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china & the himalayas
himalayan, tibetan & chinese explorer - kathmandu to xi'an
is this trip for me?
Extreme altitude and cold makes this a trip for adventurous travellers. Do not expect the itinerary to run to plan as it may well vary. We travel high passes, away from civilisation. Unique cultural experiences, both human interaction and architecturally, fantastic scenery and off beaten track travel. You must be in good health due to extreme altitude Rating: Extreme. Crew: 2 Dragoman crew, 1 Chinese and 1 Tibetan crew. Vehicle: Classic Dragoman truck. Accommodation: 40% camping 60% hotels. Mixed hotels from 4 star to local guesthouses, campsites and wildcamps.
47
4 weeks
Week 4: China & Gansu Province: · 2 night detour to the Tibetan town of Xiahe, one of the main pilgrimage sites for Tibetan Buddhists · Guided visit to the vast Buddha and cave at Bingling Si near Lanzhou · Journey off the Tibetan Plateau via the Maijishan Grottoes Final days: Xi'an: · Luxury in Xi'an, civilisation, a great hotel and guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors
what's included?
Week 1: Nepal & Tibetan Himalaya: · Wander the backstreets of medieval Kathmandu · Time in Nepal either at the beautiful mountain retreat, the Last Resort or en route acclimatising · Overland along the Friendship Highway between Kathmandu and Tingri, over passes of 5050 metres Week 2: Tibetan Plateau & Friendship Highway: · Side trip to the Rhongphuk Monastery, crossing passes of 5300 metres · Entrance to the national park and walk to Tibet's Everest Base Camp · Stopover in Shigatse and visit to Tashihunpo Monastery · Visit to the stunning town of Gyantse and the Baiju Monastery · Overland via Himalayan passes and the Scorpion Lake between Lhasa and Gyantse Week 3: Lhasa & Northern Plateau: · 3 night stay and guided tour of the main sites in Lhasa · The ultimate overland journey from Lhasa over the high passes of the Tibetan Plateau to Golmud · Journey west through the lower realms of the Tibetan Plateau to the remote Qinghai Lake
what else can I do?
· If conditions allow we may travel to Namso Lake Notes: Because of the conditions the itinerary is likely to alter. Optional train trip to Beijing p49
Go to: www.dragoman.com
for trip notes for ultimate overlands p54-57 incorporating this trip see
enter trip code: HTC
yangtze & eastern explorer - xi'an to hong kong
is this trip for me?
An off the beaten track trip but with plenty of highlights. The itinerary will vary from trip to trip because of the nature of the remote regions we are visiting. Cultural and tribal interaction and numerous sites. Expect hot and humid conditions, a fairly quick pace but with a good number of two or three night breaks. Roads can be poor at times. Rating: Moderate. Crew: 2 Dragoman crew and 1 Chinese crew. Vehicle: Classic Dragoman truck, Chinese ferry cruise boat, train. Accommodation: 100% hotels. 4 star hotels to small guesthouses but be prepared to camp so we can keep the itinerary flexible.
23 nights
Nights 19-21: Guilin District: · 3 nights to chill and discover the beautiful karst landscapes at Yangshou on the Li River · River Cruise on Li River, Yangshou Nights 22-23: Through to Hong Kong: · Overland down to the coast to the city of Guangzhou and board a train for Hong Kong · The end of the road, Hong Kong
what's included?
Nights 1-5: Xi'an & Surrounds: · Luxury in Xi'an, civilisation, a great hotel and guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors · Visit and entrance to the mountain reserve of Wudang Shan Nights 6-10: The Yangtze Valley: · 3 day Yangtze River cruise (incl. all meals) on a local ferry (top end local ferry, not cruise boat) · The cruise visits the main sites of the 3 Gorges & new Yangtze Dam Nights 11-14: Sichuan: · Side trip to see the amazing sleeping Buddha in the Dazu Caves · Visit to the Giant Panda breeding centre in Chengdu · Ferry trip down the river to see the unbelievably huge Dafo Buddha in Leshan Nights 15-18: Tribal Autonomous Regions: · Overland through remote rural Sichuan into the Miao Autonomous tribal region · Explore the Miao communities and villages around Guizhou · Journey to and time in the Dong tribal communities of Guangxi
what else can I do?
· Trek up the Tianzu Peak and visit the Taoist martial arts school and numerous temples on Wudang Shan · Day trek up the luscious mountain of Emei Shan, one of the most important pilgrimage treks in China · Go fishing with cormorants, rock climb, tube or raft down the Li River · Bike trips through the karst landscape around the Li River or perhaps Chinese lessons Notes: Please note, this trip is an exploratory for 2005 and even in 2006/2007 it should be thought of as an exploratory with an itinerary that is likely to alter. Optional train trip to the Beijing p49
Go to: www.dragoman.com
enter trip code: YEE
for trip notes
for ultimate overlands p54-57 incorporating this trip see
china & inner mongolia - xi'an to beijing
is this trip for me?
Easy comfortable lifestyle. Full on paced adventure holiday for those who want to see tourist highlights and lesser known areas of China in a short space of time. Excellent balance of main tourist sites and a journey through the China that few outsiders ever see. A real eye opener on modern day China. Rating: Easy. Crew: 2 crew and 1 Chinese crew. Vehicle: Classic Dragoman truck. Accommodation: 100% hotels. 4 star hotels to small guesthouses but be prepared to camp so we can keep the itinerary flexible.
16 nights
· Guided tour of the hugely impressive Eastern Qing Tombs · Guided visits to the Summer Palace & Forbidden City in Beijing
what's included?
Nights 1-2: Shaanxi Province: · Luxury in Xi'an, civilisation, a great hotel and guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors Nights 3-7: Gansu & Ningzia Provinces: · 2 nights to explore the stunningly beautiful Mt. Kongtong and its temples · Cross the Yellow River into the deserts and semi deserts of the north · Visit to the multi-religion Zhongwei Temple complex · Discover modern provincial Chinese urban life in the fun city of Yinchuan Nights 8-9: Inner Mongolia: · Overland via Hohhot through China's Inner Mongolia · Journey through the remarkable industrial heartland of the north, the power house of modern China Nights 10-12: Shanxi Province: · 2 nights to explore Datong's Hanging Monastery and the stunning Yungang Caves · Explore the Imperial city of Chengde, summer home to the Emperor's family Nights 13-16: Beijing & Surrounds: · Visits to the Great Wall at Jinshanling, Simatai and at Mutianyu
what else can I do?
· Try out a local Chinese adventure park on the Yellow River · Trek up the Great Wall Of China between Jinshanling and Simatai · If you hate trekking, take the cable car up onto the wall at Simatai
Go to: www.dragoman.com
enter trip code: CHM
for trip notes
for ultimate overlands p54-57 incorporating this trip see
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inbro