Handpicked China

You will meet your guide on arrival, transfer and check-in to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at your leisure. Blending 21st-century architecture with old-world character, Shanghai is the vibrant pulse of new China. 

Starting early, accompany your guide and stroll through the elegant French Concession area around Xintiandi to the boutique shops at Tianzifang. Visit the Shanghai Museum and pause for some famous Shanghai steamed dumplings on Huanghe Road Food Street close to People’s Square. Continue to the Yuyuan Gardens and the Old Bazaar and walk along East Nanjing Road to the Bund. From here you can look out to the World Financial Centre at Pudong, where you’ll visit late in the afternoon. Free evening. (B)(L)

Take a morning flight to Guilin. On arrival, transfer directly to Longsheng. The Longji region has some of the most extensive rice terraces you'll ever see. These terraces change with the seasons: filled with water from the mountains before planting, becoming green during the growing season and then golden when the rice is ready for harvest. Take a day hike through the Longji Valley to visit local hill tribe communities and learn about village life. (B)(D)

Enjoy some free time before late morning departure for Sanjiang. This province is made up of many ethnic minorities the most famous being the Dong ethnic minority. The Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge is a major highlight for anyone passing through this region. Built over 100 years ago by the Dong people using no nails or rivets, the structure today is sturdy, picturesque and a great place to explore and overlook the Linxi River flowing below. Late in the afternoon, we take a short hike through the minority villages. (B)(L)(D).

Enjoy some free time before a late morning departure for Yangshuo. The countryside around Yangshuo is stunning. Think limestone karsts dotting the rural landscape and towering spectacularly over rice paddies and the meandering Li River. Get a feel for local produce with a visit to the market and then learn to cook some Chinese dishes at the Yangshuo Cooking School. (B)(L)

Take an early morning tai chi class with a local master to experience this ancient gentle but powerful martial art and one of China's favourite pastimes. Later in the day take a bike and buggy ride to gain an insight into rural Chinese life. This is an absolutely stunning region to explore, as every turn in the road brings you to another picture-postcard location. Finish the day by enjoying a relaxing bamboo raft ride along the Li River. (B)(L)

Enjoy some free time before the transfer to Guilin and make your way to Xi'an. Xi'an, now a vibrant, modern city dotted with many interesting historical sites. A monument pays homage to the fact that this was the start of the famous ancient trading route of the Silk Road and the city is still surrounded by city walls. (B)(L)

Today take a short walk of the city centre, highlights include the Bell & Drum Towers, Muslim Quarter and the Great Mosque, the City Walls and Gates. Later in the day visit the Terracotta Warriors and hear all about this incredible archaeological find. 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. (B)(L)

As a World Cultural Heritage Site, Pingyao has a history dating back 2700 years and is China's best-preserved ancient walled town. Take part in a guided tour of this ancient town and marvel at the city walls, narrow alleys, ancient shop fronts and traditional architecture. Anyone with any China mileage under their belt will appreciate the town’s age-old charms; charms squandered away – or forever lost – elsewhere across the Middle Kingdom. (B)(L)

Enjoy the morning at leisure exploring the ancient city by yourselves before an afternoon bullet train to from Xi’an to Beijing. The capital of the most populous country on earth, Beijing is quickly shedding its historical face in favour of modernity. However, there are still plenty of places to go that will give you a great insight into the nation's ancient past as well as sights that showcase China's contemporary culture. (B)

We take an early morning trip to the Jinshanling Great Wall (approx 2 hrs drive from Beijing). An incredible piece of engineering, it stretches 6,000 km westwards from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. It's a 30 minute climb up some steep steps to the wall itself but well worth the effort. We'll have a few hours to explore the winding wall before heading back to Beijing in the afternoon. (B)

Your guide will show you the wonders of the imposing Forbidden City, former home to China's imperial rulers and filled with palaces, gardens and seemingly never-ending grand courtyards, Tiananmen Square, the Temple of Heaven, the ancient network of alleyways and lanes of the Nanluogu Xiang hutong in Old Beijing. Try a dish of Peking Duck in Beijing’s restaurant strip, Ghost Street later on that night. (B)(L)

Transfer to the airport for your onward flight. (B)