Day 1: Beijing
Arrive in Beijing at any time.
Day 2: Beijing/Gubeikou
Leave Beijing behind for now as you transfer to Gubeikou and prepare a day of hiking. Stay overnight in a local farmhouse and interact with rural farmers over a traditional Chinese meal at a homestay.
Includes: Dinner
Day 3: Gubeikou/Beijing
Wake up and begin to tackle a second day of walking along the Jinshanling Great Wall. Hike along its rolling terrain and spot the 67 watchtowers along the way. The sparse crowds and incredible surrounding sights are bound to make for a great day of hiking. After, rest your feet on the drive back to Beijing.
Includes: Breakfast
Day 4: Beijing
Discover the fascinating history of the Forbidden City on a guided tour, then join the throngs of locals to explore the city's ancient hutongs. Tonight, jump on the overnight train to Luoyang.
Day 5: Luoyang
Arrive in Luoyang and opt to visit the Longmen Grottoes.
Enjoy time in Luoyang located in central China’s Henan province, widely recognized as the region where Chinese civilization originated. The city was China's ancient capital and is home to many Temples, and close by the Longmen Grottoes which contain thousands of Buddhist rock carvings dating back to the 5th century.
Day 6: Luoyang
Travel to the holy mountain of Song Shan, best known as the home of the Shaolin Temple and birthplace of kung-fu . Take some time today to explore the historic Shaolin Temple with your CEO, and enjoy a hike in the surrounding countryside.
Explore the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of China Zen Buddhism and UNESCO World Heritage site. Established in 495 AD, martial arts have been practiced here for 1500 years as a way to practice Zen Buddhism.
Day 7: Luoyang/Xi'an
Travel by train to Xi'an and enjoy an orientation walk of the Muslim Quarter.
Day 8: Xi'an
Enjoy an included visit to one of China’s greatest archaeological treasures—the Terracotta Warriors. Cycle the ancient city walls and discover the Muslim Quarter.
Day 9: Xi'an/Yangshuo
Departing from Xi'an, take a flight to Guilin and transfer to the small countryside town of Yangshuo, where the Li River winds its way around thousands of limestone karst mountains. Take an orientation walk of Yangshuo.
Day 10: Yangshuo
Have a full day to explore Yangshuo, where every turn in the road brings you to another picture perfect sight. Opt to take a boat ride along the stunning Li River, stop at markets and quaint villages along the way.
Experience some of Yangshuo's famous nightlife or see the Liu San Jie, a 500 person show by Oscar winning director, Zhang Yi Mou -- he also directed the Beijing Olympic Ceremony.
Try your hand at cooking local fare at a boutique cooking school and pre-book the Central Chinese Cooking Class by adding it to your checkout page, or ask your GCO or travel agent for assistance.
Day 11: Yangshuo
See Yangshuo through a view that's unobstructed by car windows - take to the streets by bike today to discover more of this mountainous landscape. En route, enjoy a delicious local lunch with options like the local beer fish, garlic fried water spinach and stuffed aubergine.
En route, enjoy a delicious local lunch with options like the local beer fish, garlic fried water spinach and stuffed aubergine.
Includes: Lunch
Day 12: Yangshuo/Longji
Enjoy village to village trekking along rice terraces.
Longji is famous for its centuries old rice terraces, often referred to as the Dragon's Backbone, built along forested mountain slopes that seem to poke into the clouds. Check out the unique wooden architecture of the local Zhuang and Yao people.
Day 13: Longji
Continue trekking along rice terraces.
Located 300-1000m above sea level, and nestled amongst the mountains, enjoy a hike on land cultivated over generations, stemming from the Yuan dynasty. Soak in the beautiful views and experience the harmony between humanity and nature.
Day 14: Longji/Hong Kong
Leave the village in the morning and head back to Guilin. Take some time to explore the area before departing by bullet train to Hong Kong.
Arrive in Hong Kong in the afternoon. Take an orientation walk around the hotel, then explore the city. Opt to walk to the harbour front and take in the astonishing city lights.
Day 15: Hong Kong
Depart at any time.