Beijing to Shanghai

Meet your guide for a tour of the city, taking in Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. You’ll take a cyclo-rickshaw tour of the historic hutong district and visit a local family to learn more about their traditions and customs. The next day, walk along a section of the Great Wall of China, soaking up the views, then tuck in to a delicious dinner of traditional Peking duck.

Fly on to Xian and circumnavigate the city along the ancient walls, giving you a bird’s eye view of everyday life on the streets below. Take a tour of the life-sized Terracotta Warriors, found by accident in the 1970s. The warriors stand guard at the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang, who died over 2,000 years ago. Join your guide for a walking tour of the Muslim Quarter, exploring the markets and tasting the local snacks.

Board your flight to Chengdu and visit the Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Gaze into the eyes of the loveable and lazy giant panda, the national emblem of China, and its lesser-known cousin the red panda, and if you’re lucky, have a look around the panda nursery. Back in town, call in at the Shu Brocade and Embroidery Museum and learn about fabric production. You can purchase some of the crafts on sale here if you wish, if you haven’t already bought a life-sized replica terracotta warrior that is!

Set off on a three-night cruise on the Yangtze River, taking in the impressive and controversial Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric dam in the world at 2,335 metres long and 185 metres high. The Yangtze River winds for 3,915 miles from Tanggula in Tibet to the East China Sea near Shanghai. Sail gently through the spectacular three gorges of Wu, Qutang and Xiling, stopping to visit Fengdu Ghost City and the Shibaozhai Temple on the way.

Fly on to Shanghai and take a stroll along the atmospheric Bund, dotted with street stalls and entertainers, plus locals out for a jaunt by the river. Admire the mixture of modern and traditional architecture with a relaxing boat cruise on the Huangpu River and take a look around a silk museum, where you’ll learn how this material is made and have the opportunity to buy some as a souvenir.