Saturday 28th April
Depart London on British Airways this evening.
Sunday 29th April
Arrive Beijing this morning and transfer to the city. Have a break at our hotel. After lunch we take a look at old Beijing with a rickshaw tour through the old Hutong district. We will enjoy a relaxing cruise on the Houhai Lake with traditional Chinese musical accompaniment.arrival, you will be greeted by your local guide who will accompany you as you transfer to the hotel. Dinner at your hotel Overnight: BEIJING (L D)
Monday 30th April
Two different itineraries will be arranged today. One will be for dairy farmers and an alternative programme will be arranged for those with other interests. Overnight: BEIJING (BLD)
Tuesday 1st May Today we will drive to visit the Beijing Dachang Fuhua Cattle Farm and walk around the feedlot. For lunch on the farm we will have high quality Beef Hot Pot (an individual hot pot each). This afternoon visit Hua Xia dairy farm. This evening we will enjoy a Peking Duck dinner.
Overnight: BEIJING (BLD)
Wednesday 2nd May Begin this morning with a stroll in Tiananmen Square, bordered by the Great Hall of the People. Then we walk to the Forbidden City, the complex of the imperial palace, which was home to the Emperors for over 500 years. Grand halls and courts gradually give way to the more intimate domestic quarters of the Emperors.
This afternoon, unlike most other tours which go to the restored Great Wall of China at Badaling or Jurongguan, we will go to the less visited part of the wall at Mutianyu where the wall is still like it was when first built 600 years ago. We will take a cable car to the highest point to enjoy the fantastic view. On the platform of the central pass are three watchtowers, indicating its military importance. Here you can see rolling mountains with grass and trees growing luxuriously and there are many orchards, producing walnuts, chestnuts, almonds and sugar pears. We return to Beijing and this evening we will take a Chinese first class Express Train to Inner Mongolia.
Overnight Train
Thursday 3rd May At 7.10am we arrive at Hohhot, the capital city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, with a population of 1.41 million. Transfer to our hotel for breakfast. If all our rooms are ready we will check-in for a short rest. This autonomous region has the biggest production of milk in China and the city is now recognised as China’s milk capital. We visit one of the biggest milk-processing companies in China, Yili Industrial Group Co Ltd and its demonstration dairy farm. The company aims to be one of the top 10 dairy companies in the world by 2015. Its milk products are found throughout China. In the afternoon, we visit the famous Dazhao Temple, which was built in 1580 in the Ming Dynasty. It is one of the biggest and most well preserved temples in Hohot. Overnight: HOHOT (BLD)
Friday 4th May After breakfast, drive for one and a half hours to the beautiful grassland area of Xilamuren, 87 kilometres north of Hohhot. En-route we stop at a village to visit and talk with farmers about their work and their daily life. We also visit a small village dairy operation. We visit one or two different family sheep farms. We will learn about their sheep breeding methods and what measures are being taken to prevent overgrazing of the grassland. One of the farms has sheep raised in fenced areas and another has a flock of sheep roaming freely in natural grassland. Then we will have a typical Mongolian lunch of roast mutton. After lunch we enjoy traditional Mongolian folk dance and singing, wrestling and a horse race. At 4pm we drive back to hotel. Overnight: HOHOT (BLD)
Saturday 5th May This morning we will visit the Meng Niu dairy factory and farm and view the very modern processing facilities. This is another ambitious dairy company. This afternoon we visit a wool and cashmere processing factory, then visit the Zhaojun Tomb, which is famous as it is where the lady Wang Zhaojun, one of the four most distinguished beauties of ancient China, was married to the Emperor of the Huns to maintain the peaceful relationship between China and the Huns. After dinner we fly to Xian.Overnight: XIAN (BL)
Sunday 6th May
Xian was the cradle of ancient Chinese civilisation dating back to 4000 BC, and the capital of China for 11 dynasties from 1046 BC to 907 AD. It is from here that caravans started on the Silk Road to Europe, changing the Western world forever.
First thing this morning we enjoy a tour to Big Goose Pagoda and the City Wall. Next we visit the Museum of the Qin Terracotta Warriors and Horses. This is one of the greatest archaeological discoveries in the world with three exhibition halls, the largest of which is 180 metres by 60 metres, housing the continuing excavation of an army of 8,000 terracotta soldiers and horses that guard the tomb of Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of the unified China. It is a stunning exhibition of ancient artifacts that is well laid out and easy to view. This evening enjoy the spectacular Tang Dynasty Show with dinner.
Overnight: XIAN (BLD)
Monday 7th May
After breakfast, we drive for about two hours to Shanxi Lintong County, located by the Wei River, one of the main tributaries of the Yellow River. We will visit a dairy farm and one or two wheat farms including a cereals processing plant. June is the winter wheat harvest season in this region. We will meet with local officials and farmers to talk about agricultural administration and agricultural commerce. Lunch will be arranged at a large local farm. In the afternoon, on the way back to the hotel, we will visit some peasants’ villages and families if time permits. We return to our hotel late afternoon. Overnight: XIAN (BLD)
Tuesday 8th May
This morning after breakfast in the hotel we transfer to the airport for the flight to Urumqi. Afternoon arrival in this modern industrial metropolis. Urumqi literally means “beautiful pasture”: the capital city of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region is the most 'inland' city in the world, lying 2,248 kilometres away from the nearest ocean! With a population of two million gaily-dressed ethnic inhabitants, the city was strategically important on the ancient Silk Road - the great trade route between eastern and western countries. On arrival we transfer to our hotel to check in. Later in the afternoon we meet with an official from the Xinjiang Bureau of Animal Products. Overnight: URUMQI (BLD)
Wednesday 9th May
After breakfast we depart by coach for Shihezi for a day of visits. The city is famed as a man-made oasis in the desert as well the major base for breeding the Chinese merino super-fine-wool sheep, and industrialising the fine-wool sheep in China. The high-quality A, B and C series of fine-wool sheep which are now raised on 80 percent of the Xinjiang's pasturelands are the choice of local herders seeking to improve profitability.
After lunch we visit a sheep farm to see a shearing demonstration. Besides the sheep, Shihezi has become an important centre for the production of grain and cotton. Notable among these crops is Yinli Cotton which enjoys a good reputation both at home and abroad. The output of cotton from the oasis city accounts for one-ninth of the total for Xinjiang as a whole. In the late afternoon we board the coach to return to the hotel where we have dinner.
Overnight: URUMQI (BLD)
Thursday 10th May
Today we visit Nanshan Livestock Farm, located in the mountains. Amid deep river valleys, horses gallop in fields and livestock are scattered here and there through this beautiful and clean natural pastureland extending far through the valleys. Towards the south of Urumqi City, the Nanshan Pasture is located in the Kelawucheng Mountain range, a branch of the ‘Heavenly Mountain’ range. Upon arrival we will drive up to a grassland farm that is 1,300 metres above sea level and have a discussion with the owner. Then enjoy a special Kazakh lunch in the Yurts and see the sheep being shorn by local blade shearers. Return to the hotel in Urumqi for dinner and overnight. Overnight: URUMQI (BLD)
Friday 11th May After breakfast in the hotel, depart in our coach for a look at Heavenly Lake, a volcanic lake which is nestled below Bogda Peak, 110 kilometres east of Urumqi. Covering 4.9 square kilometres, this crescent-shaped lake deserves its name. With melted snow as its source, the lake benefits from crystal-clear waters. When the snow peaks and the clouds are mirrored in the glittering water, it is extremely beautiful. Before arriving at the lake, we visit a big sheep and cattle market where we visit and talk with some of buyers and sellers. In the early afternoon we return to Urumqi. Overnight: URUMQI (BLD)
Saturday 12th May After breakfast, we transfer to the airport for our flight to Shanghai, which is China’s largest city, inhabited by nearly 4 million people. On arrival we transfer to our hotel. There will be time to have a wander around at leisure or maybe relax before dinner and a cruise on the Huangpu River. Overnight: SHANGHAI (BLD)
Sunday 13th May This morning we visit Shanghai’s Old Town, with a history dating back some 400 years. People love this area due to the variety of commodities and shops available. We will visit the Yu Garden, an island of tranquillity amid the hustle and bustle of the city. Covering nearly 5 acres it contains over 30 pavilions and has numerous corridors, small halls, lotus ponds, bridges and winding paths which are characteristic of the architectural style of the Ming Dynasty. Outside the Yu Garden there is a very interesting market, the Yuyuan Bazaar, with everything that you can think of for sale at low prices. After a light lunch, we visit the waterfront area of the city known as the Bund where we shall have a short walk along the riverside. The Yellow River is the main shipping artery for the whole of southern China, the main form of transport for goods to and from the interior of the country and Shanghai is China’s largest foreign trade port. Time for shopping on Nanjing Road, one of the busiest and biggest shopping streets in China. After lunch we take a tour to the Pudong New Area, where we tour the riverside park along the Huangpu River appreciating the third highest TV Tower in the world as well as the Jinmao Tower, the third tallest building in the world. This evening we enjoy a Chinese Acrobats Show – an amazing performance of skill and agility. Overnight: SHANGHAI (BLD)
Monday 14th May This morning after breakfast we travel one and half hours by coach to Suzhou, the city with over 2,500 years of history, regarded by Marco Polo as the "Venice of the Orient". Suzhou is also known as the Silk Capital of the World and a Land of Rice and Fish in China. En-route to Suzhou we drive through some villages to see wheat and rice fields and visit some farmers. Then we visit a large agricultural products wholesale market where you will see everything from live chickens and ducks to eels and a variety of fruit. Suzhou has long been famous for its canals and gardens. The canals are all linked to the Grand Canal which is believed to be the largest internal waterway in the world. It was originally constructed to carry grain from the southern regions to the capital. After lunch we will have a sightseeing tour cruising on the canals to view people’s daily life. We then visit a Silk Mill to see how silk is produced from the silkworms and made into the finished article both in traditional and modern ways. Overnight: SUZHOU (BLD)
Tuesday 15th May After breakfast in the hotel we visit the Master of Nets Garden, one of the oldest existing gardens in the city and one of the four most famous classical gardens in China, built in the Song Dynasty 900 years ago.
We then transfer to the airport for our flight back to London or for our flight to Chongqing for the Yangtze Cruise/Guilin extension.
Tour Cost | Price per person | Twin/Double | £3,500.00 | Single Supplement | £375.00 |
Cost Includes: - Return international flights (economy class) & international airline taxes
- All internal flights & train travel in China as indicated in itinerary
- 15 nights hotel accommodation (superior or deluxe standard)
- 1 night accommodation on first-class express train
- Meals as indicated in the programme (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=Dinner)
- All transfers and excursions with private comfortable vehicles
- All sightseeing and entrances as indicated on itinerary
- All farm visits as indicated on itinerary
- Tips & gratuities
- Services of a professional English speaking tour guide throughout
Not included: - Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees & airport taxes
- Optional excursions
Optional extension including Yangtze Cruise, Guilin, & Hong Kong onsion ing Yangtze Cruise, Guilin, & Hong Kong onal extension ir Tuesday 15th May Transfer to the airport for our flight to the scenic mountain city of Chongqing departing mid-afternoon. Arrive Chongqing at 6.00pm and transfer to our hotel. Overnight: CHONGQING (BLD)
Wednesday 16th May This morning we drive for 3 hours to the famous Dazu Rock Carvings located in the east of Chongqing city. These valuable works of art date from 650 in the Tang Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911. More than 5,000 Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian stone figures and statues are in this impressive rock carving wonder. In 1999, the Dazu Rock Carvings were ranked as a World Cultural Heritage Site. We will arrive there about 11.30am and have lunch first. It takes around 2.5 hours to visit the carvings and at 3.00pm we drive back to Chongqing. We’ll enjoy an afternoon sightseeing tour with a visit to the excellent Chongqing Zoo to see China’s Giant Pandas. The city is famous for its hot Sichuan cuisine and world-famous hotpot dishes. Street vendors, as well as restaurants, feature exciting spicy delicacies for the adventurous. Dinner will be special local cuisine in a restaurant. We transfer to our luxury 5-star cruise liner sailing at 9.00pm for a 3-night downstream Yangtze River cruise to Yichang. The Yangtze is the world’s third longest river and passes through three gorges and breath-taking, beautiful mountain scenery. Much of this spectacular scenery is changing as a result of the world’s largest dam project which we will visit as we make our way downstream. Overnight: 5 Star boat (BLD)
Thursday 17th May The Yangtze, which snakes its way 6,300 kilometres from western China’s Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to the East China Sea, is a very important means of transport and we will see ships carrying all sorts of merchandise. Our first port of call is the remarkable city of Fengdu, believed in days gone by to be the abode of devils. The 700 temples with their bizarre statuary on Mingshan Hill bear testimony to the city’s notoriety as the “City of Ghosts”.
Overnight: 5 Star boat (BLD)
Friday 18th May Today we navigate the magnificent Yangtze Gorges. In the morning at about 7.00am, we pass through the shortest and narrowest gorge, Qutang Gorge (8km). At 8.15am we enter the second gorge, Wu Gorge, (44km) with peaks rising to dizzy heights above the river. At 10.00am, take an exciting ride by small craft along the swift waters of the Shennong Stream, one of the many tributaries in this fertile area. Here the imposing mountains, dramatic precipices and crystal clear waters form a spectacular scene. We return to the boat around 4.00pm and enter the Xiling Gorge, which is the last and longest of the three Gorges. Its 75 kilometres was known for swift currents and dangerous shoals before it was flooded by the Three Gorges Dam.
Overnight: 5 Star boat (BLD)
Saturday 19th May After breakfast on the boat, we leave our cruiser behind at Sandouping and disembark at 8.00am. Here we will board our coach for a visit to one of mankind’s greatest engineering feats to date, the construction site of the Three Gorges Dam Project. The construction formally began in 1994 and the body of the dam was completed in 2003. The final construction was completed in 2008. The dam wall is 2,335 metres long, 185 metres wide at the bottom, tapering up to 18 metres at the top. Spectacular views and scenery from the top of the dam wall constantly change as the water level continues to rise. This area offers some of the most magnificent natural scenery in China. We reboard our boat and cruise further downstream through the lower Xiling Gorge to Yichang. After lunch we drive for 4 hours to Wuhan, the capital city of Hubei Province. Our journey is interesting as we drive through large regions of irrigated rice fields, corn and vegetable farms. Overnight: WUHAN (BLD)
Sunday 20th May This morning we visit the Hubei Provincial Museum, with its remarkable bronze relics and impressive display of Chu era music followed by a city sightseeing tour. After lunch, we transfer to the airport and fly to Guilin, a beautiful and unique city which is nestled amidst paddy fields, and is one of China’s important areas of rice and sugar cane production. It is not only famous for its unique landscape, but is also known for its various agricultural products due to its special Central Asian tropical climate. Upon arrival, we will have lunch in the hotel. In the afternoon, there will be leisure time for you to take advantage of the hotel’s health club and indoor swimming pool or go for a walk around the lake. We depart early evening as soon as the sun goes down for a visit to see the Cormorant fishermen at work. We will first have dinner by the riverside and then catch our river boat for a demonstration of how the fishermen teach the cormorants to catch the fish. Overnight: GUILIN (BLD)
Monday 21st May This morning we visit the Guilin Dairy Farm with more than 250 cows which was founded in 1953 by the local government. For more than 50 years, this dairy farm has been providing high quality organic fresh milk for Guilin citizens and is regarded as a successful example of milking cows under the hot and humid conditions of southern China. We will meet with the manger and experts from the farm. Then we will have a tour of Reed Flute Caves, a spectacular world of stalactites, stone pillars and rock formations with one grotto capable of comfortably holding more than 1,000 people. This afternoon we drive for about one hour to visit a milking water buffalo farm adjacent to a lake and irrigation reservoir. Traditionally people in southern China preferred to drink soybean milk for centuries but following China’s economic development more and more people require cow milk products, especially fresh milk. In order to meet the current market demand, in 2003 the Government encouraged wealthy entrepreneurs to invest in farming. The farm manager who is a graduate of Quangxi University and a former employee of the Quangxi Water Buffalo Technology Institute near Nanning, in a joint venture with several friends, rented 200mu (13ha) pasture and started the farm. Now the farm has a total of 286 buffalos with 136 cows milking. Overnight: GUILIN (BLD)
Tuesday 22nd May This morning we visit the Guilin Meiguan Pig Breeding Co Ltd, a USA-Chinese joint venture. They farm 135 pigs (21 sows, the rest boars) comprising 4 breeds (Yorkshire, Hampshire, Duroc and Landrace). They cross the boars with local breeds and sell the x-bred weaners to larger scale pig farmers. Then we visit a fish farm nearby. Five species of carp and catfish are farmed. A duck farm is on the same property - 2,000 ducks are farmed for meat and 2000 for eggs. The ducks have a small area of the fish farm to swim in. This afternoon we visit the Guilin Tea Science Research Institute. Founded in 1965, the institute grows 250 different tea plants on 40 ha. It was the royal tea garden in the Ming Dynasty 400 years ago. Tea picking, processing and tasting are demonstrated. During the visit you will be given coolie hats and have a try at tea picking. Overnight: GUILIN (BLD)
Wednesday 23rd May This morning we depart from our hotel for our cruise along the Li River, which runs through the heart of this region. We will have a chance to see the water buffalos working in the fields. Buffet lunch will be taken on the boat as we cruise the famous Li River. This afternoon we have arranged for a “buggy ride” through the countryside - definitely the day to have your camera ready. We return to the hotel when there will be time for you to relax and maybe this evening visit the night markets that are only a few minutes’ walk away. This evening we have a farewell dinner. Overnight: YANGSHOU (BLD)
Thursday 24th May This morning on our way back to Guilin we visit Guilin GFS Bio-tech Company. This company, established by ex Ruakura Research Station Horticultural scientist, Dr Garth Smith, has successfully developed a large volume automated process to extract a sweetener from Luo Han Guo or Monk fruit. We will visit their tissue culturing green houses and tour through the high-tech factory to see the fruit going in one end and the extracted white powder coming out the other end. After lunch, we have a sightseeing tour of the beautiful city before transferring to Guilin airport to check in for our flight to Hong Kong departing at 5.30pm. Arrive in Hong Kong at 6.40pm. Transfer to hotel, which is in an excellent location. Overnight: HONG KONG (BLD)
Friday 25th May Day to explore Hong Kong and shop. Overnight: HONG KONG (B)
Saturday 26th May Morning at leisure. Transfer to Hong Kong airport early this morning to check in for your flight home. Tour Cost | Price per person | Twin/Double | £2,670.00 | Single Supplement | £475.00 |
Cost Includes: - Return international flight Hong Kong - London Heathrow (economy class) + international air taxes
- All internal flights as indicated in itinerary
- 8 nights hotel accommodation (superior or deluxe standard)
- 3 nights accommodation on 5 star cruise ship
- Meals as indicated in the programme (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=Dinner)
- All transfers and excursions with comfortable private vehicles
- All sightseeing and entrances as indicated on itinerary
- All farm visits as indicated on itinerary
- Tips & gratuities
- Services of a professional English speaking tour guide throughout
- Porterage of 1 piece of luggage per person (?)
Not included: - Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Visa fees & airport taxes
- Optional excursions
Prices for upgrades to business or first class on international flights can be provided on request How to Book To make a booking, please call us on 01242 515712 or click on our Booking Details. |
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