Meet & Greet: On arrival in Beijing, you will be met by your guide and driver and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon guided tour of Beihai Park and the Hutongs: This afternoon, you will start your tour of Beijing with a visit to Beihai Park, which at one time was the site of Kubali Khan’s royal palace. Nowadays the park has a couple of interesting temples and is dominated by a large lake, making it a scenic retreat away from the hustle and bustle of central Beijing. Please note entrance to the pagoda within the park is optional and paid locally. Afterwards, you will take a cyclo tour of the fascinating Hutongs. Mostly built during the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, hutongs are the narrow network of lanes created by closely built quadrangular homes in the city's inner areas. These are a fast disappearing sight as Beijing's city developers move in to modernise these areas.

Evening Peking Duck Dinner: This evening, enjoy dinner at a renowned Peking duck restaurant. The hallmark bird is a crispy duck served with plum (or garlic) sauce, scallions and pancakes. Also carved up is the skin of the duck, served with sugar, an old imperial favourite.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Dinner

Morning tour of Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City & Jingshan Park: This morning, your tour starts on Tiananmen Square, were you will be able to take in the panorama of the largest public square in the world. It is through here that you will enter the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City is the largest and most complete group of ancient buildings in China. Built in the 15th century, the Imperial Palace was a forbidden area for 500 years before the revolution of 1911. It was home to two royal dynasties, the Ming and Qing emperors and it is from this palace that the emperors governed China, stepping out of its confines extremely rarely. After touring the Forbidden City you will climb up Coal Hill in nearby Jingshan Park from where you can get a great view over the Imperial City. Afterwards, enjoy lunch in a local restaurant.

Afternoon visit to Tea Street: After lunch, your guide will take you to Tea Street (Maliandao) to see tea shops and learn about the art of tea broking. You will have a chance to try some of the huge variety of tea on offer and maybe make a purchase if you find one you like.

Evening visit to Wangfujing’s ‘Snack Street’: Early evening, you will arrive at Wangfujing Street which is famous for its shopping. It also famous for a variety of stalls that are set up each evening offering exotic snacks such as deep fried grasshopper, crispy scorpion and Beijing noodles. You will choose and pay for food locally.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Full day tour to the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu: Stretching from the Gobi desert to the Yellow Sea, this is the largest man made structure on earth and is an amazing feat of engineering, labour and sacrifice. The original wall was begun 2,000 years ago when China was unified under Emperor Qin Shi Huang to keep out marauding nomads. The construction used hundreds of thousands of political prisoners and an estimated 180 million cubic metres of packed earth. Two hours’ drive from Beijing, Mutianyu is further out than some of the more developed and more crowded parts of the Wall. Visitors here see the collection of watchtowers and ramparts that rest on the mountain ridges, offering views of the Great Wall as it snakes across the skyline far into the distance. Lunch will be served in a local restaurant. You will return to Beijing late afternoon.

Evening Mutton Hot Pot Dinner: This evening dinner will be served at Donglaishun Mutton Restaurant where you will try mutton slices cooked in a hot pot. This is a famous Mongolian dish that was brought to Beijing in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 – 1368) and made popular in Qing Dynasty (1644 – 1911).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Shichahai Shadow Art Performance Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Private transfer: This morning, you will be met by your guide and transferred to the railway station in time for the high-speed train to Xi’an.

High-speed train journey from Beijing to Xi’an: Board the high-speed G655 train from Beijing to Xi’an. The train departs at 09.43 and arrives at 15.31.

Private transfer: On arrival in Xi’an, you will be met at the railway station by your guide and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon cycling tour of Xi’an’s ancient City Walls: This afternoon, you will be taken to the City Walls for a gentle cycling tour. The Walls form a circumference of 14km and on each side is a gateway and watchtowers. Most sections of the wall have been restored or even rebuilt and it stands at 12 metres high, offering great views of the city.

Evening visit to the Muslim Quarter: This evening, you will pay a visit to the colourful Muslim Quarter. Here there are a great many local restaurants to choose from or you may prefer to try some of the local street food. You will choose and pay for food locally.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Noble Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning cooking class with a local family: This morning, your guide will pick you up from your hotel and you will visit one of the nearby markets to see local produce being bought and sold. Afterwards you will join a local family to learn some of the art of cooking in Shaanxi Province. You will learn to make hand-pulled noodles and a couple of other home cooked recipes. Once you have prepared all the food you will sit down with the family to sample the dishes you have created.

Afternoon visit to the Terracotta Warriors: This afternoon, leave the city for the site of the Terracotta Warriors. In 1974 a peasant digging a well came upon what now stands as one of the main attractions in China and one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century. An army of thousands of life-sized warriors and their horses in battle formation, which were buried for 2,000 years, stand guard over the tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang. The figures were buried with artefacts and weapons of the day and every figure differs in facial features and expressions. The dig is still in progress, as it is believed that the site is part of an even larger army still buried underground.

Evening Dumpling Dinner and Tang Dynasty Show: This evening, you will have a special dumpling dinner followed by a colourful performance of traditional music and dance from the Tang Dynasty era at the Shaanxi Grand Theatre.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Grand Noble Hotel (Superior Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Private transfer: This morning, you will be met by your guide and transferred to the railway station in time for your high-speed train to Chengdu.

High-speed train journey from Xi’an to Chengdu: Board the high-speed D1917 train from Xi’an to Chengdu. The train departs at 09.00 and arrives at 12.28.

Private transfer: On arrival in Chengdu, you will be met and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Sichuan cuisine lunch: After checking in, you will head to a local restaurant to try the famous Sichuan food. In Sichuan province they are famous of their liberal use of chilli so if you like spicy food you are in for a treat. However there are many dishes that are not ‘fire crackers’ and suitable for more demure palates.

Afternoon visit to Chengdu People’s Park & Jinli Street: This afternoon start your tour of Chengdu at Renmin Park where you can watch locals enjoying this scenic open space in the heart of the city. Sample the tranquil atmosphere and stop to enjoy a cup of green tea in one of the tea houses there. At the end of the afternoon, you will make a stop to see Jinli Street which is a popular place for locals and tourists alike to have a drink or something to eat. There are a large number of restaurants and local stalls offering regional dishes and drinks. You will choose and pay for your food locally.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Buddha Zen Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Morning visit to Chengdu’s Giant Panda Research Centre: It is estimated that there are between just 700 and 1,000 pandas left in the wild. Writings about the panda can be traced back 3,000 years, and they were once believed to have magical powers that could ward off evil spirits. It is extremely difficult to see Pandas in the wild nowadays. The breeding station has been in operation since 1990 and the best time to visit is in the morning around feeding when they are at their most active. For the rest of the day, the Panda's main activity is sleeping. You will have lunch at Wide & Narrow Alley which is an old street which dates back to the Qing Dynasty.

Afternoon visit to Wuhou Memorial Temple & Hotpot dinner: This afternoon, you will visit the Wuhou Memorial Temple, one of the most famous temples in Chengdu, which is notable for its size (37,000 square metres) and famous for a large stele dating back to 809AD. After the sightseeing you will head to a local restaurant to try one of the most famous dishes in Sichuan Province - hotpot. Hotpot consists of a pot of warm broth (half spicy and half not spicy) which you cook meat and vegetable in. Simple but definitely a local favourite.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Buddha Zen Hotel (Deluxe Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Private transfer: This morning, you will be met by your guide and transferred to the airport in time to check in for the flight to Guilin.

Flight: CA4323 Chengdu - Guilin 07.35 - 09.15

Private transfer: On arrival in Guilin, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel to check in.

Afternoon visit to the Guilin Tea Institute: This afternoon, visit the Guilin Tea Science and Research Institute, originally a royal tea garden in the Ming Dynasty 400 years ago. Founded in 1965, the institute includes a plantation of around 40 hectares with rich and fertile soil growing 250 different tea plants. Over 300 varieties of tea seed genes from 5 provinces of South-western China are stored here. Most of the teas produced here are hand manufactured in the traditional way and there is a shop selling a variety of teas that make a great gift to take home.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Aroma Tea House (Garden View Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Cruise to Yangshuo on the River Li: Depart Guilin on a leisurely 4 hour cruise down the picturesque Li River. There is stunning scenery on the way as your boat meanders between the dramatic forested peaks and past bamboo fishing villages. This is one of the most enchanting river journeys in China with great photo opportunities along the way. A packed lunch will be provided on board.

Afternoon guided exploration of Yangshuo: On arrival in Yangshuo, you will be met at the jetty by your guide and taken for a walk down West Street, which is the main street in this charming town, before being taken to your hotel in the countryside to check in.

Beer Fish dinner: Tonight you will try a popular local favourite, Beer Fish, in one of Yangshuo’s restaurants. The fish, usually carp, comes from the nearby Li River and is sometimes caught by cormorants. The beer is brewed locally in Guilin and the other ingredients are grown by the local farmers in the fields around the town. The combination makes for a tasty dinner.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (River View Room)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Morning cooking class: The Yangshuo Cooking School offers you the opportunity to learn how to cook real Chinese food in a traditional setting. The School is located in the village of Chao Long, about 3 miles from the popular town of Yangshuo. Chao Long is a traditional farming village and the school itself is housed in a renovated mud brick farmhouse. You will be taken shopping in the local markets to learn about the ingredients used in the dishes. After cooking five dishes, you will eat the meal together and informally explore Chinese culture and customs.

Afternoon bamboo rafting on the Yulong River: This afternoon, you will head down to the river to take a scenic rafting trip down the Yulong River. Bamboo trees sway in the breeze and line the banks of the river. Afterwards, return to your hotel for an evening at leisure.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Yangshuo Mountain Retreat (River View Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Private transfer: After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel and driven back to Guilin’s railway station.

High-speed train: Take the high-speed train G2901 from Guilin to Shenzhen. The train departs at 10.58 and arrives at 14.03.

Private transfer to Hong Kong: You will be met at the station in Shenzhen by a driver-guide and transferred by road to your hotel in Hong Kong, a journey of around 1.5 hours (excluding the time it takes to clear the Chinese border formalities).

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Metropark Hotel Kowloon (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast

Hong Kong Street food tour: This morning, you will be picked up from the hotel and driven to the old Central area, the first developed part of Hong Kong. Here you will find the mid-level escalator, one of the landmarks of Hong Kong, which will take you through an area important for local food culture. You will see a famous pharmacy, with over a hundred years of history, which sells many different kinds of Chinese herbal tea. Nearby in Lan Fong Yuen you will see a very old coffee shop on a side street side that is simple but very well loved by the locals. You will also see small restaurants offering egg tarts, won ton noodles, congee and other typical dishes that will illustrate what a passion for food the people of Hong Kong have. Afterwards you will visit Victoria Peak and enjoy a wonderful panoramic view of Hong Kong. Later drive to the Mongkok area which is renowned as the best place for ‘street food’ and snacks. You will see the colourful street food beautifully presented in the front of the snacks shops and the dishes you will see are likely to include fish ball, beef offal with XO sauce, barbecue food, sticky rice, mango desert with sago, as well as hundreds of other tasty morsels. Lunch will be specially arranged at a local Hong Kong style tea bistro so that you can try some of the flavours of Hong Kong. After lunch, you will be transferred back to the hotel.

Accommodation: Stay tonight at the Metropark Hotel Kowloon (Standard Room)

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Day at leisure: Today you are free to explore independently. This would be a good time to take a trip around Hong Kong Harbour on the famous Star Ferry.  You may also wish to take the funicular railway to Victoria Peak to admire views from the top. Alternatively, you may wish to explore some of the outer islands and it is easy to take a ferry to Lamma Island or Lantau Island, where you can find the Tian Tan Buddha which is also known as Big Buddha due to its colossal size (34m high).

Private transfer: This evening, you will be picked up from the hotel and transferred to the airport in time to check in for your flight back to London Heathrow with British Airways.

Flight: BA26 Hong Kong - London Heathrow 23.30 - 04.50 (overnight)

Meals: Breakfast