Exploring the Heart of China

Our hikes are mostly over easy to moderate terrain with well-marked paths. Some hikes take place on boardwalks or packed dirt. Others, like those on the Great Wall, Mt. Huashan, and Mt. Qingcheng, feature uneven, rocky terrain with some steep sections. Sections of the Great Wall at Panlongshan are “wild” and require the use of both hands and feet to navigate. Our Mt. Huashan hike is the most physically demanding—an all-day trek with many steep steps that require significant effort for both ascents and descents. We are active with cultural walks or village strolls almost every day. Our city days include walking tours, and we take bicycling excursions on two days.

We strongly urge you to train for your trip, as your enjoyment depends highly on your level of fitness. The best training for a hike is to hike, especially over hills or rough terrain. The next best activities are running, swimming, bicycling, or other cardiovascular exercises. Stair-climbing machines are excellent preparation for hiking uphill. Make sure your hiking boots are sturdy, comfortable, and thoroughly broken-in.

We stay in comfortable accommodations at luxury international hotels during our city stays, and in the countryside, we stay in the best available hotels. All accommodations have en-suite bathrooms and other modern conveniences.

The food is a highlight of this trip as we delve into 8,000 years of culinary history. Meals will be primarily authentic Chinese cuisine made of fresh, local ingredients and spices, and we blend fine dining experiences with authentic farmhouse meals and traditional tea sessions. Some days feature Western meals for variety. Western breakfast options will be available daily, including bread, cheese, eggs, and the like. Some of our culinary highlights include an authentic Peking duck dinner in Beijing, a dumpling-making lesson in Xi’an, and a cooking class in Sichuan. Special diets (gluten-free, dairy-free) can be accommodated, but please advise us about dietary restrictions in advance.

A van will transport the group’s luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need during the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.). Over the course of the trip we take two domestic flights of approximately two hours each and one 3.5-hour bullet train ride. Our longest daily drive time is 2.5 hours, and we take one leisurely boat ride in Yangshuo.