China

China rewards the curious traveller with some of the world’s most famous sights. Beijing has the Great Wall and the Forbidden City; Xi’an guards the Terracotta Army; Shanghai’s Bund faces a futuristic skyline across the river. Further south, the karst peaks of Guilin and the sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie look like classical ink paintings come to life.

A first trip of ten days or so usually links Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai by high-speed train, which is fast, punctual and comfortable, with Guilin, Zhangjiajie or Hangzhou added for scenery. Distances are large, so we plan a sensible pace with good hotels and English-speaking guides who handle tickets, which in China are often linked to your passport.

China suits culture lovers, active senior travellers and families with older children. Vegetarian food is easier than many expect, thanks to Buddhist restaurants and plenty of tofu and vegetable dishes, and the big cities have Indian restaurants. Most payments are made by mobile app, so we help you set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before you go.