Compare Hidden China by MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) vs Journey on the Silk Road by Himalayan Glacier Adventure

Day 1: Arrive in Beijing

Accommodation: Red Wall Garden Hotel

Arrive in Beijing, the capital and cultural heart of China for over 3,000 years. Today, Beijing is home to over 17 million people and is the second-largest city in China. Upon arrival, and MTS representative will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in downtown Beijing—a well-appointed and elegant hotel with two private dining rooms and a lounge. The hotel’s delicious cuisine is served traditionally, that is to say family-style, allowing you to sample the breadth of the regional fare.

Day 2: Beijing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Red Wall Garden Hotel

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll begin our adventure with a visit to one of China’s (and Beijing’s) most sacred places, the Temple of Heaven. This complex of several temples was constructed from 1406 to 1420, and in 1998, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple grounds account for nearly three square kilometers, offering you countless treasures and architectural marvels to explore. This afternoon, we’ll visit historic Tiananmen Square—one of the largest city squares in the world and the site of the infamous 1989 massacre—and the Forbidden City, where Imperial China's emperors dwelt for centuries. Your expert guides will explain China’s layered dynastic history as you visit the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the Imperial Garden and more. Afterwards, we’ll browse the treasures at Liulichang Culture Streetmarket and feast on mouthwatering Peking duck at the renowned Hepingmen Quanjude Restaurant, established in 1864.

Day 3: Beijing

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Red Wall Garden Hotel

Today, we’ll head for the magnificent Great Wall of China! We’ll begin with a pastoral walk in the mountains before we reach the wall and then enjoy some challenging hikes along its less-visited sections. Over the course of the day, we’ll spend time on the Gubeikou Great Wall—a section of military and strategic importance—as well as the Jinshanling Great Wall, the best-preserved section stretching six miles with 67 towers. You’ll see majestic views of boundless mountains, with a few villages speckled in the distance and the wall stretching as far as the eye can see, as you walk through history and learn about members of the Ming Dynasty. Standing on the top of the wall, with a light wind blowing and no other sounds, looking out over the forested hills and open spaces, one could almost picture the Mongol hordes riding over the horizon to attack! Most parts of the wall are built on a gentle slope but other sections are steep and unrestored, so watch your step as you go. Tonight, we’ll return to our hotel in Beijing for dinner.

Day 4: Beijing to Yangshuo

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

After a leisurely morning to take in some of Beijing’s sites on your own, we’ll transfer to Guilin, a city in northeast of Guangxi Zhuang, an autonomous region that still embraces traditional lifestyles. In Guilin, we’ll meet a driver who will bring us to Yangshuo, a verdant city surrounded by stunning mountain peaks and serene, snaking rivers. We’ll end the day at our relaxing and scenic mountain retreat, where we’ll have time to take a stroll to explore our splendid surroundings—a stark contrast from the hustle and bustle of downtown Beijing!

Day 5: Yangshuo

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Yangshuo Mountain Retreat

With countless trails and paths leading through Yangshuo’s beautiful, rocky scenery, mountain biking is an excellent way to take in the countryside at a relaxed pace. In the morning, we’ll bike towards the main road and cross the famous Gongnong Bridge, a landmark in Yangshuo. Make sure to stop and visit the big banyan tree on the left side before proceeding to Moon Hill! We’ll leave our bikes at the foot of Moon Hill and make the short, steep climb to the top of the hill, where we’ll have the chance to lunch at a local villager’s home. This afternoon, we’ll board traditional bamboo rafts to coast along the Yulong River, a picturesque tributary of the Li River. Quiet and pure near Yangshuo, the river flows through some of the most beautiful karst scenery, peaceful villages, and the 600 year-old Yulong Stone Bridge. Locals use these rafts daily while traveling up and down the river between houses, markets, and rice paddies. Sitting on the reclining bamboo chair on the raft, we’ll get a taste for Guangxi’s relaxed, traditional and idyllic way of life. At the end of the day, we’ll return to our secluded mountain retreat.

Day 6: Yangshuo to Guilin Departure

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

On your last day in China a choice of enriching activities awaits! You may choose to learn how to cook real village food at Yangshuo Cooking School, where skilled and friendly teachers love to impart the stories and secrets of Chinese cuisine. Or, choose to learn the traditional martial art of Tai Chi during an enlightening three-hour class. Tai Chi practitioners use this method to control their breathing, heart rate and coordination to stay healthy—it is a great choice to make before boarding our flights later today. This afternoon, we’ll say goodbye to our fellow traveling companions and board our return home flights at Guilin Airport.

Day 1: Arrival and sightseeing in Beijing

After your arrival at the Beijing airport you will be greeted by our guide who will drop you off at your hotel. After checkingin, you will have the rest of the day to tour Beijing. With more than 3000 years of history, Beijing has rich assortment of well-preserved cultural and imperial relics. Today we tour Tian’anmen Square, which is an extensive open area in central Beijing. Then walk north into the Forbidden City. For five hundred years, it served as home for the emperors of China. Later we visit the Summer Palace which was constructedfrom 1749 to 1764 and is the grandest imperial playground in China with elaborate Qing-style pavilions, bridges, walkways, and gardens scattered around the immense Kunming Lake.Overnight in Beijing.

Day 2: Fly to Xian and tour Xi'an Ancient City Wall and Shaanxi History Museum

After flying to Xian in the morning, you will spend the rest of the day visiting the city’s beautiful landmarks. The City Wall of Xian represents one of the oldest and best preserved Chinese city walls and also is one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world. Next, visit the Shaanxi History Museum, regarded as “the pearl of ancient dynasties and house of Chinese treasures”. It gives a miniature overview of the thousands of years of Chinese history and the splendid ancient cultures of olden times. Overnight in Xi’an.

Day 3: Sightseeing in Xi’an

Believed to be the most significant archaeological excavations of the 20th century, the Terra Cotta Warriors and Horse Museum includes Pit 1, Pit 2 and Pit 3 as well the exhibition hall of the chariots and horses. After completing the tour at the museum, visit the Big Wild Goose Pagoda, which is a well-preserved ancient building and a holy place for Buddhists. Later visit another archaeological site, Banpo, discovered in 1953, which contains the remains of several well organized Neolithic settlements carbon dated to 5600–6700 years ago. In the evening, enjoy the Tang Dynasty Song and Dance Show at Tang Yuegong Theatre. Overnight in Xi’an.

Day 4: Fly from Xi'an to Zhangye

Today we fly to Zhangye and tour its famous landmark, the giant Buddha temple which is a complex consisting of the Giant Buddha Hall, the Buddhist Classics Hall, and a Clay Pagoda. The Giant Buddha statue of 34.5m lying in the middle of the hall is the temple’s main attraction. It is also believed that the famous Italian traveller Marco Polo was very impressed by the magnificent architecture of the Giant Buddha Temple and by the prosperity of Zhangye city and lived here for more than a year. Overnight in Zhangye.

Day 5: Morning sightseeing then take a train to Duhuang

Today we visit the famous Matisi grottos or caves. The Thousand Buddha Caves are just inside the entrance gateway to the Matisi Scenic Area, and walking up the road is a pleasant experience, with the river rushing past on one side, and the decaying niches studding the cliff face on the other. Later we visit the temple of the legendary King Gesar. In the evening, you get to witness the excellent sunset over the picturesque landscape of Danxia. Later, take a train to Duhuang to spend the night.

Day 6: Sightseeing in Duhuang: Hechang Military Depot: 95km, 3-4 hours

Today we visit Hechang Military Depot, which is located in the northwest part of Dunhuang, about 20km away from Yumen Pass. The military depot was used to store food and clothing when fighting with the nomadic Xiongnu people during the Han dynasty. Overnight in Duhuang.

Day 7: Sightseeing in Duhuang: Crescent Lakeand Mogao Grottoes

We begin the day by visiting the beautiful Crescent Lake, which is a small pool of spring water between two large sand dunes. We even enjoy the beauty of the area with a camel safari. Next, you will tour Dunhuang’s famous Mogao Grottoes also known as the Dunhuang Grottoes. The site showcases China’s largest collection of Buddhist grottoes, the oldest ones dating back to as early as a thousand years ago. While touring the site you will also get to marvel at the murals that have Buddhist stories, folk culture, farming, and hunting as their main themes. Take a train to Yumen and finally to Turpan to spend the night.

Day 8: Sightseeing in Turpan

Begin sightseeing in Turpan with a visit to the Suleiman’s Minaret also known as the Sugong Pagoda. Built in Uighur architectural style, the Pagoda is an old brick tower dating back to 1778, almost as old as the United States! Next, visit the grape valley, a small paradise with a thick maze of grape trellises. Today you will also tour the Karez channels, which is a unique underground water system, invented and built by ancient farmers from various ethnic minorities of Turpan. Another highlight of today would be visiting the Astana Tombs from where thousands of priceless historical relics have been unearthed. End the tour by passing through the legendary Flaming Mountain, believed as the hottest place on earth.

Day 9: Drive to Urumqi

Drive to Urumqi after breakfast and visit the Terai Camp followed by Nanshan Grassland, both beautiful natural sites. Nanshan Grassland, also known as Mount Nan Pasture, is a large pasture region with many beautiful streams and a waterfall. While in Urumqi you can also enjoy a traditional meal of ethnic Kazakhs, who were traditionally nomadic, tribal shepherds and ranchers of cattle, sheep, goats, and horses.

Day 10: Fly to Kashgar

After checking in at your hotel in Kashgar, you will visit the Etigar Mosque, a famous mosque, which is well known among muslims in central and west Asia with the name of “Little Mecca”. Also visit the Tomb of Abakh Khoja, a much revered muslim leader and prophet of the 17th century. Next, enjoy strolling in the world’s livelest market in Kashgar, an oasis in the centuries-old Silk Road before calling it a day.

Day 11: Sightseeing in Kashgar: Karakuli Lake

You will spend the whole day enjoying the beauty of Karakuli Lake which is popular among travellers for its beautiful scenery and the clarity of its reflection in the water, whose color ranges from a dark green to azure and light blue. The lake lies at an altitude of 3,600m, and is the highest lake of the Pamir plateau, near the junction of the Pamir, Tian Shan and Kunlun mountain ranges. Surrounded by mountains which remain snow-covered throughout the year, the three highest peaks visible from the lake are the Muztagh Ata (7,546m), Kongur Tagh (7,649m) and Kongur Tiube (7,530m). Overnight in Kashgar.

Day 12: Final departure

Your journey on the Silk Road ends today. You will fly to Beijing and board an international airplane to fly home. On the way, you can reminisce on your incredible journey on the Silk Road.