China: Peaks, Pandas and Palaces 4-28 May 2027

Depart Christchurch at 610pm, flying with Air New Zealand via a change in Auckland to Shanghai. Overnight on the flight.

After Check in and a rest at the hotel, we will take a visit to Jinmao Tower, and enjoy a short walk to a local restaurant for an early dinner, the rest of the evening will be at leisure

This morning after breakfast, meet your local guide and start the day off at the old town of Shanghai, where cobbled streets are lined with traditional shops selling herbal medicines, handicrafts, Chinese tea and a variety of tantalising snacks, is the original centre of Shanghai and for decades was the seat of Chinese authority in Shanghai.
Admire the magnificent colonial architecture with a stroll along the Bund, recognised as Shanghai’s former ‘Wall Street’. The Bund is home to an impressive collection of buildings from the early trade houses of the 1850s to the glamorous Art Deco modernism of the 1920s. Originally the home of the foreign population of Shanghai, the Bund’s architecture has inherited much western influence and is a stark contrast to the Pudong skyline, sitting across the Huangpu River.
Continue to visit the French Concession, an area of Shanghai remaining the charm of the ‘Paris of the East.’ The colourful and lively boulevards boast live music, boutique bars and shops. It is an area bursting with character and tradition.
This evening, enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Huangpu River, which flows through the centre of Shanghai and separates the city into Pudong, meaning ‘east of the Huangpu’ and Puxi, ‘west of the Huangpu’. Cruising down the river, you will see the contrast of the historical Bund architecture on one side of the river with the modern Pudong skyline on the other side. At night, the banks of the Huangpu light up, turning Shanghai into a neon wonder. ‘

At 07:30 this morning, after breakfast and check out, meet your local guide in the hotel lobby and transfer to the station for your train journey to Linhai (Taizhou).
Upon arrival in Linhai meet your local guide and transfer to visit a local market in Jiaojiang District.
Explore the Linhai ancient city wall and old streets. An ancient relic from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, Linhai’s Southern Great Wall in China stretches over 5,000 meters, constructed originally to fend off invaders and manage floods. Its strategic design invites admiration, while viewpoints perched on high hills offer commanding views.
Later you will be transferred to check in to your hotel where the rest of the day is at leisure.

At 07:30 this morning, after breakfast and check out meet your local guide in the hotel lobby and transfer to explore the Shenxianju Scenic Area Cableway & Skywalk Shenxianju Scenic Area, with its unparalleled natural beauty and ingeniously designed infrastructure, has become a dream destination for many travellers and Visit the Gaoqian Ancient Residence.
Later you will be transferred to the station for your train back to Shanghai

This morning fly to Zhangjiajie. Brace yourself for an exhilarating walk across Zhangjiajie’s Glass Bridge, the world’s longest and highest glass-bottomed bridge spanning 430-metres over the Grand Canyon. This evening, discover the 72 strange and spectacular buildings of Zhangjiajie 72 Qilou.

Enjoy a full day of exploring Zhangjiajie National Park. Begin at the Yuanjianie Scenic Area, and ride the remarkable Bailong glass elevator, the highest and fastest outdoor elevator in the world. Embedded into the mountain, the elevator soars up the mountain side to a towering height of 326 metres in as little as two minutes! This impressive elevator will transport you to Mihun Stage, where you will enjoy amazing views of the majestic peaks, including the ‘First Bridge under the Sun’ and Hallelujah Mountain. Continue to Emperor Mountain and visit Helong Park before taking a cable car down. End the day with a scenic sampan cruise on Lake Baofeng, a turquoise expanse of water amongst picturesque karst scenery.
Sightseeing today will involve around 3-4 hours of walking, including wooden and stone steps.

Soar up the heights of Tianmen Mountain in the world’s longest cable car, a 7-kilometre journey taking approximately 40-minutes*. Atop the mountain, marvel at Tianmen Cave, nicknamed ‘Heaven’s Door’, standing proudly at the top of 999 steep steps. Next, take a thrilling walk along a glass skywalk, aptly named the “Walk of Faith” as though you’re walking on air. If time permits, you may also walk across the Cliff-Hanging Walkway or Coiled Dragon Cliff.
Return down the mountain by cable car and Drive 4 hours to the Yangtze river for the start of your Cruise

Visit the Three Gorges Dam, the world’s largest hydroelectric dam, and marvel at this incredible feat of engineering. Disembark the ship and take a scenic 45-minute drive (please note that the coach is not permitted to take photo stops) to the viewing area above the ship locks, where you will be able to appreciate the immense scale of this monumental project. Explore a small museum and a lookout point for further insight into its construction and impact on the region. This excursion includes approximately one hour of walking.
Additional excursions may include the Three Gorges Dam ship lift.

Prepare for breathtaking vistas as you enter the Three Gorges and pass through Wu and Qutang gorges. Wu gorge is known for its quiet beauty, forest-covered mountains, and sheer cliffs, while Qutang Gorge is the shortest, narrowest, and most dramatic gorge. Transfer to smaller vessels for a relaxing excursion through the Goddess Stream, which are narrower than the Three Gorges, but very impressive.

Cruise along the mighty Yangtze River. Relax onboard or disembark to explore the elegant pavilions of Mount Shuanggui and view the impressive cliff brush writings by Song Dynasty calligraphers.
Depending on local conditions, you may visit Shibaozhai Temple or Xiaoguanshan Folk Culture Park instead.
Additional shore excursions may include Fengdu’s “Ghost City” and Fengyan Sanguo “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” evening show (river conditions permitting).

Disembark youur Cruise ship in the morning. Explore the charming old quarter of Ciqikou, where narrow alleyways are lined with traditional teahouses, craft shops and tempting snacks. Watch a face-changing show, then stop by Liziba Intersection, where metro trains famously glide straight through a residential high-rise. This evening, head to a waterfront location to see the dazzling Hongya Cave lit up, then watch Chongqing’s spectacular Saturday night drone show where over 5,000 drones light up the sky.

This morning travel by bullet train to Chengdu, a journey of approximately 3-hours and 40-minutes. Wander through the vibrant People’s Park to see the fascinating Matchmaker’s Corner, where parents search for suitable partners for their children.

Today you will visit China’s most famous resident, the Giant Panda. Visit the Panda Conservation Centre where you can learn about China’s celebrated bear. See these lovable creatures in surroundings that mirror their natural habitat. It is not guaranteed that you will be able to see the feeding of the younger pandas, as this only happens at the start and end of each day. Sightseeing involves approximately 1 and a half hours on foot and there are electric carts offered by private vendors that can be organised at your own cost.
Later, fly to Lijiang where you will stay for the next three nights.

Drive around 2 hours (depending on number of photo stops) out of Lijiang to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, one of China’s most dramatic sights. The bus will drop you off at the northern end of a walkway which follows the gorge as far as the upper rapids. The whole area is spectacular, so prepare for breathtaking views. Lunch today will be a simple meal as the choice of restaurants in this area is limited. Return to Lijiang in the afternoon.
Overnight altitude – 2,300m at Lijiang

A magnificent mountain massif, the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain incorporates several peaks, the tallest of which is 5,500m. Visiting Jade Dragon Snow Mountain is very popular with travellers to this area, so to avoid the large crowds of people queuing at the same time, the local Government’s tourist authority allocates times to each group. The bus will drive to the base of the mountain where you will take a cable car and explore one of the beautiful high meadows and enjoy the amazing vistas. There is a wooden pathway to the meadow; this walking route takes approximately 20 minutes. Descend by cable car to re-board the bus. You may reach a maximum altitude of 3,250m during your time on Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. Later, take a leisurely visit to Baisha Old Town to view the fascinating frescoes, painted during the early Ming Dynasty and Baisha Village, a settlement of the Naxi minority people.
Daytime altitude – 3,250m at Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Overnight altitude – 2,300m at Lijiang

This morning travel to Lijiang Old Quarter and explore the maze of canals and cobbled alleys on foot, admiring the traditional architecture, before visiting Black Dragon Pool where you can enjoy spectacular vistas of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain. After you have your last pictures of the mountain. Transfer by train to Kunming

Drive 1 and a half hours to the Stone Forest and spend the morning exploring the unusual limestone rock formations of the Kunming Stone Forest. This involves around 2 and a half hours walking along cobblestone paths to view the maze of rock pinnacles, lake and ponds. After lunch, you will drive back to Kunming for an afternoon at leisure. This evening, dine on a local dish, Across the Bridge Noodles

This morning fly to Xian. Walk the atmospheric alleys of the Muslim Quarter, and in the evening, enjoy a delicious feast of traditional Shui Jiao dumplings and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing.

Spend the morning viewing the enigmatic ranks of the life-sized Terracotta Warriors. The Museum of the Terracotta Warriors and Horses is located approximately a 1-hour drive outside of Xian. From the bus park to the museum entrance is a 15-minute walk. There are electric carts offered by private vendors which can be organised at your own cost. There is no electric cart available for the return from the museum exit to the bus park. Within the museum area the warriors can be seen in three different ‘pits’, which are active archaeological digs. The site is large and will take about 2 and a half hours to explore. After this, visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Workshop to see smaller models of the warriors being made.
Later, stroll on the beautifully preserved 14th century city walls that enclose Xian’s old town, where the local guide will give you time to explore at your own pace.

Try your hand at Traditional Chinese Calligraphy then board the train to Beijing.

Walk across the lengths of Tiananmen Square and into the magnificent Forbidden City. Sightseeing here involves approximately 3-4 hours on foot. Soak up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven for around 1 hour. This evening, enjoy a traditional Peking Duck Dinner.

Rise early this morning and drive around 2-hours northwest of the city to the Juyongguan Pass. Here you can take a walk on the Great Wall of China, appreciating the wall itself and the dramatic scenery. After walking from the coach to the first section, your group will receive an introduction to the Great Wall’s unique history and a briefing on the different walking routes available, depending on your level of fitness. You will then have approximately 2.5-hours free time to explore at your own pace. Please note that there are many steps at the wall and certain sections are steeper than others. Later, visit a jade factory before taking a stroll through the exquisite Summer Palace. Freshen up before a farewell dinner on your last night in China.

Depart Beijing after breakfast. Your transfer time will be advised the night before. Fly this morning from Beijing to Shanghai Pudong Airport, where you will connect onto your Air NZ flight to Auckland departing at 1415.

Arrive Auckland in the morning and connect home to Christchurch.