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China Highlights Introduction
A trip of contrasts taking in the Imperial China of Beijing and Xian, the relaxed ethnic diversity of south west China’s Yunnan province and its highlights of Dali and Lijiang before finishing in Shanghai, the China of tomorrow!
Our trip starts in Beijing, home to some of China’s most famous landmarks such as the Great Wall, Forbidden City, Tianmen Square, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace as well as modern masterpieces such as the iconic Bird’s nest Olympic stadium.
An overnight train journey takes us onto Xian and the amazing sight of the Terra Cotta Army.
From here we leave Imperial China behind and fly to the south western province of Yunnan famed for it’s ethnic minorities, lush landscape and delicious food. From the provincial capital of Kunming we head to the relaxed lakeside town of Dali before moving onto the UNESCO recognised town of Lijiang with it’s maze of old cobbled streets and traditional buildings overlooked by the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Sadly we have to leave Yunnan for the complete contrast of Shanghai with it’s neon, towering skyline and cosmopolitan hustle bustle. Our trip ends here in a city that strives to represent China’s future.
Along the way from start to finish you will have the assisstance of a dedicated Tour Leader to make sure you get the most out of this China experience!
2010 Dates & Pricing for GT-03
Below is a table covering our Group Tour dates for 2010. This table is updated frequently and additional dates are often added to meet demand.
Please note that if you get together a group of 6 or more friends we can run a private group tour just for your group starting on any date and is not restricted the departure dates below.
| Trip Start |
Trip Finish |
| 6th June 2010 |
19th June 2010 |
| 10th Oct 2010 |
23rd Oct 2010 |
Tour price per person
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UK £ 1,995
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| Additional nights Beijing |
UK £ 60 / 30
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Additional nights Shanghai
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UK £ 90 / 45 |
Single supplement*
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UK £ 350
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*To cover a single room in accommodation if required
or unavoidable.
100 % Financial Protection
We are members of the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) and so your booking with us has 100% financial protection regardless of whether you are booking from the UK or abroad. Our ABTA number is Y1699 and you can check our membership details on ABTA’s website.
Accommodation
Accommodation usually used on this trip is listed below for each destination although occasionally some may be replaced with options of at least the same or a higher standard.
Beijing
Tailong Plaza Hotel 4*
19 East Street, Zhushikou, Beijing
Tel: +86-10-6707 5888
Xian
Bell Tower Hotel 4*
110 Nan Da Jie, Xian, Shaanxi Province
Tel: +86-29-87600000
Kunming
Jinjiang Hotel 4*
98 Beijing Road, Kunming
Tel +86-871-3138888
Dali
Landscape Hotel 3*
96 Yuer Road, Old city, Dali
Tel +86-872-26661888
Lijiang
Sanhe Hotel 3*
Jishan Lane 4#, Xiyi Street, Lijiang
Tel +86-888-5120891
Shanghai
Holiday Inn Downtown 4*
Great Wall Wing: 585 Heng Feng Road
Plaza Wing: 285 Tian Mu Xi Road
Tel: +86-21-63538008
Included in this trip
Tour Leader:
- Assisstance of a full time Tour Leader who has lived and worked in China.
Train Tickets:
- Beijing to Xian overnight soft sleeper class
- Kunming to Dali overnight soft sleeper class
Plane Tickets:
- Xian to Kunming economy class
- Lijiang to Shanghai economy class
Other Transport:
- Dali to Lijiang by mini-bus
Accommodation:
- 3 nights Beijing - Tailong Plaza Hotel 4*
- 1 night Xian - Bell Tower Hotel 3*
- 1 night Kunming: Jinjiang Hotel 4*
- 2 nights Dali : Landscape Hotel 3*
- 2 nights Lijiang: Sanhe Hotel 3* (traditional style)
- 2 nights Shanghai - Holiday Inn Downtown 4*
Transfers:
- Beijing - Airport to Hotel
- Beijing - Hotel to Station
- Xian - Train station to Hotel
- Xian - Hotel to Airport
- Kunming - Airport to Hotel
- Kunming - Hotel to Station
- Dali - Station to Hotel
- Dali - Hotel to Lijiang Hotel
- Lijiang - Hotel to Airport
- Shanghai - Train Station to hotel
Organised Tours:
- Beijing - Full day tour to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs
- Beijing - Early morning park visit to watch the locals practice Tai Chi, Calligraphy and martial arts.
- Half day tour of Beijing’s ancient Hutong’s including a ride on a rickshaw.
- Xian - Full day tour to the Terra cotta Warriors, Wild Goose Pagoda and City Wall.
- Dali - A full day tour include a boat trip on Erhai Lake, a visit to the Xizhou Bai Family Courtyard and Butterfly Spring.
- Lijiang - a half day orientation tour including the Old City, Mu Fu Family Palace and the local Forbidden
- Shanghai - Half day tour to the Yuyuan gardens, Old City and Bund - A visit to the world famous Chinese Acrobats in the evening.
Meals: As indicated in itinerary above (B = breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner)
Other Items: Our exclusive Trip Guidebook personalised to your trip. This 100+ page document covers all the destinations you visit as well as sections on language, food, history and practical information about China and your trip.
NOT Included in this trip
- International Airfare to and from China.
- The Chinese visa (we can help you obtain this on request if you are a UK resident).
- Travel insurance to cover medical treatment in China.
- Discretionary gratuities to drivers, guides and your tour leader.
Additional Excursions
Half day to Yangling Mausoleum
XIAN GT-03-6 (on day 6 of itinerary)
UK £60 per person (minimum 2 people)
A half day private tour visiting China’s first underground museum and built into the mausoleum of Liu Qi, the fourth Emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (206 B.C.-220A.D.) and his Empress, Wang. Here you get a chance to walk over the open chambers and may see archaeologists working below as the continue to unearth artifacts. Lunch is included in this tour.
Full day to Suzhou
Shanghai GT-03-13 (on day 13)
UK £130 per person (minimum 2 people)
A full day tour travelling by high speed train to the water town of Suzhou often referred to as “the Venice of the East.” Suzhou is famous for it’s classical gardens and you will visit the most famous two, the Humble Administrators and lingering gardens. Suzhou’s wealth was traditionally based on silk production and you will get an opportunity to visit the Embroidery Institute. Lunch is included. Starts from your hotel and finishes at Shanghai train station.
Full day to the Stone Forest
Kunming GT-03-7 (on day 7)
UK £105 per person (minimum 2 people)
A full day private tour visiting the extraordinary Stone forest, or Shilin in Mandarin, is 85km outside of Kunming. The area of Karst formations covers an area of 2,670 square km and are believed to be 270 million years old. It's a wonderful area to wander around and deservedly popular.
An extenstion onto Hong Kong is also possible. Contact us from more details.
Important information
The Chinese Visa
Everyone requires a Chinese visa but the good news is that they are now relatively easy to obtain. Normally visas are issued for a 30 day stay in China. You need one fully blank page and a minimum 6 months validity of your passport at the time of entry to China. Allow plenty of time to obtain the visas in order to avoid last minute panics and embassy express fees! You can find more information on Chinese visas by clicking here.
International Flights
None our trips include international flights. This gives you the freedom to source your own flight and take advantage of any frequent flyer or air miles programs you may have.
Luggage
You are required to carry your own luggage on our trips so we advise packing as little as possible and using a “backpack” style bag rather than a suitcase.
Fitness
Our trips are fine for anybody with a reasonable standard of fitness. Where we believe there are special requirements this is mentioned in the trip information.
When to Book
We recommend booking at least 2 months in advance of your trip although it is common for people to book 6 or more months in advance. Any booking made inside of 2 months before trip start date runs the risk of availability issues. Please note that when the maximum number for a group is reached (usually 12 people) booking for that trip is closed.
Booking Terms & Conditions
Our full Booking Terms and Conditions can be found here or we can send to you on request.
 
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