China For The Antiquary

As the world’s oldest civilisation, China has a wealth of rich heritage dating back thousands of years. Dig deeper into millennia of upheaval, conflict and golden eras, exploring age-old traditions and cultural quirks. We can even provide you with expert guides to fill you in on all the historical detail.

This quick itinerary, themed for those who love antiquity, features some of our historical highlights and gives you an idea of the places to visit in each destination:

China For The Antiquary Itinerary

Days 1-2 : Depart UK and arrive in Beijing.
Days 3-5 : China's capital city can not be ignored - for anyone who loves history the Great Wall, Forbidden City and Summer Palace are must sees. For a full on evening of Chinese culture take your seats for the Beijing Opera.
Days 6-7 : Journey to Luoyang where you'll find one of China's most impressive collections of art, the Longmen Grottos.
Days 8-9 : Continue on to Xian. Here you can explore one the world's greatest archaeological discoveries - the Terracotta Warriors, which you can visit with an expert. The old City Walls and Muslim Quarter are also worth visiting.
Days 10-13 : The province of Sichuan has a great many fascinating sights. Whilst visiting the pandas appeals to everyone - for the antiquary the Leshan Buddha and the sacred Emeishan both have much appeal.
Days 14-17 : Finish up in the province of Yunnan, a cultural centre for some of China ethnic minority groups. Here, capital city Kunming along with the old towns of Lijiang and Dali make for fascinating visits.
Day 18 : Fly Kunming for UK.

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Highlights

These highlights have been specially picked for this themed itinerary:

Beijing Opera
A form of traditional Chinese theatre, Beijing Opera combines music, mime, dance, acrobatics and vocals. A feast for the eyes, operas feature elaborate costumes and stylistic, symbolic movements layered with meaning.

Warriors with an expert, Xian
There is still much mystery surrounding the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang. Start to unravel the myth and legend, touring the museum with an expert who works on the site who will be able to answer all your questions.

Longmen Grottos, Luoyang
In 1,350 caves of the Yi River is the most impressive collection of Buddhist art in China. Thousands of intricate carvings of Buddha reside here, some with the remnants of once bright colours still clinging to them.

Emeishan
Swathed in forest and dotted with fascinating old temples, wander among the rich, cultural heritage, joining groups of pilgrims as they climb – you can even spend the night in one of the many peaceful monasteries.