Highlights of China - Hong Kong to Beijing

Our tour starts today in Hong Kong, where East meets West. Known for its glittering skyline and rich heritage, Hong Kong is where ancient culture and modern city life live in harmony.

For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6.30pm for a welcome meeting, followed by the opportunity to meet your fellow travellers over dinner (not included).

There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in Hong Kong at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), which is a 40-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up at 9am on day 2.

There's plenty to see and do in Hong Kong. If you'd like to visit the Tian Tan Buddha (Big Buddha) on Lantau Island, or embark on one of the many hikes surrounding the city, we recommend booking an additional night before your tour starts.

If your flight arrives earlier in the day, the options are endless, but you could take the underground to the waterfront of Victoria Harbour, and then on to Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon.

Hong Kong is a modern metropolis (and important financial centre), known for its iconic skyline of skyscrapers, world-class culinary scene and ancient heritage. This morning, we'll head out to explore on an orientation tour by metro, ferry and on foot, taking in sites such as Kowloon Waterfront, the Star Ferry, the Stock Exchange, Des Voeux Road, Li Yuen Street markets, Man Mo Temple and the Bank of China.

The afternoon is free for you to explore more at your own pace. Public transport is quick and easy to use, letting you get to the city's must-see sights. You can take a funicular railway to Victoria Peak or a launch out to a floating restaurant in Aberdeen Harbour. Alternatively, seek out a traditional cha chaan teng (local tea restaurants that combine eastern and western flavours) for pineapple buns and milk tea, admire the latest sartorial and electronic fashions, or splurge on an afternoon tea at the Peninsula Hotel.

After a relaxed breakfast, we'll transfer to Hong Kong West Kowloon station and board the high-speed train to Guilin. We'll need to be at the station a couple of hours early to complete border formalities before we board. The train journey takes three hours arriving into Guilin in the late afternoon. Guilin is known as the gateway to the stunning limestone scenery for which this part of China is known and was once an important transport hub of the Qin Dynasty thanks to the construction of the Ling Canal in 214 BC.

After checking into our hotel, we'll head out for dinner before going on an orientation walk around Guilin later this evening.

This morning, we head to MoPanShan Dock where we board our cruise to Yangshuo on the Li River passing paddy fields, villages and stunning limestone scenery along the way. We'll have lunch onboard the boat during the journey. Arriving into Yangshuo in the afternoon, we'll have the chance to explore this laidback town. A haven for nature lovers, Yangshuo is a real contrast to the bustle of Hong Kong.

This evening, you have the option to head out and see the outdoor sound and light show that brings together dance, colourful costumes and traditional folk songs. Please note, if weather is bad, the show might be moved to tomorrow evening.

Yangshuo has so much to offer and today is free for you to explore at your own pace. You can walk among the surrounding karst summits (the surreal limestone peaks surrounding the town), explore the town on foot, or hire a bike and cycle through the country back lanes.

Today, you also have the option to join a half-day bike ride that takes you out of the main town, where you can explore the smaller country back lanes. Alternatively, if you're not in the mood for a cycle, there's the option to your hand at Chinese cooking or calligraphy.

We have an early start this morning as we head to Guilin Airport to catch our flight to Xian. The journey to the airport takes around 90 minutes and the flight time is just under two hours, non-stop.

During our stay in Xian we'll learn about the extraordinary continuity of Chinese civilisation. Xi'an (Changan) served 11 dynasties and was the very starting point of the Silk Road connecting Asia with Europe. This morning, we'll have a sightseeing tour to see the ancient monuments, including the Big Wild Goose Pagoda (a seven-storey, 64-metre-high structure with superb views over the city), and the 15th-century Great Mosque in the old Muslim Hui District.

Our accommodation in Xi'an is a traditional Chinese hotel located close to the northern section of Xian's city walls, and is a short walk from the Muslim Quarter.

After a relaxed morning, we drive to one of the highlights of any visit to China - the magnificent Terracotta Warriors and Horses, who guard the Qin Shi Huangdi Tomb. There are literally thousands of life-size warriors dating from 200 BC. Uncovered in the 1970s, the site is considered one of the greatest archaeological discoveries of the century. Depending on the group's interest, we'll have the option to stop at the on-site factory to see how the warriors are made today.

The Terracotta Army is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is visited by thousands of people every day. It's worth noting that it can be very crowded at times. It's advisable to bring a hat and sun protection as there may be long queues to enter.

After lunch, we'll head back to Xian, where we'll take a walk along the city walls. Later this evening, you can explore more at your own pace, or there's the option to take part in the dumpling banquet and Tang Dynasty Show.

This morning, we have an early start as we catch the bullet train from Xi'an to Beijing, which takes around five-and-a-half hours.

We'll arrive in Beijing in the afternoon and head out on a tour of the city. Kublai Khan made Beijing the capital of his mighty Asian empire in the late 1200s, and it has played a central role since then. Nowadays, Beijing is China's capital and its political and cultural centre - all clocks in this vast country are set to Beijing time, despite the westernmost regions being some 5,000 kilometres away.

This afternoon, we plan to visit the vast Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square, the one-time home of the Ming and Manchu (Qing) emperors, and a treasure trove of eastern wares.

The evening is free for you to relax after a busy day exploring.

Please note, following the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of visitors to the Forbidden City has been restricted and tickets are limited. If we're unable to visit today, we'll move our visit to tomorrow after our tour of the Great Wall. In the rare instance that a delegate is visiting, the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square has been known to close at short notice.

Today, we visit a renovated part of the Great Wall of China at Mutianyu, a two-and-a-half-hour drive north of the city. Begun in the 3rd century BC by Shi Huangdi, thousands of conscripted workers laboured on it, and many lie buried within its brick and stone ramparts. It's incredible to think that this wall spans the entire country. Here, there's a 2-kilometre/1.2-mile section to walk along, complete with watchtowers and views of the surrounding countryside.

We'll drive back to Beijing later this afternoon.

For our final evening, there's the option to see an acrobatic performance. We also recommend seeking out a traditional restaurant to try Peking duck for dinner.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Beijing.

There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from either Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) which is a 90-minute drive from our hotel or Beijing Daxing International Airport (PKX) which is a one-hour 45-minute drive away.