Cities and mountains

A tour combining the cities of Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai with the natural beauty of Huangshan, one of China's most beautiful mountains, and the scenery of Hangzhou and Guilin, reminiscent of the scenes in Chinese brush painting

An escorted tour with your own English-speaking guides and car and driver, using mostly 5-star hotels.

Day 1 Depart UK.
Day 2 Arrive Beijing. Transfer to 5-star hotel. Rest of the day free.
Day 3 Morning tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. After lunch, take a cycle rickshaw tour around the 'hutongs' - the traditional residential areas of old Beijing, that cluster in the shadow of the Forbidden City. Peking duck dinner and either a Peking Opera or acrobatic show in the evening. (B, L, D)
Day 4 Excursion to the Great Wall at Mutianyu, a less busy and scenic part of the wall where is descends a densely vegetated hillside. Return to Beijing to visit the Temple of Heaven, where emperors performed rituals to ensure good harvests. (B, L)
Day 5 Morning visit to the Summer Palace. After lunch, fly to Xi'an. Transfer to 5-star hotel. (B, L)
Day 6 In the morning, visit the famous Terracotta Army, created to guard the tomb of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, in the 3rd century BC. After lunch at a local restaurant, return to Xi'an to visit the impressive Shaanxi Historical Museum. 'Tang Dynasty' song and dance show after dinner. (B, L, D)
Day 7 Visit the Small Wild Goose Pagoda, and the ancient cultural street. After lunch, transfer to airport for flight to Hangzhou. Transfer to 4-star hotel. (B, L)
Day 8 Boat trip on the scenic West Lake, plus a visit to the Lingyin Temple and a tea plantation on the hills overlooking the lake. (B, L)
Day 9 Travel by road through the countryside to the foot of Huangshan. Cable car to your 4-star hotel on the summit on the mountain. (B, L)
Day 10 See the early morning 'sea of cloud' from the summit, and explore the various trails and scenic spots on the mountain. Descend by cable car for overnight stay in the town of Tunxi at 4-star hotel. (B, L)
Day 11 Visit Tunxi's 'Old Street' and then some of the ancient villages of Yixian county, such as Xidi or Hongcun - now UNESCO world heritage sites - and which contain traditional houses from the Ming and Qing dynasties built by rich merchants and scholars. Evening flight to Shanghai and transfer to 5-star hotel (B, L)
Day 12 City tour of Shanghai, to include the Yu Garden in the old town district; the famous Bund or waterfront; the Jade Buddha Temple, and the Pudong new economic development district. (B, L)
Day 13 Transfer to airport for flight to Guilin. Transfer to 4/5-star hotel. (B, L)
Day 14 Boat trip on the Li River to the small riverside town of Yangshuo, travelling past stunning scenery of limestone peaks and flat rice paddy fields. Lunch served on board boat. (B, L)
Day 15 Visit to the Reed Flute Cave and Elephant Trunk Hill before transfer to airport for flight to Hong Kong. Connect to flight back to UK, arriving morning of Day 16. (B)