Please note the tour price reflected on the brochure is subject to change. Due to seasonality, and taxes prices of the tour are subject to change without due notice. Please consult with the operator directly for the recent price.
Best of China
Premier
Overview
Highlights (Bullets)
- Hike in Zhangjiajie National Park
- Learn about ethnic minorities in Chengyang
- Take a walk on the Great Wall of China
- Enter the Forbidden City
- Visit the start of the Silk Road, Xi'an
- Enjoy a gondola ride along the canals of Xitang
Short Description
Discover the magic of China on this 22-day tour from Hong Kong to Shanghai. Trek through the lush landscape of Zhangjiajie National Park, cross the Tuo Jiang River on stepping stones, shop til you drop in the shopping mecca of Luwan and walk on the Great Wall of China. This is a journey that celebrates China’s dazzling cityscapes, incredible natural beauty, quaint townships, ancient history and charming culture
Theme
N/ADestinations
ChinaAttractions & Cities Visited
N/AActivities & Interests
N/AItinerary
Day 1-2 Hong Kong
Contrast East with West, old with new and cityscape with island vistas – Hong Kong offers myriad delights. Get a taste of the mayhem and magic before jumping on board an overnight train bound for Yangshou.
Day 3-4 Yangshuo
Known for its excellent café scene and bar culture, Yangshuo is a perfect place to rest and unwind. Explore the town, pop into the local market, take a cooking class and learn the art of tai chi.
Day 5-6 Chengyang
Travel out to Chengyang, a district home to many ethnic minorities, such as the Dong people. Marvel at the Chengyang Wind and Rain Bridge, built over one hundred years ago by the local people without the aid of nails and rivets.
Day 7-8 Fenghuang
With its lantern-lit streets, stilted houses and mystical green waters, the ancient town of Fenghuang is sure to enchant. Stroll the quaint streets, cruise down the river or maybe visit remnants of the Southern Great Wall.
Day 9-11 Zhangjiajie
Head out into the wilderness of Zhangjiajie and discover misty mountains and curious quartz-sandstone pillars. Walk along Gold Whip Brook with a local guide, stopping for lunch in the picturesque surrounds. Enjoy a night in a guesthouse nestled under soaring peaks.
Day 12-15 Shanghai
Swap the stunning natural beauty of Zhangjiajie for the bustling city streets of Shanghai. Embark on a walking tour of the Old City – admire the art deco buildings in the Bund and visit the French Concession. Take a trip out to the Propaganda Museum, wander through the classical Yuyuan Gardens and catch a performance by the famous Shanghai Acrobats.
Day 16 Xitang
Soak up the tranquillity of the water town, Xitang. Cruise the canals that criss-cross through town, chill out by the water’s edge or sip tea at one of the local teahouses. Tonight, catch an overnight train to Xi’an
Day 17-18 Xi'an
Famously known as the start of the Silk Road, the city of Xi’an abounds in ancient history. Take a walk round the city centre, passing by the Bell & Drum Towers, the Muslim Quarter and the City Gates. Travel out to one of the world’s most intriguing archaeological discoveries – the Terracotta Warriors – and visit our friends at Xi'an Huiling, an Intrepid Foundation-supported initiative helping young people with learning difficulties.
Day 19 Great Wall
Lace up your sturdiest walking shoes for a trek atop the Great Wall of China. Negotiate steps and slopes, see sensational sweeping vistas and marvel at the creation of this iconic structure.
Day 20-22 Beijing
Be entranced by the sights and sounds of China’s charismatic capital. Meander through Tiananmen Square, visit the National Museum and enter the Forbidden City. If time permits, catch a screening of the production of ‘The Legend of Kung Fu’ or do some tai chi in The Temple of Heaven Park before the tour wraps up.
Availability
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4,331 Intrepid Travel Travel Reviews & Ratings
Best of China
Company Reviews
Sardines in a can
If any of us had been physically inflexible or overweight we could not have coped with the sleeping arrangements . It is impossible to sit on the top bunk and even turning over in bed requires considerable planning .
An adventure does not mean cutting back on basic essentials …
In our view there were too many people in too small a space .
Two complete strangers were also asked to sleep together in an extremely small double bed , which meant that one of them decided to sleep on deck or in the living space .
The only redeeming factor was our Skipper who is professional, friendly , informative and skilled .
I would recommend this trip if the numbers were reduced .
I feel totally cheated
Have not even started and not impressed
No help when things go wrong (seriously ill on trip)
Trip 1- I was taken very ill while in Vietnam and had to drop out of the tour. I had no help from the guide- no help with getting to a doctor (I don't speak Vietnamese and was too ill to get out of bed anyway), he didn't even assist with arranging a hotel room.
Trip 2- I've had to cancel an upcoming (2024) trip, but haven't received the refund despite phoning the customer service line several times. The people I talk to are nice, but don't seem to be able to actually get anything done. They just suggest waiting a bit longer- not sure how long they think is acceptable to hang on to someone's money really.
Check for other companies offtering the same trip
Once I had paid for my trips, it was very difficult to get in touch with Intrepid to ask a question.
During the trips, several times I was told something one day only to have the info change without any good reason. The guides need proper training about dealing with the heat. Some of use suffered from dehydration and heat stroke and the guides were quite flippant about it. I was told that the guides would not leave anyone behind, but it happened several times.
There was one guide (a trainee) who really took some of the pleasure out of my cycle tour. She spoke to me with a tone used for a child. This tone and her attitude to me almost bordered on harassment.
I went on a third cycling tour with a different company after my 2 with Intrepid and it was much better than my experience with Intrepid.
As the demand for ebikes rises, tour companies such as Intrepid need to increase their fleet of ebikes. They also don’t need to charge the huge amount to rent these ebikes. We only want to rent them, not buy them. As the cost of ebikes comes down, if should reflect in the rental price.
Ecuador guide Eitel made the tour…
Details
Flight & Transport Inclusions
Roundtrip air to/from trip start & all internal transport Metro, Train, Private Bus, Overnight sleeper train, Public bus, Bus
Group Size
Intimate Group - 12 max
Maximum Number of People in Group: 12
Maximum of 12 travellers per group.
Accommodations
Greenland Jiu Long Hotel or similar (4 nts), King Parkview or similar (2 nts), Overnight Sleeper Train (2 nts), Fortune Suites or similar (2 nts), Fenghuang Hotel similar (2 nts), Chengyang Dongjia Hotel or similar (2 nts), Yangshuo Lucy hotel or similar (2 nts), Gubeikou Homestay or similar (1 nt), Hong Kong West Hotel or similar (1 nt), Zhangjiajie Fulilai Hotel similar (1 nt), Zhangjiajie Park Yushan Guesthouse or similar (1 nt)
HARD SLEEPER TRAINS CHINA: We use hard sleeper class trains for most of our overnight train journeys. These are not as rough as they sound - compartments are open-plan, clean, with padded berths (6 to a compartment), sheets, a blanket and hot water available. We recommend bringing your own sleeping sheet as the quality/cleanliness of sheets may not be what you are used to. Most trains have a dining carriage where meals or snacks are available. While we always try to have our groups staying together there may be times where due to ticket availability the group will be staying in different compartments and carriages. While railway services are rapidly being modernised in China, some train journeys in particular between less visited destinations may use older rolling stock and the carriages of a more basic standard.SOFT SLEEPER UPGRADE: An optional upgrade from a hard sleeper to a soft sleeper berth (4 travellers per compartment with a lockable door) may be available for some overnight train journeys on this trip for those who are after a little more comfort. Travellers who are interested in purchasing this upgrade should be aware of the following: - Soft sleeper carriages are often at the other end of the train from hard sleeper class where those travellers who have not booked the upgrade, along with the group leader, will be staying. If you've purchased the upgrade it's likely that you'll be away from the other members of the group and without the services of your group leader while on the train. - At many railway stations in China, soft sleeper passengers board the train separately from those in other carriage classes. If you have purchased the upgrade it's likely that you'll need to board the train on your own. Your group leader will give you instructions but may not be able to assist you in boarding and alighting the train. - Soft sleeper compartments have 4 berths. If you've purchased the upgrade you'll be sharing a compartment with locals or other travellers. Compartments are not segregated by gender so please be aware you could be sharing with members of the opposite sex. - While we aim to book tickets for all travellers who have purchased the upgrade in the same carriages and compartments, please note that we aren't able to guarantee this due to high demand for tickets on some routes and at peak times. - We are unable to offer the upgrade during the busy times for train travel in China including New Years, May National holidays, Summer holidays and October national holidays. - This service is only available for travellers who have purchased the upgrade prior to joining the trip. On rare occasions it may be possible to upgrade to a different carriage class once on the train itself for an additional cost paid to the train conductor but this can't be guaranteed and and shouldn't be relied on as an option. If you would like to ensure you travel soft sleeper class on all train journeys you will need to purchase the upgrade at time of booking your trip.BEDS AND ROOMS: Some travellers have reported that hotels/accommodation in this region tend to have harder bed mattresses than those they are used to at home. Passengers that require a soft bed should consider bringing an inflatable camping mattress or sleeping mat. Smoking is prevalent in China and hotels generally do not offer specific non smoking rooms. Larger hotels with central air conditioning will sometimes transport the smell of smoke between rooms. While we ask our hotels to ensure our rooms are ventilated well before occupation in some cases this is not possible. WIFI, in room, or in public areas of accommodation is not as common as travellers may be used to in other regions.
Guides
All Intrepid group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced leader however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your leader is new to a particular region or training other group leaders. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you were interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your leader can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.
Additional Information
Style descriptions
Our Original style trips have a great balance of included activities with your group and free time to explore independently. Where we stay ensures we keep our travellers firmly entrenched in a region’s people and culture, and provides them with unique local experiences that benefits the community too. In most locations we stay in simple tourist-class hotels (i.e. 2-3 stars), plus on many trips you'll also get to experience a night with a local family on a homestay or something a little different like a Bedouin camp in the Sahara. Original style trips come with all manner of transport modes and use a mixture of local and private transport. You might find yourself sailing in a dhow in Zanzibar, jumping on a rickshaw in Sri Lanka or sailing on a yacht through the Galapagos. No matter the mode, it's all about minimising our environmental impact and making getting around part of the adventure.
Finish point
- King Parkview Hotel (Huayu Hotel) 北京华育宾馆
- 55 Shatan Hou Street 地址：北京东城区沙滩后街 55号 (近五四 大街，在景山公园东门对面的胡同里)
- Dong Cheng District
- Beijing
- 100009
- CHINA
- Phone: +86 (010)58757888
Physical Requirements
Some easy physical activities included in your trip. No physical preparation is required to make the most of the journey.
Trip ID#:
intrepid-CBSVC
Meals Included
Meals
1 Breakfast, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner
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