Day 1 To Beijing: Overnight flight from London to Beijing with British Airways. (N)

Day 2 Beijing: Arrive in Beijing and transfer to the Novotel Peace Hotel for 3 nights. Afternoon visit to the Temple of Heaven, dating from the Ming dynasty and one of the city’s historic masterpieces. (N)

Day 3 Old Beijing: Morning tour of the Forbidden City. After lunch at a local family’s residence, take a pedicab tour of the hutong, the narrow winding back streets of Beijing. Take a boat trip on Shi Cha Hai Lake. (B, L)

Day 4 Great Wall: Take a full day excursion to the Great Wall at Mutianyu and the Ming Tombs. (B, L)

Day 5 To Xian: This morning, visit the Imperial Summer Palace. Fly to Xian and stay within the city walls at the Grand New World Hotel for 2 nights. (B)

Day 6 Terracotta Warriors: Full day visit to the Terracotta Warriors. Evening optional Tang Dynasty music performance with dinner (payable locally). (B, L)

Day 7 To Guilin: Morning visit to the Shaanxi Museum and the old city. Fly to Guilin and stay at the Guilin Park Hotel for 2 nights. (B, L)

Day 8 Li River: Take a cruise down the Li River, through Guilin’s landscape of green limestone hills, fishing villages and rice fields. Evening optional Cormorant Fishing show (payable locally). (B, L)

Day 9 To Shanghai: Morning excursion to Reed Flute Cave and Fubo Hill. This afternoon, fly to Shanghai and stay at the Howard Johnson Plaza Shanghai for 2 nights. (B, L)

Day 10 Shanghai: Morning tour of Shanghai including the Shanghai Museum and Yu Yuan Gardens. Afternoon at leisure or take an optional cruise on Huang Pu and visit the 88th floor Oberservation Deck at the Jin Mao Tower (payable locally). (B)

Day 11 To London: Transfer to the airport and fly to London with British Airways. (B)

Note: The tour involves some long walks and climbing steps, and therefore requires a good level of fitness.

Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals