China Great Wall & Warriors Explorer

Welcome to Beijing, where our journey begins. Complimentary arrival transfers bring you to Blossom House Beijing Houhai, a refined courtyard hideaway beside historic lakes. If you arrive early, you can join a paper-cutting workshop (prebook on request), a 1,500-year-old folk art shaping intricate designs that express symbolism, ritual and everyday life. As night falls, we meet our Signature Guide for a welcome reception and dinner at Hemu Gui within the 700-year-old Hong’en Temple – Beijing’s celebrated roast duck and creative interpretations of local cuisine set the tone, framed by evocative, centuries-old architecture.

We step into the Forbidden City as the gates open, crossing the Golden Water Bridges to enter the vast imperial complex that shaped China’s political and ceremonial life for centuries. With a specialist guide we explore the Eastern Route, from magnificent palaces and halls to the beautifully restored Qianlong Garden – a secluded retreat of pavilions, corridors and courtyards where lacquered interiors, silk murals and poetic inscriptions reveal an emperor’s vision for life beyond the throne. Later, we stand in Tiananmen Square before leaving the capital for the mountains; by evening, the Great Wall traces distant ridges and we settle into our hotel for a dumpling-making dinner with a local family.

We step onto one of the most atmospheric stretches of the Great Wall at Jinshanling, setting out from the East Gate along watchtowers and stone steps that rise across the ridgeline, with sweeping views over the surrounding hills. At Xiliang Brick Tower, local farmers serve a freshly prepared lunch – a simple yet memorable meal enjoyed high above the valleys. After a restorative afternoon at the hotel, you may choose to continue to the wilder Gubeikou section for a second, optional hike, before we sit down to a home-cooked feast at the guesthouse of Mr Zhou, a longtime Jinshanling resident who shares insight into village life at the Wall’s foot.

A short drive brings us to the Simatai section of the Great Wall, one of the few stretches to retain its original Ming character, known for dramatic watchtowers, rugged mountain scenery and far-reaching valley views. We ascend by cable car then continue on foot at a relaxed pace between watchtowers, following one of the Wall’s most rewarding routes without tackling its steepest climbs, before gathering for lunch at a local restaurant. Later, we return to Jinshanling as a village official explains how nearby communities helped protect and rebuild this section in the late 20th century, and as the light softens a Tai Chi master introduces the graceful movements of this centuries-old practice. In the evening, we join a local chef at our hotel for a live cooking demonstration that reveals the techniques behind classic Chinese dishes.

Leaving the mountains, we travel to Beigou village near Mutianyu, where we are welcomed into the home of a village elder whose stories trace the profound changes witnessed across a lifetime in rural China. Lunch follows at the Brickyard, a heritage hotel within a once-abandoned glazed-tile factory, where we share a generous meal shaped by northern Chinese home cooking – the perfect moment for a hearty feast as only a light dinner is available this evening. Afterwards, we continue to Beijing’s Qinghe station to board the train to Pingyao, transfer to the Old Town and take an electric shuttle to our courtyard hotel, arriving late in the evening.

Today is your Signature Day, offering authentic, curated ways to connect with Chinese culture: you could visit the fortified manors of Liang Village before meeting lacquer master Geng Baoguo, guardian of Pingyao’s 1,200-year lacquer tradition; you could walk Pingyao’s ancient city wall and banking halls, then enter the Confucian Temple and county yamen to understand imperial governance; you could shape coloured dough into symbolic figures during a hands-on Mian Su workshop, learning the meanings of zodiac animals, blessings and longevity; or you could visit the Wang Family Courtyard, a vast complex of Ming and Qing residences where carved gateways, halls and courtyards reveal elite clan life. By evening we gather again for a tea ceremony introducing China’s black and green teas before dinner featuring Pingyao’s famed sliced noodles.

We board the fast train to Xi’an, once the capital of 13 dynasties and a crossroads of the Silk Road. After lunch, we walk the Ming-era city wall for views over tiled rooftops and lively avenues, then enter the Muslim Quarter where the Great Mosque reflects centuries of cultural exchange between China and the Islamic world. Dinner explores sophisticated Shaanxi cuisine at 13 Dynasties Restaurant, and we retire to our Signature Stay – the historic Sofitel Legend People’s Grand Hotel.

We encounter one of archaeology’s greatest discoveries – the Terracotta Army of Emperor Qin Shi Huang – in the company of senior archaeologist Mr Shen, stepping into vast excavation halls where thousands of life-sized soldiers stand in silent formation, each face, armour and stance individually crafted more than two millennia ago. Lunch is served nearby at a family-run restaurant before we return to Xi’an and you enjoy a relaxed afternoon. This evening, we gather for a farewell dinner at Ming Jia, celebrating Shaanxi’s culinary traditions and reflecting on the remarkable journey we have shared.

After breakfast, we take a moment to reflect on the journey – from imperial palaces and ancient city walls to quiet villages and the mountain ridges of the Great Wall. Your complimentary transfer takes you to the airport for onward travel, and if you have time before departure you can linger over tea or take a final stroll through Xi’an’s historic streets. This chapter may have come to an end, but China has countless more stories waiting to unfold.