Witness China's highlights as we travel across this vast country with locals on public transport. From ancient sites in Beijing and the Great Wall to the lively and modern streets of Shanghai, experiencing the 'real China' in between.
Breakfast: 11
Lunch: 6
Dinner: 6
Explore Tour Leader
Driver(s)
Local Guide(s)
Bus
Boat
Train
Full on
8 - 14
Itineraries on some departure dates may differ, please select the itinerary that you wish to explore.
China has primarily a temperate climate, with a wide spectrum of extremes due to its huge area. Summer months are hot and rainy though in the south the climate is tropical and we can experience rain at any time of the year, often falling in sharp tropical rain-storms which are heavy but short lived. Winter is colder and drier, temperatures in Beijing can be as low as -12c.
+8
3 Pin Flat
Mainly Buddhist
Mandarin
Beijing Cable car to the Great Wall - 120 CNY return Summer Palace - 40 CNY entrance fee plus 200 CNY to arrange a private bus if required Birds Nest Stadium - 50 CNY to visit the outside of the stadium and for photo opportunities Temple of Heaven - 35 CNY Forbidden City - 60 CNY Opera- 150 CNY Acrobats- 260 CNY Kung Fu performance - 260 CNY Xian Wild Goose Pagoda - 50 CNY Cultural Perfomance and Dumpling Banquet - 300 CNY City wall by bike - 100 CNY Tea Ceremony - 50 CNY Yangtse Cruise Boat. All optional excursions during the cruise require a minimum number of participants so we cannot guarantee that they will be available on every journey. Three Gorges Tribe tour - 290CNY White Emperor City tour - 290 CNY Shibao Stockaded Village visit - 290CNY Yangshou bike hire - 50 CNY Raft from Hongqi to Shengdi - 300CNY Li river boat- 240 CNY Tai Chi - 80 CNY Cookery lesson - 250 CNY Caligraphy - 100 CNY Sound and light show- 260 CNY Shanghai Acrobatic performance - 280 CNY Yu Yuan gardens - 40 CNY Tea Ceremony - 50 CNY
In the hotter months you will need to pack accordingly with light weight shirts and tops. In the earlier parts of the year it can get very cold so jumpers and fleeces are recommended.
Comfortable shoes and sandals. If participating in rafting or visiting the jungle, old trainers (as they get wet) are useful.
20kg
One main piece of baggage and a daypack. Please note that there is a weight restriction of 7kg for hand luggage/daypack for international and internal flights. As we will be using a lot of public transport it is important that you can easily carry your own bags. Soft shell bags/backpacks are easier to manage than hard cases. It is recommended to take a padlock for flights in and around China. On Day 14 your main luggage will be left in Dazhai town and you will need to use your small daypack as an overnight bag. This is to avoid having to trek with large bags. You will be reunited with your main luggage on DAy 16 before driving to Yangshou.
You will need a good insect repellent, suncream, sunglasses, sun hat a small torch and a personal water bottle.
Bus, Boat, Train
During the tour we spend three nights on overnight sleeper trains. These are a great way of travelling between cities without losing precious time in the day for exploring with the added bonus that we will get to meet locals as we travel. We use cabins with six bunk beds, three on either side. There are curtains at the end of the cabin for privacy. There is space in each cabin for bags, under the bottom bunk. We suggest a soft duffle style bag or a rucksack as they offer more flexibility than a suitcase.There are toilets in each train carriage, usually Asian style squat toilets although some trains do now have a western style toilet as well. We are likely to be sharing our cabins with non Explore travellers giving us plenty of time to learn about local life during the journey. The majoritiy of hotels in China offer check in from 12noon. On days where we will arrive on a sleeper train the Tour Leader will try and arrange an early check in for the group, however this may not be possible. Please be aware that the beds in China are often quite firm and may take a few nights for you to get used to.
Can you drink the water? The water quality is poor and therefore it is recommended to avoid drinking tap water during your trip. There are many water refillable stations at many of the major sites and hotels, however they many provide hot or lukewarm water.
We strongly recommend that you check your government's travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination's safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. Relevant government website links for UK, US, Canadian, Australian and New Zealand citizens are available on our Travel Safety page. If you'd like some inital information on country-specific entry requirements, such as visas or any health declaration forms, please refer to our Entry Requirements page. The services and information on this page are provided by a third party, and so we will still recommend that you cross check this against your government website for the latest advice.
Please note that some countries require proof of parental consent when travelling overseas with under 18s. Please check requirements with the relevant embassy or consular office well in advance of travel if this applies to your party.
Once your booking has been confirmed we guarantee the price will not increase, whatever the circumstances. Our price guarantee does not apply to Polar Voyages. However, please note that if you voluntarily make any changes to your booking including changing your trip or departure date, any additional costs or charges incurred will not be covered. Before booking please ensure you have read our important tour pricing information.Booking Conditions
China: A visa is required by all nationalities. A single entry visa should be arranged in advance of travelling. From 1st November 2018, British Passport Holders will be required to present themselves in person at the Chinese Visa Processing Centre in London, Manchester, Edinburgh or Belfast on the day of application, to provide biometric information (fingerprints). Appointments can be booked and forms completed via www.visaforchina.org In order to apply for your Chinese visa you will need to submit supporting documents from our local supplier confirming your itinerary and travel arrangements, which we will obtain on your behalf. So that we can provide this for you, and to ensure all local arrangements are in place, we require a copy of your passport no later than 8 weeks before you are due to start your trip. Once we have your passport copy we shall process and pass on the documents you require 6-8 weeks before your trip, please be mindful of this when applying for your visa. If you require the supporting documents earlier than this, please contact Explore so we can arrange this. Passengers wishing to extend their stay in China should be aware that current visa regulations only allow foreigners to stay in the country for up to 30 days. Please consider this when planning your trip. You should confirm all visa related questions with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
For customers visiting the EU, or transiting via EU countries, please be aware that the European Union’s (EU) new Entry/Exit System (EES) is being rolled out, with full operation from 10 April 2026. This means that when you travel into, or depart from, the Schengen area for short stays, you will need to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints and a photo. You do not need to take any action before you arrive at the border, and there is no cost for EES registration. On your first entry or exit into a Schengen country, you will be asked to register your details at a special booth before proceeding to the immigration desk. At some ports and international stations allow for extra time as there may be increased wait times while EES registration is completed before passengers leave the UK and transit through a EU country. Once initial registration has been completed future entering or exiting of an EU Schengen country should be simplified as only a single fingerprint scan or facial recognition scan will be required. If you do require assistance in obtaining a visa then you may be able to apply through Explore's recommended visa service in the UK, Travcour. See www.travcour.com to download the relevant visa application for your trip, if applicable (UK citizens only), along with details of how to apply for your visa through Travcour. The Team at Travcour will be happy to answer specific questions relating to visa applications, please call them directly on 0208 5431846. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, with the correct validity for your chosen destination.
Before booking your Explore trip, please ensure that you read both our Essential Information and Booking Conditions.
Customers who have chosen to book on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements of our tour, please ensure that you have checked your tour specific ‘Joining Instructions’ prior to booking your own travel arrangements. Your joining instructions can be found below in the dates and prices information. You may also be eligible for the Free Explore Transfer.
Customers booked on the ‘Land Only’ arrangements will receive a Free Transfer, provided you arrive and depart on the tour only itinerary start and end dates. The complimentary transfers will be arranged from the Explore designated airport or train station to your trips joining point, and then back from the ending point to the designated airport or train station. Generally the airport or station that Explore have selected will be the one that is closest to the town or city where the trip starts, or the one nearest to the joining point. It will be either an airport or train station but not both. The exception to this rule is customers who are booked on a tour where the joining and ending point is at the designated airport or train station.
Free transfers are not available for Polar customers.
If you are not eligible for the Free Transfer then you will need to make your own way through to the joining and ending point. On a majority of our tours Explore will be able to provide a private transfer at an additional cost. Please ask for a quote at the time of booking. For more information regarding the Explore Free Transfer click here
It is a condition of booking with Explore that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses and emergency repatriation to your home country. Please ensure your policy includes medical emergency helicopter evacuation in the event of illness or injury and covers the entire duration of your holiday. If you are trekking at altitude please ensure that there is no upper altitude limit which may limit or exclude cover for your trip. The cost of many of our Polar Voyages will exceed the capped amount covered by standard insurance premiums and you will be required to pay an additional premium to cover the full value of your trip. Please ensure that you are covered for the full amount of your holiday cost, as insufficient cover could invalidate a claim under the policy. Medical and repatriation insurance cover is not mandatory for UK residents who are travelling on trips within the United Kingdom. Read more information about what travel insurance is required.
Explore can arrange your flights for you, to make joining and leaving our trips easy. Read more about them here.
You are able to book this tour on a 'land only' basis or as a ‘flight inclusive’ package. Your flight inclusive package will be fully protected by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) ATOL protection scheme.
We have a good selection of flights not only from London but from many regional airports around the UK allowing us to compare fares between scheduled carriers as well as low cost and charter airlines. Our dedicated flights team will match the best flight options to your arrival and departure airport.
On our website we display the price of the tour only. Please call us or select the flight option during the online checkout to receive a quote for a flight inclusive package. To avoid paying supplements or to secure your preferred flight option, we recommend booking as early as possible, especially for peak travel dates.
An ability to swim is essential for your safe enjoyment of the water based activities on this trip. If you wish to participate in these activities then we insist that you are able to swim.
Nothing compulsory, but we recommend protection against infectious hepatitis, typhoid, tetanus and polio. Travellers may wish to take immunisation against Japanese Encephalitis. Please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure. The above is not an exhaustive list. Information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by on the NaTHNaC website and from your local healthcare provider. Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed by you before travelling.