Essential China

Travel from Beijing to Shanghai for a taste of ancient and modern China

Visit iconic sites and bring the fascinating history and culture of China to life! Beijing’s past spans three millennia and the scale of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City never fail to amaze. Leaving the grandeur behind, explore the narrow hutongs of the old town. Head out of the city and step foot on one of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall; here, we begin to comprehend the magnitude of this construction as it snakes across the mountains to the horizon and beyond. In Xi’an, we explore the vibrant Muslim Quarter and see the Terracotta Warriors of Emperor Qin. A trip to China would not be complete without visiting Chengdu to see giant pandas. End in cosmopolitan Shanghai, with its unmistakable skyline illuminated at night.

People, Places & Planet

We work hard to create trips that have a positive impact on the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Learn more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.

Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:

People

How this trip helps improve life for local communities.

• Local guides keep you well informed about local traditions and cultural-social sensitivities.
• This trip brings income and opportunity to the destination community through the inclusion of locally owned hotels, restaurants, and other enterprises, and by championing locally produced food wherever possible.
• This trip visits local communities in Beijing hutongs and in the Xi’an Muslim Quarter. This provides an opportunity to gain an insight into culture and heritage.
• We have lunch with a local family, which enables the sharing of cultures.
• Read more about our other initiatives here.

Places

How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.

• By travelling in a small group, we ‘tread lightly’ to minimise our impact on local resources and the environment.
• We work with our partners on the ground to proactively reduce waste; this includes eliminating all single-use plastic water bottles by providing refills for reusable bottles.
• The payment of entrance fees to natural reserves and archaeological sites generates income which is used to upkeep and develop these important sites.
• Our trips adhere to ABTA’s industry-leading animal welfare guidelines to ensure the best possible practices regarding working animals and wildlife viewing. Our animal welfare policy can be found here.
• We visit the Chengdu panda breeding centre and fees collected fund their important work on conservation of this endangered species.
• With our partners, Rewilding Apennines, we rewild 100 square meters (1,075 sqft) of land per passenger who travels with us.
• Read about our commitment to nature protection and restoration here, including our rewilding commitment for every customer who travels with us.

Planet

How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.

• Accommodation and restaurants in the itinerary use locally sourced food which has not been transported long distances.
• On days 2 and 10, we use public transport for the city tours, which reduces the carbon footprint of the group.
• Our local partners have reached B Corp Certification, which requires that they demonstrate high social and environmental performance.
• Read about our climate action here, including our carbon reduction and compensation commitments.

Tips for sustainable travel on this trip

• Leave no trace: We do all we can to ensure we leave no rubbish in the wild and beautiful places we visit; we ask that you do the same. If there are no recycling facilities in-country, consider bringing recyclable materials home with you.
• Plastic waste reduction: Please bring a reusable water bottle on this trip, also consider avoiding single-use hotel toiletries, which generate a large amount of plastic waste.

Is this trip for you?

This trip is rated Activity Level  (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.  

This is an ideal introduction to China for anyone who wants to experience the most iconic sites in the country.

Despite the grading, this is still an adventurous trip and you should come prepared for the experience. There are large numbers of visitors at many sites and the summer heat (particularly July and August) can be intense.

Walking: Although not strenuous, the amount of walking on most days is considerable and fast-paced (we recommend comfortable walking shoes). Good fitness levels are essential. For the Great Wall visit, the walk up and down from the wall is quite steep; for anyone not wanting to do this, there is the option to take a cable car.

Transport: We make several journeys by train, an efficient way to cover large distances. You need to be able to carry your own luggage unassisted, please pack accordingly. The train stations are very large and can involve walking for 15-20 minutes with your luggage. It is also essential that all group members are punctual to ensure we do not miss any services.

Although the distances in China are massive, this tour has been carefully designed to keep travelling time to a minimum by utilising an overnight train,  a bullet train and a domestic flight. With two-night stays in every location and a free day in Xi’an, the pace should not be too tiring but there are some early starts and long days. On days 8 and 9 in particular, early starts are required to view the pandas and to catch our morning flight to Shanghai.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.

Vaccinations and Health

China

There are no required vaccinations. However, you may want to consider vaccinations for hepatitis A, polio, tetanus, typhoid, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tick-borne encephalitis and tuberculosis. Please confirm with your doctor or travel clinic. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission.

Additionally, if you’re visiting Hong Kong on your trip, please be aware that dengue fever is a known risk. This is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available; therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten: apply insect repellent and wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers.

Visa

China

Most nationalities require a visa to enter China, including holders of British, US, Canadian and Australian passports. This must be obtained prior to departure. Applicants aged between 14 and 70 are required to make an in-person visit to a Chinese visa application centre where biometric data is collected. 

The Chinese authorities require a letter of invitation, which Exodus will provide you with approximately eight weeks before the start of the trip. This details all your accommodation bookings. Along with this, you need to supply a copy of your flight details, which are on your invoice if you have booked directly through Exodus.

For further information on the process for British passport holders, please see here.  

Visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through. 

If you’re a UK citizen and would like assistance with obtaining visas, please call Travcour on 020 8543 1846 or visit their website: www.travcour-vls.com

Some governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below. 

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/china 
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/china 
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/china/entry-requirements 
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/China.html 

Essential information: We must have a clear copy of the photo page of your passport. This is required to book certain ground services in China and your booking is not fully confirmed until it has been received. This must be emailed as an electronic scan to customerops@exodus.co.uk at least eight weeks prior to your trip. 

Food & Drink

All breakfasts and one lunch are included.

One of the major draws of China is its exciting and varied cuisine. On this trip, you can try many different dishes selected with your leader’s help and based on the group’s dietary requirements and preferences. Meals generally consist of shared dishes, which is the best way to experience as many different ingredients as possible and try things you might not usually choose. Examples of popular dishes include: ma po tofu, a delicious tofu dish made with beef, chillies and onion; gong bao chicken, a very popular dish with chilli and peanuts; Peking duck, served with hoisin sauce and pancakes; and dumplings in many shapes and sizes. Chengdu in Sichuan province is known for its spicy hotpots but you can request mild options too. There are many different dishes to try and your leader will always try to accommodate tastes, but if you do tire of Chinese food there are often opportunities to eat Western-style dishes in the cities we visit.

Vegetarians can be accommodated quite easily. Vegans will find options are limited. Not all food allergies and intolerances are well understood in China. Options which contain no gluten at all are very limited (as for example soy sauce contains gluten and is very widely used).

Weather

Beijing and Xi’an: Northern China has warm (25C+/77F+), quite humid summers, and cold dry winters. If you travel between June and August, it will be hot more or less everywhere, except in the mountains (around the Great Wall). Some rain must be expected, possibly heavy. If you travel in September/October, you will probably get less rain and the temperatures will be fairly warm (around 20C/68F) everywhere. November is starting to get cooler (3C-13C/37F-55F) and can sometimes feel chilly. The Great Wall region will be colder than the cities due to the mountainous terrain.

Shanghai: South China is subtropical with hot (30C/86F), wet summers (May to September), and warm, relatively dry winters (November to March), though rain is possible at almost any time of year.

The winter months in China are cold (3C/37F). If travelling in November/March, be prepared for temperatures to drop to below freezing at night in the north, but with almost guaranteed dry sightseeing. The weather is milder in the south.