CNC-01. Discover China

Arrive at anytime during the day and make your way to the hotel. An evening group meeting is planned followed by dinner.

Group Meeting and included Beijing Duck dinner.

No journey to North-East of China is complete without a walk on the Great Wall, an incredible piece of engineering that ranges over 6000km following the mountain ridges North of Beijing and stretching far West. The Wall was originally constructed to protect the Chinese empires from the Mongolian "barbarians" of the North. We visit this wonder of the world on a day trip from Beijing (approximately 2 hours each way), exploring the imposing site.

History shows that Beijing has been occupied for thousands of years but today its heart dates largely from the Ming and Qing Dynasty periods with many older remains too. After breakfast today we will walk from the hotel through famous Tiananmen Square to visit the largest complex in the city from these Ming Dynasty times – The Forbidden City. This was the royal palace and is a massive and grand affair that can provide no better introduction to the city and indeed country.

Immediately recognisable the Terracotta Warriors have been amazing visitors ever since they were discovered by a farmer digging a well. His unwitting find lead archaeologists to unearth the defensive army of Emperor Qin Shi Huangdi of the Han Dynasty who, in the 3rd century BC, wanted to assure himself of a well-protected afterlife. His mausoleum some 1,5 km away is the stuff of schoolboy imagination, with secret passages and traps to catch the unwary, Indiana Jones-style. It has yet to be excavated. The life-size warriors are housed in vast pits and it is said that no two are alike. There are horsemen and infantry, officers and other ranks, all frozen in time and the site deserves its UNESCO World Heritage status. On returning to Xian later this afternoon your time is free to explore, perhaps to the renowned old Muslim quarter.

West Lake is a well-known scenic site in Hangzhou with its clean water, picturesque pathway around the lake. Bike riding is a best way to view the stunning sights.

Take a ride to Wuzhen. Located in the centre of the six ancient towns south of Yangtze River, 17 kilometres (11 mi) north of the city of Tongxiang, it displays its history through its ancient stone bridges, stone pathways and delicate wood carvings. Afterwards we move to Shanghai in the afternoon. Enjoy the lights of the Bund in Shanghai in the evening.

Setting out today we embark on a walk from famous Nanjing Road to the Bund, visit Yu Yuan Garden in the old part of town and via antique markets to the Old French quarter. Nanjing Road is home to internationally recognisable brands names of the super-rich and is the by-word for style and elegance in the city – quite a juxtaposition to what we have been used too.

Today you are free to depart anytime during the day.