through the spectacular Tiger Leaping Gorge and travel to the mythed Shangrila, meander through the peaceful pasture dotted with Tibetan villages and join the pilgrims in the sacred Sumtseling Monastery. Wake up from the misty dreams of Yunnan and delve into the journey from historical Beijing to neon lit Shanghai. Experience wonders both manmade and natural, see the imperial highlights of Beijing and the enigmatic faces of the Terracotta Warriors, the engendered pandas of Chengdu and the serene surrounds of the Three Gorges and the beauty of endless stretches of the Great Wall set in rolling hills. Spend time with locals as you cook Chinese dishes, learn Tai Chi, stroll through minority tribe towns, and absorb the culture in a central square or at a local show. Take memorable hikes through rural landscapes with stunning views of ancient villages and temples, before heading north-east to Shanghai, where the bright lights, fevered trade and frenetic pace provide a glimpse into the dazzling global future of China.
- Start
- Kunming, China
- Finish
- Shanghai, China
- Destination
- China
- Style
- Peregrine
- Code
- PCYYC
- Physical rating
- Trip rating
- 1 review
- Ages
- Min 15
- Group size
- Min 1, Max 12
Why you'll love this trip
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Explore the memorable limestone karst scenery of Yangshuo, immortalised in countless traditional Chinese paintings
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Spend the night in a guesthouse in the lovingly restored town of Shaxi, visit the dizzying Friday Market and be transported back to when it was a significant stop on the Tea Horse Trail
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Enjoy two days to hike around the dramatic scenery of Tiger Leaping Gorge
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Wander through a Tibetan village in the dreamy Shangrila pasture lands. Learn about Tibetan culture over a steaming cup of yak butter tea.
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Like everything it does, China’s ancient history is on an epic scale – see in the faces of the thousands or Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, and in the endless stretch of the Great Wall as you walk along it
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Learn about the endangered (and adorable) giant pandas’ struggle for survival, and get up close to these unique creatures in Chengdu
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Step back in time with a boat trip through the iconic scenery of the Yangzi River, which meanders through the spectacular Three Gorges
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Get a hands-on insight into Chinese dishes and ingredients with a cooking class in Yangshuo
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Discover Shanghai's bright lights, fevered trade and frenetic pace, which provides a glimpse into modern China
Is this trip right for you?
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This trip includes one overnight train in soft sleeper class. Train travel in China may not be totally luxurious, but it's certainly one of the best ways to come face-to-face with the country and its people. It's the main form of transport for locals, so take the chance to interact.
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This trip uses a mix of transport for a local experience including fast trains, overnight trains, a boat and plane, as a well as private buses. The trip covers a fair amount of ground, so be prepared for some long journeys.
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We suggest packing relatively lightly for this trip, as you’ll need to be able to comfortably carry your luggage for the duration of the trip. This includes to and from accommodation, and on and off flights, trains and buses.
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Accommodation on this trip is on a twin-share basis, unless booking a Single Supplement.
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This is a longer Peregrine trip at 26 days, but it really lets you see so many highlights of this fascinating country.
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Itinerary
Known as the ‘City of Eternal Spring’ for its year-round temperate climate, Kunming is an increasingly modern city, but it still holds pockets of old-world charm in a relaxed atmosphere. You’ll need to attend a welcome meeting at 6 pm at the hotel. If you're going to be late, please inform the hotel reception. We'll be collecting your insurance details and next of kin information at this meeting, so please have these on hand. We'll be happy to book additional accommodation for you (subject to availability). If you do arrive early enough to explore, maybe delve into local culture at the ancient temples and intriguing museums dotted around the area – the Buddhist Yuantong Temple dates back 1,200 years and you will uniquely enter the complex from above and descend into the elegant garden and halls.
Accommodation
- Kunming Longteng Hotel or similar (1 night)
Optional Activities
- Kunming - Yuantong Temple - CNY6
- Kunming - Tang Dynasty Pagodas - CNY2
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.
Depart Kunming by private bus and prepare for the adventure ahead as you travel through the countryside to Dali. Kunming to Dali is 340 kilometres and the drive will take about 5 hours. You’ll travel through the foothills of the Himalayas, driving through the mountains (some tunnels are kilometres long!) that it used to take weeks to pass. Stretch your legs on an orientation walk with your leader, then explore in the afternoon as you’d like. Dali is a favourite among travellers in China, a place where you can soak up the fresh mountain air and observe relics from the past. The town is overflowing with places to eat and drink, so you will not have trouble finding a good meal this evening. The Ancient Town, a beautifully preserved and rebuilt part of the city with lantern-lit cafes, cobblestone streets and ancient stone houses is a great place to start.
Accommodation
- Dali Lan Lin Ge Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Dali - Ancient Town walking tour
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today you’ll travel 1 hour to the nearby town of Xizhou, an authentic town of the Bai – a group renowned throughout the country for their craftsmanship. Be guided around this photogenic town filled with Bai architecture, characterised by ornate gateways with elegant detailing. The town was long ago a stop on the tea horse trail, home to wealthy merchants, officials and scholars, and during World War II, many of China’s universities decamped to this remote part of Yunnan to continue their studies. Wander around this unique town and don’t forget to try the local treat 'xi zhou ba ba' – a warm baked cake filled with savoury or sweet filling. For lunch you'll enjoy a unique experience when you visit a local family. You'll try cheese making with them and have a meal together. Return to Dali for the night.
Accommodation
- Dali Lan Lin Ge Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Xizhou - Cheese making
- Xizhou - Home-cooked Bai lunch
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Travel to Shaxi from Dali today (approximately 4 hours). Unlike many other ancient towns in Yunnan, Shaxi has been restored rather than rebuilt, and decades of laying off the main highways mean it hasn’t seen the rapid development places like Lijiang and Dali have. Here you can still find the Yi and Bai ethnic minorities living traditional lives in farmhouses lining the country roads. You’ll see cobblestone streets, original walled town gates and a market square that prove that Shaxi was once an important stop on the old Tea Horse Trail. After you've settled in, take a leisurely walk around the town.
Accommodation
- Shaxi Ouyang Courtyard Guesthouse or similiar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today you’ll join a local guide to visit Shibaoshan and Shizong Temple, perhaps taking a picnic lunch with you to make the most of the beautiful danxia landscape along the way. The beautiful multi-coloured rocks are formed by millions of years of sandstone and mineral deposits, creating a rainbow effect that must be seen to be believed. The hike takes around 1.5 hours, reaches around 2,400 metres above sea level and is accessible to all travellers with a reasonable level of fitness. For those travellers who wish to sit out this activity there is the option to stay in Shaxi for the day instead. In the evening, take the opportunity to mix with the locals on the town square, where it's not rare to see impromptu dancing, singing and games happen (feel free to join in or just observe).
Accommodation
- Shaxi Ouyang Courtyard Guesthouse or similiar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Shibaoshan - Hike to Shizong Temple
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Travel to Tiger Leaping Gorge by private bus (approx. 2 hrs). Part of the Yangzi River (known here as the Jinsha River) thunders through Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is in turn framed by 5,000-metre-high mountains. A memorable walk in the gorge is a wonderful way to take in its awesome beauty and today you’ll do just that. It’s a predominantly downhill five-kilometre hike that takes around 3 to 4 hours to complete at a relaxed pace, giving you ample time to soak up the sights of one of Asia’s most dramatic and photogenic hiking trails. About 15 kilometres in length, the gorge is named after a legendary tiger that leapt across the gorge to escape the clutches of a hunter. No mean feat considering the canyon’s narrowest point is still a staggering 25 metres wide!
Accommodation
- Teahorse Guesthouse or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Tiger Leaping Gorge - Guided trek
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Special Information
We stay in a guesthouse here tonight.The guesthouse is clean and tidy with private facilities, but standard is a little more basic compared to other hotels we use on this trip. Past travellers have suggested bringing your own walking poles for this walk to assist them on the trail.
Today you’ll travel to a place so beautiful it was officially renamed Shangrila, a reference to the mythic utopia from James Hilton’s novel Lost Horizon. Before you set off, visit the legendary “stepping stone” the tiger used to escape across the Jinsha river, located at the narrowest point of the gorge. Make the 3-hour drive to Shangrila and feel the modern world fade away as you head higher into the mountains. This charming Tibetan town lies on an altitude around 3,200 metres, so take it easy upon arrival and give yourself some time to acclimatise. Later take a stroll on winding streets past prayer halls and pagodas in Dukezong Ancient Town. A fire tore through the area in 2014, destroying most of the town, but painstaking restoration work continues and the town remains charming. It’s also home to a towering, gilded prayer wheel – the largest in the world.
Accommodation
- Tian Jie Shen Chuan Hotel (Paradise Hotel) or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
Because of the high altitude, your leader may shuffle activities in order to suit the capabilities of the group.
Learn more about Tibetan Buddhism with a visit the Sumtseling Monastery. Located just outside the city and modelled after the Potala Palace, Sumtseling is the predominant monastery in the region and a popular destination for pilgrims. Constructed in 1681 and subsequently destroyed during the Cultural Revolution in the 1960s, the complex was rebuilt in 1981 and the red and gold buildings now house hundreds of monks. Later travel south to Xiao Zhongdian, a village-dotted plain split by a flowing river. Here you will be invited into the home of a local Tibetan to see how they live and have a chat over a cup of yak butter tea. If time permits (and you have the energy), you may be able to visit idyllic Potatso National Park in the afternoon. If the altitude is taking its toll, why not spend the evening relaxing in Shangri-la.
Accommodation
- Tian Jie Shen Chuan Hotel (Paradise Hotel) or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Shangrila - Sumtseling Monastery
Optional Activities
- Kunming - Green Lake Park - Free
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Return to Kunming on a roughly 80-minute flight and transfer to your hotel. If you have enough time, Green Lake Park is a lovely place to while away an hour or two. In the evening, perhaps join your group for a final dinner and toast to new friends and ancient sights.
Accommodation
- Kunming Longteng Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today, fly from Kunming to Beijing mid morning and get transferred to your htoe in Beijing. Please note that this is a combination trip so your tour leader and group may change. There will be a briefing about the 2nd part of the trip at 6pm. Please look for a note in the hotel lobby on exactly where and when to meet.
Accommodation
- Beijing Dongfang Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.Special Information
Please note that your flight and transfer to/from the airport will not be accompanied.
Make your way to Tiananmen Square in the centre of the city that remains the symbolic centre of Chinese power. Framed by many imposing and iconic buildings such as the Gate of Heavenly Peace with its Mao portrait, Mao's Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum, it's a place of pilgrimage for many Chinese tourists who consider it the heart of their nation. From here you will enter the enormous scarlet walls of the Forbidden City. Built more than 500 years ago, and until recently off-limits to commoners, explore the great halls and courtyards of this palace complex. Then make your way to the wonderful Temple of Heaven, a sacrificial ceremonial temple of beautiful traditional design, now a lively park fully of locals singing, dancing, doing tai chi or simply enjoying their life - take the chance to join them! Enjoy free time afterwards to further explore Beijing. Maybe check out the famous kung fu show or make your way to the 2008 Olympic Stadiums, dearly nicknamed the Bird's Nest & the Water Cube.
Accommodation
- Beijing Dongfang Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Beijing - Temple of Heaven Park
- Beijing - Forbidden City
Optional Activities
- Beijing - Lama Temple - CNY25
- Beijing - Kungfu Show - CNY280
- Beijing - Beijing Foodie Walk Urban Adventure - CNY360
Meals Included
- Breakfast
No trip to China would be complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Today you’ll visit one of the best-preserved areas, the Mutianyu section (approximately 2 hours). It used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs, and features guard towers dating back to the Ming dynasty. Take your time strolling along the wall, which snakes through the hills and seemingly endlessly into the distance. Being perched on this incredible engineering feat and surveying the spectacular surrounding countryside is an unforgettable experience. A great idea is to bring a picnic lunch with you from Beijing to enjoy during one of the rest breaks. This afternoon you’ll visit the Summer Palace back on the way back to Beijing. This is one of the best imperial gardens in China, a summer retreat for the Qing Dynasty. The palace was built on a hill made from the earth excavated by hand to create the surrounding lake, and features stunning artwork of imperial life on The Long Corridor.
Accommodation
- Beijing Dongfang Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Beijing - Mutianyu Great Wall
- Beijing - Summer Palace
Meals Included
- Breakfast
You will depart Beijing on a fast train to Xi'an today. The high-speed G train takes approximately 6 hours to travel the 1200 kilometres to Beijing. Use the time to brush up on all the things to see and do in this ancient capital of China with a 2000 - year history. Arrive in Xi’an, the capital of Shaanxi Province and the largest city in northwest China. Once the imperial centre of China for 2,000 years, Xi'an is now a vibrant, modern city dotted with many interesting historical sites and is a great place to explore. Today is free for you to uncover what was once the start of the ancient trading route of the Silk Road. The history means Xi’an has a mixture of cultures, especially found in its food options, ranging from delicious Muslim fare to great little dumplings in Chinese restaurants. You can easily spend the day wandering the narrow streets where you will find quaint shops, lively markets, groups of white-bearded men in skull caps sipping tea in cafes, and the Great Mosque, one of the most important in China. You might learn about Chinese dynasties in the Shaanxi history museum, climb up the Little Wild Goose Pagoda or walk along the top of the city walls – the most complete in China, running over 13 kilometres around the city. For dinner, perhaps try one of the city’s signature dishes, Yyang rou pao mo – bread and mutton soup.
Accommodation
- Xi'an Skytel Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Xi'an - Muslim Quarter walking tour
Optional Activities
- Xi'an - Great Mosque - CNY25
- Xi'an - Bell & Drum Towers - CNY50
- Xi'an - Small Wild Goose Pagoda - CNY50
- Xi'an - Cycling on City Wall - CNY80
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today you’ll journey out in to the countryside surrounding Xi’an and visit what is undoubtedly one of the man-made wonders of the world – the Terracotta Warriors. You’ll learn all about this incredible archaeological find, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1976 after being buried for 2,000 years. These clay statues of soldiers, horses and chariots (once all individually painted) were commissioned by the emperor Qin Shi Huangdi as part of his mausoleum after he ascended to the throne in 264 BC. Archaeologists have located around 600 different pits, but most have still not undergone the painstaking process of excavation. Three main pits are open for you to view, where over 6,000 warriors (and only 1000 excavated) – each individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height, and even facial expressions – stand in battle formation. For lunch we’ll visit a local family restaurant, the owner of which has experienced firsthand of the changes brought about by the excavation of Terracotta Warriors. Listen to their stories, while trying the simple yet delicious home cooked food and learn about the fast development of China through their life changes. After lunch, we’ll continue our day to visit Hangyangling Mausoleum. Built between 153 to 126 BC, Hangyangling Mausoleum serves as another manifestation of the rich history of ancient China. Return to Xi'an for the night.
Accommodation
- Xi'an Skytel Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors
- Xi'an - Hanyangling Mausoleum
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Sichuan Province is famous for two things – giant pandas and spicy food. You’ll get the opportunity to experience both during your time here. Take a roughly 3-hour high speed train to Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province. You have a free afternoon and evening to explore the city. Perhaps begin with Tianfu Square. Overlooked by a large statue of Chairman Mao, the square has a fountain that bursts with an elaborate water show throughout the day, and is a great base from which to explore the many interesting temples nearby. If you want to unwind, Renmin Park (People's Park) is a relaxing spot to spend a few hours, with interesting tea-houses and areas full of locals exercising, singing, playing mahjong or relaxing in their bamboo chairs drinking tea. In the evening, ask your leader for a restaurant recommendation or strike out on you own – the spicy cuisine is generally considered to be the best in China. In such a food-loving country, this is no mean feat.
Accommodation
- Chengdu City Garden Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Chengdu - Tea Tasting
- Chengdu - People's Park & Tianfu Square
Optional Activities
- Chengdu - Sichuan Opera - CNY280
- Chengdu - Wenshu Monastery - CNY5
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Visit the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base and witness the conservation efforts being made to save this endearing endangered species. There are only around 1000 pandas left in the world and 80% of them are found in the mountains in Sichuan Province. The facility was set up 30 years ago, and there are more than 80 giant and red pandas living at the base. The pandas have over 600 acres of parkland to live in, and you can get up close and learn more about these majestic creatures. Watch them play, eat bamboo and climb the trees. If you’re lucky (and visiting between July and September) you might even get to see newborns taking their first steps in the nursery. Return to Chengdu for some free time this evening – maybe try the local teahouses, sample spicy Sichuan hotpot, or witness the amazing Sichuan Opera.
Accommodation
- Chengdu City Garden Hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Chengdu - Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Today, make a 2-hour journey to Chongqing by train, then board a boat for a trip along one the world’s greatest rivers, the Yanzgi. For the next three days and nights you’ll cruise down the 6300-kilometre-long Yangzi (also known locally as the Chang Jiang), the world's third longest waterway. It winds deep into the heart of the province of Qinghai, to the north of Tibet, and flows relentlessly eastwards until it empties into the East China Sea near Shanghai. Effectively dividing the country into north and south, the river not only supplies the rural heart of China, but has also spawned many industries reliant upon its power. The Yangzi has also inspired numerous poets, writers and travellers over the centuries. You will travel along one of the most picturesque sections, through the renowned Three Gorges. The dramatic 'Sanxia', as they are known in Chinese, stretch for 200 kilometres and vary from 100 metres to 300 metres in width.
Accommodation
- Yangzi River Cruise (3 nights)
Meals Included
- Breakfast (3)
- Lunch (2)
- Dinner (2)
Special Information
You will spend three nights on board and sleep in twin share cabins with private facilities. Bedding and sheets are provided, as are meals throughout the cruise except the 1st dinner on board. However, before you board, you may wish to purchase some snacks to take with you. Please note that all rooms on the Yangzi cruise are on a twin share basis. If you are not already sharing a room with someone from your group, you may be required to share with someone (of the same gender) from outside your group. It's not a cruise trip in the traditional sense, or rather, we'd call it a river trip. The Chinese authorities oversee the travel of all boats on the Yangzi, so we have no control over the schedule or changes made with the cruise itinerary. Your tour leader will update you of the changes if it happens.
Your Yangzi boat trip will end in the relatively small city of Yichang. Here you’ll enjoy a tour of the engineering feat that is the Three Gorges Dam. The world’s largest hydroelectric project, the dam generates power and prevents the major flooding that had long threatened the people of the area (though the impact on displaced people and archaeological sites should not be ignored). Afterwards you’ll have some free time in Yichang, perhaps to try some of the delicious street-side snacks, before you board an overnight train to Yangshuo.
Accommodation
- Overnight Soft Sleeper Train (1 night)
Included Activities
- Yichang - Three Gorges Dam Project
Meals Included
- Breakfast
The stunning vistas of Yangshuo await after a morning of travel. Your overnight train will pull into Liuzhou in the early morning. A driver will be waiting to escort you on the 3.5-hour journey to Yangshuo, where lush karst mountains sprout like verdant domes around the meandering waters of the Li River. The countryside around Yangshuo is immortalized in many traditional Chinese paintings and it’s easy to see why. Get acquainted with the picturesque town on a walking tour with your leader, darting up and down laneways and narrow streets. Perhaps relax at a cafe and enjoy a famous local Liquan Beer and watch the world go by.
Accommodation
- Yangshuo Xinfuan Hotel or similar (1 night)
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Special Information
Please note it's an early morning today and it's possible that you won't be able to check in immediately when you arrive at your hotel - standard check in time is 12am. In that case, you can leave your luggage at the hotel and go out with your tour leader for a walking tour in the town when it's just waking up to the hustle and bustle of a new day.
Today you’ll follow Chinese food from market to table, starting your day at a vibrant produce market. Shop with the locals and get familiar with the colourful the regional produce. Later, put your new knowledge to use during a class at the Yangshuo Cooking School. Learn to craft traditional Chinese dishes that require little specialty equipment and feature ingredients accessible in the rest of the world. You’ll be able to wow friends and family back home with these tasty dishes. The evening free for you to do as you wish. Every night in Yangshuo, an unforgettable spectacle takes place along the southern part of the Li River. The Liu San Jei Impression is a light show and performance piece designed by Beijing Olympics director Zhang Yi Mou. Lights dance on the water and hundreds of locals perform under the watchful eye of glowing karst mountains, lit up by spotlights. Tickets vary in price, and can be purchased ahead of time or on the day.
Accommodation
- Yangshuo Xinfuan hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Yangshuo - Cooking School & Market Tour
Meals Included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Begin the day by focusing your body and mind with a tai chi class, then you are free to explore Yangshuo at your own pace. Perhaps hire a bike and cycle outside of town into the countryside, where postcard worthy scenes lie around every bend. Riding upstream next to the Li River will take you to the elegant arch of the Dragon Bridge in about 2 hours. Or maybe you would prefer to climb to Moon Hill, a limestone pinnacle with a crescent-shaped hole. For something a little less energetic you could simply sit back, relax and watch local fishermen come and go on small wooden rafts.
Accommodation
- Yangshuo Xinfuan hotel or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Yangshuo - Tai Chi/Kung Fu class
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Say goodbye to Yangshuo and get ready for the neon lit Shanghai. Transfer to Guilin airport and fly to Shanghai, arriving by mid-afternoon. Perhaps get a taste of Shanghai’s eclectic food scene, which draws influences from far beyond China’s walls. Ask your leader for suggestions on where to begin. This evening you’ll witness the impressive antics of the famous Shanghai Acrobats during a colourful and athletic performance.
Accommodation
- Shanghai Kingtown Hotel Plaza or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Shanghai - Acrobat Show
Optional Activities
- Shanghai - Shanghai Museum - Free
- Shanghai - Yuyuan Gardens - CNY40
- Shanghai - Urban Planning Exhibition Centre - CNY30
- Shanghai - Maglev high speed train (round trip) - CNY100
- Shanghai - Propaganda Museum - CNY20
- Shanghai - Oriental Pearl Tower Viewing Deck - CNY150
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Shanghai by morning is bustling with street vendors and workers making their morning commute, and today you’ll weave among them in an early walking tour of the city. Begin with the pride of Shanghai – the Bund. On one side of this waterfront strip you’ll see gothic, baroque and neoclassical architecture dating as far back as 1897. These historic buildings sit in wonderful contrast to the uber modern high rises and sleek office buildings that lie across the water. Then, visit Yuyuan Bazaar, where you will be left to your own devices. Those feeling a little overwhelmed by the chaos may wish to pay a small fee to visit the classical garden of Yuyuan and sit by one of the many ponds. Or perhaps examine the many bronze and ceramic pieces in the Shanghai Museum.
Accommodation
- Shanghai Kingtown Hotel Plaza or similar (1 night)
Included Activities
- Shanghai - Walking tour
Meals Included
- Breakfast
The tour will come to an end today after breakfast. If you have time, there's plenty more to see in Shanghai. Why explore the so-called 'Sin City of China' in a Shanghai Nights & Lights tour with Urban Adventures?
Meals Included
- Breakfast
Meals
24 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 3 dinnersTransport
Private vehicle, Public Bus, Cruise boat, Overnight Soft Sleeper Train, High Speed Train, Plane, metroAccommodation
Hotel (23 nights), Boat (3 nights), Overnight Soft Sleeper Train (1 night)Included Activities
- Dali - Ancient Town walking tour
- Xizhou - Cheese making
- Xizhou - Home-cooked Bai lunch
- Shibaoshan - Hike to Shizong Temple
- Tiger Leaping Gorge - Guided trek
- Shangrila - Sumtseling Monastery
- Beijing - Temple of Heaven Park
- Beijing - Forbidden City
- Beijing - Mutianyu Great Wall
- Beijing - Summer Palace
- Xi'an - Muslim Quarter walking tour
- Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors
- Xi'an - Hanyangling Mausoleum
- Chengdu - Tea Tasting
- Chengdu - People's Park & Tianfu Square
- Chengdu - Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
- Yichang - Three Gorges Dam Project
- Yangshuo - Cooking School & Market Tour
- Yangshuo - Tai Chi/Kung Fu class
- Shanghai - Acrobat Show
- Shanghai - Walking tour
Dates & availability
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Important notes
1. A complimentary arrival transfer is included. Please provide your arrival details at least 14 days before arrival.
2. A Single Supplement is available for this trip except for the nights on overnight trains.
3. Gratuities included for the essential services only that you will receive as part of your tour package. Please see our Tipping section of these trip notes for more information.
4. Overnight train accommodation on this tour is in 4-berth ‘soft-sleeper’ class, which are four beds in a compartment. Bedding is provided and wash basins and toilet facilities (usually one with a toilet seat and one squat-style in each compartment) are available on all trains, but there are no showers or baths.
5. The boat trip through the Three Gorges offers some incredible sightseeing and is a genuine way to experience the Yangzi River. Many travellers consider it a highlight of their adventure. Please note that all rooms on the cruise are on a twin share basis except when you book a single supplement. If you are not already sharing a room with someone from your group, you may be required to share with someone (of the same gender) from outside your tour group.
Essential trip information
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