China with Nessa – 10 days

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL

12:00  Pick up at Beijing Airport (There is only one pick up time for this trip)

13:00  Drive to a local village where we will spend the night

16:00  Arrive at the village, have a quick snack, and freshen up for welcome dinner

19:00  Welcome dinner (Chinese cuisine)

After dinner, chat with new friends then have a good night sleep.

DAY 2 – GREAT WALL

5:00  Breakfast

6:30  Go to the Great Wall, then start hiking (beware that there are over 10,000 steps to get to the top)

11:00  Drive to the train station and have lunch nearby ( Beijing Duck Lunch)

14:30  Transfer to Beijing airport and take a flight to Guilin

19:00  Arrive at Guilin airport, pickup and transfer to the hotel

DAY 3, 4, 5 – GUILIN, YANGSHUO,  and LONGJI

Highlights 

• Visit the most hidden places in Yangshuo and avoid the crowd
• Bamboo rafting in Yulong river
• Cycling to the Moon hill
• The best view of Li River from Husband hill 
• Trekking around Longji terraces to have a breathtaking view
• Trekking along the Li River and see the 20RMB bill background scenery 
• Minority women with the longest hair in China
• Fantastic Guilin food experience 

DAY 3

We will take the bike tour to spend the whole day at Yulong River valley to enjoy the most peaceful and bucolic countryside scenery in Yangshuo and it also offers a chance to get a deeper insight into farming life in rural China. To explore the Yulong River valley, we will take the real bamboo raft on the Yulong River, then continue to cycle to the Moon Hill. We will then hike up to the top to enjoy the breathtaking view. Cycle back to the hotel. Stay in Yangshuo.

Optional activity: watch the famous Light Show

DAY 4

Pick up from the hotel and drive about 40 minutes to visit Xianggong hill (Husband Mountain), it takes about 15 minutes to the top of the hill where you will be amazed by the breathtaking view of Li river and the surrounded Karst mountain peaks. Afterward, go down and drive to the river bank to cross the Li river by ferry, continue the trip with about 1.5 hours trekking along the Li river to Xingping town, enjoy the best views of Li river (20RMB background) and the mountains. Have lunch at Xingping and explore this ancient town. Then head to Longji Pingan village for the splendid rice terraces and local ethnic minority villages. The drive takes roughly 3 hours, we will enjoy the nice mountain range views on the way. If time aloows, we will watch comb seedling festival activities in Longji terraces.

Overnight at Pingan village.

DAY 5 

Spend most of the day hiking around at the Pingan village to enjoy the rice terraces views and visit local minority villages. There are several hiking trails that you can choose from depending on your physical condition, it could last from 1 hour to 5 hours. So just tell your guide what you prefer and he/she can recommend the best option for you.

Drive back to Gulin in the afternoon, then go to Zhangjiajie by train.

There is a pick up service when you arrive and will transfer you to the hotel.

DAY 6 & 7 – ZHANGJIAJIE

Highlights 

• See the most important scenic spots just in one weekend!
• Take the world’s fastest and highest outdoor elevator!
• Walk on the highest and longest glass bridge in the world!
• Visit the Tianmen Cave and longest cable car, known as the “Soul of Zhangjiajie“
• Stay in a luxury 5 star Pullman hotel!
• You will be surrounded by magical scenery, just like in the movie “Avatar“!

More places to visit in Zhangjiajie

• Zhangjiajie National Park is a level AAAAA tourist attraction and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Zhangjiajie attracts visitors from all over the world.  Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is home to hundreds of monkeys!
• Avatar floating mountain! Hike in the Yuanjiajie- Avatar floating mountain! The peaks in Yuanjiajie are nearly at the same height, which makes it a mountain platform great for enjoying sweeping vistas.

Accommodation: Luxurious 5-star hotel within the famous Wulingyuan Scenic area. The hotel provides a buffet breakfast.

DAY 6

After breakfast we will drive to Zhangjiajie National Forest park. Take Bailong Sky elevator up to go to the top of the mountain! Explore “AVATAR” hallelujah mountains and the natural bridge. Here you can see a lot of wild monkeys.  We will also go to the Tianzi Mountain for 40minutes. Then pay a visit to Ten miles gallery, a 5.8 km long valley with impressive views of karst peaks.

Optional Activity: You can enjoy the night show of  “Charming Western Hunan” at night after you finish today’s visit.

DAY 7

In the morning (after breakfast) we will go to Tianmen moutain and take the longest cable car (7455m) in the world, we will also visit Tianmen Cave, it is a rare high-altitude karst cave through the mountain. There are 999 steps to climb the Tianmen Cave. Afterward comes the highlight of the trip: walk on the longest and highest glass bridge! Hopefully you will be brave enough to walk on the hanging glass walkway.

After we finish the trip, we will transfer you to the airport and take a flight to Hangzhou.

DAY 8 & 9 HANGZHOU

Highlights 

• Stay in a boutique hotel with a swimming pool!
• Enjoy delicious seafood buffet dinner at a 5 star hotel!
• Explore 1000 islands in so many ways: kayaking or hiking!
• Fun optional activities: hot air balloon, ATV cars, rafting!
• Enjoy the nature and meet new friends！

What you can do in Qiandao lake?

Optional Activities: ATV, Hot air balloon, Kayaking.

Note:

Qiandao lake is a huge lake covering an area of 580 square kilometers with over 1,000 large islands in the lake and a few thousand smaller ones. No wonder why the Chinese name «Qiandao Hu» translates as “one thousand island lake”.

DAY 8 

08:00  After breakfast, pick you up at the hotel and drive to Qiandao Lake

10:00  Arrive to our hotel and check-in, free time to relax in the swimming pool or walk around

11:00  Relaxing morning: chill by the swimming pool

Optional activity:  hot air balloon/ATV

18:00-20:00  Drive to 5 star hotel to enjoy seafood buffet dinner!

20:00  Drive back to our hotel and have a good rest for tomorrow’s hiking.

DAY 9

7:30-10:00  Buffet breakfast

10:30  Drive to the starting hiking point

11:00  A short hike to the viewpoint, see a spectacular view of 1000 islands from the top!

13:00  Lunch at a lakeside restaurant with a nice view

14:00  Drive back to our hotel

14:30  Free time to relax at the swimming pool or optional: kayaking/rafting

18:30  Farewell Dinner

DAY 10

7:30-10:00 Buffet breakfast

10:00 Drive back to Shanghai to catch your flight back home

Note: Depending on the weather and other conditions, our trip leader will adjust the schedule accordingly, please understand that the suggested timing is only for reference.

Hotel:  Qiandao lake boutique resort

Gym, outdoor swimming pool and buffet breakfast.

 

END OF THE TRIP