China Encompassed

This 20-day trip encompasses the best of China from Imperial Beijing through historic Pingyao, down the spectacular Yangtze to the start of the Silk Road at Xian and the Terracotta Warriors winding up in spectacularly scenic Guilin.

Begin in Beijing with a full-day tour of Beijing including the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.

Visit the Great Wall at Mutianyu which is a quieter section of the wall. Enjoy a Cable Car ride up to the wall itself.

From Beijing travel to Pingyao by train and spend two nights in this historic city with it's city walls and many charming old buildings.

From Pingyao travel to Xian by train and enjoy a full day tour to see the Terracotta Warriors and discover this city at the start of the Silk Road.

Hangzhou is famous for it's West Lake and for tea production and is a pleasant base to encounter old and new China.

See some of the world's tallest buildings in Shanghai and make a day trip to the canal town of Suzhou with its spectacular gardens and museums.

Finally discover the beautiful region of Southeast China around Guilin, Yangzhuo and the Li River with its iconic limestone scenery, reminiscent of Chinese landscape painting.

All of our In Depth China and Classic China Tours are completely tailormade and we can create your trip around your interests and budget.

Day 1: Fly UK to Beijing

Overnight flight UK to Beijing.

Day 2: Beijing

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel with the rest of the day at leisure in Beijing.

Overnight Beijing.

Day 3: Beijing

Enjoy a full day privately guided tour of Beijing.

Visit Tiananmen Square and prepare to be overwhelmed by the sheer size of one of the world’s largest public squares.

Pass several monuments, including Chairman Mao’s mausoleum on the way to the entrance the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City was completed in 1420, and was home to 24 emperors, the last of which left Beijing in 1924.

Stroll through what is arguably the best-preserved example of classical Chinese architecture in the world.

Enjoy an easy walk up Jingshan Hill, for a birds-eye view of the Forbidden City.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

After lunch, recapture the feeling of Beijing’s past from the wooden seat of a traditional rickshaw, and visit a local family’s courtyard home along the way during a tour of Beijing's traditional Hutong district.

Overnight Beijing. Breakfast & Lunch included.

Day 4: Beijing

Enjoy a full Day Tour to the Great Wall.

The Great Wall of China is the longest man-made structure in the world.

Explore the much quieter Mutianyu section of the Great Wall, which was first begun in the Northern Qi Dynasty (550-557) and finished in the 17th century.

The 2.5-km stretch of the Wall allows you to walk along its storied length for over an hour and visit twenty-two watchtowers, should you so choose.

Also enjoy a cable car ride to the top.

Enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

On the way back, pay a visit to this art district of Beijing where Maoist slogans still adorn the walls, to experience a different side of Beijing.

Once a complex that manufactured electronics, Factory Number 798 was divided, rented out, and converted into galleries, artist studios, design companies, restaurants and bars at the turn of the 20th century.

Overnight Beijing. Breakfast included.

Day 5: Beijing - Pingyao

Enjoy a morning tour of the Temple of Heaven.

This tranquil park where the Temple of Heaven is located is a favourite stop for visitors to Beijing, as it provides an authentic look into local life - it's a great place to people watch.

On any given day, you're likely to see enthusiastic groups of Beijingers practicing Tai Chi, playing traditional instruments or singing Peking Opera.

The grounds consist of a sequence of buildings and altars set in beautiful groves of cypress trees.

Learn more about the fascinating history behind this massive, circular structure and see local life unfold before your eyes in this very special visit to the Temple of Heaven.

Transfer back to your hotel for lunch (not included) before transferring to the railway station for your afternoon fast train to Pingyao (about 4 hours) where you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel.

Overnight: Pingyao
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 6: Pingyao

Drive to The Chang Family Compound, a great example of the family compounds that existed in this part of China and which pay testament to the trading prowess and substantial wealth of these families.

After lunch, enjoy a guided tour around the fascinating and well preserved Ming Dynasty walled town of Pingyao.

Imagine yourself in the noisy business atmosphere on Ming-Qing Street when Pingyao was the financial capital of China.

Overnight: Pingyao
Meals: Breakfast & Lunch included

Day 7: Pingyao – Xian

Transfer to the Railway Station for your morning high-speed rail journey to Xian (about 3 hours).

On arrival you will be met and transferred to your chosen hotel.

Central Xian is fairly compact and we recommend a visit to the old Muslim Quarter in the centre of town, a fun area to explore on your own.

Enjoy a stroll around the busy streets, great for people watching, photography and for getting a taste of this great city at the start of the famous Silk Road.

Sample some of the many exotic dishes on offer in the various food stalls lining Huimin Street.

We have left this free for your own independent exploration, although if you prefer, a half day guided excursion can be included so just let us know your preference.

Overnight: Xian
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 8: Xian

One of the world’s greatest archaeological finds, the Terracotta Warriors were discovered quite by chance in 1974 by a group of peasants digging a well outside of Xian.

These sculptures of soldiers, chariots and horses were funerary statues made to accompany China’s first emperor to the afterlife over 2100 years ago.

Legend has it that it took 100,000 men 38 years to create the soldiers, which all vary in rank, posture, height, uniform and facial features.

Spend the morning on a visit to the Terracotta Warriors and after lunch transfer back to Xian.

In the afternoon there will be the chance to explore Xian's City Walls which are easily done independently.

A great way to experience the City Walls is to rent bicycles and cycle the ramparts.

Overnight: Xian
Meals: Breakfast included

Day 9: Yangtze Cruise

Enjoy the morning at leisure in Xian.

Transfer to the Airport for your afternoon flight to Chonqing where you will be met and transferred to board your Yangtze River Cruise on one of Victoria Cruises fleet of luxury modern river cruisers.

Victoria Cruises are an American owned company who have been operating on the Yangtze for several years and have a high reputation for quality and comfort.

Victoria Cruises 7 vessels has each been specifically designed to navigate the Yangtze.

All cabins are air-con and en-suite and all have private balconies and a sitting area.

The cruise offers on-board lectures and plenty of facilities including a gym & spa.

The cruise will depart at around 9 pm on your journey to Yichang along the Yangtze.

Overnight: On Board
Meals: All Meals included

Is this a Private Tour or a Group Tour?

All of our China tours are private tailor made itineraries, customised for you - we can amend things to entirely suit you.

You will have your own private car, driver and English-speaking guide on excursions.

What are the departure dates?

Let us know your preferred dates of travel and we will find the best and most suitable flights to fit your itinerary.

As this is a private tour, there are no set departure dates. We can advise you on the best times of your to travel, and some times to avoid.

Which Airlines do you use?

We work with all the major airlines flying to China.

Typically for China, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, KLM, Air France, Cathay Pacific, Finnair and Air China would be airlines we often use.

However, just let us know your preferred airline if you have one. We can organise flights from any regional destination in the UK.

There are direct flights from the UK to a few destinations in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu and of course Hong Kong.

Which Hotels do you use?

We're careful with our choice of hotels, but we're guided by our customers also. If you have some preferred hotels, just let us know.

We specialise in boutique hotels and so we will often suggest some of our favourite smaller hotels where we think these will be suitable.

China is a destination where large hotels predominate. These are geared for business and group travellers as the Chinese usually travel in groups. We try to suggest smaller more personal hotels where we can.

In China, staying in a traditional Courtyard style hotel for a night or two is a great option and something we recommend.