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top spots
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The Great Wall
An enduring symbol of Chinese civilisation and genius, the UNESCO protected Great Wall of China was built as a defensive structure. Some 20 states and dynasties were involved in its immense construction over a period of 2,000 years. Snaking some 6700 kms across barren hills, deserts, mountains and plateaux, the now partially ruinous Great Wall stretches east to west in northern China. At one time, the wall was garrisoned by nearly 1 million soldiers and featured over 1,000 fortified passes and 10,000 beacon towers. Today, a visit offers a healthy, if steep and vertiginous walk on perhaps one of the world’s most legendary attractions.
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Terracotta army – Xi’an
The discovery of Emperor Qin’s army of 2,200 year old terracotta warriors in 1974 by local farmers who happened to be digging a well. More than 7,000 life-sized warriors stand in military formation in excavated pits under the cover of a modern protective hanger. Made of local clay, no two faces are alike – each is said to be an individual portrait. Delicate excavation continues on site, where hundreds of warriors remain smashed like eggs, not due to the passage of time but rather a peasant revolt after the emperor’s death. The emperor’s tumulus (ancient grave mound) is located about a mile away and is said to contain untold treasures. |
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Guilin
Renowned for it’s striking, if bizarre scenery - vast areas of karst limestone outcrops that rise up from flat rice paddy fields, Guilin is often the subject of Chinese painting. On our tours that travel to Guilin, we will visit the enormous Reed Flute Caves in Guilin.
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Suzhou
Suzhou in Jiangsu Province. One of China’s most charming cities, it’s fame rests on it’s waterways, and canals that are dotted with traditional bridges, houses and gardens. A cruise on the Grand Canal exposes Suzhou’s beauty. Renown for it’s silk, on our tours that travel to Suzhou, we will visit a silk workshop |
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Yangtze & three gorges
Although the river itself and life along the banks are fascinating in themselves, centre stage on a Yangtze cruise is the awesome journey through the Three Gorges on a cruise from Chongqing to Wuhan. The Three Gorges (Qutangxia, Wuxia and Xiling) were formed around 70 million years ago during movements in the earth’s crust. Towering perpendicular cliffs and sharp gorges give way to the Yangtze below. Despite China’s controversial Yangtze dam project, where the waters are set to gradually rise until 2009, creating the world’s largest dam, it is thought the Gorges will still be as breathtaking, although some villages and landmarks will ultimately disappear. Check out the Three Gorges on our 15 day ‘Yin and Yangtze’ tour. |
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