Wendy Wu Enchanting China

• Walk on the Great Wall
• Visit pandas in Chengdu
• See Shanghai like a local
• Cruise the Yangtze River
• Explore the Temple of Heaven
• Face the Terracotta Warriors

• 15 Breakfasts, 8 lunches and 4 dinners
• International flights and taxes
• Domestic transportation
• 4 Star accommodation
• Touring with guides and entrance fees
• Visa fees for UK passport holders

Days 1-2: Fly overnight to Beijing

Fly overnight to Beijing, China’s historic capital. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture.

Day 3: Imperial Beijing

Begin today in Beijing’s symbolic heart with a stroll across Tiananmen Square into the sprawling magnificence of the Forbidden City where you will find a complex full of imperial treasures. Visit Yandaixiejie, where you will have some free time to wander the hutongs. These narrow alleys offer an authentic glimpse of the old Beijing before the emergence of high-rise buildings and modern commerce

Day 4: Huanghuacheng Great Wall and Wangfujing

This morning, visit Huanghuacheng, a particularly scenic section of the Great Wall reached by boat that boasts spectacular views from the top. Spend the afternoon at leisure exploring colourful Wangfujing Street which is one of the largest and best-known shopping streets in Beijing. This evening, enjoy an optional Peking duck dinner.

Day 5: Summer Palace

Explore the beautifully designed grounds of the Summer Palace including the Long Corridor and the Marble Boat. Spend time strolling along the lake and admire the Chinese architecture, followed by a walk up Longevity Hill to enjoy the panoramic views. Also make a stop at the Olympic Park for a photo opportunity

Day 6: Temple of Heaven

Begin today soaking up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven, an orderly oasis in a bustling urban landscape. Here, mingle with the locals and watch or participate as they begin their day practising Tai Chi, dancing or playing cards. Later, fly to the former capital city, ancient Xian

Day 7: Terracotta Warriors

Housed in three immense hangars, the ranks of the Terracotta Army stand sentinel in their subterranean necropolis, constructed to protect China’s first emperor. Gaze over the ranks of warriors and horses, while you are introduced to these life-like soldiers’ fascinating story. Take a walking tour of the Muslim Quarter and maybe sample some of the freshly cooked snacks. Enjoy the evening at leisure with a cold beer in Defu Lane or take an optional tour of Xian by night.

Day 8: Cycle the Wall (optional)

Today is a day at leisure to explore Xian. There is the option to enjoy a gentle cycle ride that will take you the nine miles around Xian’s beautifully preserved city wall for a fantastic overview of the city. This evening, enjoy an optional Tang Dynasty show.

Day 9: Chengdu like a local

Take the bullet train to Chengdu and walk around People’s Park, a hive of activity. See beautiful golden koi, locals dancing and practising Tai Chi, visit a local teahouse, and most interesting of all spend time in Matchmaker’s Corner, where parents search for suitors for their children. This evening, enjoy an optional Sichuan hot pot dinner and a ‘Changing Faces’ show.

Day 10: Pingle Ancient Town (optional)

Today is a day at leisure to relax in Chengdu or take the option of visiting the old town of Pingle. Dating back to the Han Dynasty, Pingle was a stopping point on the Tea Horse Road. Take time to walk through its maze of teahouse-lined streets before seeing the bamboo forest from above on the Jinji Rope Bridge.

Day 11: Giant Pandas

Spend the morning visiting the famous pandas at Chengdu’s Panda Conservation Centre. Here you can observe these gorgeous creatures lounging, playing and chomping through piles of bamboo in surroundings that mirror their natural habitat. Drive to Chongqing and board your Yangtze cruise vessel, home for the next three nights.

Days 12-13: Yangtze Cruise

As you cruise downstream, nature takes over, revealing some of the world’s most dramatic scenery including the Three Gorges themselves. A voyage along China’s riverine treasure is a chance to relax and enjoy a slower pace, whilst absorbing one breathtaking panorama after another. Over the next two days, take a side trip to the attractive Shennong or Goddess Stream and enjoy various shore excursions.

Day 14: Three Gorges Dam

Disembark your cruise vessel and visit the Three Gorges Dam. A man-made marvel, the project showcases a massive feat of engineering. Next, travel to Yichang and then fly to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, also known as the ‘Paris of the East’.

Day 15: Shanghainese Shanghai

Wake up to the buzz of Shanghai and take a breakfast walking tour between shimmering skyscrapers and traditional streets. Walk through the city’s most fascinating districts, marvelling at monuments and rickety old buildings before enjoying breakfast as the locals do – sample pancakes, fried bread sticks and tofu. Visit the classical Yu Garden, the old town and a silk factory. Later, take an evening stroll along the Bund and cruise down the Huangpu River, as you are serenaded by the neon lights of Pudong.

Day 16: Zhujiajiao (optional)

Enjoy a day at leisure in Shanghai and explore this action-packed city. Alternatively, take an optional tour to Zhujiajiao, one of Shanghai’s sleepy water towns built on an old canal system once used to transport goods all over imperial China. The town’s narrow alleyways exude old-world charm, whilst the waterways are lined with ancient buildings and crossed by stone bridges. Tonight, enjoy the ERA show and a farewell dinner of authentic Shanghainese cuisine.

Day 17: Fly Shanghai to UK

Fly to the UK, arriving home the same or following day.

Go Beyond

Featuring lesser-known destinations and unique experiences that are tantalisingly off the tourist trail, our flexible and often more active Go Beyond tours are all about helping you to see and experience places that may not have made it onto other travellers’ radars. On these tours, you may find yourself away from the comforts of home, but you’ll be rewarded with unique culture, interactions with local people and unforgettable sights.

This tour has a level 2 fitness rating. This means that a reasonable level of fitness is required, as you’ll be spending time on your feet and doing a bit of walking to cover short distances during your daily sightseeing. There will also be some climbing of steps and climbing on and off of coaches and boats.

If you want to explore more of China or simply want more time in your destination, then you can add an extension or stop over.*

Choose from the following Extensions and Stopovers
Macao Special (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Glimpses (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong in Focus (Hong Kong)
Macau (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong and Macau (Hong Kong)
Kunming & Lijiang (Kunming)
Nine Villages Valley (Chengdu)
Zhangjiajie (Zhangjiajie)
Chongqing, Dazu and Wulong (Chongqing)
Guilin and Yangshou (Guilin)
Mount Huang (Shanghai)
Lhasa (Lhasa)
Chengdu (Chengdu)
Beijing and Xi’an (Beijing)
Suzhou and Hangzhou (Shanghai)
Shanghai (Shanghai)
Guilin (Guilin)

*Available extensions and stopovers depend on your chosen airline