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Hidden China & Inner Mongolia
12 days, Beijing to Beijing
Itinerary
Day 1Beijing
Arrive at any time.
There are no activities planned until an evening welcome meeting.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Day 2Beijing/Baotou
Visit the Great Wall of China and return to Beijing in time for an overnight train to Inner Mongolia.
Travel out of Beijing to explore the Great Wall at Mutianyu. An incredible piece of engineering stretching almost 3,000km (1,864 mi) westwards from the mountain ridges north of Beijing, it was originally constructed to protect the Chinese empires from the Mongolian 'barbarians' of the north.
Return to Beijing in the afternoon. Prepare for the overnight sleeper train to Baotou.
Mutianyu Great Wall Visit
Climb the rolling hills of Huairou County at Mutianyu, one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall. Enjoy scenic views as the wall winds along mountain ridges, and take brag-worthy photos of the wall from any of the 22 towers. The Great wall is an incredible piece of engineering stretching 6000 km west from the mountain ridges north of Beijing. It was originally constructed to protect Chinese empires from nomadic northern tribes, and even though it failed in this purpose, it's still one of the country's most remarkable achievements and an iconic destination. The Mutianyu section of the Great Wall is located about 80km away from the Beijing City Center. The walk is approximately 5 kilometres and will take 2 to 3 hours depending on your level of fitness.
Basic Overnight Train (beds)
Enjoy the chaos of the train station and rush to get on board. You will likely have locals for bunk-neighbours who will have varying levels of interest in getting to know you. Some might want to practice their English and some may just be curious observers. Just remember, the journey is half the experience.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 3Baotou/Inner Mongolia
Arrive in Baotou and continue into the grasslands of Inner Mongolia. Spend the night in a traditional ger (yurt) and enjoy an included dinner at the homestay.
Enjoy the scenery around you and optional activities like horseback riding or a grasslands tour to see some wildlife.
With a little luck, catch a beautiful sunset or sunrise with clear blue skies.
Enjoy traditional living on the grasslands with a a night spent in a ger (yurt) and a delicious Mongolian dinner.
A number of activities may be arranged for the time spent here, depending on weather and the family's availability. There may be opportunities to spend time with the family and learn more about their culture, explore the grasslands looking for animals, or hike to visit rock paintings. All available options will be determined upon arrival to the ger camp.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your Local Living Moment: Ger Homestay
Learn about life in the grasslands by staying with a local family. Listen to the hosts' stories and help out on the sheep farm by herding and feeding the animals, or lend a hand repairing the family's gers.
Spend the night in a traditional ger. The family has 3 gers that fit 4-6 people. The ger is simple but comfortable, with very basic bedding and no shower. The family will give us warm and hot water to wash up with. This is a unique way to experience the rustic style of life in the area.
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 4Inner Mongolia/Datong
Travel back through the grasslands to the capital of Inner Mongolia, Hohhot. Here, hop a train to Datong.
Datong is famous for its temples, pagodas, and other Buddhist structures in the area. The Huayan Monastery and Nine-Dragon Screen are excellent examples of the treasures found in the middle of the city.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Train
Enjoy the afternoon journey in the Hard Sleeper car. With a little more room to stretch out, this ride should be a breeze.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 5Datong
Set eyes on the gorgeous Hanging Monastery and visit the Yungang Grottoes to see the thousands of Buddha statues.
The Hanging Monastery (or Hanging Temple) is a wooden structure built into a cliff at the foot of a mountain more than 1,500 years ago. It includes Buddhist, Taoist, and Confucian elements.
Further afield are the Yungang Grottoes; there are currently 53 grottoes with 51,000 statues of the Buddha remaining. Enjoy a guided visit to the grottoes to marvel at them in person. Beyond that is Mt Hengshan, one of the five sacred mountains of China.
Opt to check out Datong's six remaining pagodas, which gave the city the nickname "City of Pagodas".
Yungang Grottoes Visit
Enjoy a guided visit to the Yungang Grottoes, a spectacular sight just 16km (9.9 mi) from the city of Datong. There are currently 53 grottoes with 51,000 statues of the Buddha remaining here.
Hanging Temple Visit
Check out the Hanging Monastery located outside Datong and over 1,500 years old -- it is one of China's most famous sights. The building has elements of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. Wooden beams placed in holes chiseled in the cliff face hold up this massive structure, measuring over 50m (164 ft) tall.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 6Datong/Pingyao
Travel by train and arrive at Pingyao in the evening. Enjoy some down time staring at the beautiful scenery, playing cards, or chatting with your fellow passengers.
Start planning your free time in beautiful Pingyao. The well-preserved UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its ancient walls.
Train
Climb aboard, take a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Free Time
Enjoy a free evening.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 7Pingyao
Explore this traditional town and enjoy an included visit to a local family home and a traditional Chinese painting lesson.
Sights around the city include the Market Tower, built in the 14th century, and the Confucius Temple. Opt to wander the ancient streets, marvelling at the city walls.
For lunch, visit a local family and enjoy a traditional Northern Chinese lunch. Later, take a painting lesson from a former teacher.
Your Hands-On Moment: Chinese Painting Lesson
Visit a former teacher and learn how to paint traditional Chinese calligraphy -- it's truly an art form. He'll teach you about the different strokes and characters used in this ancient art.
Free Time
Explore this charming city.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 8Pingyao/Xi'an
Take a fast train to Xi'an and spend some time exploring the city.
Train
Cut travel time on the fast train.
Free Time
Get out and explore.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Xi'an
Visit the Terracotta Warriors and enjoy an included lunch at a local farmer's house.
Take an orientation walk around Xi'an. Later, take a guided trip out to the Terracotta Warriors, situated a short drive away (approx. 1 hr). Enjoy a local lunch at a farmhouse nearby.
Spend time in Xi'an exploring this vibrant city.
Orientation With CEO
Enjoy a brief walk with your CEO. He/she will give you some tips on finding things like supermarkets, main squares, and ATMs. For more specific or in-depth information, an official guided tour is recommended.
Terracotta Warriors Guided Tour
Take a guided tour of the Terracotta Warriors where more than 8,000 clay soldiers and hundreds of replica horses and chariots stand in three pits. Learn why the Emperor Qin Shihuang commissioned the statues to serve as his army in the afterlife and how they were discovered. Spend a half-day exploring this archaeological wonder.
Free Time
Get exploring.
Optional Activities - Day 9 HideShow
Cycling Xi'an City Walls
45-45CNY per personRent a bike and cycle the Xi’an city walls. The walls – built for protection in the Tang Dynasty and expanded in the Ming dynasty –are a great way to absorb local history. Hop off where you like and admire the views as you pedal along the 12m (39 ft) wide wall, which takes about 2 hrs to cycle along.
Big Goose Pagoda Visit
50CNY per personHead to the outskirts of the city to the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, a beautiful, brick Buddhist temple.
Meals included:
Breakfast | LunchDay 10Xi'an/Beijing
Enjoy a free day in Xi'an. Opt to visit the Muslim Quarter, ride a bike around the city walls, check out the Big Goose Pagoda, or do some shopping. Take an overnight train to Beijing.
Head to one of Xi’an’s most fascinating areas – the Muslim Quarter.
Opt to tour the unusual yet lovely Great Mosque (a wonderfully serene place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city), great souvenir stalls, and enjoy some of the best street food in China.
The remaining city walls are a great place to watch the sunset or join the locals for ballroom dancing or Tai Chi in the early morning.
Free Time
Spend the day however you like.
Basic Overnight Train (beds)
Experience overnight travel like a local. Sit back and get some well-earned (and likely much-needed) rest en route to your next stop.
Optional Activities - Day 10 HideShow
Muslim Quarter Orientation Walk
FreeEnjoy a walk around Xi'an’s Muslim Quarter with our CEO, and be introduced to favourite streets, artists, chefs or food stalls in the quarter. Each CEO offers a unique perspective. Get a better feel for the district and have plenty of time to roam around on your own, shopping and eating along the way.
The Great Mosque
25CNY per personDiscover this hidden oasis behind the markets of the Muslim Quarter. Learn about the Great Mosque's centuries-old history, and explore the temples and gardens to see how Chinese and Islamic architecture came together in this place of worship.
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 11Beijing
Arrive in Beijing in the early morning. Enjoy a guided tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. In the evening, choose to take in a Chinese acrobats show, a Kung Fu show, or the Chinese Opera.
Tiananmen Square
Explore one of the world's largest public squares and the symbolic centre of Chinese power. Framed by the Gate of Heavenly Peace with its Mao portrait, Mao's Mausoleum, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum, and with elaborate flag raising and lowering ceremonies at dawn and dusk, it's a place of pilgrimage for the Chinese tourists who consider it the heart of their nation.
Forbidden City Tour
Our CEO will steer around crowds and help make the most of a visit to the Forbidden City.
Optional Activities - Day 11 HideShow
Beijing Opera
120-180CNY per personEnjoy this form of traditional Chinese theatre that combines music, vocal performance, mime, dance, and acrobatics. Dating back to the late 18th century, this form was extremely popular in the Qing Dynasty court and has come to be regarded as one of the cultural treasures of China.
Shaolin Monk Kung Fu Show
90-180CNY per personWatch this moving performance of choreographed martial arts, complete with a story line to follow.
Beijing Acrobatics Performance
Enjoy an evening of spectacular acrobatics performed by some of China’s most talented performers and athletes. This unforgettable spectacle features Chinese-style tricks, like plate-spinning, contortion, foot-juggling, and a host of circus-style acrobatics, too.
Day 12Beijing
Depart at any time.
With so much to see in Beijing, it is strongly recommended that you book pre- or post-tour accommodations and take in all the sights.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.