18 days Real Adventure Tour
- Trip Highlights: The perfect tour for people who want a challenge while appreciating the best Mother Nature has to offer. This tour lets you explore China your way. Begin your adventure in Beijing where you can hike along the Simatai Great Wall. Travel to remote areas of China in Tibet and Yunnan where you can discover the unique topography and exotic minority groups which have made the areas so famous. Take a break in Chengdu and get up-close to China's giant pandas. Towards the end of your adventure you will hike along trails past lovely villages and stop on the beautiful hilltop to admire the incredible Terraced Rice Fields of Guilin's Longji.
- Tour Route: Beijing (China's Capital)
Lhasa (Holy Tibetan City)Chengdu (Home of the Giant Panda)Lijiang (Preserved Ancient Town)Guilin (Li River & Yangshuo)
- Tour Code: COT-P112
- Dates: No fixed departure dates. You may go whenever you wish.
- Starts/Ends: Beijing/Beijing
- Trip Type: Top 10s, Ethnic Culture and Folk Arts, Adventure Travel, Hiking and Climbing Trips
- Activity Level: Regular itinerary, Moderate walking, Moderate hiking
- Tour Customizable: Absolutely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)
- Special Experiences:
- A thrilling but safe hiking experience on the Simatai section Great Wall.
- Visit local Tibetan's home to get to know their unique life on the world's highest plateau
- Challenge the toughness of your mouth by trying the spicy "Tongue Numbing" Sichuan food at Panda's hometown – Chengdu
- Take a tea break at a Chinese tea house and get to know the unique lifestyle and culture of traditional Chinese
- Get deep into Southwest China to discover the exotic minority culture and trek along the ancient Tea-Horse Road passing the Tiger Leaping Gorge.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive Beijing
Transfer via: International Flight arranged by you
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel 
Beijing is an ancient city with a long history. It is the political, cultural and economic center of China. Upon your arrival at Beijing's international airport, your personal tour guide will meet you with a welcome sign and escort you to your hotel. Your guide will confirm your Beijing itinerary with you and be glad to introduce some good local restaurants near your hotel, where you will be free to have a small adventure by trying China's traditional cuisine on your own. The rest of the day you will be yours to rest and adjust to the time zone difference before you begin exploring the ancient and cosmopolitan city of Beijing the next day.
Day 2 Beijing (B)
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Sites visited: Tiananmen Square, Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven
After breakfast, you will first visit Beijing's historic Tiananmen Square, followed by a visit to the magnificent Forbidden City. In the afternoon, you will marvel at another Beijing's famous landmarks, The Temple of Heaven built in 15th century. In the evening you will be free to explore Beijing and its nightlife.
The magnificent Forbidden City is China's most magnificent architectural complex.
Temple of Heaven - the most sacred place where emperor prayed for a good harvest every year.
Day 3 Beijing (B)
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Sites visited: Simatai Great Wall
Your personal guide will pick you up from your hotel and you will be driven by private car to China's famous Great Wall (Simatai section). Upon arriving at the Great Wall you will take a three hour hike along the Simatai section. Hiking along the great wall is a challenging and enlightening experience. A simple lunch will be held on the wall. After your hike along the Great Wall you will be driven back to downtown Beijing.
Day 4 Beijing (B,L)
Accommodations: Jianguo Garden Hotel
Sites visited: Hutongs
After enjoying breakfast in your hotel, you will get a chance to visit Beijing's famous Hutongs (Alleyway) by rickshaw. Lunch will be served in a local family's home during the tour where you can learn to make Jiaozi (Chinese dumplings). After your tour of the hutongs you will be taken back to your hotel for a little rest and relaxation before tomorrow's visit to mysterious Tibet.
The amazing Great Wall offers tourists lots of the hiking chance and the beautiful view.
Hutong is just like Beijing's encyclopedia which is going to tell you more stories about the old Beijing.
Day 5 Beijing / Lhasa (B)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
Sites visited: Tibet Museum
On your last day in China's capital you will be free to explore a bit on your own until your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination, Tibet's Lhasa. Upon your arrival at Gonggar airport, you will be met by your personal tour guide and taken to your hotel in Lhasa city (2 hour drive). En route to your hotel you will see the giant stone Buddha carved in the face of a mountain. After checking into your hotel you will have a chance to rest to adapt yourself to Lhasa's high altitude. In the late afternoon your guide will take you to the Tibet Museum.
Day 6 Lhasa (B,L)
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
Sites visited: Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple, Barkhor Street
Your sightseeing today will include the Lhasa's cardinal landmarks. You will visit the Potala Palace, Jokhang Temple and flourishing Barkhor Street.
Day 7 Lhasa (B,L)
Accommodations: Tibet Hotel
Sites visited: Norbulingka Park, Drepung Monastery, Sera Monastery, Tibetan Family
On this day you will be brought to Norbulingka Park, The Drepung Monastery, and the Sera Monastary. Also you will be able to meet a Tibetan family, where you will be warmly welcomed in the traditional Tibetan way afterwards you will be entertained with traditional Tibetan cuisine.
The monks in the Drepung Monastery are drawing the Buddhism spiritual painting.
The Tibetan Family offers you an excellent chance to understand the normal life of the Tibetan.
Day 8 Lhasa / Chengdu (B,D)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Yinhe Dynasty Hotel
Special Dinner: Chuan Food
After your memorable tour of Tibet, your guide will escort you to the airport for your flight to Chengdu. Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan Province. Upon arrival at Chengdu, you will be met by your tour guide and escorted to your hotel for a rest. In the evening you will enjoy a delicious dinner of Sichuan food at a local restaurant. Sichuan food is famous for its hot and spicy "Tongue Numbing" dishes.
Day 9 Chengdu (B,L)
Accommodations: Yinhe Dynasty Hotel
Sites visited: Giant Panda Breeding Research Base, Du Fu's Thatched Roof Cottage, Tea houses, Wenshu Temple
On this day you will get to meet one of China's living treasures, the panda bear. After your breakfast you will travel to Chengdu's Giant Panda Breeding Research Base where you will first-hand get to see the loveable pandas. After your visit to China's living treasures you will visit Du Fu's Thatched Roof Cottage and Wenshu Temple where you can spend some time sitting in its tea house to enjoy a cup of tea and absorb the special atmosphere of Chengdu.
Tea House is a superb place to enjoy both the food and the culture.
Wenshu Temple is Chengdu's largest and best preserved Buddhist temple.
Day 10 Chengdu / Lijiang (B,L)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Grand Hotel Lijiang
Sites visited: Lijiang Ancient Town, Lion Hill
On this day you are free to roam about the city until your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to Lijiang. Upon your arrival at Lijiang County, "an UNESCO World Cultural Heritage" site, your guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. In the afternoon, you will have an excursion into the Ancient Town and the Lion Hill.
Day 11 Lijiang / Half-way Guest House (B,L)
Accommodations: Half Way Guesthouse
Sites visited: Tiger Leaping Gorge
This morning you will be taken by private car to the Upper Tiger Leaping Gorge. Here you will descend the more than 400 steps down to the river bed where you can see the very rock mentioned in ancient legends and hear the roaring of the Jinsha River. After enjoying the awe inspiring scenery you will continue hiking from Tiger Leaping Gorge until you reach the Half-way Guest House (approximately 6 hours). Along the way you will walk between two snow capped mountains, Jade Dragon Mountain(5596m) and Mt.Haba(5396m). Along this path you will experience the grandness of this gorge and understand why it has been a destination for travelers for centuries.
Lijiang Ancient Town - China's most beautiful and the comfortable ancient town.
Tiger Leaping Gorge - the most adventurous and the attractive sight in China.
Day 12 Half-way Guesthouse / No. 1 Woody's house (B,L)
Accommodations: No. 1 Woody's house (Guesthouse)
After Breakfast you will continue hiking for approximately 5 hours along the High Trail from Half-way Guesthouse. Along the way you will pass the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge and Heaven's Stairs until you get to the Hetaoyuan (Walnut Grove). There you will stay at No. 1 Woody's house. This guesthouse has a platform which at an altitude of 2175m gives you a spectacular view of the Tiger Leaping Gorge. (If you think you are energetic enough, you can choose to take another path called "Heaven of One Thread" from the Middle Tiger Leaping Gorge to the Hetaoyuan (Walnut Grove), which will take you approximately one more hour than the previous route.)
Day 13 Daju / Lijiang (B,L)
Accommodations: Grand Hotel Lijiang
Sites visited: Daju, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Today's hike will take you from Hetaoyuan (Walnut Grove) to Daju (approximately 6 hours). Walk along the Yangtze River on the main road in the beginning and then on the small trail down on the bank of the river, where you will take a very simple ferry to cross the Yangtze River (about 20 minutes on the ferry) to the Daju side. You will continue hiking up a small trail to the parking lot where your private car will meet you and help you transfer back to Lijiang (87km away). Along the way, you will view the white water river and the other side of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
Day 14 Lijiang (B,L)
Accommodations: Grand Hotel Lijiang
Sites visited: Black Dragon Pool Park, Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture
In the morning, you will take an excursion to Lion Hill inside the Ancient Town, and the Black Dragon Pool Park, and Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture inside the park. You will have the afternoon to wander the Ancient Town by yourself.
It is a common sight to see a group of Miao ethnic women doing the art performance in the Black Dragon Pool Park.
You could visit the Museum of Naxi Dongba Culture after visited the Black Dragon Pool Park.
Day 15 Lijiang / Kunming / Guilin (B,L)
Transfer via: Internal Flight arranged by China Odyssey Tours
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
This morning you will be free to rest until your guide escorts you to the airport for your flight to your next destination, Kunming. Upon arriving in Kunming you will transfer to your flight to Guilin. Your guide will help you check in at the Kunming airport. When you arrive in Guilin, the most scenic and beautiful city in China, your guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day you will be free to rest and refresh yourself for tomorrow's adventure in Guilin.
Day 16 Guilin / Longsheng / Guilin (B,L)
Accommodations: Guilin Park Hotel
Sites visited: Longji, Yao People, Zhuang People
Your first day in Guilin will bring you to Longsheng (Dragon's back) Autonomous County by private car (approximately 2 hours). Longsheng Autonomous County is located 90km northwest of Guilin. This county is renowned for its many ethnic minorities. Within this county live the Zhuang, Yao, Miao, and Dong minority groups. In recent years, this county has become a popular destination for photography enthusiasts and people who are interested in minority culture. On this tour you will not only enjoy the awe-inspiring panorama of terraced rice paddies, the most famous section is called Longji, lush bamboo groves and small villages on the hillside along the way. Even more unforgettable than the scenery is the rich culture of the local ethnic groups.
The amazing Longji Rice Terrace Field just like a fairyland on earth.
Yao people are one of the ethnic minority in Longji.
Day 17 Guilin / Yangshuo (B,L)
Accommodations: New Century Hotel
Sites visited: Li River Cruise, Yangshuo County
After having breakfast at the hotel, you will be driven to Zhujiang Pier (about 40-minute drive) to start a boat cruise along the famed Li River which is a must see for any traveler to Guilin. The cruise will take you to Yangshuo County. Along the river, you will be inspired by breathtaking views of Guilin's famous Karst mountain peaks and pinnacles, crystal-clear water and serene pastoral views of rice paddies and water buffaloes cooling themselves in the river. It will feel as though you have stepped into a traditional Chinese painting. A Chinese lunch which is cooked on board will be served. After checking in to your hotel in Yangshuo, you will explore the spectacular karst countryside along Jima road by your choice of either bicycle or small electric tour bus.
Day 18 Yangshuo / Guilin / Departure (B)
Sites visited: Elephant Trunk Hill, Fubo Hill, Reed Flute Cave
On this day you will be driven back to Guilin (1.5-hour drive) by private car and then upon arriving in Guilin have a tour of the Elephant Trunk Hill Park and the Fubo (Wave Subduing) Hill Park. Your lunch will be served at a restaurant specializing in local cuisine, or for the more adventurous could sample the spicy food of Sichuan. After lunch you will visit the fabulous Reed Flute Cave. And then you will be escorted to the airport for your flight to your next destination.
Cruising on the crystal clear Li River.
The magically illuminated Reed Flute Cave.
Price & Included Features
- China domestic flights as specified in the itinerary
- A. Entrance fees of the scenic spots as listed in the itinerary.
- B.30 meals: 17 full breakfasts, 12 lunches and 1 dinners(included )Exceptions: If the western breakfast is not available in some of the hotels, breakfast would be either Chinese breakfast or Chinese and western breakfast.
- C. Hotel: for 4 nights at three star hotels, 11 nights at four star hotels in comfortable twin-bedded rooms with a private bath, air-conditioning, television, telephone and minibar.2 nights at guest house offers the best lodging available in the area. Hotel Based on two persons sharing one room with twin beds or a king size bed; all hotels as listed in the above itinerary serve daily western or Chinese breakfast; please note double bed room is on request basis which is subject to Hotel's availability and re-confirmation upon check-in.*Service, room facilities and breakfast might be not up to standard in some remote areas.
- D.Transportation:Flights as listed in the itinerary (airport tax and fuel fee included), economy class. Train as listed in the itinerary.
- E. Sightseeing: As outlined in the Itinerary will be escorted with English-speaking guide; Service of local guide and van is for a maximum of 8 hours during the full day individual tour packages.*Please note that our English-speaking guide and driver provided for you in each city or area will not fly with you from one city to another.
- F. Private Transfers between airports, hotels and scenic spots while sightseeing in each city or area by private air-conditioned vehicle with driver and English-speaking guide as listed in the itinerary.
- G. Service Charge (the planning, handling, operational and communication charges) & Government Taxes.
- H. Luggage Transfers between airports, trains and hotels.
Accommodation
Beijing - Jianguo Garden Hotel
A Four-Star International Hotel, Jianguo Garden Hotel is located in the heart of Beijing. It is located on bustling Chang'an Street, located near the well-known Shopping street of Wangfujing and just a few minute's drive to historical Tourist attractions such as Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
Tibet Hotel is an enterprise under the administration of Tourism Bureau of Tibet Autonomous Region, which is a luxurious three-star hotel with traditional Tibetan style. The hotel is constructed in granite in shape of the Potala Palace. The hotel is near to the Potala Palace and Norbulinka with comfortable environment and convenient transportation. After finish the Building for the Honored Guests of Tibet Hotel which is built with the standard of four-star hotel and invested 50 million Yuan, Tibet Hotel will welcome you with a new appearance. Tibet Hotel has 258 super-decorated guest rooms and suites including 2 luxurious presidential suites, 8 luxurious suites, 5 economic suites, 220 standard rooms, 20 single rooms, 8 triple rooms and 3 special rooms for the disabled. All these rooms are equipped with sanitary ware from U.S.A., coded safe, central heating system, in-room safe, hair dryer, private bathroom, weight, color TV, refrigerator, mini-bar and etc. Besides these, there are also living-room, office, chess-room and sona-bath.
Yinhe Dynasty Hotel is the first Sino hotel of Sichang Province. This hotel provides you easy access to the city center. There are two buildings attach to the main one, unique and classical. Our courteous and enthusiastic service will make you feel home away from home. We're certain that your stay with us will be a pleasant and memorable experience.
The Grand Lijiang Hotel is an international standard hotel jointly owned and managed by M. Grand Hotel Thailand Co. Ltd. The hotel is located near the beautiful Jade River in the north of Lijiang Old Town which is an area that the best place to enjoy both the features of the old town and the view of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain.
It is a clean Guesthouse available on half way.
Lijiang - No. 1 Woody's house (Guesthouse)
It is a clean guesthouse at 2175m altitude.
Guilin Park Hotel is a four-star international hotel. Conveniently situated between Lake Guihu and Mount Laoren in the city center. The hotel commands some of the most picturesque views in Guilin and contrasts finely with the famous Duxiu peak, Diecai Hill and Fubo Hill. Lying on the slight mountain slope, surrounded by green trees and fresh flowers, the building combines modern arts with a rich national flavour.
Hotel in Yangshuo just nearby the west street. You could walk to the west street in 10 minutes and wander along the east-western style street. For entertainment, there is a bar, coffee shop, gymnasium, beauty salon and so on.
Meals
Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary. Meal codes are: B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
Breakfast - Each breakfast will be served in your hotel. Breakfast selections include both Chinese and Western dishes to meet every diner's taste.
Lunch - Lunches are normally arranged at the Chinese restaurants near the scenic spots. Your tour guides will order food according to your appetite. Most are Chinese dishes, and some are modified to fit westerners' tastes. A complimentary glass of beer or soft drink is served with lunch.
Dinner - Same as lunch. If you prefer to not eat Chinese food, China Odyssey Tours suggests you have dinner on your own. Your local tour guide can recommend some good western restaurants in the area.
Transfer and Transport Service
China Odyssey Tours has received wide recognition for its transfer service. With our on-time service, you will never feel alone while traveling through China. We work hard to live up to the slogan's promise "You are not alone in China".
With our private small group tours, you can feel safe in the knowledge that you will enjoy flexible tour arrangements and you will have your own tour guide, car and driver in each destination, exclusive to your own group of friends or family.
