Venture Beyond the City Walls of China

(Tue Jul 13th, 2010, by M.T Edwards)

Hello China!

Here I will take you through a China Tour that is a personal favourite of mine.

This China tour takes the road less travelled from bustling Beijing to cosmopolitan Shanghai. Visit the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Terracotta Warriors, before discovering the striking limestone peaks of Guilin, the fascinating eclectic mix of minority groups in Yangshuo and Longsheng's incredible Dragons Backbone.

You can spend 12 days exploring the heart of Beijing on this China tour including the vast Tiananmen Square where Chairman Mao's tomb and various monuments to the people are located. Later take a rickshaw ride through the Hutongs of Beijing, weaving through old back lanes, traditional courtyards and compact houses, gaining a fascinating snapshot of the city's traditional way of life.

No China tour is complete without a visit to the legendary Great Wall! Visit Badaling to walk a section of the famous Great Wall. Built in the Ming Dynasty, a 6m wide pathway makes a formidable defense, following the highest contours of a steep range of hills. Later attend a Chinese acrobatic performance.

Then you can visit Xi'an to view the terracotta warriors - 7,000 Warriors stand battle ready and have done so for the past 2,200yrs. Try counting them! Visit to a clay workshop specialised in making replica figurines and later enjoy a Tang Dynasty dinner and performance on your China tour.

Early the next morning this China tour gives you the option to undertake our Giant Panda bolt-on by visiting the Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescue and Breeding Centre, a 2hour drive from Xi'an. The centre offers care to a small number of injured Giant Pandas in the region.

After an early dinner fly to Guilin to continue your China tour. Yangshuo offers a world of opportunity for exploring the great outdoors. With breath-taking beauty, striking limestone mountain scenery and pure clean rivers, one can choose to go swimming or tubing down the Yu Long River, hike or hire a bicycle or motorbike and head off on one of the many mountain trails.

This China tour shows you the ‘real China' as you can stop to watch the local fishermen use their trained cormorants to catch fish and take a visit to Xanadu - a primitive minority village bursting with rural charm, culture and genuine hospitality. You can enjoy a morning class at the ‘Cloud 9' cooking school. West Street is a sort of ‘Global Village' where the local ethnic minority of Hui, Zhuang, Yao people (each with their own distinct appearance, traditions and culture) mix with the Han Chinese, foreign travellers and a number of foreign residents managing cafés and restaurants.

Finally head towards the Dragon's Backbone before our China tour concludes in Shanghai!