Ancient China

Arrive in Beijing, China's fascinating capital. Depending on your time of arrival, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture. Meals included: Dinner.

This morning, head to Beijings symbolic heart, Tiananmen Square and stroll into the sprawling magnificence of the Forbidden City where you will find a complex full of imperial treasures. Take a leisurely stroll through the narrow alleys of the warren-like hutongs and learn more about living in this traditional area. In the evening, sit down to enjoy the local delicacy, Peking duck. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

This morning is dedicated to Chinas most iconic sight the Great Wall. Taking a walk on this incredible structure is the best way to appreciate both the sheer magnificence o the wall itself and the dramatic scenery that surrounds it. Visit a jade factory, where you will be able to buy a small handcrafted piece. Jade is revered throughout China and is said to bring fortune and prosperity to those who wear it. Spend the afternoon at the idyllic Summer Palace, wandering through traditional Chinese gardens and seeing the exquisite architecture. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Soak up the harmonious ambience of the Temple of Heaven, an orderly oasis in a bustling urban landscape. Later, browse your way through Panjiayuan, Beijing's most extensive arts, crafts and antiques market. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Travel by bullet train to Datong, watching the rural splendour of China pass by your window. Known for its abundant historical relics and natural beauty, upon arrival visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Yungang Caves where you will see the well-preserved rock carvings from the surrounding sandstone cliffs. Today, it is one of the three most famous ancient Buddhist cultural sites of China. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Visit the 1,400-year-old, gravity-defying Hanging Temple that seemingly floats 50 metres up the face of Jinxia Gorge before travelling on to Wutaishan. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

The day starts with a visit to one of China's four sacred Buddhist mountains, Wutaishan (Five Terraced Mountain) and a place of scenic magnificence. In Wutaishan's shadow, an alpine valley shelters many important monasteries, temples and sculptures, some dating back over 1,000 years. Here, visit the Bodhisattva Summit Temple and Xiantong Buddhist Temple. Continue to Taiyuan, the capital and largest city in Shanxi Province and visit the Twin Pagoda Temple, constructed during the Ming Dynasty. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of Jinci Temple before travelling to the old town of Pingyao. Pingyao is a living museum and home to Chinas best preserved ancient city walls. Here, take part in a traditional Chinese paper cutting experience, an art dating back to the 6th-century. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Explore the characterful old town of Pingyao, strolling along the cobbled streets to view the old city walls and the Rishengchang Financial House Museum. There will also be time to see the Yamen, a government building during the Qing Dynasty, before taking the bullet train to the former imperial capital of Xian. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

After their fortuitous discovery in the 1970s, the Terracotta Army of China's first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, has intrigued visitors ever since. Spend the morning viewing the enigmatic ranks of these life-sized warriors and visit the Xian Art Ceramics and Lacquer Workshop. Later, take a stroll on the beautifully preserved ancient city walls that enclose Xian's old town. This evening, enjoy a delicious feast of Shui Jiao dumplings and a performance of Tang Dynasty dancing. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Admire the relics at the Xian Museum before visiting the Little Wild Goose Pagoda and Shuyuanmen Ancient Culture Street where you will see a calligraphy demonstration. There will also be time to explore the atmospheric alleys of the Muslim Quarter. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Board a bullet train from Xian to Luoyang, a city that was the capital for more than 13 dynasties. This afternoon, visit the Longmen Grottoes which houses tens of thousands of age-old statues and sculptures depicting Buddha and his disciples carved from the limestone cliffs of Xiangshan and Longmenshan. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Travel to the famous Shaolin Temple, best known for its association with martial arts, and walk through the Pagoda Forest, a collection of 228 pagodas of various styles built from the Tang through to Qing dynasties. Later, witness a kung fu demonstration by the famous Shaolin Monks. Continue to Zhengzhou. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Board a 5-hour bullet train to the exuberant and cosmopolitan city of Shanghai, also know as the 'Paris of the East'. In the evening, view the city from the Huangpu River on a scenic cruise. Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.