China Highlights

Our tour starts today in Hong Kong, where East meets West. Known for its glittering skyline and rich heritage, Hong Kong is where ancient culture and modern city life live in harmony. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 5pm for a welcome meeting followed by the opportunity to meet your fellow travellers over dinner (not included). There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Hong Kong at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), which is a 40-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up at 9am on day 2. If your flight arrives earlier in the day the options are endless but you could go by underground to the waterfront of Victoria Harbour, and then on to Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon.

Situated in a dramatic setting, Hong Kong is a lively, sophisticated city and an important financial centre. We spend the morning exploring this remarkable city on an orientation tour by metro, ferry and on foot; taking in sites such as Kowloon Waterfront, the Star Ferry, the stock exchange, Des Voeux Road, Li Yuen St markets, Man Mo Temple and Bank of China. The afternoon is left free for optional excursions. Public transport is efficient and easy to use. You can take a funicular railway to Victoria Peak or a launch out to a floating restaurant in Aberdeen Harbour. Alternatively, explore the jade market or admire the latest sartorial and electronic fashions.

After a relaxed breakfast, we'll transfer to Hong Kong West Kowloon station and board the high-speed train to Guilin. Our border formalities will be completed in Hong Kong and therefore we will need to be at the station a couple of hours before. The train journey will take three hours arriving into Guilin in the late afternoon. Guilin is known as the gateway to the stunning limestone scenery for which this part of China is known and was once an important transport hub of the Qin Dynasty thanks to the construction of the Ling Canal in 214 BC. After an orientation walk around Guilin it will be time for dinner.

This morning, we head to MoPanShan Dock where we board our cruise to Yangshuo on the Li River passing paddy fields, villages and stunning limestone scenery along the way. Lunch is taken aboard the boat during the journey. An afternoon arrival into Yangshuo offers the opportunity to explore this laidback town - a contrast to the bustle of Hong Kong. During this free time, you may wish to take one of the optional bike rides or walks in the surrounding villages. Alternatively, you could head to one of the many limestone pinnacles around the town, the best known being Moon Hill. This evening you may choose to see an impressive sound and light show.

Yangshuo has a lot to offer so the day is free to explore at your own pace. You can walk into the surrounding karst summits, hire a bike, and cycle through country back lanes. Alternatively, you can soak up the atmosphere of this beautiful riverside town. You may wish to practice your bartering skills in the local market or try your hand at Tai Chi, cooking, or calligraphy.

You will start early as you will travel approximately 1.5 hours to Guilin airport in time for your morning flight to Xi'an. Our stay in Xian reveals the extraordinary continuity of Chinese civilization. Xian (Changan) served 11 dynasties and was the very starting point of the Silk Road connecting Asia with Europe. We spend the morning on a sightseeing tour visiting ancient monuments including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda - a 7-story, 64-metre-high structure with superb views over the city - and the wonderful 15th-century Great Mosque in the old Muslim Hui District . The afternoon is left free and you may consider a relaxed cycle along the city walls.

After a relaxed morning, we check out of the hotel and drive to one of the highlights of any visit to China - the magnificent Terracotta Warriors and Horses who guard the Qin Shi Huangdi Tomb. There are literally thousands of life size warriors, dating from 200 BC. This dramatic find of the 1970s is considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the century. We should also have time to stop at the on-site factory to see how the warriors are made today. We will then head back to Xian where you will have the rest of the evening to relax or take part in the optional dumpling banquet and Tang Dynasty Show. We try to make sure our group travels together in the same carriage and compartments but this isn't always possible and at times you'll be sharing with travellers of different nationalities. Our tour leader will try to accommodate the group as best they can, keeping travel companions together, and will brief you before the journey.

This morning, we will take the bullet train to Beijing, which takes about 4hrs 30minutes. Upon arrival this afternoon we will store our luggage and freshen up before heading out for our afternoon tour of Beijing. Kublai Khan made Beijing the capital of his mighty Asian Empire in the late 1200s, and it has often played a central role since then. Nowadays, Beijing is China's capital and its political and cultural centre, and all clocks in this vast country are set by Beijing time despite the westernmost regions being some 5000 km away. This afternoon we plan to visit Tiananmen Square and the vast Forbidden City, the one-time home of the Ming and the Manchu (Qing) emperors and a treasure trove of eastern wares. The evening is left free and there is also the option of seeing an acrobatic performance in the evening. You may also want to seek out a place to try Peking Duck. Please be aware that the number of visitors allowed in the Forbidden City has been reduced following the Covid-19 pandemic, resulting in fewer tickets being available. While we will strive to secure tickets for the Forbidden City in advance, if we are unable to do so for day 8, we will schedule our visit for day 9, following the tour of the Great Wall.

Today we visit a renovated part of the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of the city. Began in the 3rd century BC by Shi Huangdi, thousands of conscripted workers laboured on it and many lie buried in its brick and stone ramparts. It is incredible to think that this wall spans the entire country! Here there is a 2-kilometre/1.2-mile section to walk along with watchtowers and views of the surrounding countryside. En route, we may also get to visit a cloisonné workshop where you can see examples of this ancient metal-working technique. We drive back to Beijing later this afternoon.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Beijing. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from either Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) which is a 90-minute drive from our hotel or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) which is a one-hour 45-minute drive away.