At 08:30 am in the morning, your guide will pick you up from your Chengdu hotel lobby and drive around 20 minutes to Panda Breeding and Research Center to see those adorable pandas from babies to adults. You will have an option of holding a cute panda for photos with an advanced reservation and a donation (RMB$2,000) to the base for its research projects which you are encouraged to do as it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hold a baby panda bear in your arms.
Next, visit Jinli Street, one of the oldest commercial streets in Chinese history. Established over 1,800 years ago during the early Qin and Han dynasties, Jinli Street still preserves many of the ancient architectural styled shops till today. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch, make a short visit to the Brocade Museum, where you will learn about interesting brocade culture from ancient times.
After that, move onto Chengdu Renmin Park, the biggest and most impressive park in Chengdu founded 1,800 years ago. After the park visit, you will be transferred back to your hotel where this tour concludes.
Discover the very best of China on this 23-day adventure from Shanghai to Shanghai, weaving through ancient cities, rural landscapes and cultural landmarks. From kayaking and cycling amid Yangshuo’s karst peaks to meeting giant pandas in Chengdu, this journey blends nature, history and local life. You’ll wander Xi’an’s old city walls, marvel at the Terracotta Warriors, learn Kung Fu at Shaolin, camp on the Great Wall and explore Beijing’s imperial wonders. Finish with tranquil Hangzhou and vibrant Shanghai. With Mandarin lessons, local cuisine and unforgettable moments throughout, this trip offers the ultimate China experience from start to finish.
You could travel for a lifetime in China, and there would still be more to explore – but this 12-day trip through the country’s highlights does a pretty good job of narrowing it down. Tick an ancient Wonder of the World off your bucket list at the Great Wall, witness the Terracotta Warriors in Xi-an and watch baby pandas play in Chengdu. Sip tea in People’s Park, taste delicious street food with a local leader who knows all the best spots and cycle through the misty countryside of Yangshuo – home to stunning vistas, Moon Hill and karst mountains. Start in Beijing and end in Hong Kong for some thriving nightlife and you’ve got a pretty cool adventure.
Explore Kailash, the most sacred mountain in the Himalaya, during the Saga Dawa festival, and experience the traditional culture of sacred Tibet.. Mount Kailash has drawn pilgrims for centuries, believed to be the mythical Mount Meru, the spiritual centre of the universe. Sacred to Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Bonpo alike, it’s a mountain revered more for its meaning than its summit. Set on the remote western reaches of the Tibetan Plateau, it’s one of the world’s most profound pilgrimage destinations, and also one of the hardest to reach.
This unique journey blends light trekking with immersive cultural touring. Starting in Chengdu, we travel overland from Lhasa through Gyantse and Shigatse, crossing stark plains and high mountain passes as we head deep into the spiritual heart of Tibet. Along the way we visit vibrant towns, ancient monasteries and sacred sites rarely seen by outsiders.
Timed to coincide with the Saga Dawa Festival - Tibet’s most important annual celebration, our journey reaches Mount Kailash at its most atmospheric. Pilgrims gather from across the region to honour the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha, creating a rare spectacle of prayer, ritual and celebration.
We then join the sacred kora - a three-day walk around the base of Mount Kailash - alongside Tibetan pilgrims. Though not technically demanding, the high altitude and spiritual weight of the journey make it one of the world’s most unforgettable circuits. Following the kora, we conclude the journey in Kathmandu, completing a high-altitude arc through the sacred lands of Tibet and Nepal.