On arrival we will be met by our experienced World Expeditions Schools guide for a full trip and safety briefing. The guide will run through a quick language lesson including key phrases you can use and practice on our journey before we take an orientation walk. After dinner we explore Wangfujing or “Snack Street” where we can try delicacies such as deep-fried scorpion and star fish, and amble along the mall and narrow market lanes. Overnight Beijing Hotel

Meals:  D

Today is a real treat as we travel to a beautiful section of the Great Wall of China. The Mutianyu section is approximately a 1.5 hours drive from Beijing, slightly further than the popular and very busy Badaling Gate section. The Mutianyu section is renowned for its Ming Dynasty Guard Towers and stirring views. The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is one of the worlds most unusual and awesome sites. Construction commenced over 2000 years ago, around 221 B.C, as a defence line to keep out invaders, along the course of several thousand kilometres. The Emperor Qin Shihuang unified the various northern walls into the Great Wall we see today. We have the opportunity to walk along this section, and appreciate the many watchtowers as well as the surrounding rolling hills. Overnight Beijing Hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will have some real life experiences in Beijing. We will go to Drum Tower where we can join workshops for Beijing Opera facial makeup and Chinese calligraphy. You can split your group into smaller ones depending on your students’ interest. The class each lasts 40 minutes or so. After our workshops we head to the Hutong region where we can enjoy a rickshaw ride. In Beijing, hutongs are alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences. Many neighborhoods were formed by joining one courtyard to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another. The word hutong is also used to refer to such neighborhoods. We will have lunch in local restaurant before exploring Tian An Men Square and Forbidden City. At the end we will have a bird’s eye view of the whole Forbidden City from the top of Jingshan Park. Tonight we will have a special Roast Peking Duck dinner. Overnight Beijing Hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we will rise for breakfast before we head to the station to board the fast train to Xian. On arrival we are met and transferred to our Hotel. Xian is the traditional starting point of the Silk Road. The old walled city of Xian, the capital of Shaanxi Province, is a vivid example of old and new China. The modernised new city bustles around the quaint, winding lanes of the Old Quarter, where old men can be seen smoking pipes and watching the world go by, as butchers pull their carcass-laden carts and hawkers sell their wares. First we will attend a Tai Chi class with an experienced teacher at the foot of the wall. We then hire bikes and can cycle along the top of the wall. This is the most significant and best-preserved city wall extant in China, running over 13 kilometers around Xi’an. We join a Chinese language lesson before visiting the markets in the trendy Muslim Quarter and strolling through the narrow streets dotted small mosques markets and restaurants. The last stop today will be a visit to Wild Goose Pagoda. Overnight Xian in hotel.

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we visit the famous Terracotta Warriors. These warriors stand in their thousands outside the tomb of Qin Shihuang where they were uncovered in 1974 by peasants digging a well. Each warrior stands over 6 feet tall and has different features and characteristics. Some stand in a vanguard with crossbow and longbow bearers; others hold spears, daggers and axes at the ready. They are accompanied by dozens of horse-drawn carriages and enormous terracotta horses. The sight of the warriors arising from their muddy grave, some intact, others still submerged in the ground, is an extraordinary one. This afternoon we have the provision to join a Chinese language course. Overnight Xian in hotel.

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we rise and have breakfast and pack our bags for the fast train to Chengdu. The train takes around 5 hours and is a great experience for our group. We arrive in Chengdu and transfer straight to our hotel. After freshening up we begin our walking exploration of Kuan Zhai Alley with its backstreets, ancient buildings, shops and markets. Chengdu is the capitol of Sichuan province and is famous for its spicy, pepper based foods and healing medicine markets. It is a green city and is one of the more laid back cities in China. Tonight after dinner we have tickets to an evening show of the Sichuan Opera with changing mask. We will arrive early so we can witness the application of face make up behind the scenes. Overnight in Buddha Zen boutique hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning is an exciting day as we head to the Panda research center where we have the chance to see 40 or so of these gentle giants wandering around the grounds. We will meet with the Sanctuary staff and hear about the work being done at the sanctuary. After our day at the sanctuary we head to People's Park, an urban public park in central Chengdu that was built in 1911 as Shaocheng Park. Here we can join a number of activities including a language lesson, Chinese martial arts or calligraphy class. This is a great place to relax and debrief on our program so far. Overnight in Buddha Zen boutique hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning we pack our bags and head tot he airport to catch our flight to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai. Upon arrival in Shanghai we transfer to our well-located hotel. Shanghai is known as the “Paris of the Orient” and it is easy to see why. Long the place of quick fortune and teahouses Shanghai has a vibrant feel that enthralls all travelers that pass through her gates. The vibrant Bund is an awesome place to congregate and has been the setting for countless classic paintings over the years. It is wonderful to walk along the ocean side and observe life here. We will join a boat ride on the Huangpu River before heading out to view the famous Shanghai acrobat show. The performance will amaze you as these world class athletes contort their bodies in a stunning show that travels around the world. Overnight Shanghai Zen Yue Hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we will have the opportunity for a full day exploration of the cultural and iconic highlights of Shanghai. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner with our team before viewing the bund with all its stunning lightshow. Overnight Shanghai Zen Yue Hotel

Meals:  B,L,D

This morning you are free to relax or do some last minute shopping before we transfer to the airport mid morning for your flight home to Launceston via Melbourne.

Meals:  B,L