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China Highlights
Local Payment: Not Specified
Tour Code: PCHC
Tour Duration: 8 Days
Countries Visited: China
Starting in Beijing we explore all the major places of interest, including the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven and the Summer Palace. We also visit a mostly unrestored and remote section of the Great Wall, allowing you to absorb the immenseness of this incredible structure without jostling for a position with thousands of other tourists. Xian is home to both a flourishing Muslim population and the world renowned 2,000-year-old Terracotta Warriors. We then fly to Shanghai, the largest city in China, once known as the Paris of the East.
Day 1: Beijing
On arrival in Beijing you are transferred to your hotel. In the evening you meet your tour leader and the other group members for a pre-tour briefing. This is generally followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant - Peking Duck is often a popular choice.
Day 2-4: Beijing
Beijing offers endless opportunities for exploration. The enormous Forbidden City, built more than 500 years ago and off limits to commoners for almost all that time, is a truly amazing place. Its size might surprise you (it is huge!), but what makes it fascinating is that every square metre is interesting, ranging from intricately carved walkways to colourful, painted ceilings. The Summer Palace and Temple of Heaven are two other fine examples of extraordinary workmanship. We also travel to Simatai, a largely unrestored and, as such, more authentic section of the Great Wall, not crowded with hordes of other tourists. Being perched on this incredible engineering feat and surveying the spectacular surrounding countryside is an unforgettable experience. There is also ample free time in the itinerary, allowing you to make your own discoveries. Our hotel is located in the south of the city and a walk in any direction will unveil all sorts of wonderful surprises. There are good shopping opportunities at the various markets around the city, such as the centrally located Dashilan Market. In the evening, you have the chance to enjoy a performance of the unique Beijing Opera (optional). We leave Beijing on the overnight train, travelling in soft-class, four-berth compartments. The 12-hour trip is a great opportunity for our group to get to know each other.
Day 5-6: Xian
Xian is a wonderful place to explore. Food options are excellent here, ranging from delicious Muslim fare to great little dumplings in Chinese cafes. Widely regarded as the first capital of a united China in 221 BC, the city is rich in history. A half-day tour to the renowned Terracotta Warriors introduces us to these entombed statues, considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th Century. Over 6000 of them were individually sculpted from clay, each having a different costume, height, even facial expression. They are standing in battle formation, facing east in order to protect the tomb of China's first emperor, the great Qin Shihuang. Peasants digging a well only discovered the underground vault, which was home to this army for two millennia, in 1974. Xian also has a wonderful Muslim Quarter. A free day can easily be spent wandering the narrow streets where we find quaint shops, lively markets, groups of white-bearded men in skull caps sipping tea in cafes, and the Great Mosque, one of the most important in China.
Day 7: Shanghai
In the morning we fly to Shanghai and transfer to our hotel located near the famous Bund or waterfront area, where dozens of imposing European colonial buildings, remnants of the concession era, line the promenade. This is an excellent place to rub shoulders with the locals. The shopping area on Nanjing Road is situated nearby. We enjoy free time in Shanghai, and your tour leader can show you how to get to the famous Yuyuan Gardens and Bazaar, a fascinating highlight of the city and worth exploring for its tranquil Chinese garden and wonderful food stalls.
Day 8: Shanghai
The tour ends after breakfast. You should arrange an evening flight out, or stay an extra day, if you wish to have time to explore more of Shanghai. A transfer to the airport is not included, however, your tour leader will be on hand to advise you as to the options available.
Tour Grade: Cultural adventure
With focus on local cultures and historic sites, these trips have the perfect mix of discovery, exploration, comfort and relaxation. Some trips may include a little walking or a night or two 'roughing' it. Check the itinerary for details.
| Start Date | End Date | Price |
| 6 Mar 2010 | 13 Mar 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 20 Mar 2010 | 27 Mar 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 3 Apr 2010 | 10 Apr 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 17 Apr 2010 | 24 Apr 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 15 May 2010 | 22 May 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 29 May 2010 | 5 Jun 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 12 Jun 2010 | 19 Jun 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 26 Jun 2010 | 3 Jul 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 10 Jul 2010 | 17 Jul 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 24 Jul 2010 | 31 Jul 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 7 Aug 2010 | 14 Aug 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 21 Aug 2010 | 28 Aug 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 11 Sep 2010 | 18 Sep 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 25 Sep 2010 | 2 Oct 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 9 Oct 2010 | 16 Oct 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 23 Oct 2010 | 30 Oct 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 13 Nov 2010 | 20 Nov 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 11 Dec 2010 | 18 Dec 2010 | $1445 AUD |
| 8 Jan 2011 | 15 Jan 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 12 Feb 2011 | 19 Feb 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 5 Mar 2011 | 12 Mar 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 19 Mar 2011 | 26 Mar 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 2 Apr 2011 | 9 Apr 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 16 Apr 2011 | 23 Apr 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 14 May 2011 | 21 May 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 28 May 2011 | 4 Jun 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 11 Jun 2011 | 18 Jun 2011 | $1445 AUD |
| 25 Jun 2011 | 2 Jul 2011 | $1445 AUD |
Tour Fact Finder
About Geckos
Peregrine has been operating adventure holidays since 1977. Today we can help you discover all four corners of the globe, from the Polar regions, to Africa, Latin America, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and beyond. We offer high-quality, excellent-value, small-group adventures to interesting areas of the world, in harmony with the local people and the environment.
Included
Local tour leader, local guides, arrival transfer, transport, sightseeing and entrance fees.
Meals
6 breakfasts,1 lunch,
Not Included
International flights, international and domestic departure taxes, departure transfer, visas, insurance, other meals, any optional tours and activities during free time, tips and items of a personal nature.
Additional Accommodation
Extend your holiday by booking some pre or post tour accommodation - ask us or your travel agent.
Visas
It is your responsibility to ensure you have all required visas for your trip. Rules and regulations governing the issuance of visas are constantly changing, and vary for different nationalities and you should check visa requirements with your travel agent or relevant consular authority well before travel.
- China: Australians, Americans, Canadians, British and New Zealanders do currently require a visa for China. For all other nationalities please reconfirm your visa requirements with your travel agent. <strong> Please note if you are travelling from China, into Hong Kong or Kyrgyzstan then back into China, you will need a double entry Chinese visa.</strong> Note that on some occasions people transiting through China on way to Hong Kong have been made to go through immigration and had their single entry visa stamped making this invalid. Do not allow your visa to be stamped if you are only going through transit.
Vaccinations
Vaccinations may be required for this trip. Please consult your doctor or a travel health specialist. The choice of vaccinations can depend on a range of issues including the specific destination, the duration of the trip, your personal health and of course what vaccines you have had before. Compulsory vaccines: These days the only compulsory vaccine is for yellow fever, which is required for many countries in Africa and South America. It should be done at least 10 days before travel and must be recorded in an official certificate book. Please note that very often you may not need to show this certificate book when entering these countries, but you will need to produce it to immigration/customs on returning to your home country. Routine Background Vaccines: We strongly endorse current public health recommendations that all travellers should be up-to-date with their routine vaccines such as tetanus, diphtheria, measles/mumps/rubella, polio and influenza, and paediatric vaccinations for children. Travel Vaccinations: While the food and water-borne diseases such as hepatitis A and typhoid will apply to most of our travellers, other travel vaccines such as hepatitis B, rabies, meningitis, Japanese encephalitis and cholera may apply to select travellers, especially long-term travel. Travel health experts can advise on what is required and also what is not required! Malaria: There is no vaccination against malaria, which is transmitted by mosquito bites and is a risk in many less-developed tropical areas, particularly in Central, East and West Africa, Melanesia (especially Papua New Guinea) and the Amazon region. In Asia (particularly India) and Central America it may be a problem in rural areas. Protection against mosquito bites is essential and where the risk is considered high, anti-malarial medications are recommended. Anti-malarial medications should be discussed with experts as there are different medications available and not all medications suit all people or all destinations. We prefer that trekkers to altitude try to avoid the use of mefloquine (Lariam) if possible. It is your responsibility to ensure that you obtain any vaccinations or preventative medicines for the countries you are visiting - or any which may be required by your home country upon your return. To find out which, if any, vaccinations are mandatory or recommended for your destination contact your local doctor, immunisation centre or medical centre for up-to-date information. If you need to arrange vaccinations or a supply of preventative medicine (e.g. malaria tablets), you should contact your doctor at least two months before you depart. Some inoculations require more than one visit and can take several weeks to administer the full course. For travellers from Australia and New Zealand, we strongly recommend Travel Doctor-TMVC clinics to obtain the most up-to-date advice on health risks and vaccinations (see www.traveldoctor.com.au for locations and detailed vaccine information or phone 1300 658 844 for an appointment in Australia). Some vaccines require more than one dose, so arrange for your visit at least 4-6 weeks before you travel. Travellers living outside Australia and New Zealand will need to consult a similar organisation in their own country (please ask your travel agent for recommendations), but can still access the following link for information: www.traveldoctor.com.au/travelreport.asp?UnqID=0.4630191&PageID=10&nav=personal-traveller Carry Your Certificate You should be issued with an International Certificate of Vaccination booklet that records each vaccination. Always carry this with you on your travels; it could provide essential information for doctors in the event that you fall ill whilst travelling.
Insurance
On all our holidays you must have comprehensive travel insurance that covers you for medical costs associated with hospitalisation, emergency travel and repatriation back to your home country. Please take your insurance policy with you when you travel. We are able to recommend a policy for you. You may take other cover, of course, but we require you to be adequately insured before we can allow you to participate in our programmes. Your local leader will need to see and record your policy details at the pre-tour briefing, so please bring a copy along to the meeting. If you arrive without travel insurance your tour leader will require you to purchase a policy before you continue your journey with us. If you are covered by a policy arranged through your credit card company you will be asked to provide evidence of this cover, as well as a 24-hour emergency contact number. Many credit card companies do not provide an insurance policy number. In this instance, the tour leader will need to record your credit card number, as this is required to activate any request for emergency assistance. You should also bring along the travel insurance information booklet provided by your credit card company. It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet the requirements set out by your credit card company in order to be effectively covered and that the cover offered is of a suitable standard.
Travelling Responsibly
We care about the places and people that we meet on our journeys, and we try to ensure that we give something back, as well as taking away so many incredible memories.
About This Information
The information provided here is given in good faith and has been compiled with all reasonable care. However, things change and some of the information may become out of date. Please keep this in mind when you read it and check with us if you want to be sure about something. The document was correct at time of printing, but you can check online for the most up to date version. If you have any queries, please contact your travel agent or our staff in Australia. We are here to help you!
Last Updated
22/10/2008 12:53:29 PM
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