7 highlights of China

Beijing is over 3,000 years old, so undoubtedly its epic history is what it's best known for. The sprawling capital of China has been the political and culture centre of the country since Kublai Khan made it the heart of his mighty Asian empire – its presence is so dominant that all of China’s clocks are set to ‘Beijing time’ despite the western reaches being some 5,000 kilometres from the capital city!

No trip to China is complete without a visit to Beijing, not least to explore the famous sights of the former emperors such as the Forbidden City (the largest palace on earth), the expansive Summer Palace and the vast Tiananmen Square – you can see all this and more during a three-day stop on our China Highlights trip.

It’s one of China’s most recognisable sights, snaking around 21,000 kilometres across the country: the Great Wall of China is more than just a wall but a series of fortifications to protect the northern border from attack and the scale of the site is staggering. It’s hard to believe that it was built without the modern building materials and techniques that we rely on today, but instead with rice flour mortar and compacted earth.

It would take around 18 months to walk the entire length of the Great Wall, but you can walk some of its most fascinating parts on our Walk the Great Wall tour. Spend 10 days traversing sections through rural China, beginning at the Dragon’s Head where the Wall meets the sea, and concluding among the watchtowers of Jinshanling. Discover more facts about the Great Wall of China here.

Guilin is one of the most naturally beautiful places to visit in China. Surrounded by karst scenery, pristine lakes and a medieval-era moat, Guilin is famed for its green landscapes. Whether you take a leisurely stroll or explore by boat, you can enjoy beautiful views over its dramatic hills and traditional fishing villages, water buffalo wallowing in the limpid shallows and rice paddies tended to by conical-hatted farmers.

Arrive into Guilin by high-speed train and join a cruise along the Li River. Your surrounds might feel familiar - this picturesque section of Guilin features on the 20 Chinese Renminbi note!

The longest river in Asia and the third longest river in the world, the Yangtse’s accolades are as impressive as its yawning width. Flowing from the Tibetan Plateau to empty into the East China Sea, the 'golden river' passes through impressive limestone gorges towards a series of mighty (yet controversial) dams.

A Yangtze River cruise is a picturesque way to bookend your trip to China. Spend a few days gliding along the river through the Three Gorges, hemmed by cliffs towering some 900 metres above.