China Highlights by train

Daily departures

A 13-day tour of the highlights of any visit to China, including the Great Wall, Forbidden City and the Terracotta Army, plus the beautiful scenery of Guilin, using China's efficient train system linking the major cities. An escorted tour, with your own local English-speaking guides and car + driver, using 4-star hotels, with most meals and cultural show included.

Berths on overnight trains are in 4-berth compartments.

Day 1 Depart UK.
Day 2 Arrive Beijing. Transfer to hotel. Rest of the day free.
Day 3 Morning tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. After lunch, visit the Temple of Heaven, where emperors performed rituals to guarantee a good harvest. Visit the Pearl Market for shopping before transfer back to hotel. Peking Opera show or acrobatic show after dinner (B + L + D)
Day 4 Full day excursion, stopping first at the Great Wall. After lunch, visit the tombs of the Ming Dynasty emperors. Also visit a jade-carving factory. (B + L)
Day 5 In the morning take a cycle rickshaw tour around the 'hutongs' - the traditional residential areas of old Beijing. Visit the Drum Tower, and have lunch with a typical Beijing family. In the afternoon visit the Summer Palace. Transfer to railway station for overnight train to Xi'an (soft sleeper class = equivalent of first class). (B + L)
Day 6 Arrive Xi'an and transfer to hotel. Visit the famous Terracotta Army, created to guard the tomb of China's first emperor. After lunch at a local restaurant, visit the Shaanxi Historical Museum and the Xi'an Art Ceramics and Lacquer factory. 'Tang Dynasty' song and dance show in the evening after dinner. (L + D)
Day 7 Visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda and the ancient cultural street. After lunch, visit the Bell and Drum towers. Transfer to railway station for overnight train to Guilin (soft sleeper class). (B + L)
Day 8 Arrive Guilin in the evening. Transfer to hotel.
Day 9 Cruise on the Li River to the small riverside town of Yangshuo, past dramatic scenery of limestone peaks and flat rice paddy fields. Optional evening excursion by boat to see traditional methods of fishing using cormorants. (B + L)
Day 10 Visit to the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill in the morning. Free time in the afternoon until transfer to railway station for overnight train to Shanghai. (B + L)
Day 11 Arrive Shanghai mid-afternoon. Transfer to hotel. Rest of the day free.
Day 12 Sightseeing tour of the bustling, comospolitan city of Shanghai, including the Yu Garden and old city bazaar area, the Jade Buddha Temple, the Bund, former French concession area and the Pudong new development zone. Enjoy an acrobatic show after dinner. (B + L + D)
Day 13 Transfer to airport for flight back to UK, arriving later the same day. (B)