Adventures in China

Day 1 Depart London Heathrow
Your overnight flight leaves this afternoon.

Day 2 Arrive Beijing
On arrival in Beijing, you’ll transfer to your hotel, the Novotel Xinqiao, for a 3 night stay. This evening you’ll join the group for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

Meals: Dinner.

Day 3 Beijing
This morning’s packed tour takes in the famous Tiananmen Square, where you’ll pass the imposing Great Hall of the People, Chairman Mao’s mausoleum and Tiananmen Gate. You’ll also enter the Forbidden City, where you can see the elaborate collection of palaces and pavilions that were closed to the outside world for centuries. This afternoon, you can join an optional rickshaw ride through the hutongs; Beijing’s twisting, lively backstreets.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 4 Beijing
An unforgettable full day’s tour takes you to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China; a quieter part where you can really acknowledge the scale of the wall as it snakes along the mountain ridges. After lunch at a local restaurant, you’ll return past the 2008 Olympic Park and Bird’s Nest Stadium.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 5 Beijing to Xian
You have a free day today, and you may like to explore the Temple of Heaven and its grounds where locals like to stroll or perform tai chi. We’ve arranged a late check out for you so you can relax in your room before your overnight train to Beijing. The compartments on board are shared (4 beds per cabin), and upgrades to a private cabin can be purchased at the time of booking.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 6 Xian
When you arrive this morning, transfer to the Grand New World Hotel for breakfast at the start of your 2 night stay. Xian lies at the end of the fabled Silk Road and was once one of the most powerful cities in the world. This afternoon your tour takes in Wild Goose Pagoda, the city walls and the Muslim Quarter.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 7 Xian
You’ll visit the amazing Terracotta Warriors this morning; individually detailed, life-sized statues which date back to 210 BC. After lunch you’ll visit a village and learn something about local life. This evening, there’s an optional excursion to the Tang Dynasty show; a music and dance performance with dinner.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Day 8 Xian to Shanghai
A morning flight brings you to the well-located Green Land Hotel in the dynamic city of Shanghai where you’ll stay for 3 nights. This afternoon, you’ll visit the traditional Yu Yuan Chinese Garden in Shanghai’s Old Town, the famed waterfront of the Bund and Nanjing Road, where the old city meets the new.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 9 Shanghai
You’re free today. You might like to head to the Xintiandi district, which means ‘new heaven and earth’ and is the hot new part of the city. This evening you can take an optional extra excursion to the impressive acrobatics show.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 10 Shanghai
Another free day to explore. Alternatively choose an optional excursion to Suzhou, a picturesque town built on a series of waterways.

Meals: Breakfast.

Day 11 Arrive London Heathrow
After breakfast, you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight home, arriving later today, unless you’ve booked one of our tour extensions to Chengdu or Lijiang.

Meals: Breakfast.

Tour includes:

Local expert guides in resort
All flights specified
Inspirational sightseeing programme
9 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner
Beijing to Xian overnight train
Cosmopolitan Shanghai

On a Journey of Distinction, you are not merely a bystander. They believe that the wonders, customs and cultures you experience will live on in the core of your being. They even go so far as to say that one of their holidays will change your life forever.

Their combination of Tour Managers and Local Guides is what makes Journey of Distinction so distinctive. When you’re embarking on a voyage of discovery, it’s reassuring to know that a seasoned traveller is with you every step of the way; planning, organising, checking details and offering their advice and support. Their groups all depart from the UK, and no one joins us along the way, so you have the reassuring constancy of always knowing your travelling companions.

Our Opinion
“Limited to just 25 travellers per departure, every Journeys of Distinction escorted tour has an intimate, personal feel that makes for a more enjoyable experience.”