A tour to China offers unique historical towns and cities, cultural treasures, fascinating nature and wildlife, and countless UNESCO-protected sights and attractions.
Encounter one of the world’s most exciting travel destinations in the Middle Kingdom.
Check out all our tours to China below.
If you have any questions, please call our travel consultants on 01279 704 135.
A tour to China offers unique historical towns and cities, cultural treasures, fascinating nature and wildlife, and countless UNESCO-protected sights and attractions.
Encounter one of the world’s most exciting travel destinations in the Middle Kingdom.
Check out all our tours to China below.
If you have any questions, please call our travel consultants on 01279 704 135.
China is a vast country, made up of provinces that are almost like small countries in their own right, with their own capitals and history.
And like its geography, China’s many sights and attractions can seem endless. With a history dating back more than 6,000 years, China abounds with historical towns and cities, the cultural treasures of changing dynasties and civilisations, beautiful scenery and fascinating wildlife, not to mention fifty different UNESCO-protected sites.
China truly is one of the world’s most exciting travel destinations.
Our holidays provide a wonderful insight into China’s culture, nature and history, and you will experience some of the country’s many UNESCO sites.
Read more below about the selected highlights you can experience on our tours.
Beijing, the capital, represents modern China, and yet you will also find countless beautiful and interesting historical sights there that testify to the country’s incredible past.
Sights you will see in Beijing include:
Tiananmen Square is a large square in the heart of Beijing, perhaps best known for the major demonstrations that took place there in 1989. Today, however, experiences in the square are less dramatic.
The square is said to be large enough to accommodate a million people with ease. Every morning and every evening, people gather to see the lowering of the Chinese flag. The square offers sights such as Mao Zedong’s mausoleum, where you can see Mao’s embalmed body.
Opposite Tiananmen Square lies the imperial palace, or the Forbidden City.
The palace is a testament to the greatness of the Ming and Qing dynasties, when the emperors of the dynasties ruled the Middle Kingdom from this unique monument for almost 500 years, from 1420–1911, when the last dynasty fell.
The palace was for the emperor, his family and his officials, and the penalty for anyone attempting to enter was death, hence the nickname of the palace: “The Forbidden City”.
“The Forbidden City” is China’s best preserved and most beautiful palace. It is said to contain 9,999 rooms. The number was carefully chosen, i.e. to have one less than in Heaven, as it was feared that the gods would punish the country if the emperor tried to outdo them in terms of splendour.
Today, the entrance is adorned with a portrait of Chairman Mao, and the palace itself is a large museum, where you can explore the imperial buildings, throne room and courtyards.
North of Beijing, extending from the Yellow Sea in the east, across mountain ridges to the endless Gobi desert in the west, is the Great Wall of China.
The wall, which actually consists of several walls, is a unique marvel, considered to be one of the most impressive architectural achievements in world history. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
When China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, united China in 221 BC under the Qin dynasty, earlier parts of the wall were joined to create a coherent defence system against invasions by Mongolian tribes, or barbarians, in the north. The building continued for many centuries and several dynasties, and under the Ming dynasty (1368–1644), the wall as we know it today was built.
Today, large parts of the wall are in ruins, but a great deal of time and effort has been devoted to restoring selected sections.
Mutianyu is one of the best-preserved sections, where you can see the wall wind its way up the mountain ridge. Whether you walk or take the cable car, you will be rewarded with a fantastic view from the top.
Beijing offers some beautiful parks and recreational areas in the heart of the hustle and bustle of the city.
In east Beijing is The Temple of Heaven Park. The emperor and his enormous entourage came here twice a year to sacrifice to heaven for a good harvest at The Temple of Heaven. A poor harvest could mean the fall of the dynasty.
West of the Forbidden City lies Beihai Park, one of the best preserved of the emperor’s many gardens. Nestled at the top of a mound is the beautiful white pagoda, which is a symbol of the park. Beihai Lake also occupies a large area of the park.
North of the Forbidden City lies the imperial Jingshan Park, where you will find Prospect Hill, a man-made hill from which the imperial army could keep watch for enemies from the north. The hill is Beijing’s highest point and, on a clear day, you can enjoy an excellent view of the Forbidden City.
Beijing’s parks are definitely worth a visit. See the locals doing Tai Chi, singing, dancing and playing Mahjong, giving you an insight into the everyday life of the city’s older generation in particular.
Beijing offers a whole host of experiences that can easily keep you busy for a great many days. On our tours, you can also experience the following highlights.
Xi’an is the capital of Shaanxi Province, an exciting city in central China. The city was the capital of China from around 1000 BC to around 900 AD, and again when the first emperor gathered the country under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC. The city was, for many years, also the eastern departure point of the Silk Road, an important trade route, which has left its mark on the development of the city.
Xi’an abounds with historical pagodas and world-class museums that recount the lengthy history of the city.
You can, for example, see the city wall, which dates back to the Ming Dynasty (built in 1370), but follows the original wall of the Tang Dynasty (618–907). The wall itself, which surrounds Xi’an city centre, is 12 metres high and 14 kilometres long, and, together with the city’s central Drum Tower, is iconic for Xi’an. It is possible to cycle all the way round on the wall.
Visit the Wild Goose Pagoda, which dates back to the Tang Dynasty, Xi’an’s Great Mosque, a beautiful blend of Chinese and Islamic architecture, and the bazaar where you can buy everything from small terracotta warriors to T-shirts and much more besides.
The UNESCO-protected Terracotta Army is Xi’an’s main attraction, not to mention one of the most famous archaeological finds in the world.
In 1974, a local farmer made a unique discovery when he was digging a well. Under the ground, he found fragments of what would turn out to be a huge army of man-made clay figures.
The Terracotta Army consists of thousands of man-made soldiers lined up for battle, as well as hundreds of chariots and horses. It is believed that China’s first emperor had this army built to protect his tomb. One of the outstanding things about these clay figures is that each and every figure is unique and their clothes and equipment provide a great insight into life more than 2,000 years ago.
The warriors have now been restored and stand where they were originally found. Three giant halls have been built over the warriors, from where you can see them close up. A museum has also been built, housing some of the beautiful, unique artefacts that were also found in the tomb, including bronze, gold and silver treasures.
With more than 24 million inhabitants, Shanghai is China’s most populous city. Discover modern-day China with high skyscrapers, flashing neon lights and the wide harbour promenade alongside traditional China with old buildings and neighbourhoods – and everything in between.
Experience modern-day China on Shanghai’s waterfront, The Bund, a mile-long promenade where you can see Shanghai’s impressive skyline across the river in the Pudong district. This is where one of Shanghai’s most iconic buildings, the 468-metre-tall television tower, Oriental Pearl Tower, is located.
Traditional China is found in the ancient Chinese neighbourhood of Shanghai, Old Street, where traditional buildings dating from the Ming and Qing dynasty adorn the cityscape. Experience the Shanghai of old at the famous Chun Feng De Yi teahouse, for example, which originates from the Qing dynasty.
In the French Concession, you will find a little piece of Europe in one of Shanghai’s cosiest neighbourhoods. While away an hour or two exploring mazes of streets lined with old French-style houses and visiting some of the many fabulous cafés and restaurants.
Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province, located in south-west China, where you will find some of China’s best-kept secrets in the form of amazing highlights, including UNESCO-protected nature and wildlife.
Sichuan Province is also known for its tasty cuisine and is becoming a veritable gastronomic destination.
China is known for its work to save the pandas from extinction. 10 km north of Chengdu is Giant Panda Base, one of the four centres. The centre serves both as a nature park and research centre, and the area is covered in bamboo, the only food source of the pandas.
Pandas were once found all over China, Myanmar and northern Vietnam, but only exist in three Chinese provinces today. 70% of China’s 1,800 or so pandas are said to live in Sichuan Province.
Both the Giant Panda and the Red Panda live at Giant Panda Base. The best time to see these charming animals is in the morning, where they are fed and most active.
The 2,200-year-old irrigation system in Dujiangyan in Sichuan is the world’s oldest irrigation system without a dam. The system was designed to control the water level in the rivers from the mountains to the plains around Chengdu. It is a feat of engineering of great importance to the development of irrigation systems throughout China. The irrigation system became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2000.
Other sights and attractions you can experience on our tours include:
As mentioned above, China offers countless experiences, which you could spend many years exploring.
You can also obtain more practical information about travelling in China on our “Practical information about China” page, where you can read more about the climate in China, visas and much more besides.
If you have any questions about China or our other destinations in the Far East, please feel free to contact us.
We look forward to sending you on the holiday of your lifetime!
TourCompass – Get even closer!
You can check out the itinerary and dream yourself away in photos and videos of all our tours. You can read more about accommodation, combination options and all the practicalities – and see prices and departure dates for the next 18 months.
You are always welcome to call or write to us. We are here to answer all your questions, listen to your wishes and provide you with honest and competent advice based on our extensive travel experiences with Africa, Asia and Latin America.
You will receive a detailed quote for the tour, which you can save, print out or share with your travelling companions. If you decide to go ahead and book the tour, you can do this easily via the quote itself.
Laura loves to travel and is extremely passionate about helping others achieve their travel dreams.
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