Highlights

• Walk the Great Wall at Huanghuacheng, one of the most scenic sections, reached by boat with views across the surrounding hills and reservoir
• Come face to face with giant pandas at the Chengdu Panda Conservation Centre, one of the world's leading breeding programmes for this endangered species
• Cruise the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges, visiting smaller gorges, riverside villages and the Three Gorges Dam, the largest hydroelectric structure in the world
• Ride the bullet train through Yunnan province, stopping in Lijiang, the ancient caravan town of Shaxi and Dali, with an optional visit to Weibaoshan's Taoist mountain temples
• Take the Li River cruise from Guilin to Yangshuo, drifting through a corridor of tall limestone peaks rising directly from the water

Beijing

China's capital opens the tour with two full days. The Forbidden City is one of the largest palace complexes in the world, built for emperors who ruled here for nearly five centuries. Beyond the main landmarks, the hutong alleyways of Yandaixiejie Street show a quieter, older side of the city.

Xian

Xian sits at the eastern end of the ancient Silk Road, the trade route that connected China to the Middle East and Europe for over a thousand years. The city wall enclosing the old town is one of the best preserved in China, and the Muslim Quarter at the centre is one of the most atmospheric street markets in the country.

Chengdu

Chengdu is the capital of Sichuan province and one of China's most alive cities, known for its food, its teahouse culture and its pace. It is also home to the Chengdu Panda Conservation Centre, one of the world's leading breeding programmes for giant pandas.

Lijiang and Yunnan

Yunnan is the most ethnically diverse province in China, home to 26 of the country's 56 recognised ethnic groups. Lijiang sits at altitude below the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, and the route through the province takes in ancient caravan stops, Taoist mountain temples and the Stone Forest outside Kunming, a UNESCO-listed landscape of limestone pillars formed over 270 million years.

Guilin and Yangshuo

The landscape around Guilin is one of the most painted and photographed in China, with tall limestone peaks rising directly from flat rice paddies and river water. The Li River runs south through the middle of it to the small town of Yangshuo, where a Tai Chi class with a local master and an optional hike to Moon Hill round out the stay.

Yangtze River Cruise

The Yangtze is the longest river in Asia and the Three Gorges section, where the water cuts between cliffs rising hundreds of metres on either side, is the most dramatic stretch. The Three Gorges Dam at the eastern end is the largest hydroelectric structure ever built.

Shanghai

Shanghai is China's largest city and its financial capital, with a skyline that has changed almost entirely since the 1990s. The Bund, the colonial waterfront strip facing that skyline across the Huangpu River, gives the best view of both the old city and the new. The tour closes with a farewell dinner and the ERA acrobatics show on the final evening.

Terms and Conditions

Return flights from Dublin to Beijing with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul, returning from Shanghai to Dublin via Istanbul. All domestic transport included, covering internal flights, bullet trains and road transfers throughout. 28 nights accommodation across Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, Lijiang, Shaxi, Dali, Kunming, Guilin, Yangshuo, Chongqing, a Yangtze River cruise vessel and Shanghai. Meals included as per itinerary: breakfast daily, with lunches and dinners as listed. Touring with English-speaking guides and all entrance fees included for listed sites. Yangtze River cruise included. Visa fee deducted from booking cost for Irish passport holders, who can travel to China visa-free until 31 December 2026. Based on 2 passengers sharing. Flights depart Dublin 2026-08-21. Price is correct at the time of posting (08 June 2026). Offers are subject to change. Price from €5,750 per person

28 nights from €5,750 per person