Essential China

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 all customers arriving into either Beijing's Capital airport (PEK) or Daxing airport (PKX). Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts. Stay: 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’ll 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 Summer Palace (a complex of lakes, gardens and palaces from the Qing dynasty) instead. You will be advised at the start of the trip if this change needs to be made. Stay: Dong Fang Hotel (or similar) (B).

We leave the capital and head into the countryside to visit one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall, at Mutianyu (approximately two hours' drive). 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 to the train station in Beijing, arriving in the late afternoon/early evening to catch our overnight train to Xi'an (approximately 12 hours) which is scheduled to depart at 8. 40pm (the schedule can change throughout the year – please see the ‘Accommodation' section for more details). We recommend purchasing food beforehand as there is a limited selection on board. Stay: Overnight train (B).

The train is scheduled to arrive into Xi'an at about 8. 30am (subject to change). We take a short transfer to the hotel, drop off the luggage, and freshen up in the lobby bathroom (the rooms won't be available for check-in until later). Xi'an is a former capital of China and one of the few cities in the country 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.

Today, after an opportunity to try a local breakfast, 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. Stay: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar) (B).

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. Stay: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

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. For a full-day excursion, you might like to visit Mount Huashan for walks with magnificent views (we strongly advise against the Plank Trail due to safety concerns – anyone wanting to do this will be asked to sign a form releasing them from the tour as Exodus accepts no responsibility for this activity). Stay: Bell Tower Hotel (or similar) (B).

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. Stay: Chengdu Tianfu Sunshine Hotel (or similar) (B).

We leave early today to spend the morning visiting the Giant Panda Breeding & Research Base located 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. Stay: Chengdu Tianfu Sunshine Hotel (or similar) (B).

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 Shanghai Museum, which has 11 galleries housing some of the most beautiful and best-preserved cultural relics in China – some more than 5,000 years old! Stay: Shanghai Kingtown Plaza Hotel (or similar) (B).

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. Stay: Shanghai Kingtown Plaza Hotel (or similar) (B).

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 (B).