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meals included: 3 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

transport: Plane, overnight train, taxi, private bus, local bus, bicycle, walking

accommodation: Hotels (8 nts), guesthouses (8 nts), homestay (1 nt), overnight trains (3 nts)

budget: Allow USD $250 for meals not included.

departs: Selected Sat from Apr to Nov

important notes: IMPORTANT
Due to the recent earthquake in Chengdu your itinerary needs to be rerouted as some of the areas we were planning on visiting have been closed off until further notice.

Intrepid have sent a proposed re routed itinerary to your agent or directly to you - if you have not received this please contact us and we can send it through - your leader will also advise you of the changes on day 1 of the trip.

IMPORTANT: Due to the Chinese government restricting tourist travel in to some areas close and in Tibet Intrepids' Nomadic China trip departing on the 26th of April will be re routed form Days 4 through to Day 12. Please see below for more details.


• Days 1-3 as per original itinerary.

• Day 4 Datong

Early on the morning of day 4 we take a 6 hour train ride to Datong.

In the afternoon we visit the Yungang Grottoes at Datong. Built over a 34-year period starting in 460 AD, these caves house an amazing 51,000 Buddha statues.

• Day 5-6 Pingyao

We take a private transfer to Pingyao on day 7 and check in to our traditional-style guesthouse, the perfect setting for our stay in this UNESCO heritage-listed town. A former commercial and military centre of the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Pingyao a well-preserved Han Chinese walled city, and its streets remain in the traditional 'bagua' (octagonal) layout, lined with centuries-old houses.

We spend day 5 and 6 here to exploring the ancient streets, stop in at some of the many beautiful temples, or step back in time by visiting some of the old family homes. You can also hire a bike and cycle the small alleyways or wander interesting local history museums. Alternatively, take a calligraphy class or just lay back and enjoy a massage.

In the evening of day 6 we take an overnight train to Xi'an (approx 12 hours).

• Days 7-9 Xi'an

The imperial centre of China for 2,000 years, Xi'an is now a vibrant, modern city dotted with plenty of interesting ancient sights and we have plenty of free time to check it out. The Great Mosque is a wonderfully serene place to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and splurging in the evening Muslim Quarter food markets is a must!

The centre of Xi'an is surrounded by an enormous city wall and it's best seen on a bicycle. Xi'an is also our base for visiting the amazing Terracotta Warriors. These soldiers have been buried for over 2,200 years and are all facing east in battle formation, complete with horses and chariots. We have lots of time to explore this amazing archaeological site as well as the rest of this ancient city.

Late in the evening of day 9 we board for a long train journey to Emei (approx. 19 hours).

• Days 10 - 12 Emei Shan

The views from the 3,099 m peak at Mt Emei are truly spectacular on a clear day, and we will travel by local bus and cable car to soak it up (3 hours).
The truly energetic can join the procession of pilgrims winding their way along the mountain on foot (6 hours), weather permitting. For the less energetic, we can take the public bus back down the mountain and then a 2-hour walk to our accommodation at one of the mountain's monasteries.
Although basic, it keeps our travellers raving!

There will also be time to explore the beautiful countryside at the base of the mountain and provides ample opportunity for leisurely paced walks - this tranquil area is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of Chinese cities. It's also possible to visit local hot springs to relax and revive.
At night, we stay at one of the monasteries or in similarly basic accommodation.


• Day 13 Wolong Panda Reserve

We travel by private bus in the morning of day 13 to the town of Leshan (approx. 1 hour). This town is home to the world's largest outdoor seated Buddha. Known as 'Da fuo', this giant Buddha is carved into a cliff face and is 71 m tall.

We spend a few hours exploring Leshan before continuing on to Wolong (approx. 3 hours) a national nature reserve with an area of 200,000 sq ha.
Here, we visit the Giant Panda Research Centre, the earliest and best known of China's panda reserves, and spend time learning about the efforts made to preserve this endearing endangered species.

• Days 14-21 as per original itinerary

As a resutl of the changes to the itinerary the following included activities, optional activities and meal inclusion will also be affected. The new list is as follows -

Included Activities
Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City - Beijing
Great Wall excursion - Simatai
Terracotta Warriors - Xi'an
Panda Sanctuary excursion - WoLong
Flight Chengdu - Guilin
Bicycle hire and guide - Yangshuo
Entrance to the Giant Buddha - Leshan
Entrance to Baoguo Monastery - Emei Shan
Entrance to Emei Mountain, return bus and cable car to summit

Additional Optional Activies
Hot springs, Emei - Y88 + taxis (Y10 per taxi each way) US$14
Countryside tour, Emei - Y100 US$14

Meal Inclusion for altered Itinerary
2 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch