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Day 1  Shanghai        
Ni Hao! Welcome to China. Your adventure begins in Shanghai. Transfer from the airport to your hotel, where you will meet your fellow travellers and leader for a 6pm welcome.              

Day 2  Shanghai              
Start your day with a walking tour with your leader who will introduce you to the sights and sounds of this animated city. Explore old residential neighbourhoods, known as nongtang, then head to the tree lined Wukang Road in the former French Concession part of the city, home to 37 protected historic buildings. Continue to the Bund, an iconic promenade along the Huangpu River which divided Shanghai into Puxi and Pudong. The spectacular art deco buildings that line the street will give you a glimpse into 1920s Shanghai against the modern backdrop of Pudong’s metropolitan skyline. Your tour ends here and the rest of the afternoon is yours.              

Day 3  Shanghai to Huizhou            
Depart Shanghai this morning and board a high-speed train to Huizhou. The beautiful villages of Huizhou and their unique Hui-style architecture have inspired poets and painters for generations. On arrival, head to the home of a local family for a very special home cooked Hui lunch. In the afternoon, take a tour of the ancient village of Tangmo – founded during the Tang dynasty, this lesser-known village offers a fascinating display of history and architecture. This evening will be spent at your feature stay accommodation, a gorgeous hotel converted from the mansion of a famous Ming Dynasty poet.    

Day 4  Huizhou to Shanghai        
Enjoy some free time in Huizhou, perhaps take some time to wander the village’s narrow lanes and admire the local gardens. In the afternoon, return to Shanghai by high-speed train. This evening, head to a fabulous rooftop bar and see the city’s cloud-piercing buildings and glittering neon lights from a different point of view.          

Day 5  Shanghai to Yangshuo              
Enjoy a final morning to soak up the magic of Shanghai, then catch a midday flight to Guilin, followed by a transfer to Yangshuo, where lush karst mountains sprout like verdant domes around the meandering waters of the Li River. On arrival, check in to your feature stay accommodation for the next two evenings, a magnificent hotel tucked away among the karst hills and rivers of Yangshuo.

Day 6  Yangshuo            
After breakfast, head out to one of the largest tea plantations in Yangshuo, where you’ll learn about China’s most beloved beverage, from picking the leaves, to processing and brewing the perfect cup. Enjoy a cup of fragrant green tea to energise you for a short but steep climb up Xianggong Hill. From here you’ll see a amazing birds-eye view of the Li River and the otherworldly karst landscape. Take a walk through some of the local villages and taste some traditional Chinese delicacies before returning to the countryside where you will visit a local cooking school where you’ll learn how to craft some wonderful traditional Chinese dishes using ingredients you’ll be able to pick up back home. Tonight’s dinner will be the tasty dishes you’ve whipped up during the class.              

Day 7  Yanghuo to Xi'an        
Enjoy a peaceful morning at your accommodation then catch a midday flight to Xi’an. Once the imperial centre of China for 2,000 years, Xi'an is now a vibrant, modern city dotted with many interesting historical sites to explore. Arrive in the late afternoon and settle into your hotel before setting off for a walking tour. Your leader will unpack the layers of Xi’an’s rich history as you walk past the Bell and Drum tower, continuing to the buzzing Muslim quarter. Wander the narrow streets and find quaint shops, lively markets and groups of white-bearded men in skull caps sipping tea in cafes. Enjoy Xi'an's famous food scene by joining the group for dinner in a local restaurant this evening.        

Day 8  Xi'an              
Today you’ll journey out into the countryside surrounding Xi’an and visit what is undoubtedly one of the man-made wonders of the world, the Terracotta Warriors. Your local guide will share the unbelievable history of this incredible archaeological find, discovered by farmers digging a well in 1974 after being buried for 2,000 years. For lunch you’ll visit a local family restaurant, where the owner has experience first-hand the changes brought by the discovery of the Terracotta Warriors. As he cooks a delicious meal for you, he will give you an insight into the history of the area. Return to Xi’an and enjoy a free afternoon.        

Day 9  Xi'an to Beijing        
Say goodbye to Xi’an and board a high-speed train bound for Beijing. The capital of the most populous country on earth, Beijing, has mostly shed its historical face in favour of modernity. Enjoy a free evening in Beijing.

Day 10  Beijing      
Make your way to Tiananmen Square in the centre of the city that remains the symbolic centre of Chinese power. Framed by many imposing and iconic buildings such as the Gate of Heavenly Peace, Mao's Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People and the National Museum, it's a place of pilgrimage for many Chinese tourists who consider it the heart of their nation. From here you will enter the enormous scarlet walls of the Forbidden City. Lunch today will be at the home of a retired chef from a prestigious restaurant in Beijing who will cook an authentic homemade meal for the group. After lunch, join a local expert for a walk around Beijing’s hutongs, residential alleyways that zigzag across the old Beijing. The rest of the afternoon is yours for further explorations.

Day 11  Beijing    
No trip to China would be complete without a visit to the Great Wall. Today you’ll visit one of the best-preserved areas, the Hanghuacheng section, also known as the Water Great Wall. It used to serve as the northern barrier defending the capital and the imperial tombs, and features guard towers dating back to the Ming dynasty. Take your time strolling along the wall, which snakes through the hills and seemingly endlessly into the distance, as your leader fills you in on the its amazing history. In the afternoon, head back to Beijing and take some time to relax before heading to a traditional courtyard restaurant where you’ll enjoy a marvellous Beijing duck feast for a final dinner with your group.        

Day 12  Beijing    
The tour will come to an end today after breakfast.