Compare Explore China by Intrepid Travel vs Gansu: Origins of the Silk Road Tour by WildChina

Day 1 Shanghai

Nimen Hao! Welcome to Shanghai. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm where you'll meet your tour leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive with time to spare, maybe head to the newest crown jewel of Shanghai skyscrapers - Shanghai Tower, for a birdview of the city, or visit the Shanghai Propaganda Poster Art Center or Shanghai Urban Exhibition Hall (both closed on Monday) for different tastes of the city's past and future. Your evening is free after the welcome meeting but consider heading out with your group afterwards for a dinner on your leader’s recommendation.

Day 2 Shanghai

Today join your leader for a walking tour to historical Shanghai. Get a taste of 1920s Shanghai at the Bund, a spectacular array of art-deco style buildings lining what was once the most important financial street in Asia. The afternoon is free for you to explore the city. Perhaps stroll the tree-lined streets of the French Concession, visit one of the tranquil temples or contemporary art galleries, or indulge in a little shopping. Rejoin your group tonight for an included dinner of local specialties.

Day 3 Luoyang

The complex and spectacular Yuyuan Gardens await you this morning. A classic example of traditional Chinese gardening, these lands were first crafted by Pan Yunduan during the Ming Dynasty as a place of comfort and enjoyment for his parents. From the serenity of the gardens to the rush of high speed train travel! Board a westbound train and relax as the scenery whisks by. Arrive in Luoyang in the early evening. Ancient China’s prosperous capital for many dynasties, archaeological digs of the surrounding countryside have unearthed some fascinating ancient treasures. After settling into your hotel, perhaps venture to the Old Town for dinner with the group.

Day 4 Shaolin – Luoyang

Today, travel to the legendary birthplace of kung fu – the Shaolin Monastery (approximately 3 hours). The monastery remains the primary source of Shaolin Buddhist training to this day. Learn about the warrior monks of Shaolin and how the martial art has changed over the centuries. Watch an athletic kung fu performance and then wander through the Pagoda Forest, where respected monks have been laid to rest in towering tombs since AD791. For lunch enjoy a vegetarian feast at nearby Yongtai Temple. Head back to Luoyang after lunch and enjoy a free evening in Luoyang. As night falls, you’ll see thousands of colourful lamps light the streets and squares across the city, creating a lovely ambiance.

Day 5 Longmen – Xi'an

This morning you'll drive to the Longmen Grottoes (approximately 40 mins). These 2100 caves, filled with more than 100,000 statues of Buddha dating back as far as the fourth century, are rare examples of exquisite Buddhist rock carving. Learn more about this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site as you explore some of the masterpieces with your leader. In the afternoon, take a bullet train from Luoyang to Xi'an (approximately 2 hours), arriving in the early evening. Xi'an, capital for 13 dynasties and kingdoms over the last 2500 years, is not only rich in ancient history but also full of life. Muslim quarter is a local favorite for great food experiences. Join your leader for a sizzling local dinner here in the evening. In your free time, don't miss out on a bike ride on the ancient city wall, or a visit to the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda.

Day 6 Xi'an

Visit Xi'an's most famous site today, the Terracotta Warriors. You'll travel by bus (approximately 2 hours) to reach the site. Once there, you will hear all about this incredible archaeological find, which was uncovered by farmers digging a well in 1976. Until then, the site had been buried for thousands of years. These clay statues of soldiers, horses, and chariots all standing in battle formation were commissioned by the emperor of the Qin dynasty as part of his mausoleum and a number of pits are now on display to the public. Enjoy a local lunch nearby and return to Xi'an in the afternoon.

Day 7 Xiahe

This morning you’ll get another taste of China’s efficient bullet trains as you travel about 3-hours west to Lanzhou. From there, transfer to the enchanting Tibetan town of Xiahe (another 3 hours). A place of pilgrimage for many Tibetans, Xiahe is as scenic as it is tranquil. Get acquainted with the town on a short walking tour with your leader. The rest of the day is yours to spend how you please.

Day 8 Xiahe

Visit the fascinating Labrang Monastery today and see Tibetan monks going about their daily rituals. The rest of the day will change depending on the season. From June to August, the group will head to the Sangke grasslands to visit nomadic Tibetans to learn about their life over some yak butter tea. If you’re travelling during the other months of the year, pay a visit to a Tibetan family in town and enjoy a deliciously home-cooked lunch. The evening is free for you to do as you please.

Day 9 Lanzhou – Beijing

Today is largely made up of travel. Head back to Lanzhou (about 4 hours), then catch an afternoon flight to Beijing, arriving in China’s capital in the late afternoon. After settling into your hotel, you will have the rest of the day free to explore bustling Beijing. Depending on the time of your arrival, you can choose to visit one of the many historical sites in the city or check out one of the shows that are on in the evening. Your leader is a wealth of suggestions for optional activities and places to eat, to be sure to ask them for advice.

Day 10 Beijing

Today, explore the legendary Great Wall. Take a private bus to the Mutianyu section of the wall. (approximately 1.5–2 hours). Spend some time exploring the wall, including guard towers that date back to the Ming dynasty-era. You can either walk to the wall or take a cable car (at your own expense). When returning, you can walk, take a cable car or take a toboggan ride. The latter is highly recommended!

Day 11 Beijing

Today visit Tiananmen Square, one of the world's largest downtown squares then you’llenter the Forbidden City, former home of China’s imperial rulers. Discover its many palaces, gardens, and courtyards. Then head to an area known for its hutongs (narrow streets and alleys) and explore the historic streets. Although Beijing is modernising rapidly (its contemporary culture is a huge source of fascination in itself), there are still some pockets in which to discover the nation's ancient roots. Enjoy a classic dinner tonight with the perhaps the most well known of all the capital's dishes – Beijing (or Peking) Duck.

Day 12 Beijing

Your trip comes to an end this morning after breakfast. Staying an extra few days in Beijing is highly recommended, as there is so much to see and do.

Day 1: Lanzhou

Meet your local WildChina guide at Lanzhou airport and transfer to your hotel in a private vehicle • If there's time, cruise down the Yellow River (the second longest river in China) on a traditional goat skin raft. This was the major form of transportation along the river until the first steel bridge was built in 1907

Day 2: Lanzhou – Zhangye

After breakfast, visit a local cooking school and learn the history behind the region's famous beef noodle soup

Learn the art of pulling noodles as thin as thread and then enjoy your own bowl of noodle soup for lunch

Take the high-speed train to Zhangye (3 hours) and drive to the Danxia land formation, more popularly known as the 'Rainbow Mountains'

Hike through five different "platforms" of height and explore the changing views

Get your camera ready for a sunset view over the colorful mountains.

Day 3: Zhangye

Start the day early and visit the 12th century Giant Buddha Temple, home to the largest clay Buddha in Asia and the only well-preserved Western Xia Royal Temple in China

Before entering the temple, practice water calligraphy or Chinese Kungfu (weather permitting) from a local master in the temple grounds

Continue your exploration of Zhangye's unique landscapes when you hike in Pingshanhu Grand Canyon

Day 4: Jiayuguan

Meet a local Yugu Minority family and learn about their way of life over a cup of tea. Visit the Matisi Grottoes (1-hour drive) one of the three most important Buddhist Grottoes in Gansu. The legend of Matisi (Horse Hoof Temple) can be traced back to the 4th century. Here you'll find Tibetan and Chinese cave art and the hoof print of the legendary flying horse who chose the mountains as a holy site

Hike or ride a horse through the surrounding pine forest to Linsong Waterfall (1 hour) • Enjoy a picnic lunch on the way

In the afternoon, drive to Jiayuguan City (3 hours)

Your guide will help you check into your hotel and the evening will be spent at your leisure

Day 5: Jiayuguan – Dunhuang

Visit Jiayuguan, the first pass on the western end of the Great Wall. The Jiayuguan Pass has been fully restored and is now the wall's best preserved fortress

Continue your drive to the Wei-Jin Dynasty Tombs and see underground murals dating back 1700 years

If Try your hand at stone painting - a traditional local craft that uses stones from the Gobi Desert

After lunch, drive to Dunhuang (4 hours), a fertile outpost close to where the Silk Road split into its southern and northern routes either side of the impassable Taklamakan Desert

Spend the evening exploring local night markets or enjoy dinner on the roof of your hotel

Day 6: Dunhuang

Start the day in the 'singing' Minsha Sand Dunes, named for the way they 'rumble' in the wind • Stop by Crescent Moon Lake, an oasis nestled in the desert • Enjoy a local lunch in the city's most famous food street

 Visit the Mogao Grottoes, a complex of 492 grottoes representing the pinnacle of Chinese Buddhist art

The caves were created over the course of 1,000 years and were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987

OPTIONAL: We'll arrange an expert in Chinese Buddhism to accompany you through caves not open to the general public

In the evening, visit a local artist's studio or head out on a foodie's adventure with your guide to Yue Quan Xiao Zhen Market.

Day 7: Departure

Watch the sunrise in the desert from the roof of your hotel • Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before transferring to the airport for your departure flight