China on a Shoestring-Hong Kong to Beijing Adventure Tour

Soak in the vibrant pulse of Hong Kong, float down the Yangtze on a Chinese-style riverboat, and walk the Great Wall with other others that share your appetite for adventure. Enjoy 18 days packed with China's major sights and out-of-the-way gems with the freedom to choose those that interest you. Cycle along Xian's ancient city walls and through the stunning rice fields and limestone karsts of Yangzhou. Explore gorgeous scenery straight out of a painting or just relax and take it all in.

Highlights

Explore Shanghai and Hong Kong's bustling streets, snap photos of Yangshuo's karst scenery, discover history in Xi'an and Beijing, walk along the Great Wall of China.

What's Included

Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group Your Discover Moment: Yangshuo Your Discover Moment: Beijing. Full
day Yangtze River boat trip to Three Gorges Dam and Xiling Gorge. Excursion to the Great Wall. Visit to Shanghai Museum. Orientation walks in Xi'an and Shanghai. All transport between destinations and to/from included activities.

Accommodation

Simple hotels (12 nts), sleeper trains (5 nts, 6
berth compartments)

Meals Included

1 lunch

Transport

Train, local bus, private bus, Chinese
style boat, walking.

About our Transportation

We will be using a variety of types of transport on this trip. Some transportation is not yet at the same level as you would expect back home. If you are able to bring with you a lot of patience, a great sense of humour and a willingness to try and interact with the local people, your travel experience wil be greatly enhanced. China is a very large country, and this trip covers a lot of ground. There will be multiple overnight trains utilized in order to maximize daylight hours in the places we are visiting. Note that some of these train journeys are quite long, ranging from 14
18 hours. Bring along reading/writing material and other things to pass the time. Our overnight train tickets are for beds in the hard sleeper cars. These consist of open bays of six bunks (upper, middle & lower) to one side of the aisle. Bedding is supplied, and berths are padded. There are approximately 60 berths per carriage.

Group Leader

English
speaking Chinese Chief Experience Officer (CEO) throughout.

Emergency Fund

Please also make sure you have access to at least an additional USD $200 (or equivalent) as an 'emergency' fund, to be used when circumstances outside our control (ex. a natural disaster) require a change to our planned route. This is a rare occurrence!

Solo Travellers

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi
share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Spending Money

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

What to Take

What you need to bring depends on the trip you have chosen and the countries or regions you are planning to visit. We suggest that you pack as lightly as possible as your are expected to carry your own luggage. As a rule we try not to have to walk more than 15
20 mintues with your bags which is why we recommend keeping the weight of your bags between 10
15kg/22
30lb. Suitcases are not recommended for G Adventures trips! Most travellers carry a backpack or rolling bag of small to medium size (no XXL ones please!) as they need to fit under the beds when travelling on sleeper trains. You will also need a day pack/bag to carry water, cameras and other electronics like ipods and mobile phones. Do not bring any knives or swords into China (gifts or otherwise). If they do make it into the country, they will not be permitted on trains. If you purchase a knife or sword while travelling elsewhere before arriving in China your best option is to post/mail it home before entering the country as no post/mail companies in China will accept it as a parcel.