-
Day 1
Hong Kong to Yangshuo
Nihao! Welcome to Hong Kong, home to the greatest number of skyscrapers in the world! This morning we will meet in the lobby at 10 am and head to the station for the fast train to Guilin from where it is a 2-hour public bus journey to the rural resort town of Yangshuo set within a dramatic limestone karst landscape. Later take an orientation walk together with the guide.
Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 2
Bicycle tour through Yangshuo countryside
Yangshuo offers excellent opportunities for biking and hiking. After breakfast head out of town on bikes to cycle through the surrounding countryside and gain an insight into China’s rural life and marvel at the surroundings. Each turn in the road reveals another picture-postcard view. Stop at Moon Hill, one of the most popular attractions in Yangshuo, easily recognizable by its crescent-moon-shaped natural arch. If you’d like a challenge you can ascend to the summit via a steep and rough path, for which you will be rewarded with spectacular vistas.
Stop for lunch at the house of our local friends and savor a tasty meal made from locally grown produce. Then, ride back to town and enjoy an evening at your leisure - have a big night out or explore a local market.
Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 3
Yangshuo optional activities
A free day to explore Yangshuo. You may start your morning by joining a Tai Chi class with a local Master. After that,
you might choose to take a cooking class or visit a local farmers' market where you can get a feel for the regional produce and daily life. Yangshuo is also famous for rock climbing and caving. Your guide will help you to organize any activities you might want to try.
Accommodation:
• Riverside Garden Hotel or similar (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 4
Bus to Longji, hike through the Rice Terraces
It is 3 hours' journey through great scenery to Longji by public bus. The Dragon's Backbone Rice Terraces are an agricultural spectacle with a history of more than 650 years. The terraces are named for their resemblance to a dragon’s scales whilst the mountain summit looks like the backbone of a dragon
The most eye-catching part of the terrace cluster is the Ping'an Village Rice Terrace, the first to be discovered by tourists and photographers. After settling into your guesthouse in Ping’an, set out to hike through the Longji Valley and its rice terraces, bamboo trees and chestnut forests. Despite some challenging hills, much of the hike is spent walking along stone paths, passing waterfalls and fields.
Accommodation:
• Local Guesthouse (1 night)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 5
Explore the Long-hair Village, bullet train to Chengdu
A short hike around Ping’an Village before catching a sightseeing bus to the Huangluo Yao Village, also known as the Long-hair Village. The women here are characterized by their red embroidered dress and their long hair, which is long enough to have their home recognized as the "world's longest hair village" by Guinness World Records.
Then 1.5 hours’ drive to Guilin station from where we will board a bullet train to Chengdu (about 6 hours). Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide at Chengdu station and transferred to your hotel before an orientation walk around.
Accommodation:
• Wutongli Youth Hostel (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 6
Chengdu Panda Center, optional activities in the afternoon
A morning visit to the Panda Breeding Center where you can witness the conservation efforts being made to save this endangered species. Pandas look adorable with amazing body movements. They are bred and protected at this base and you can get quite close to them, watching them at play, eating, napping, and munching bamboo.
Afternoon free with optional activities. You can take part in a cooking class and try your hand at Sichuan cuisine or you may prefer to enjoy a traditional Sichuan opera show in a local theatre.
Accommodation:
• Wutongli Youth Hostel (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 7
Chengdu- free day with optional activities
Today is a free day! In the morning, you have the option to go to Leshan visit the Great Buddha. The Buddha sits at the confluence of three rivers; the Min, Qingyi and Dadu. It is carved into the cliffs of Mt. Lingyun. A local saying describes the Buddha-like this: "The mountain unveils a Buddha, while the Buddha fades into the mountain."
On the way to Leshan you also can visit a Tea plantation and discover how to make local Chinese tea.
In the evening you can try famous Sichuan Hot Pot or have a Karaoke night out (or both).
Accommodation:
• Wutongli Youth Hostel (3 nights)
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
-
Day 8
Chengdu- Departure day
This morning you can have a late start or get up early and explore other sights in Chengdu.
Optional to visit Wenshu Monastery, the largest and the best-preserved Buddhist Monastery in Chengdu. The temple provides their incense free and there is no charge to participate in any activities or rituals here. To give,
rather than take – this may be the significance of Wenshu Monastery. Around 6 pm, the optional activities will finish, and you will say goodbye to your local leader and your group. Safe travels!
Meals Included:
• No meals included today
