Essential China From Hong Kong

Your first evening ends with Hong Kong's lights coming on below Victoria Peak. Make your own way to the hostel, drop your bags and meet your tour leader and group. We then take the Star Ferry and ride the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak for sunset, stopping at the Avenue of Stars and its tributes to Hong Kong cinema along the way.

The evening ends at Temple Street Night Market, where neon signs hang over food stalls and trinket sellers. Your tour leader can point you towards a good spot for a late dinner.

Hong Kong - Guilin - Yangshuo. Skyscrapers give way to limestone peaks, rivers and farmland today. This morning you head to West Kowloon Station for the high-speed train to Guilin, crossing into mainland China. From Guilin, you continue to Yangshuo and check in to your guesthouse, with mountain views all around. After the density of Hong Kong, the change of pace is immediate. The evening is free to join the group for dinner or wander the town.

Optional: Liu Sanjie Light Show

A large outdoor performance staged against the river and surrounding mountains.

Yangshuo is best seen slowly, and today is yours to spend as you like. Rice paddies and karst peaks start right at the edge of town, so even a short wander takes you into the countryside. Your tour leader is on hand with ideas, and two optional activities get you closer to everyday life here.

Optional: Chinese Cooking Class

Learn to make a few traditional dishes, pick up some kitchen skills and sit down to eat what you have cooked.

Optional: Village Farm Visit & Dinner

Leave the town streets behind for an afternoon on a local farm, seeing day-to-day rural life up close, followed by dinner.

Rice fields slide past on either side as we pedal out of town this morning, with karst peaks rising above the villages. Partway along, we swap the bikes for bamboo rafts and drift down the Yulong River, a slow and quiet way to see the valley from the water. The afternoon and evening are free to rest, explore the town or join one of the optional activities.

Optional: Moon Hill, Cave Complex & Mud Baths

Cycle out to Moon Hill for the climb, then head underground at a nearby cave complex with mud baths.

Optional: KTV, Night Out or Traditional Hot Cupping

Round off the day with karaoke or a night out with the group, or try traditional Chinese hot cupping.

Yangshuo - Zhangjiajie. One last morning among Yangshuo's peaks, then the journey turns north. There is time for a final activity before you travel by bus and high-speed train to Zhangjiajie, arriving in the evening to check in to your hostel. Get an early night, as the next two days are spent among the sandstone pillars of the national park.

Optional: Rock Climbing

Clip in on Yangshuo's limestone and see the countryside from the rock face..

Towering sandstone pillars come into view as the cable car climbs Tianzi Mountain this morning. Today we head into Zhangjiajie National Park and ride up for wide views across the park, looking out for formations such as Warrior Taming Horse Rock and the Western Sea. From there, we leave the main trail for quieter viewpoints, following forest paths between the pillars to remote lookouts. Later, we reach Yuanjiajie, whose landscapes helped inspire the film Avatar, before taking the elevator back down.

The day starts high above Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, on one of the longest glass bridges in the world. After stepping out over the gorge, you can walk down into the canyon (around 1.5 to 2 hours) or take the elevator at no extra cost, before we spend a couple of hours hiking between its steep cliffs. To finish, we head underground at Yellow Dragon Cave, travelling by boat through lit chambers of stalactites and stalagmites in one of the longest karst cave systems in the world.

Optional: Elevator & Zip Line

For a quicker way down into the Grand Canyon, combine the elevator with a zip line ride, booked on the spot.

Zhangjiajie - Chongqing. Chongqing is best seen from the river after dark. Today you travel to Chongqing, the biggest city in China and home to more than 32 million people. After checking in to your hostel, we head out on a Yangtze River cruise, with bridges, towers and riverside lights stretching out around us. Back on land, we finish at Hongya Cave, where the buildings glow along the riverside, with plenty of places nearby for dinner.

From monorails to air-raid shelters, Chongqing rewards a day of exploring, and today is free. Your tour leader runs two optional outings, and in the evening the Guanyinqiao area is the place to head for bars and nightlife.

Optional: Liziba Station, Air-Raid Shelters & People's Great Hall

Watch the monorail pass straight through a residential building at Liziba Station, head into the city's former air-raid shelters, then stop at the People's Great Hall.

Optional: Chaotianmen Dock, River Confluence & Eling Park

See where the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers meet at Chaotianmen Dock, then walk up through Eling Park for views across the city.

Chongqing - Chengdu. Pandas, spicy food and a famously laid-back pace are waiting in Chengdu. Today you take the train there and check in to your hostel, with the rest of the day free to settle in. Take it easy, find something to eat and ease into your first evening in the city.

Optional: People's Park & Kuanzhai Alley

Join your tour leader for a wander through People's Park and the lanes of Kuanzhai Alley, picking up local snacks along the way.

Chengdu's most famous residents fill the morning. We visit the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centre to see the pandas up close, from playful youngsters to very relaxed adults. Back in the city, your tour leader runs an included Mandarin lesson, a chance to pick up useful phrases and have a laugh putting them to the test.

Optional: Sichuan Opera & Culture Show

A colourful evening of music, performance and local tradition.

Chengdu's food and its giant Buddha are the pull today, with the day free to spend as you like. In the evening, the city's nightlife is worth a look, and your tour leader can suggest where to start.

Optional: Leshan Buddha Day Trip

Travel out to Leshan to see the largest stone Buddha in the world, carved into the cliffs above the river.

Optional: Sichuan Hot Pot Dinner

Gather round a bubbling pot, choose your ingredients and see how much spice you can handle.

Chengdu - Xi'an. Silk Road history runs through the streets of Xi'an, one of the most historic cities in China. Today you take the train there and check in to your hostel, with the rest of the day free to settle in or join an optional outing.

Optional: Ming Dynasty City Walls Bike Ride

Cycle along the top of Xi'an's ancient city walls for a different view over the old city.

Optional: Bell & Drum Towers, Muslim Quarter & Street Food Dinner

Visit the Bell and Drum Towers, then walk through the Muslim Quarter for Silk Road history and street food, finishing with a stroll around the nearby Silk Road Market.

Today we come face to face with the Terracotta Warriors, the army created for China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Rows of life-sized soldiers, horses and chariots stand in formation, as they have for more than 2,000 years. Back in Xi'an, the rest of the day is free. In the evening, you could head to the Big Goose Pagoda, where a music and light show plays out across the square.

Xi'an - Dengfeng. Today ends with a lesson from a Shaolin master. You travel to Dengfeng, home to one of the most famous martial arts traditions in China. On arrival, we visit a local kung fu school run by a master from the Shaolin Temple. You learn some basic moves, then watch a live demonstration of the speed and control the discipline demands. In the evening, there is another included Mandarin lesson, followed by a pub quiz to test your new vocabulary.

The Shaolin Temple and the mountains around it are close at hand, and today is free to visit them. Your tour leader offers a choice of optional days out. The evening is yours to rest and eat well before an early start tomorrow.

Optional: Shaolin Temple & Dharma Cave Hike

Visit the Shaolin Temple, the birthplace of kung fu, then hike up to Dharma Cave, a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

Optional: Sanhuangzhai Geopark

Continue from Dharma Cave by cable car up to Sanhuangzhai Geopark for mountain views over the landscape around Shaolin.

Optional: Longmen Grottoes

Pair your Shaolin Temple visit with the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where thousands of Buddhist carvings and statues are cut into the cliffs.

Dengfeng - Beijing. Tonight, weather permitting, you sleep beside the Great Wall. It is an early start as you travel north towards Beijing, then on to the Wall. Leave your main luggage behind and pack a small overnight bag. We hike a quieter section, with far fewer people and wide views across the mountains. As the sun sets, we settle in for a night of camping on the Wall itself, with a Mandarin lesson before bed. If the weather turns, you stay in a guesthouse close to the Wall instead.

Please note: Camping on the Great Wall is only available from 1 May to 30 September. Outside these dates, you stay at a nearby guesthouse.

If you have camped, you wake to sunrise over the mountains and the Wall before heading back into Beijing. The rest of the day is free. You could spend the afternoon in the 798 Art District, walk the grounds of the Summer Palace, or follow your tour leader's suggestions. After two big days, it is also a good evening to slow down.

Please note: The sunrise hike is part of the Great Wall camping experience, so it only runs when camping is available. If you stay at the guesthouse, you have a slower start before continuing to Beijing.

Beijing's imperial past is never far away, and today is free to explore it. Your tour leader can help you plan the day around the optional activities, from palace grounds to an evening of acrobatics and a duck dinner.

Optional: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City & Jingshan Park

Walk from Tiananmen Square into the Forbidden City for centuries of imperial history, then climb Jingshan Park for views across the capital.

Optional: Chinese Acrobatics & Circus Show

An evening of high-energy acrobatics and circus skills.

Optional: Peking Roast Duck Dinner

Try Beijing's most famous dish with the group.

Beijing - Hangzhou. Your last day in Beijing ends with a night on the rails. The day is free until the evening, when you head to the station for the overnight train to Hangzhou. Grab your bunk, get comfortable and wake up somewhere new.

Optional: Markets & Temple of Heaven

Browse Beijing's well-known fake goods markets, then visit the Temple of Heaven.

Optional: Nanluo Hutong District

Wander the hutongs and traditional courtyards around Nanluo, now filled with cafes, bars and small handicraft shops.

West Lake is your first proper look at Hangzhou. You arrive in the morning and head to the hostel for a late breakfast. We then visit the lake and take a boat out to one of its islands, an unhurried way to take in the views. Later, we hike up Jiuyao Mountain to watch the sun set over the city, before the evening is yours.

Optional: China National Tea Museum or China National Silk Museum

Learn about two of the products Hangzhou is best known for.

Optional: Dinner & Hefang Road

Round off the day with dinner and a walk along Hefang Road, one of the best-known historic streets in Hangzhou, full of shops and snacks.

Hangzhou - Shanghai. Leafy trails through tea country set a gentle pace this morning. We walk the Nine Creeks of Misty Woods, in the heart of Longjing tea country. Back at the hostel, there is time to freshen up and have lunch before you take the train to Shanghai. You arrive in time to check in and settle in.

Optional: Huangpu River Night Cruise

See the Shanghai skyline lit up from the water on an evening cruise along the Huangpu River.

Shanghai moves fast, and today is yours to keep up with it. The day starts with a Mandarin lesson with your tour leader, your last chance to sharpen your phrases. After that, the city is yours, with gardens, waterfront walks and rooftop views all within reach.

Optional: Yu Gardens

Visit Yu Gardens, then wander the old family quarters and historic streets nearby.

Optional: People's Square, West Nanjing Road, The Bund & Vue Bar

Take in People's Square and the shops of Nanjing Road, walk the Bund waterfront, then head up to Vue Bar for sunset over the skyline.

Optional: Shanghai Pub Crawl

See what the city's nightlife has to offer with the group.

Today is completely free, with as much or as little of Shanghai as you like. You could spend it at Shanghai Disneyland or the Shanghai Museum, browse Moganshan Art Street, or head out to the waterfront around Zhujiajiao. If you would rather shop, the Shanghai fake goods market is a good place to test your bargaining skills. However you spend it, it is a chance to see more of the city before tomorrow's walk.

Shanghai's past and future sit side by side on today's walk. We start in the former French Concession for a look at the city's international history, then visit the Propaganda History Museum and the narrow lanes of Tianzifang, filled with artisan shops. From there, we move on to the ultra-modern financial district and go up the Jinmao Tower to its indoor viewing platform for views across Shanghai. The evening is free, but keep it sensible, as tomorrow is an early start.

Optional: Jinmao Tower Skywalk

Step out onto the Skywalk, high above the city.

Please note: The Skywalk must be booked before you travel.

Shanghai - Nanjing. Tea hills replace skyscrapers today. It is an early start as you take the bullet train to Nanjing County in Fujian, then continue into the rolling tea-growing countryside. Tonight you stay in a traditional Fujian mudhouse among local Hakka communities, a quiet contrast to the pace of Shanghai. The evening is relaxed, with time to unwind before a busy day tomorrow.

Optional: Movies, Karaoke or Mandarin Practice

Put your feet up with a film, try karaoke, or practise your Mandarin with local people.

Circular earthen homes rise out of the tea fields as we set out on foot today. We walk through traditional villages to the UNESCO-listed Hakka roundhouses, stepping inside these communal homes to learn about Hakka life and the slower rhythm of rural Fujian. Later, we join a traditional tea ceremony and tasting, with time to buy tea to take home. Weather permitting, we also walk higher into the hills past the tea plantations for wider views of the countryside.

We spend today on bikes, riding past villages and tea fields to one of the largest Hakka roundhouses in the region. Inside, we climb to the upper floors for a closer look at how families have lived together here for generations. Afterwards, we ride on to a nearby village to see more of everyday rural life before returning to the mudhouse for the night.

Nanjing - Zhangzhou - Hong Kong. The loop comes full circle today. This morning you travel to Zhangzhou Station and take the bullet train back to Hong Kong, crossing the border and arriving at West Kowloon, where your tour ends. If you are staying on, head back to the Avenue of Stars in the evening for the Symphony of Lights, one of the largest permanent light and sound shows in the world. After four weeks of pandas, mountains, night trains and kung fu, it is time to say goodbye to your group.