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Overview

Small group travel in China

Stretching for some 4500 kilometres from the Yellow Sea westwards to the edge of the Gobi Desert, the magnificent ramparts and watch towers of the Great Wall were built to protect China's northern frontier from raiding Mongol horsemen. This small group travel concentrates on some of the most interesting and spectacular sections of the Great Wall, and gives us an insight into China 'off the beaten track'. After visiting the major sites of Beijing, we make for Shanhaiguan where the Great Wall begins - thrusting out into the sea, it's known as the 'Old Dragon's Head'. From here, we take an easy walk along the wall to Jiaoshan.
At Panjiakou, we take a boat excursion on the lake. Here, the ancient defensive wall rises and falls along precipitous mountain ridges, crossing the water several times. At Luowenyu, we make another scenic walk before continuing by road via Zunhua to the Eastern Qing Tombs. After admiring the red walls, golden roofs and marble bridges of the Tombs, we drive to a point where we join the Great Wall to hike into Huangyaguan. A day is spent in the old imperial city of Chengde before perhaps the most beautiful section of the Great Wall is walked from Jinshanling to Simatai. After a night spent in Simatai, in the shadow of the wall, we finally return to Beijing.

Feel free to contact our China specialist agent for more information about this exclusive small group travel!

Itinerary

Day 1| Departure from Montreal

Day 2| Join tour Beijing
Arrive Beijing and check-in at hotel. 2 nights hotel H++.

Day 3| Beijing city tour
A full day in Beijing, China's capital and its political and cultural centre. The city has been the capital for most of the period since Kublai Khan made it the capital of his mighty Asian Empire in the late 1200s. All clocks in this vast country are set by Beijing time despite the western- most regions being some 5000kms away. During our stay we shall visit the Forbidden City, the one-time home of the Ming and the Manchu (Qing) emperors and a treasure trove of eastern wares. The afternoon is free for you to explore this fascinating city and you may choose to go on a tour of the hutongs (old residential districts of the city - optional). There is the possibility of seeing a Beijing opera in the evening, or perhaps an acrobatic performance (optional). The opera in Beijing is considered to be the best in China. (Included meals: B).

Day 4| Train to Shanhaiguan
Leaving Beijing by train this morning we head for Qinghuangdao, then drive the short distance to Shanhaiguan further up the east coast. It is here that the Great Wall reaches the Bohai Sea at a point called Laolongtou or the ‘Old Dragon's Head' – named after the legendary carved dragon's head that once faced the ocean. The city was a garrison town with a large square fort (which still exists) with huge gateways facing the four compass points. The east gate is an impressive structure known as ‘First pass under Heaven'. It has these words inscribed at the top signifying the ancient Chinese perceived division of the world into ‘civilised China' and the ‘barbarians'. This afternoon we visit Laolongtou, then drive to the First Pass where we have our first opportunity to walk on the the wall and visit the Great Wall Museum. Overnight hotel H+ (included meals: B).

Day 5| Trek on Great Wall - Drive to Panjiakou
Today we walk out of town along an old section of the wall to the impressive Jiaoshan Pass where it heads into the mountains for the first time. The fitter amongst the group may wish to continue up to a high point for spectacular views (weather permitting). This afternoon we take the scenic drive to Panjiakou where the wall crosses water. Overnight hotel H+ (included meals: B).

Day 6| Boat excursion
Walk on wall at Luowenyou; drive to Eastern Qing Tombs This morning we take a boat excursion on the reservoir at Panjiakou. The surrounding scenery is stunning – the wall following undulating ridges across the rugged hills before plummeting into the water at two points, Panjiakou and Xifengkou. Joining our vehicle again we head for Luowenyou where we are able to walk for approximately 10kms on a rugged and quite steep section of the wall with glorious views
across the surrounding area. From Luowenyou we continue to our hotel in the grounds of the
Eastern Qing Tombs near Zunhua. Overnight hotel H++ (included meals: B).

Day 7| Visit the Eastern Qing Tombs - Trek on Great Wall to Huangyaguan
Making a reasonably early start this morning, we hope to have this lovely site to ourselves.
The Eastern Qing Tombs are the largest and most complete of the Imperial Tombs in China with 5 emperors, 15 empresses and 136 concubines all buried here. In addition the surrounding mountains contain the tombs of hundreds of lesser nobles such as princes and dukes. We are able to enter a few of the beautifully carved tombs which mostly date back to the 17th and 18th Centuries. That of Emperor Qianlong covers almost half a square kilometre. Leaving the tombs we drive to a point on the Great Wall where there is access, and walk for 2-3 hours into Huangyaguan. This section of the wall is very quiet and offers some great views – the first part of the walk is an ascent up to a prominent tower before descending down to another tower near the river. From here we cross the river and walk into the town and our hotel for the night. Overnight hotel H (included meals: B).

Day 8| Drive to Chengde
Today we drive to the Imperial City of Chengde. The Gardens here are China's largest, covering
an area of 590 hectares and surrounded by a 10km wall. We have a guided tour of the main
buildings of the palace which now contain an extensive museum with good explanations in English. We will also visit two of the ‘Outer Eight' temples which are outside the palace walls. Puning Temple contains an impressive 22 metre wooden Buddha figure. Putuozuosheng Temple is a replica of the Potala Palace in Lhasa. Overnight hotel H+
(included meals: B).

Day 9| Trek on Great Wall between Jinshanling and Simatai
We drive to Jinshanling this morning. The aim today is to walk between Jinshanling and Simatai – both stunning locations where the wall has been refurbished. The walk between these two places is on partially ruined sections, with some quite steep ascents and many steps to be climbed. We pass more than 30 watch-towers on this walk – these provide the only shade along the route and give us an excuse to pause and admire the breath-taking views. This section of the wall is renowned as one of the most beautiful that can be walked (approx 4-5 hours walking). Overnight
guesthouse H+ (included meals: B).

Day 10| Return to Beijing
Today we drive back to Beijing. We should arrive back into the city by early afternoon with late afternoon free for further personal exploration. You may wish to take an excursion to the Summer Palace or the Temple of Heaven in Tiantan Park (both optional). Overnight hotel H++ (included meals: B).

Day 11| Tour ends Beijing
Transfer to the airport for your international flight to Canada
(Included meals: B).

Walk the Great Wall + Xian Extension
Please note: this extension will not be accompanied by an Tour Leader (knowledgeable local guide only).

Days 1 to 10| As above except on day 10 we take an overnight train from Beijing to Xian.
Overnight train (included meals: B).

Day 11| Xian
Our stay in Xian reveals the extraordinary continuity of Chinese civilisation. Xian (Changan) served 11 dynasties and was the very starting point of the Silk Road between Central Asia and Europe. Its ancient monuments include, the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (64m, a 7-storey high structure with a superb overview of the city) and the Great Mosque, a wonderful 15th century working mosque within the old muslim Hui District, which we include in our sightseeing tour.
2 nights hotel H++.

Day 12| Xian
Today we visit one of the highlights of any trip to China – the magnificent Terracotta Warriors
and Horses who guard the Qin Shi Huangdi Tomb. There are literally thousands of lifesize
warriors, dating from 200BC. This dramatic find of the 1970s is considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the century. Late afternoon is free in Xian with the option to visit the extensive and impressive National (Shaanxi) Museum. (Included meals: B).

Day 13| Xian - Beijing - Departure
Land only tour ends in Xian after breakfast. Passengers on group flights take a flight back to
Beijing to connect with their international flights. (Included meals: B).

Budget

**Rates published on this website are for information purposes only and are not legally binding (since departure dates are not given). Prices on this website are known to fluctuate frequently in relation to changes in currencies and hotel pricing. In order to obtain a definite quote, please click here.

Other fees

. 11 days
. Walking on the iconic Great Wall of China
. Discover Beijing's Forbidden City & Tiananmen Square
. Wander the peaceful gardens of Imperial Chengde

. Accommodation and Meals: 7nts hotel, 2nts guesthouse - hotels are varied, from comfortable in Beijing to standard when venturing off the beaten track and with one night at Huanyaguan in basic guesthouse accommodation ; 9 breakfasts included.
. Transport: Bus/Train/On foot/Boat.
. Group Size: Approx. 12 to 16.
. Tour Staff: Tour Leader plus driver(s) and some local guides.

Overview

China is forever linked to its ancient civilization, friendly people, and many of the world's most revered treasures, such as The Great Wall, Terra-Cotta Warriors & Horses and the Yangtze River.
Today, one can also find spectacular architecture and towering skylines in Shanghai
and Beijing (site of the 2008 Summer Olympics), a wealth of luxury accommodations – and as always – exquisite cuisine.

Come and see why China is drawing millions of visitors from all over the world. And, why each and everyone of them returns home smiling :)

Source ; china tourism office (http://www.cnto.org )

Tourism

Visitors are often surprised to find out how modern China really is.
Since the early 90's China has been in the middle of a building boom and infrastructure upgrade that has brought its tourism industry up to Western standards almost overnight.

Tourist facilities and transportation in large cities are almost on the same level as of the United States. All major cities and tourism centers have undergone a total metamorphosis in visitor comfort and transportation facilities. Complaints of poor facilities, service or transportation have all become memories of the past.

Today you can tour China with ease and safety (the crime rate is very low there), stay in comfortable 4 & 5-star hotels, try new Chinese delicacies, enjoy familiar Western cuisine, shop in modern designer boutiques, or explore centuries-old markets and shopping arcades. You can tour the countryside in modern motor coaches, relax in first class train compartments, or speed to the next destination by jet while exploring one of the oldest cultures of the world, and seeing some of the most extraordinary sights any where and there is much to see in this vast country of 1.3 billion people.

Geography

China's land drops off in the escarpments eastward to the ocean, letting in humid air currents and leading many rivers eastward.
Among the rivers totalling 220,000 kilometres in length in China; the Yangtze and the Yellow are the two major ones.

China has a diversity of land formations including mountains, hills, highlands, plains and basins. The highlands and hill regions account for 65 percent of the country's land mass. The highest mountain peak is Qomolangma (Everest), 8,848 metres above sea level; the lowest point is the Turpan Basin, 154 metres below sea level.

Culture

China is the most populous country in the world, with 1.25909 billion people at the end of 1999, about 22 percent of the world's total.
This figure does not include many Chinese in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Taiwan Province and Macao Special Administrative Region. The population density in China is 130 people per sq km. This population, however, is unevenly distributed. Along the densely populated east coast there are more than 400 people per sq km; in the central areas, over 200; and in the sparsely populated plateaus in the west there are less than 10 people per sq km. The population in cities and towns makes up 30.4 percent; and that in rural areas, 69.6 percent. The male population is 50.8 percent; and the female population is 49.2 percent. People 14 years or younger make up 25.7 percent; those from 15 to 64, 67.6 percent; and those 65 or older, 6.7 percent.

Climate

China is characterized by a continental climate.
The latitudes span nearly 50 degrees, its southern part is in the tropical and subtropical zones, and its northern part near the frigid zones. The northern part of Heilongjiang province has long winters but no summers; while Hainan Island has long summers but no winters. The Huaihe River valley is marked by distinctive seasonal changes, but it is spring all year round in the south of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau. China's high tundra zone is situated in Qinghai-Tibet, where the temperature is low in all four seasons.