Hong Kong to Chengdu

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. This afternoon, we cross the harbour by 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.

As evening sets in, we head to Temple Street Night Market for an introduction from your tour leader. Browse the stalls, grab some food and stay as long as you like before making your own way back to the hostel.

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, a private bus takes you on to Yangshuo, where you check in to your guesthouse with mountain views all around. 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.

Please note: The light show is weather dependent. If it cannot run tonight, there may be another chance during your stay.

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 selection of local dishes this morning, then sit down to eat the results.

Optional: Village Farm Visit & Dinner

Swap the town for the countryside this afternoon, spending time on a local farm for a glimpse of rural life around Yangshuo, 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 traditional 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

Head out to Moon Hill and a nearby cave complex, with the option to add mud baths and hot springs.

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 board the high-speed train to Zhangjiajie and check in to your hostel on arrival. Get an early night, as the next two days are spent among the sandstone pillars of the national park.

Optional: Rock Climbing

Spend the morning climbing among Yangshuo's limestone landscapes and see the countryside from the rock face.

Towering sandstone pillars come into view as the cable car climbs Tianzi Mountain this morning. 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 follow the quieter trails around Laowuchang, hiking through the forest to remote viewpoints where pillars rise straight from the landscape and rice fields sit perched high among the peaks. We finish at Yuanjiajie, whose landscapes helped inspire the film Avatar, before taking the elevator back down

The day starts high above Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon, on a 430-metre glass bridge hanging more than 300 metres above the ground. 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 around two hours hiking between its cliffs and rock formations.

This afternoon, we head underground at Yellow Dragon Cave, travelling by boat through enormous lit chambers of stalactites and stalagmites in one of the longest karst cave systems in the world.

Optional: Zip Line at Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon

For a quicker way down into the canyon, add 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 and freshening up, we head out on a Yangtze River cruise, taking in the skyline and riverside views from the water. Back on land, we finish at Hongya Cave, where the stacked buildings glow after dark, 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 you can make your own way to Guanyinqiao, one of the city's most popular nightlife areas.

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 underground 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 over the city.

Chongqing - Chengdu. Pandas, spicy food and a famously laid-back pace are waiting in Chengdu. Today you travel there by train and metro, a journey of around four hours, and check in to your hostel. The rest of the day is free to settle in and ease into the city.

Optional: People's Park & Kuanzhai Alley

Join your tour leader for a wander through People's Park and the historic lanes of Kuanzhai Alley, one of the most popular local hangouts in Chengdu.

Chengdu's most famous residents fill the morning. We visit the Giant Panda Breeding and Research Centre, wandering the leafy grounds to watch pandas climb, snack on bamboo and lounge around, and with luck spot some of the younger residents too. We also learn about the centre's conservation and breeding work. This afternoon, your tour leader runs an included Mandarin lesson, a chance to pick up a few useful words and phrases.

Optional: Sichuan Opera & Culture Show

A traditional evening of Sichuan opera and local culture.

Please note: The Sichuan Opera & Culture Show must be booked before you travel.

Your final full day is yours to shape, with Chengdu's giant Buddha and its famous hot pot both on offer. In the evening, the city has plenty happening after dark, so head out independently and make the most of your last night with the group.

Optional: Leshan Buddha Day Trip

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

Optional: Sichuan Hot Pot Dinner

Gather round a bubbling pot, choose what goes in and find out where your spice tolerance really stands.

Thirteen days after the lights of Victoria Peak, the journey comes to an end. Say goodbye to your tour leader and group before checking out of the hostel, where your tour ends. You are free to make your own onward travel arrangements.