China - The Classic Route

China — 5,000 years of history. That alone is enough to draw most people to the Middle Kingdom.

Imagine walking through a grand imperial monument such as the Forbidden City — truly a city within a city. In Xian, see the famed Terra Cotta Warriors, each unique face sculpted to last for eternity. Float down the Yangtze River through the spectacular Three Gorges and in Guilin, see karst limestone peaks surrounded by rice paddies and the Li River. Our Classic Route to China travels through eastern China, showing you China's major cultural and natural sites.

We start in Beijing, one of the world's great cities, where large squares and monuments grace grand boulevards. We explore Beijing's hutong's (alleys), to experience daily life in this ancient city.

In Xian, one of the ancient capitals of China, we encounter the great wonder of the Terra Cotta Warriors, an Emperor's funerary army built to protect him on his journey to the afterworld. A stunning display of craftsmanship, each soldier and horse are unique. See the famous Buddhist caves at Dazu and embark on a cruise through the Three Gorges for a stunning display of massive rock faces forged by the mighty Yangtze River.

We take a night train to Guilin to discover the sublime landscape, regarded by the Chinese as the most beautiful site in China. Limestone peaks are in contrast to the serenity of surrounding rice paddies — simply spectacular!

We finish our journey through Classic China with the cosmopolitan cities of Shanghai and Hong Kong, to enjoy their splendid sites.