Day 1-4: Beijing
- Meet your group and Adventure leader at Beijing Spring Time Hostel at 10 am
- Join them for the mandarin Lesson.
- It’s time for the Mandarin Challenge! Use your freshly learned Mandarin to complete challenges around Beijing’s ancient streets and alleyways. The winning team earns a prize.
- Mandatory meal at a local farm to obtain permission to access the locals only sections of the unrestored Great Wall
- Unmissable Attraction – Hike on totally unrestored sections of the Wall before setting up camp on a deserted section of the wall to watch the sunset on one of the Wonders of the World (Please note, due to cold weather before end of April and after September, we stay in a guest house near the Wall instead of camping, but still return to the Wall to watch sunrise in the morning)
- Unmissable Attraction – Sunrise on the Wall
- Return to Beijing
- Optional: A stunning Chinese Acrobatics Performance performed by young talents recruited from around China
- Enjoyed exclusively by royalty in ancient times, taste Beijing’s signature dish Peking Roast Duck
- Optional: Take a walk through the globally recognized, Tiananmen Square
- Optional: Visit the Forbidden City. The largest palatial complex in the world, the grounds boast 980 buildings and a history of housing 24 different Chinese royalty
- Optional: Go to Jingshan Park for a bird’s eye view of the three palaces: Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace and Tiananmen Square.
- Test your bargaining skills in the Fake Goods Market!
- Optional: Go to the Temple of Heaven, the largest complex dedicated to heaven worship in the world and where ancient sacrifices were made to bring bountiful harvests
- Optional: Visit Nanluo district, one of the best-preserved historical areas in Beijing. It is famous for its hutongs and siheyuan courtyards as well as the bars, cafes and handicraft shops
- Enjoy a free day before heading to your next destination
- Optional: Visit the 798 art district, the Summer Palace, or any other highlights of Beijing
- Board night train to Hangzhou
Day 5-6: Hangzhou & Shanghai
- Head to West Lake for a relaxing boat tour
- Optional: Learn about China’s trade history with visits to the China National Tea Museum or the National Silk Museum
- Hike up Jiuyao Mountain to catch the sunset over West Lake
- Enjoy a delicious group dinner back in the city centre
- Optional: Explore Hangzhou old town
- Have a big breakfast ready for more activities
- Head to Misty Forest for a hike around the Nine Creeks area
- Return to the hostel to freshen up, grab lunch and check out
- Take a private transfer Hangzhou Station for your train to Shanghai
- Arrive in Shanghai and take the metro to the hostel
- Optional: Experience the city’s nightlife with the Shanghai Drunken Dragon Pub Crawl! (Only available on Saturday. If you arrive on a different day, then you can enjoy our alternative activity, a cruise on the Huangpu River by night)
Day 7-9: Shanghai
- Optional: Take the bus to ZhuJiaJiao Water Town, a Chinese equivalent to the Italian Venice
- Take the bus back to Shanghai
- Enjoy the night Chinese-style by going out for some Karaoke at KTV
- Spend your free day as you please! As your Adventure Leader for suggested activities or look in your Little Red Book for inspiration
- Optional: Spend your free day releasing your inner child at Shanghai Disneyland
- Mandarin Lesson 4: Today your lesson is run by professional teachers from Mandarin Garden Chinese Language School!
- Optional: Walk to the Yu Gardens and back a bustling historical site of a former dignitary lavish family quarters
- Optional: See People’s Square, before heading on to the World’s busiest shopping street, Nanjing Road. Afterwards, go for a walk along the bund, a hub of global architecture. To finish off, head to the top floor of a skyscraper to enjoy some champagne whilst sitting in a hot tub.
- Optional: Stroll through the former French Concession to hear a little bit about Shanghai’s international history, visit a secretive propaganda history museum, take in the sights of the ultra-modern Shanghai financial district, take a local ferry cross the famous Huangpu river from east to the west of The Bund and finish off the afternoon by visiting TianZiFang a local artisan’s lane that blends the chic and traditional
- Optional: For the daredevils, head to the top of Jinmao Tower and brave the Skywalk! Or just go up and take in the panoramic views
- Optional: Go to VUE bar to view the city skyline from a rooftop jacuzzi!
- Optional: Take in the bright city lights from the water with a night cruise down the Huangpu River
- On day 9, optional activities will finish at approx. 19:00. Say goodbye to your group and finish up your tour with The Dragon Trip. We wish you safe travels!