Nomads & Dynasties:
Mongolia and China

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

After arriving early morning in Shanghai, you will be transferred to your hotel. This afternoon take in sweeping views of Shanghai’s stunning skyline from the iconic Jinmao Tower followed by a panoramic cruise on the Huangpu River. Enjoy a welcome dinner with the group.

Meals: Dinner

Transfer to Shanghai airport for your morning flight to Mongolia, arriving 3.05pm in Ulaanbaatar. You’ll be met by your local guide and transferred to your hotel approx 45 mins by coach. Dinner will be at a local Mongolian steak restaurant

Meals: Lunch & Dinner

Today you’ll enjoy a full day sightseeing, beginning at Gandan Monastery, Mongolia’s largest and most important monastery, where you can observe the monks’ morning chants and learn about the country’s unique form of Buddhism. Continue to the central Genghis Khan Square before exploring the National Museum of Mongolia, home to a rich collection of artefacts spanning the nation’s history.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

This morning, fly around 1.5 hours to the Gobi Desert. Visit the spectacular scenic gorges of Yolyn Am, the Valley of Eagles in Gobi National Park. Drive to Khongor Els, Mongolias’ largest sand dunes. Visit a camel breeder to taste camel milk yoghurt and enjoy a sunset camel ride along the sand dunes. Stay the night at Gobi Erdene Lodge

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Explore Khongor sand dunes (known as the Singing Sand
Dunes) by 4WD and foot. Visit Bayanzag Flaming Cliffs and
enjoy a sunset dinner. Stay the night in a Mongolian Ger.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Check out early for the 7 hour drive from Bayanzag to Kharkhorin stopping for lunch at the ruins of Ongiin Khiid Monastery on the banks of the Ong River. Continue the scenic drive to Kharkhorin, once the heart of the Great Mongol Empire, arriving in the early evening. Stay the night in a Ger camp.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Explore the ancient sites of Kharkhorin and the memorable
Erdene Zuu Monastery. Take part in the morning chants and a blessing ceremony by the head monk. In the afternoon visit a real nomadic family Airag tasting and a Mongolian BBQ experience. Dinner is back at the Ger camp

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Drive east to Ulaanbaatar, arriving for lunch. Visit Bogd Khan’s Museum and transfer to the hotel with some time at leisure.

Meals : Breakfast & Lunch

Visit the Genghis Khan Equestrian Statue on the banks of the Tuul River. Visitors can take an elevator to the horse’s head for panoramic views, and explore the Mongol history museum underneath . Continue to Terelj National Park for lunch and to visit the Temple of Meditation and see the iconic Turtle Rock. Return to Ulaanbaatar for a Mongolian folklore concert and a farewell dinner.

Meals : Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Beijing, arriving at
1.55pm. You’ll be met by your guide and transferred to your
hotel.

Arrive Beijing, group transfer to hotel.
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner

Spend the day exploring Beijing. Soak up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven, an orderly oasis in a bustling urban landscape. Next, head into Beijing’s symbolic heart, Tiananmen Square, and explore the magnificent Forbidden City – a complex full of imperial treasures. Dinner and a Chinese acrobatic show rounds off the day.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, 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 at your own pace, appreciating the wall itself and the dramatic scenery. Please note that there are many steps at the wall and certain sections are steeper than others.
Later, visit a jade factory, and in the afternoon, wander around the beautiful grounds of the Summer Palace. In the evening, enjoy a traditional dinner of Peking Duck.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Board a bullet train for your 5.5 hour journey to Xian. After
checking into your hotel, explore the fascinating Muslim
Quarter. This evening dine on delicious Shui Jiao dumplings and watch a performance of Tang Dynasty Dancing.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Spend the morning viewing the enigmatic ranks of the lifesized Terracotta Warriors, located a 1-hour drive outside of Xian. Afterwards, visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Exhibition Workshop to see smaller models of the warriors being made. Later, stroll (or cycle) on the beautifully preserved 14th century city walls that enclose Xian’s old town. Quench your thirst with a trip to a local brewery where you will enjoy a refreshing beer tasting experience. This evening enjoy a night tour of the city.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Board a bullet train for the 3.5 hour trip to Chengdu and check into you hotel. Tonight experience a traditional Hotpot meal.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit the world-famous Panda Base where you can see these lovable creatures in surroundings that mirror their natural habitat. Later Visit the People’s Park and enjoy a tea tasting at an old tea house. Spend time wandering the old town’s alleys. Experience a performance of Sichuan Opera featuring the actors’ famous ‘face changing’

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Fly to the beautiful city of Guilin in the morning. Visit the Reed Flute Cave to explore the colourful stalagmites and stalactites.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Take a relaxed 4-hour cruise along the Li River to the charming village of Yangshuo where you will spend 2 nights. Around every river bend is a view to take your breath away as jagged peaks loom over rural scenes of lush greenery, grazing buffalos and local fishermen. In Yangshuo, visit the local markets. Depending on the weather, there is an optional outdoor Sanjie Liu light and
sound show this evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start the day with a relaxing and invigorating session of Tai Chi, taking a class with a master to learn this ancient martial art. The relaxation continues with a soothing Chinese reflexology massage. Spend time touring the verdant countryside of Yangshuo, and take a cooking class.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive back to Guilin. Enjoy a walk around Ronghu Lake and
Shanhu Lake to admire the Sun and Moon Pagodas.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Fly to Shanghai, China’s great metropolis, where east and
west collide on streets lined with futuristic skyscrapers and
10th-century temples. Spend an evening exploring China’s long and fascinating history in a breathtaking show of martial arts, acrobatics and stunning special effects – the fantastic ERA Show at Shanghai’s Circus World

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today, explore the classical Yu Garden, stroll through the charming old town, visit a silk mill and enjoy some time at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Visit Zhujiajiao Watertown, one of Shanghai’s sleepy water towns built on an old canal system once used to transport goods all over imperial China. The town’s narrow alleyways exude old-world charm, whilst the waterways are lined with ancient buildings and crossed by stone bridges. Later stroll along the Bund and Nanjing Road. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner of authentic Shanghainese cuisine

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Meals: breakfast

Arrive Christchurch 925am.