physical rating: rating definitions

culture shock rating: rating definitions

passenger feedback rating: 4.8 out of 5 how does this work?

meals included: 1 Breakfast, 1 Dinner

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

accommodation: Hotels (8 nts), guesthouses (3 nts), overnight trains (2 nts), basic homestay (1 nt)

budget: Allow USD $200 for meals not included.

departs: Selected Tue from Apr to Oct

important notes: IMPORTANT: Due to the Chinese government restricting tourist travel in to some areas close and in Tibet Intrepids' Wild China trip departing from April (until further notice) will be re routed form Days 6 through to Day 15. Please see below for more details.

Days 1 - 5 as per original itinerary

Day 6-8 Xi'an

Mid-morning on day 6 we transfer to the train station and take a day train to Xi'an (approx. 6 hours).

The imperial centre of China for 2,000 years, Xi'an is now a thriving, modern city 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 eating out in the evening Muslim Quarter food markets is a must! The centre of Xi'an is surrounded by an enormous ancient wall and cycling around it provides the perfect vantage point to view the city. Alternatively, you could take an early morning walk along the base of the wall and watch locals practise t'ai chi and ballroom dancing.

Xi'an is also the base for our visit to the amazing Terracotta Warriors (approx. 1 hour each way). We take a half-day guided tour to visit this amazing site on day 7. These soldiers have been buried for over 2,000 years and are all facing east in battle formation, complete with horses and chariots.

There is plenty of free time on days 7 and 8 for us to explore more of this historic city. We can visit the Goose Pagodas, do some shopping along Culture St or climb up the ancient Bell and Drum Towers.

Days 9 - 11

Early on day 9 we board a train bound for Zhongwei (approx. 12 hours), a remote, off-the-beaten-track town in Ningxia Hui province, near Inner Mongolia and situated along the Yellow River. We travel in a hard sleeper train, a fascinating experience, and a chance to get face to face with locals.

The small town of Zhongwei is situated on the Yellow River and surrounded by desert, farmland and remnants of the Great Wall. We have free time here to visit the eclectic Gao Miao Temple and visit a small village before taking a ride down the Yellow River on traditional sheepskin rafts. Afterwards, there's a chance to sample local delicacies at the bustling night market.

On day 10, we transfer by private bus (1 hour) to the starting point of our overnight camel safari. On the way, we catch a glimpse of a small and unrecognisable section of the Great Wall. Climbing upon camels on arrival, get ready for a 6-hour ride into the stark, silent Tengger Desert. Upon arrival at our campsite, we have time to relax or to climb to the top of the sand dunes for a spectacular sunset, before eating dinner around a bonfire. We sleep in tents and with supplied sleeping bags.

The following morning, after a basic breakfast, we climb back on our camels and pass through the border of Inner Mongolia and Ningxia Hui. A short distance later, we meet our motorised transport and return to Zhongwei to freshen up and have some free time in this small, but interesting town.

Days 12 - 15

After an evening arrival in Beijing on day 12, we take a private transfer and check into our hotel.

No journey to China is complete without a walk on the Great Wall, an incredible piece of engineering that ranges over 6,000 km, from the eastern coast to the mountain ridges north of Beijing and beyond. The wall was originally constructed to protect Chinese empires from the Mongolian 'barbarians' of the north and although it failed in its purpose, it's testament to the power of ancient Chinese civilizations. We visit this wonder of the world on day 13. From Beijing, we take a private bus (approx. 3 hours each way) to the most spectacular and beautiful section, Simatai. After lots of photos and an invigorating walk, we return to Beijing and have an opportunity to take in an evening show at the famous Beijing Opera or compare your newly acquired moves at the awesome Kung Fu Show.

The following morning we explore Tiananmen Square and the vast Forbidden City, accompanied by a local guide. In the afternoon, there is plenty of free time to sample some of Beijing's delicious food, shop at the amazing Dirt Markets and then head out for our final group dinner at one of the city's great restaurants - one last chance to sample the famous Peking Duck.

You may depart at any time on day 15 as there are no activities planned.

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
Shanghai Museum - Shanghai
Entrance to Shaolin monastery and Kung Fu show - Shaolin
Entrance to Longmen grottoes - Louyang
Terracotta Warriors tour - Xi'an
Great Wall Excursion - Beijing
Tiananmen Square and Forbidden City Tour - Beijing
Flight Lanzhou to Beijing
Overnight Camel Safari – Zhongwei

Additioanl Optional Activites
Sheep skin rafting, Zhongwei : Y100 US$14
Gaomiao temple, Zhongwei : Y20 US$3

Meal Inclusions
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner

On 07 June the Australian Government issued an updated travel warning for East Timor strongly advising against travel to East Timor because of the extremely dangerous security situation. Australians in the country are advised to leave. The Travel Warning remains at Category 5 - Do Not Travel.

On Tuesday 07 June we have taken the decision to cancel the remainder of our East Timor trips scheduled to depart in 2006. All travellers will be notified and given the opportunity to transfer to another trip or obtain a full refund (land content only). We very much regret having to take this action and our thoughts and sympathies are with the people of East Timor during this troubled time.

We are confident of being able to resume our normal schedule of trip