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cHina
25 Days
Grand China Adventure
This comprehensive journey from Beijing to Kunming is diverse and adventurous, offering out-of-the-way experiences that many travellers miss out on. You visit Datong and Pingyao, trek along a remote section of the Great Wall, hike up the holy Emei Mountain and trek Tiger Leaping Gorge.
n beijing n forbidden City n great Wall treK n datong n pingyao n Xian n terraCotta WarriorS n Chengdu n giant pandaS n leShan n eMei Shan n KunMing n dali n bai village n lijiang n tiger leaping gorge treK
Days -4/Beijing - Great Wall No activities are planned on Day 1, so you can arrive at any time. There is much to see in Chinas great capital including the Forbidden City, which reflects the former glories of the Ming and Qing Dynasties. A fantastic highlight is a trek along a remote section of the Great Wall of China, from Jinshanling to Simatai it is steep in some sections but the scenery is breathtaking. On Day 4, we catch a sleeper train to Datong. Days 5-7/Datong - Pingyao Datong was an ancient imperial capital and is renowned for the nearby Cloud Ridge Caves, home to over 5000 Buddha statues. At Pingyao, Ming Dynasty walls surround the ancient narrow streets the historic nature of the town has made it the ideal setting for many epic films, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Days 8-0/Xian - Terracotta Warriors Xian is where we visit the famous Terracotta Warriors. Dating back to before 206 BC, these life-size clay figures were constructed to guard the tomb of Chinas first emperor. In the evening of Day 10 we board the overnight sleeper train to Chengdu.
Days -2/Chengdu - Giant Pandas Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan, the province where you find the spiciest food in China. In the middle of town stands a huge statue of Mao Zedong one of the few still remaining in the country. Our visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base enables us to see these endearing yet endangered animals at close quarters. Days 3-5/Leshan - Emei Shan South of Chengdu, our trip takes us to Leshan, where we visit the worlds largest Buddha. Standing at 71 metres in height, the statue was carved out of the cliff face and overlooks the junction of the Dadu and Min Rivers. We travel on to spectacular Emei Shan where, after staying in the Wan Nian Temple, we will hike up to the Golden Summit on Emei Mountain. There is beautiful wildlife and scenery to admire on the way. Days 6-7/Kunming Yunnans capital, Kunming, exudes a relaxed atmosphere and showcases the influences of the many ethnic minority groups that live in this province. The colourful markets and delicious restaurants reflect this rich cultural diversity.
Days 8-9/Dali Set against the backdrop of the Cangshan mountain range and near to picturesque Lake Erhai, Dali is home to the Bai people. A bike ride takes us around the surrounding countryside and enables us to visit the charming villages around the lake. Day 20/Lijiang Lijiang is home to the Naxi minority people. Its Old Town is exquisite, with narrow streets, historic wooden buildings and quaint canals fed by waters that have come off the snow-capped Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Days 2-23/Tiger Leaping Gorge During the next three days we get some exercise, as we trek along the scenic trails of Tiger Leaping Gorge. Below us lie the rushing waters of the Jinsha River (actually the upper reaches of the Yangtze River), as we follow the ridges from one spectacular viewpoint to another. Days 24-25/Kunming Returning to Kunming by train, we enjoy a final night out together before our adventure finishes.
Trip info
Prices: See inside cover.
Group size: Maximum 15. Grade: Active. Transport: bus, on foot, sleeper train, train, trek. Accommodation: 5 nights sleeper train, 8 nights guesthouse, 11 nights hotel. Meals: 2 breakfasts. Local payment: Your tour leader will collect US$350 from each person on Day 1. Want more? Link this trip with another Geckos adventure: Mountains & Mekong. Tour Code: GTGA. Further Info & Trip Notes: www.geckosadventures.co.uk/trips/gtga
Starts Fri 2007 05-Oct Finishes 2008 Mon 04-Apr 28-Apr 09-May 02-Jun 29-Oct 06-Jun 30-Jun 11-Jul 29-Aug 12-Sep 03-Oct 04-Aug 22-Sep 06-Oct 27-Oct 2009 03-Apr 27-Apr
BROX RIVERS LAKES LAND SEA TRIP1 TRIP2 TRIP3 BORDERS
Beijing Datong Pingyao
CHINA
Xian
Chengdu e R. Yangtz Tiger Emei Shan Leshan Leaping Gorge Lijiang Dali Kunming Grand China Adventure
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