Great Wall & Warriors - a Family Holiday in China - 2010/11 Itinerary
15 days - from $2390
• Be amazed at the splendours of Imperial Beijing, the Great Wall & Xian's ever-marching 'Terracotta Army'
• Marvel at the superhuman skills of Shaolin monastery's 'Kung Fu' monks
• Stay on towering rice terraces & learn about village life
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Forbidden City & the Great Wall
Starting in the capital Beijing we explore the famous Tiananmen Square and the maze of palaces that make up the adjoining Forbidden City. We also discover the fascinating old residential quarters, the “Hutongs”, by cycle rickshaw. The majestic and awesome Great Wall stretches for almost 4500 kilometres from the edge of the Gobi desert to the Yellow Sea. At Simatai, we overnight at one of the wall's most stunning sections from where we walk along its towering ramparts.
Kung Fu & Ancient Warriors
An overnight train takes us to the former Xia dynasty capital of Luoyang where we pay a visit to the Shaolin “Kung Fu” monastery, famous throughout the world for the prowess of its monks. We hope to catch them in action with their graceful kicks and feats of superhuman strength! Another kind of warrior awaits us near Xian where excavation of imperial tombs revealed the wonders of the vast Terracotta Army; thousands of life-size models of warriors, horses and chariots had been buried to protect the Qin dynasty emperors in the after world.
Li River Cruise & Dragon's Backbone
A flight south to Guilin takes us to a bizarre but beautiful karst landscape of mysterious hump-backed mountains that have fired the imagination of poets and writers for centuries. By boat we drift along the Li river to the small and welcoming town of Yangshuo with its many interesting craft shops - an excellent base from which to explore nearby villages, ride a bike, climb a peak, or even try out bamboo rafting on the Yulong River. Driving north to Longji we enter a region famous for its spectacular rice terraces which sit tier upon tier up to a staggering 800 metres. Here we meet the local Dong and Yao people as we ramble alongside the paddies.
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Itinerary:
Day 1 Join Beijing. Days 2/3 Beijing We explore Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City and take a rickshaw tour of the fascinating Hutongs (old residential quarters). Days 4/5 Great Wall We walk on the awesome Great Wall of China at Simatai and enjoy an exciting overnight train journey to Luoyang. Day 6 Kung Fu! Visit the Shaolin temple and watch its amazing monks in action at a Kung Fu show. Day 7 Sacred caves Visit the Longmen Buddhist grottoes before an afternoon train to Xian. Day 8 Terracotta Warriors We discover the thousands of life-size models of warriors, horses and chariots that make up Xian's famous 'Terracotta Army'. Day 9 Xian Explore the ancient buildings of Xian's Old Quarter. Days 10/11 Yangshuo Cruise the Li River to welcoming Yangshuo, an excellent base from which to explore nearby villages, ride a bike, climb a peak, or even try out bamboo rafting. Days 12/13 Minority villages Meet the Dong and Yao people when we stay on the 'Dragon's Backbone' rice terraces. Day 14 Beijing We fly back to Beijing for our final night. Day 15 End Beijing.
Accommodations: 10nts hotel, 3nts guesthouse, 1nt sleeper train - overnight train travel is in 4 berth, 'soft sleeper' compartments with all bedding provided; 14 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 2 dinners included.
Transport: Bus/Boat/Train/Flights/ Rickshaw.
Comment: Activities in Yangshuo are gentle and suitable for all. Cycle helmets may not be available or quality guaranteed; we recommend you bring your own.
Group: Approx. 15 to 20.
Staff: Explore Tour Leader plus driver(s), boatmen and some local guides.
Trip Reference: FHC2010
