Experience Overview
Visit iconic sites and bring the fascinating history and culture of China to life. Beijing’s past spans three millennia and the scale of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City never fail to amaze. Leaving the grandeur behind, explore the narrow hutongs of the old town. Head out of the city and step foot on one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall; here, we begin to comprehend the magnitude of this construction as it snakes across the mountains to the horizon and beyond. In Xi’an, we explore the vibrant Muslim Quarter and see the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin. A trip to China would not be complete without visiting Chengdu to see giant pandas. End in cosmopolitan Shanghai, with its unmistakable skyline illuminated at night.
Profile
— Accommodation: 10 Classic nights (hotel) — Travel by bullet train, domestic flight, metro/public bus and private coach — All breakfasts and one lunch included — Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
At a Glance
— Accommodation: 10 Classic nights (hotel) — Travel by bullet train, domestic flight, metro/public bus and private coach — All breakfasts and one lunch included — Group normally 4 to 16, plus leader. Minimum age: 16
Trip For You
This trip is rated Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.
This is an adventurous trip and you should come prepared for the experience. There are large numbers of visitors at many sites and the summer heat (particularly July and August) can be intense.
Walking: Although not strenuous, the amount of walking on most days is considerable and fast-paced (we recommend comfortable walking shoes). Good fitness levels are essential. For the Great Wall visit, the walk up and down from the wall is quite steep; for anyone not wanting to do this, there is the option to take a cable car.
Transport: Our train journeys are an efficient way to cover large distances. However, the train stations are very large and can involve walking for 15-20 minutes with your luggage.
You need to be able to carry your own luggage unassisted, so please pack accordingly. It is also essential that all group members are punctual to ensure we do not miss any services.
Pace: With at least two nights in every location and a free day in Xi’an, the pace should not be too tiring but there are some early starts and long days. On days 8 and 9 in particular, early starts are required to view the pandas and to catch our morning flight to Shanghai.
Eating Drinking
All breakfasts and one lunch are included.
One of the major draws of China is its exciting and varied cuisine. On this trip, you can try many different dishes selected with your tour leader’s help and based on the group’s dietary requirements and preferences. Meals generally consist of shared dishes, which is the best way to experience as many different ingredients as possible and try things you might not usually choose. Examples of popular dishes include: ma po tofu, a delicious tofu dish made with beef, chillies and onion; gong bao chicken, a very popular dish with chilli and peanuts; Peking duck, served with hoisin sauce and pancakes; and dumplings in many shapes and sizes. Chengdu in Sichuan province is known for its spicy hotpots but you can request mild options too. There are many different dishes to try and your leader will always try to accommodate tastes, but if you do tire of Chinese food there are often opportunities to eat Western-style dishes in the cities we visit.
Vegetarians can be accommodated quite easily. Vegans will find options are limited. Not all food allergies and intolerances are well understood in China. Options that contain no gluten at all are very limited (as for example soy sauce contains gluten and is very widely used).
Transportation
The main road journeys are by private coach/minibus (depending on group size).
In Beijing and Shanghai, we also use public transport (bus/metro) for short journeys where it is the most convenient way to get around.
We also have two high-speed bullet train journeys (Beijing-Xi’an and Xi’an-Chengdu) in second-class seating. There is one domestic flight from Chengdu to Shanghai, which is in economy class.
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Dong Fang Hotel. 11 Wanming Road, Xuan Wu District, Beijing
Phone: +86-10-63014466
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
Airport: Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) or Beijing Capital Airport (PEK).
Getting to the start hotel
The start hotel is approximately one hour’s drive from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers for any flight into Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) or Beijing Capital Airport (PEK). Transfers need to be booked with us at least two weeks before the start of the trip.
If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Catching your return flight
This trip ends in Shanghai. Exodus provides free departure transfers for all customers to Shanghai Pudong Airport (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao Airport (SHA) from the end hotel.
Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Weather Information
Beijing and Xi’an: Northern China has warm (25C+/77F+), quite humid summers, and cold dry winters. If you travel between June and August, it will be hot everywhere, except in the mountains (around the Great Wall). Some rain must be expected, possibly heavy. If you travel in September/October, you will probably get less rain and the temperatures will be fairly warm (around 20C/68F) everywhere. November is starting to get cooler (3C-13C/37F-55F) and can sometimes feel chilly. The Great Wall region will be colder than the cities due to the mountainous terrain.
Shanghai: South China is subtropical with hot (30C/86F), wet summers (May to September), and warm, relatively dry winters (November to March), though rain is possible at almost any time of year.
The winter months in China are cold (3C/37F). If travelling in November/March, be prepared for temperatures to drop below freezing at night in the north, but with almost guaranteed dry sightseeing. The weather is milder in the south.
Spending Money
Allow about 3,000-3,470 yuan (US$425-US$480) spending money per person for optional activities and meals not included (assuming you may do two or three optional activities in total). This does not include tips, shopping, or alcoholic beverages.
Meals in good standard local restaurants typically cost around 80 yuan (US$11) per person for lunch and 120 yuan (US$16.50) per person for dinner. If you drink alcoholic drinks, you will spend more than the suggested spending amount.
Please note: Some hotels in China require a refundable deposit of between 200-400 yuan per room, to be paid upon check-in, to cover items from the minibar etc. This can usually be paid in cash or on credit card and will be refunded in full upon departure providing no items have been consumed.
Optional excursions
There are several optional activities, which your tour leader can arrange for you. The below examples provide an indication of what is available and approximate costs, but prices are subject to change throughout the season and may be dependent on the number of people taking part. They are subject to schedules and availability; your tour leader will let you know what is available and the actual local costs.
Beijing
— Acrobat show, including public transport: 290 yuan (US$40) — Cable car at Great Wall: 100 yuan (US$14) one way, 140 yuan (US$19) return
Xi’an
— Bell and Drum Tower entry: 50 yuan (US$7); city wall entry: 54 yuan (US$8); bike rental on the city walls in Xian (90 minutes): 45 yuan (US$7) — Tang Dynasty show and dumpling banquet (minimum five people): 290 yuan (US$40)
Chengdu
— Sichuan Opera, including private transfer: 280 yuan (US$39)
Shanghai
— Acrobat show, including public transport: 280 yuan (US$39) — Huangpu River cruise at night, including public transport: 120 yuan (US$17)
It is not compulsory to join any of these optional activities and your leader can recommend many more options. It is also possible to arrange many of these activities independently if you prefer.
Tipping
This is entirely at your own discretion; however, with the increase in tourism in China, tipping has become customary.
Tipping kitty: If you have received good service, a tip would be appreciated by local staff. To take the hassle out of this, your tour leader usually suggests that each member contributes approximately 200 yuan (US$27.50) per person towards a group tipping kitty on arrival – this will be used to tip local guides, drivers, restaurant staff, hotel porters and so on as a group rather than individually. Your tour leader will keep a record of how the kitty is spent and will be happy to share this with you at any time during the trip. If you do not wish to contribute to a central pool for tips, you are free to opt out and tip as an individual.
Tour leader: If you feel your leader has performed well over the course of your trip and you would like to show your appreciation of their service, a tip would be appreciated. The sum you choose to give is entirely personal; as a guide, 35-50 yuan (US$4.80-US$7) per person per day would be a reasonable starting point. We suggest sending an envelope around the group to collect tips anonymously; this can then be presented to the leader by a volunteer spokesperson on the final night. The ‘tipping kitty’ explained above is entirely separate from any contribution to the tour leader.
Highlights
- — Visit Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and Jingshan Park in Beijing — See giant pandas at Chengdu Breeding & Research Centre — Marvel at one of the best-preserved parts of the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu — Admire the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin — Discover the Bund waterfront area and French Concession of Shanghai
Trip Details
Product Code: 4178
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: my class.
Guide Language: English
Supplier Code: ACD
Starts: Beijing, Beijing
Finishes: Beijing, Beijing
Duration: 11 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical rating: Average
Includes
- — All breakfasts and one lunch — All accommodation — All transport and listed activities — Tour leader throughout — Arrival and departure transfers
Accommodation
HotelsWe spend 10 nights in hotels. In all the cities, we stay in hotels with twin rooms and private facilities. Nearly all are locally rated at least three-star and, wherever possible, located as near to local attractions as possible. The hotels usually used are named in the detailed itinerary; however, these may be subject to change by departure date, depending on availability. Chinese government officials occasionally take over hotels at short notice and so there can sometimes be last-minute hotel changes that are beyond our control. In this event, we book an alternative of the same local rating, but we cannot guarantee the facilities will be the same.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 3800 (CAD 345 /day)
Itinerary
Welcome to Beijing, the capital of China. There is a welcome briefing at approximately 6pm, in which you meet your tour leader and the rest of the group (please see the noticeboard in the hotel reception for further details). Free arrival transfers are available for everyone arriving into either Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) or Daxing Airport (PKX). Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts. Accommodation: Dong Fang Hotel (or similar)
We head straight to Tiananmen Square (approximately 30 minutes by public bus/metro), one of the largest squares in the world, able to hold more than a million people. The square is named after the Tiananmen (meaning Gate of Heavenly Peace) at its north, which leads to the Forbidden City. Continuing on foot, we spend a few hours exploring the innumerable courtyards and temples of the Forbidden City. Exiting via the north gate of the complex, we walk directly to Jingshan Park and climb to the top of the hill for a different vantage point. After lunch, we have a walking tour around traditional hutongs (narrow alleys of the old town), before meandering back to the hotel. Note: Following the Covid-19 pandemic, maximum numbers of daily visitors to the Forbidden City have been significantly reduced, impacting availability of tickets. Our local team aim to secure tickets for the Forbidden City, but if unable to do so, we visit the Ancestral Temple (used during the Ming and Qing Dynasties to offer sacrifices to ancestors, and architecturally quite similar to the Forbidden City) and the Temple of Heaven instead. You will be advised at the start of the trip if this change needs to be made. Accommodation: Dong Fang Hotel (or similar)
We leave the capital and head into the countryside (approximately two hours’ drive) to visit one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall, at Mutianyu. It is an impressive sight, snaking across mountains and valleys into the distance. We take the shuttle bus to the ticket office; from there, it’s about a 40-minute uphill walk to the top of the Great Wall (anyone not wanting to walk can pay to take the cable car, which takes about eight minutes). We spend the next couple of hours or so walking along the top of the wall. There are some steep steps to navigate and anyone who suffers from vertigo may find it difficult. This section of the Great Wall used to serve as the northern barrier, defending the capital and the imperial tombs. The wall here stands up to 28ft (8.5m) high and 16ft (5m) wide, and there are 22 watchtowers along its 7,380ft (2,250m) stretch. We leave the wall and drive a short way to our lunch stop in a village. We then drive back to our hotel in Beijing. Accommodation: Dong Fang Hotel (or similar)
We take a bullet train to Xi’an this morning, which takes about 4hr 30min. Considered by many to be the final stop on the ancient Silk Road, Xi’an is one of the few cities in China to have retained its city walls, probably because they are so massive that no revolutionary was willing to tackle the huge task of removing them. This afternoon, we embark on a walking tour, passing the Bell and Drum Plaza and exploring the spice markets of the vibrant Muslim Quarter. Optionally, we may be able to visit Gao’s family mansion and enjoy a shadow puppetry show (approximately 30 yuan/US$4.15 per person). We return to the hotel to check in at about 2pm, and the rest of afternoon is free. Accommodation: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar)
Today we visit the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin (the transfer is approximately two hours each way). Originally four armies were planned, at each point of the compass, life-size and lifelike. Three have been found and it is assumed the emperor’s successors decided enough was enough before the fourth was begun. The first pit excavated had an estimated 6,000 figures in its one army. The third pit has been opened to the public, which contains the ‘command post’ for the entire operation. This is one of the great tourist attractions in China and some people may find the sheer numbers of visitors overpowering. After our visit, we have lunch at a nearby farmer’s restaurant before driving back to Xi’an. Accommodation: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar)
There are no planned activities today, but your leader will provide information on what is available to do and help you to arrange it. Perhaps you might like to walk (or hire bikes and cycle) along the city walls to appreciate the sheer scale of these constructions. Accommodation: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar)
Take a short transfer to the train station and board a late morning bullet train to Chengdu (approximately four hours), the capital of Sichuan province, arriving in the early afternoon. This region is recognised throughout China as being ‘the spicy province’ and major flavour combinations include garlic, star anise, chili peppers, and the ever-present Sichuanese peppercorn (hua jiao). We recommend having a hotpot dinner during your stay here (spicy or mild broths are available). In the late afternoon, we set off for a walking tour, passing through the city centre square (Tianfu Square) and visiting the People’s Park where, weather permitting, we can see and have a go at Chinese water calligraphy. Accommodation: Chengdu Tianfu Sunshine Hotel (or similar)
We leave early today to spend the morning at the Giant Panda Breeding & Research Base, which is 6mi (10km) outside the city. These furry animals once roamed large expanses of Asia, but the last survey estimated the world’s population of wild giant pandas at only 1,864. Giant pandas eat for up to 14 hours a day and so hopefully we will witness these highly endangered animals feeding, as this is when they’re most active. Otherwise, we can watch the pandas indulge in their next favourite past time – sleeping! Afterwards, we drive back to Chengdu and the afternoon is free to explore at your own pace. Accommodation: Chengdu Tianfu Sunshine Hotel (or similar)
We catch an early flight to Shanghai, so we take a simple box breakfast with us from the hotel. The flight is approximately 2hr 30min; we should land by late morning and arrive at our hotel by lunchtime. With a population of around 12m, Shanghai is a cosmopolitan coastal hub with a futuristic skyline. This afternoon, we take the public bus (metro) to visit the Yu Yuan Garden. Dating to the Ming Dynasty, the intricate, colourful garden covers about 2ha (five acres), and is divided into sections. There are numerous water features and small paths connecting the different corners of the garden. Accommodation: Shanghai Central Hotel (or similar)
After breakfast, we set off to discover some of the highlights of Shanghai on foot, starting with the Bund waterfront area to see iconic buildings, before exploring Nanjing Road (one of the busiest shopping streets on the planet) and the French Concession with its tree-lined avenues, cafes and Tudor mansions. The afternoon is at your leisure. Accommodation: Shanghai Central Hotel (or similar)
The trip ends in Shanghai after breakfast, and we begin our return journeys home. If you’d like the adventure to continue, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay. Free transfers are included for everyone to Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG) or Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA). Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Tour Operator
Exodus Travel
It’s all about adventure That is what Exodus was founded upon 50 years ago, and what the company is still all about. Discovering countries, cultures, environments, cities, mountain ranges, deserts, coasts and jungles; exploring this amazing planet we all live on. At Exodus, we know what makes you tick when it comes to holidays. It’s a desire shared by so many others. A yearning to visit new places and come home with a real sense of what they’re all about. This means delving into local traditions, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles – anything that contributes to its unique identity. At the same time, we always remember that we are only guests. So we travel courteously and respectfully, in smaller groups to minimise our impact, to ensure that every Exodus holiday is a beneficial experience for everyone involved. This is a philosophy we take with us around the world, helping you reach some incredible destinations on 500 itineraries across over 90 separate countries. We also strive to provide as much flexibility and choice as we possibly can, making it simple for you to experience a very different holiday. Exodus started life on 4 February 1974 when two friends got together to provide an overland truck to travel to the Minaret of Jam, deep in the heart of the Hindu Kush, the most inaccessible of the world’s great monuments. See our history page for more details about how we began and how we have grown over the past 50 years. Never travelled with Exodus before? Visit our New to Exodus page for some useful, first-timer information.
In Business Since 1974
Reviews
Anita Wainwright - Traveled, April 2024
All Iconic Sights covered. This was the first trip of its kind travelling around China with Exodus. It covered all the iconic sights and we used every mode of transport. There were some incredible sights and experiences which could only be done with an experienced local leader and a small group. There were just eight of us. Most Inspirational Moment The Great Wall of China. Thoughts on Group Leader Jerry was superb. He was extremely knowledgeable. He looked after our group very well, helping us to get the most experiences possible on our trip. Advice for Potential Travellers There is a great deal of walking involved. We averaged 20 thousand steps per day. A good level of fitness is needed to thoroughly enjoy the full itinerary. It was warmer than expected, so pack lightly and layer up if needed. The optional shows are a must for the full experience of China. The food was outstanding and inexpensive with lots of choice. Suggestions The sheer number of people in the cities and also visiting the tourist sights took some acclimatising to. It is worth it though!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/20/2014
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