China

Day 1, BEIJING Arrival day.

Day 2, BEIJING A full day excursion to the Great Wall with the chance to take a hike along one of the most beautiful sections.

Day 3, BEIJING Visit Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Free afternoon to explore Beijing's other sights - perhaps take a boat out on the lake at the Summer Palace. In the evening there is the option to watch the incredible Beijing acrobats.

Day 4, ZHONGWEI Fly to Yinchuan and continue to Zhongwei. Free time to explore.

Day 5, SHAPOTOU - CAMEL SAFARI A day of activities - we transfer to Shapotou on the banks of the great Yellow River and the southern fringes of the Gobi Desert. We have the chance to raft down the Yellow River on inflatable sheepskins and to go sand-tobogganing. In the afternoon we ride out into the desert on camels for an overnight camp. (D)

Day 6, SHAPATOU - XI'AN See the sunrise in the desert and take a morning ride on our camels. After a chance to freshen up back in Zhongwei we catch an overnight train to Xi'an. (B)

Day 7, XI'AN A free day to explore this wonderful ancient city. Visit the Muslim quarter or take a bike ride on top of the city walls.

Day 8, XI'AN - CHENGDU Excursion to the Terracotta Warriors and the First Emperor's tomb. After a picnic lunch we take a flight to Chengdu.

Day 9, CHENGDU Excursion to the Panda Sanctuary, where we see these delightful animals, as well as their less well known cousin, the red panda. Free afternoon to explore the many parks for which Chengdu is famous, or perhaps sample the delicious local food.

Day 10, YANGSHUO A flight to Guilin before continuing to the enchanting small town of Yangshuo, in the heart of one of the most beautiful areas of China. We have laid on a fun session of activities - cooking, tai-chi and painting / calligraphy - you might even learn how to write your name in Chinese characters! For those who want to be energetic, there are plenty of other opportunities including climbing, caving and bike riding.

Day 11, YANGSHUO A bike ride through this amazing landscape, and an opportunity for a swim to cool off.

Day 12, YANGSHUO - SHENZHEN A free day to do as you please or hunt for souvenirs in the excellent markets. In the evening we board an overnight luxury sleeper train to Shenzhen.

Day 13, HONG KONG Take the MTR train to Kowloon. The rest of the day is free to explore this bustling metropolis.

Day 14, HONG KONG Tour ends after breakfast. (B)