China Explorer Journey

Welcome to Guangzhou. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and driver in the arrivals hall before transferring to Shamian Island, time permitting (arrivals before 3:00 pm are ideal to enjoy this visit). Shamian Island is a well-preserved colonial district featuring around 150 historic buildings, many dating back to the 19th century. We will explore on foot, admiring the Victorian architecture, wrought iron gates and spacious gardens, while your guide shares the island’s history. Afterwards, we will escort you to your hotel for check-in. The remainder of the day is at your leisure. Overnight in Guangzhou.

After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby to visit the Chen Family Temple, a fine example of Guangdong’s ancestral architecture. Admire the intricate woodcarvings, copper-iron castings and traditional crafts that reflect the temple’s role as both a memorial to the Chen family and a place where generations prepared for the imperial examinations. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before exploring Xiaozhou Village, a centuries-old community still inhabited by locals. Wander its stone streets, bridges and gardens, and discover cafés and art studios nestled within this vibrant neighbourhood. Later, transfer to the high-speed train station for your journey to Xiamen, formerly known as Amoy, an important historic port that now blends urban energy with a relaxed atmosphere. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel for check-in and an evening at leisure.

After breakfast, we visit the highlight of the trip – the Hua’an Hakka house clusters. These large, enclosed earthen buildings, often circular or rectangular, are unique to south-eastern China. Recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site, they exemplify a distinctive communal living style combined with defensive architecture, harmoniously integrated with their environment. Following lunch at a local restaurant (included), we travel to downtown Zhangzhou, an important Ming Dynasty port known for its rich cultural heritage and vibrant folk traditions. Zhangzhou is also one of the birthplaces of Hokkien culture. We then return to the hotel in Xiamen for the evening.

After breakfast, we take a ferry to Gulangyu Island, a small pedestrian-only islet just off Xiamen. Known as the “Islet of Drum Wave” for the sound of ocean waves crashing on its rocks, Gulangyu was one of China’s original treaty ports opened in 1842. The island is rich in historic architecture from its days as an International Settlement, featuring a mix of colonial buildings and numerous Christian churches. We visit Shuzhuang Garden, a fine example of traditional Chinese gardening, built in 1931 by a wealthy Taiwanese businessman. Gulangyu is also nicknamed “Piano Island” due to its remarkable concentration of pianos—around 5,000 among a population of 20,000—and we explore a piano museum showcasing over 40 historic instruments, including rare and mechanical pianos. Lunch is served at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, you have free time to sample Xiamen’s vibrant street food scene, famed for fresh seafood and tropical fruits (own expense). We then return by ferry to Xiamen and transfer back to the hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for your flight to Guilin. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will welcome you and take you to Reed Flute Cave, a vast limestone cavern formed over 180 million years ago. Named after the hollow reeds growing outside that can be made into flutes, the cave was hidden for nearly a millennium before being rediscovered in the 1940s. Inside, you’ll explore a dazzling array of stalactites, stone pillars and formations illuminated to highlight their natural beauty. After lunch at a local restaurant, we visit Elephant Trunk Hill, Guilin’s iconic landmark shaped like a giant elephant dipping its trunk into the Li River. This stop is for photos only, and entrance fees are not included. We then transfer to your hotel for overnight accommodation in Guilin.

After breakfast, we embark on a scenic cruise along the Li River, widely regarded as one of China’s most stunning natural landscapes and named among the world’s top ten watery wonders by National Geographic. The journey from Zhujiang Wharf to Yangshuo Town takes around four hours, offering views of lush hills, bamboo groves, clear waters, traditional fishing boats with cormorants, and ancient riverside villages. A simple lunch is served on board. Upon arrival in Yangshuo, you have free time to explore West Street, the town’s oldest thoroughfare now bustling with shops and cafés—an ideal spot to pick up souvenirs (own expense). Later, we return by road to Guilin for the night.

After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for your flight to Shanghai. Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and driver. Lunch is at your own arrangement. In the afternoon, we visit the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Museum (closed on Mondays), a small but fascinating collection offering insight into China’s recent history through Mao-era revolutionary artworks rescued from recycling centres. Afterwards, take a stroll along the Bund, Shanghai’s iconic riverfront, where the neoclassical architecture reflects the city’s colonial past and early interactions with the West. We conclude the day with dinner at a local restaurant before returning to the hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, we drive to Yu Garden, one of Shanghai’s finest examples of Ming Dynasty garden design. Wander through its intricate pavilions and arched bridges, originally created by the Pan family, wealthy officials of the era. Adjacent to the garden is the bustling bazaar, once the City God Temple built in the 16th century, now a lively market specialising in traditional Chinese arts and crafts. Here you can browse antiques, silk fans, bamboo items, shell carvings and paintings, or sample local delicacies such as Shanghai Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), vegetarian buns and chicken soup (own expense). Next, we visit Jade Buddha Temple, an active place of worship housing renowned Buddha statues brought from Burma in the 1800s; the temple’s construction took ten years to complete. Lunch is served at a local restaurant (included). In the afternoon, take a stroll through the French Concession Quarter, known for its elegant European architecture and relaxed atmosphere. Once under French control from 1849 until 1946, this area is now one of Shanghai’s most vibrant shopping districts, reflecting a unique blend of history and modern city life. We return to the hotel for the evening.

After breakfast, we transfer to the high-speed train station for your journey to Beijing, travelling in comfortable second-class seats. Upon arrival, we visit the Temple of Heaven, located in the southeast of the city. Built in the early 15th century, this complex was where Ming and Qing emperors performed ceremonies to worship heaven and pray for a bountiful harvest. The site features distinctive architecture symbolising earth and heaven – the square-shaped Palace of Abstinence represents the earth, while the circular Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests and the Circular Mound Altar reflect the heavens. The surrounding park remains a lively space for locals practising activities such as dancing, fencing, flag waving and Tai Chi. After the visit, we transfer to the hotel for your overnight stay in Beijing.

After breakfast, meet your guide in the hotel lobby and drive to Tiananmen Square. Take a moment to absorb the square’s immense historical and cultural significance, including a view of Mao’s portrait and the mausoleum at the far end. From there, walk to the Forbidden City, the imperial palace where emperors ruled for five centuries. Explore its vast courtyards, ornate chambers, and tranquil gardens, gaining insight into the lives of emperors, empresses, concubines and eunuchs behind the towering red walls. Enjoy lunch at a local tourist restaurant. In the afternoon, visit one of Beijing’s remaining hutongs — traditional narrow alleys dating back to the Yuan dynasty — to experience authentic old Beijing life and see the classic courtyard homes known as siheyuan. Finally, visit the Buddhist Miaoying Temple, notable for its iconic White Stupa completed in 1279 under Kublai Khan’s rule. Return to the hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, we drive to Huanghuacheng, a striking section of the Great Wall known as the Yellow Flower Wall. This area offers a gentle hike along the iconic landmark, with spectacular views where the Wall descends into two lakes formed by dams built in the 1970s and 1990s. From the ramparts, you can enjoy unobstructed panoramas of the water and surrounding landscape. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, we visit the 798 Art District, a vibrant hub of contemporary art and culture housed in a former East German industrial complex from the 1950s. Since the 1990s, this area has been transformed by Chinese artists into a lively space featuring avant-garde galleries, design shops and trendy cafés. There will be time to explore and soak up the creative atmosphere before returning to the hotel for the night.

After breakfast at the hotel, enjoy some free time at your leisure before transferring to the airport for your departure flight.