Real China

12 Days
From CAD 1375
Best Rate
Guarantee
Trip Type
Small Group
Activity Level
Light

Rating


(11 reviews)

Experience Overview

You could travel for a lifetime in China, and there would still be more to explore – but this 12-day trip through the country’s highlights does a pretty good job of narrowing it down. Tick an ancient Wonder of the World off your bucket list at the Great Wall, witness the Terracotta Warriors in Xi-an and watch baby pandas play in Chengdu. Sip tea in People’s Park, taste delicious street food with a local leader who knows all the best spots and cycle through the misty countryside of Yangshuo – home to stunning vistas, Moon Hill and karst mountains. Start in Beijing and end in Hong Kong for some thriving nightlife and you’ve got a pretty cool adventure.

Highlights

  • Walk the walk on the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall of China (one of the Seven Wonders of the World), watching the stones snake as far as the eye can see. If you’d like, you can even toboggan back down!
  • Take a scenic cycling tour through farms and villages in Yangshuo’s karst-dotted countryside. Every turn in the road brings you to another postcard-perfect spot before riding to Moon Hill and taking a short hike that leads to panoramic views of the area.
  • Watch rolly polly baby pandas playing, munching bamboo and generally doing their thing at the Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu – if they’re not already, pandas might just be your favourite animal after this.
  • Join a local guide to see the Terracotta Warriors in Xi'an – the most famous site in the city – only discovered in 1976 by farmers digging a well.
  • Eat your way through China, from Beijing’s Peking duck to the delicious Sichuan pepper – then, maybe challenge yourself with authentic local delicacies like silkworms, spicy rabbit head and beer fish.

Trip Details

Product CodeProduct Code: 1705

Tour TypeTour Type: Small Group

AccommodationAccommodation: Basic

TransportTransport: Overnight Hard Sleeper Train,Public bus,Private vehicle,High-speed Train,Subway,Taxi

Guide LanguageGuide Language: English

Supplier CodeSupplier Code: CBYC

StartStarts: Beijing, China

FinishFinishes: Hong Kong, China

DurationDuration: 12 days

DeparturesDepartures: Guaranteed

Physical RatingPhysical rating: Light

Includes

Meals: Lunch (1),
Accommodation: Hotel (10 nights),Overnight Hard Sleeper Train (1 night)

Price

Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD 1375 (CAD 115 /day)

Itinerary

1
Day 1: Beijing

Nimen Hao! Welcome to China. Your adventure begins in Beijing with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight. If you arrive early, get acquainted with Beijing on your own and maybe walk around Silk Market and pick up some souvenirs or explore the Forbidden City. After your meeting, maybe head out for an optional welcome dinner and order your first Peking duck.

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

2
Day 2: Great Wall / Beijing

This morning, it’s time to visit the Great Wall – one of the Seven Wonders of the World – at Mutianyu, which is one of the best-preserved and easily accessed sections from Beijing. Hop on a public bus and take in the surrounding views (hopefully it’s a clear day!) – this is one to remember. A truly epic piece of engineering, the wall stretches 6000 km westwards from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. It was originally constructed to protect Chinese empires from invaders in the north, and even though it failed in this purpose, it's still without a doubt one of the country's most amazing achievements. There’s an opportunity to take a thrilling toboggan ride to the base of the Great Wall, which is a unique way to rest your legs after all the ups and downs.

Included Activities:

  • Beijing - Mutianyu Great Wall

Optional Activities:

  • Beijing –Great Wall Toboggan Ride - (round trip) (140 CNY)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

3
Day 3: Beijing / Overnight Train

Spend the morning exploring Tiananmen Square and follow your leader through the zigzag lanes known as the Hutong area. This is one of the most notable areas in Beijing because these lanes and courtyard houses are the root of old Beijing city and now, offering a peek into local life. In the afternoon, enjoy free time to explore at your own pace, maybe visiting the Forbidden City if you haven’t already. Perhaps jump on a bike and ride through the hutongs, hang out in the Temple of Heaven Park or visit the Lama Temple. Tonight, you’ll board an overnight train from Beijing to Xi'an in a six-berth, air-conditioned cabin.

Included Activities:

  • Beijing - Tiananmen Square
  • Beijing - Leader-led Hutong Walking Tour

Optional Activities:

  • Beijing - Lama Temple (entrance fee) (25 CNY)
  • Beijing - Temple of Heaven (entrance fee) (40 CNY)
  • Beijing - Forbidden City (Entrance fee & Pre booking required) (60 CNY)

Accommodation:

  • (Number of Nights: 1)

4
Day 4: Xi'an

This morning, you’ll arrive in Xi'an – the imperial centre of China for 2000 years and now a vibrant, modern city dotted with interesting historical sites. Head out on a leader-led walking tour of the Muslim Quarter – famous for its food, this neighbourhood’s almost 1300 years old! Along the way, your leader will buy some dishes for you to sample. Some local specialties include persimmon cake, lamb skewers and sticky rice cakes, though it’ll depend on the season. Enjoy a free afternoon, where you can maybe hire a bike and ride to the top of Xi'an City Wall – the only intact ancient city wall in China. Tonight, your leader will take you to the lively square near the Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Seeing the 600-year-old temple ablaze with lights is pretty amazing, and it’s a great place to mingle with locals.

Included Activities:

  • Xi'an - Muslim Quarter Walking Tour and Snack Sampling
  • Xi'an - Big Wild Goose Pagoda Square Walking Tour

Optional Activities:

  • Xi'an - Little Wild Goose Pagoda (50 CNY)
  • Xi'an - Great Mosque (entrance fee) (25 CNY)
  • Xi'an - Bell & Drum Towers (entrance fee) (50 CNY)
  • Xi'an - Cycling on City Wall (80 CNY)
  • Xi'an - Karaoke (100 CNY)

Accommodation:

  • (Number of Nights: 1)

5
Day 5: Xi'an

This morning, you’ll visit Xi'an's most famous site – the Terracotta Warriors. Take the metro and a public bus and spend a few hours exploring the fascinating location. Hear all about this incredible archaeological find (it was discovered by farmers digging a well in 1976 after being buried for thousands of years). These clay statues of soldiers, horses and chariots all standing in battle formation were commissioned by the emperor of the Qin dynasty as part of his mausoleum, and now, several pits are on view to the public. The rest of your afternoon and evening is free – you might want to grab some local specialities for dinner, such as pao mo (lamb broth that you break flat bread into), hand-pulled noodles, hot pot or barbecued meat skewers. Later, maybe head out to karaoke with your group and sing the night away.

Included Activities:

  • Xi'an - Terracotta Warriors Tour - leader led

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

6
Day 6: Chengdu

Hop on a high-speed train from Xi'an to Chengdu this morning. Chengdu has a very casual vibe and the locals tend to value pleasure more than work, so mahjong and tea are two of the most crucial parts of life here. Go on a walking tour with your leader to downtown Tianfu Square, where a giant statue of Chairman Mao stands. Continue to the lively People's Park and sit down in a tea house to sip a brew and take advantage of the other services on offer (like ear cleaning and massages). Make the most of your time here and immerse yourself in local life by joining a group dance or martial arts practice or maybe just find a table and brush up on your mahjong skills.

Included Activities:

  • Chengdu - Walking Tour (Tianfu Square, People's Park and Kuanzhai Lane)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

7
Day 7: Chengdu

This morning, you’ll get the heartwarming opportunity to get up close with the adorable pandas at the Panda Breeding Centre in Chengdu. Learn about the conservation efforts being made to repopulate this ancient species and watch them being fed, playing and sleeping (or just being plain cute in their playgrounds). Enjoy some more downtime in the afternoon to research pandas or check out the hip Kuanzhai Lane. You could also go searching for some spicy Chengdu snacks on Jinli Street.

Included Activities:

  • Chengdu - Giant Panda Breeding Research Base (entrance fee & transport included)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

8
Day 8: Yangshuo

Embrace a full day of travelling on the bullet train this morning, headed for Yangshuo – surrounded by limestone karsts, this city is super popular with both international and domestic tourists (which isn't a bad thing if you're into cafes and bars). It's one of the best places in the country to get a feel for local culture and traditions while having plenty of fun at the same time. Take a walk through the town with your leader when you arrive and then head down to the Li River to get a feel for a landscape immortalised in Chinese paintings.

Included Activities:

  • Yangshuo - Walking Tour

Optional Activities:

  • Yangshuo - Li River Cruise (230 CNY)
  • Yangshuo - Tai Chi/Kung Fu class (120 CNY)
  • Yangshuo - Cooking School & Market Tour (230 CNY)

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

9
Day 9-10: Yangshuo

Hop on a bike and follow your leader on a cycling tour through the picturesque countryside of Yangshuo. Cycle past karst hills that rise from rice paddies and tiny villages, watching locals working the fields with water buffalo for company. Visiting this stunning region is a trip highlight for many travellers (so don’t forget your camera over these next two days), and every turn in the road brings you to another postcard-perfect spot. Stop for lunch in a local family’s house and be treated to some homecooked local delicacies, like chicken and vegetables. Then, ride to Moon Hill and take a short hike to the famous archway for panoramic views of the area. Tonight and tomorrow are free in Yangshuo – maybe head out on a river cruise on the Li River and ask your leader for the best local eats.

Included Activities:

  • Yangshuo - Bike Tour with Lunch & Moon Hill Visit

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 2)

10
Day 11: Hong Kong

Leave Yangshuo and continue your journey to Hong Kong. You'll be transferred to Guilin, then you’ll hop on the high-speed train. Tonight, you’ll go on a walking tour with your leader, checking out the Temple Street night market or the light show at Victoria Harbour. Take the chance to celebrate your final night with the group in this incredible city and hit the nightlife – as always, your leader will know some great spots.

Included Activities:

  • Hong Kong - Leader-led Walking Tour
  • Hong Kong – Temple Street Night Market Walking Tour

Accommodation:

  • Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)

11
Day 12: Hong Kong

With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end this morning. If you’d like to extend your time in Hong Kong, just speak to your booking agent.

Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.

In Business Since 1989

Reviews

 

Annabel D   -  Traveled, January 2019

The tour was extremely poorly done. From the outset, we were never given information or encouraged to actually experience China. No help was given in terms of the language (no tips with language), items from the itinerary were missed (did not explore hutongs), accommodation from itinerary we were given changed (were told we would stay in the Fawlty Tours hotel in Yangshou and instead stayed in The Explorer - this information is given to China as a part of getting our visa and shouldn't be changed), 'guided tours' were not that (often lasted less than 5 minutes), was specifically told I was NOT allowed to do activities I wanted to do in my free time because Intrepid would make my leader lose his job (ie - rock climbing and bamboo rafts in Yangshou), were never informed how much things were actually going to cost so it kept feeling like we were being taken advantage of by having to keep giving out money, repetitive and poor foods were the only options given every meal as the team leader didn't want to spend much money (surely he is given a stipend to buy food??).

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Zoe B   -  Traveled, January 2019

Qin our tour guide was amazing. She was able to understand the group and what we wanted. She catered for all the different types of interests. Small group size was definitely the best part. Having lunch and dinner in groupsand getting to experience all the different food that would probably otherwise have not been ordered. Even on the “free time”sections Qin would go out of her way to make sure we had things to do and help us whenever we needed it, even if it was to go to the pharmacy! She was very knowledgeable of her country also. Only things that I think could be improved: 1. Saying the trip includes Hong Kong should be clarified. It is one afternoon and then the tour ends. A bit disappointing to just end like that without really knowing what to do there. 2. The bike ride around Youngshou should be a fixed part of the tour not an “optional activity”. Because it was the best part of the whole trip! And it would be disappointing for people to pass it up because it was only “optional”.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Samuel C   -  Traveled, January 2019

You need to be ready every day for a full adventure, some people may not be ready for that.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Megan C   -  Traveled, January 2019

Our tour guide Qin was amazing and made our trip so easy and fun.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Liam G   -  Traveled, January 2019

Excellent tour guide and itinerary.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Jessica B   -  Traveled, January 2019

Qin was a great tour guide that showed us her home country. This was a great introduction to China with the main highlights covered and more. Great food experiences.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Jeffrey R   -  Traveled, January 2019

The trip was awesome and perfect organised

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Dylan M.   -  Traveled, January 2019

Well rounded trip, gave a very varied view of China.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

 

Samuel   -  Traveled, September 2019

Great itinerary and travel between all the destinations was well managed and pain free. The accommodation was a lower standard as this is a lower budget tour but all of the locations allowed for easy access to the local attractions. All of the hotels/hostels were clean and air conditioned, we were more interested in the sights anyway! Our guide was the best and balanced knowledge with ensuring the group had fun, she was happy to change plans and arrange alternatives if any or all of the group wished to do different things. A really great group of people added up to a fantastic, memorable trip that I would happily recommend to anyone wanting the 'Real China' trip.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/16/2019

 

Georgia   -  Traveled, January 2019

We were so fortunate to have Qin as our guide on this tour. She took us to so many places, that we would likely not have found on our own. I was particularly impressed by the fact she was able to order us the local delicacies of every place we visited - I have never eaten so much delicious food. Qin's hometown of Yangshuo was the highlight for me, as not only was it absolutely beautiful, but her personal connections with the city and it's people, made it an extra special experience. As a group, we concluded that the bike ride Qin took us on along the river, should be included in the cost, rather than as an additional activity, as it was truly one of the most breathtaking rides we'd ever been on. Qin was very accomodating, even organising a private bus on our day trip to the Terracotta Warriors, to ensure we would have the best experience by maximising our time there. Plus if we ever had any free time, she always had suggestions or recommendations of things we could do (in addition to what was listed). It is worth pointing out that the trip does include extensive travelling, both at night and during the day, and it would be worth including the approximate travel times for each trip for the purposes of transparency. While the trip says 12 days, the first and the last are not counted, and it would be fair to say we lost an additional two days with travelling. Given the amount of ground we covered, this is to be expected, but the details of this travel could be included more clearly in the trip summary (prior to attending the trip). Although it is covered in the notes received once you have booked the trip, it is certainly worth making note (perhaps like the fitness rating) that the trip, given China's air quality, may provided difficult for certain people, such as asthmatics, including myself. While I had medication with me which I was taking regularly, I still found the air pollution caused significant challenges and it was something I could not quite comprehend until having to breathe through it. Overall, a great trip, and one that I am glad I got to experience with the absolutely wonderful Qin as my guide.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 01/29/2019

 

Dana W   -  Traveled, January 2019

I have travelled with Intrepid before on the India Real Food Adventure and was disappointed that the quality of this China trip was not as high as I expected from my previous experience with Intrepid. The group leader lacked sufficient knowledge on the areas we visited or how to effectively manage a group. It was clear that this was one of his first trips, but it would have been nice to have been warned about this initially so we could have improved our experience. I would say that the blame mostly comes down to Intrepid having irresponsibly not provided this guide with sufficient training before leading tours. Whilst we did go to the destinations specified in the itinerary, we all felt that we missed out on extras that make such trips more enjoyable. Overall, we have all been put off returning to China and do not feel that we saw it in its best light.

Source: Tour operator   Submitted: 09/18/2019

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