China

Name: China
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.6 (132 reviews)

Adventure Holidays in China

From epic mountains and desert moonscapes to the modern chic of Shanghai; ancient civilisations to the People’s Republic, holidays in China are vast and varied, just like the landscape.

On a China trip, you need to take your time to take it all in. Overland tours give the maximum opportunity to make your trip a real once-in-a-lifetime experience. Iconic sights are aplenty: float down the Yangtze, follow the Silk Road and stop off at the Great Wall before you arrive at the Forbidden City. China tours have so many cultural sights and natural wonders that you will be spoilt for choice.

Our Top Destinations in China

Beijing The Great Wall Xi’an

China Tours

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Culture

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Walking & Trekking

Culture

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Activities in China

Walking in China Culture in China

China with Exodus Travels

Exodus offer a wide range of adventure, activity, cycling and walking holidays to China. From epic mountains and desert moonscapes to the modern chic of Shanghai; from ancient civilisations to the People’s Republic. China is vast, it’s incredible – it really is a different world.

Recommended Trips

Essential China

Walking the Great Wall of China

Walk with Exodus along one of the Seven Wonders of the World visiting the most remote sections of the Great Wall of China.

Recommended Trips

Walking the Great Wall

Adventure Holiday to China: The Highlights

1. Follow the Silk Road: one of the world’s oldest and historically important trade routes and had a huge influence on the civilisations of the West. A series of trade routes connecting China to the Mediterranean via the Central Asian steppes. The vast plains and great deserts create an unmissable wilderness landscape, home to nomadic tribes and marauding warriors. The Silk Road is also home to the forgotten cities that were once the centre of civilisation – Samarkand and Bokhara in Uzbekistan, and Kashgar, regal posts on this incredible journey to Beijing.

2. Trek the Great Wall: China’s most famous landmark, the Great Wall, winds like a dragon across the landscape. Stretching over 6,000km it maps out most things Chinese, taking in Imperial tombs, quiet rural villages and mountainous highlands before reaching Beijing itself. The best bits are away from the tourists, and we’ll take you to the more remote areas. Your effort will be rewarded with peace and tranquillity, and an opportunity to get a real sense of the scale and majesty of this remarkable construction.

3. Walk among the Terracotta Army: in 1974, a group of peasants unearthed one of the biggest archaeological discoveries of the 20th century: over 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors. Beautifully crafted with astonishing attention to detail, the soldiers had been lying there for over 2,000 years guarding the tomb of the first Chinese Emperor in the ancient city of Xi’an.

Itinerary was jam-packed with great sights and activities that gave us a taste of both ancient and modern China, while still leaving some free time to explore on our own; excellent value. All the hotels were very good (luxurious for Exodus), with the Tianfu Sunshine in Chengdu being stand-out for room facilities and decor, the Bell Tower in Xi’an for location and generous room size, and the Dong Fang in Beijing for the most extensive and best quality breakfast buffet (and period charm in the historic coffee shop, courtyard, and public areas); Golden Tulip in Shanghai was also very glamorous and well-located for the Bund. Transport (bullet trains x 2, internal flight, private minibuses, and public buses) was all excellent – punctual, efficient and clean, and our trip leader, Sunny, got us to all the attractions before the busiest crowds, and marshalled us well on public transport. (There were only seven of us on my departure – five solos and one couple – which was a good number; I can imagine a full cohort of 16 would be much more challenging to manage in the busiest locations.) Food was amazingly cheap and generally good (you can eat well for a fiver, and feast for under £10; large beers cost around £1), although some of us might have liked an option once or twice to have a more upmarket and relaxed dining experience. This trip takes in all the main tourist attractions (Tian’anmen Square, Forbidden City, a section of the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors, panda breeding centre), and they were all well worth seeing, but what I enjoyed most was having some time to explore the lesser known cities, Xi’an, and Chengdu. Xi’an was my favourite, for its historic centre, and lively night-time vibe. I would have liked some more time in Shanghai (not least because I was on a quest for family history); a day and a half on the official trip itinerary is not enough for such a vibrant city, specially as we lost half a day (the group trip to Yuyuan Garden) due to heavy rain the day we arrived. Luckily, some of us had late flights on departure day, effectively giving us another post-trip day in which we were able to visit the Yu Garden independently, but it would be good if this extra day could be factored into future trip itineraries. (Personally, I’d trade Beijing for more time in Chengdu and Shanghai. I’m planning to return to Shanghai independently.) As a solo traveller, this was my first long-haul trip, and it was brilliant. Just go!

Ming Ho Essential China

This trip was a brilliant time; every day you’re walking on the Great Wall of China, mostly in areas with few other tourists and amazing views. The weather was kind to us so the panoramas are spectacular. Our tour leader Stone was so organised and an incredible help in a country where most locals don’t speak English (my Mandarin isn’t too good either), and the food and hospitality at the local guesthouses was great too. Accommodation was better than expected having been described as basic!

Charlie JM Walking the Great Wall

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