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Beijing
After arrival at Beijing International Airport, you will be greeted by a guide and transferred to the hotel.
Take the opportunity to get an introductory insight into this fascinating destination at your leisure. The 12-day tour offers an abundance of historic and cultural experiences, starting with a trip to Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.
Next up is a restored section of the Great Wall, followed by venerable Buddhist artefacts at the Longmen Grottoes. We then explore Zen Buddhism and martial arts at the Shaolin Temple, which includes some kung fu instruction.
You will visit the birthplace of shaolin kung fu and Wudang martial art forms. Both of these disciplines merge ancient philosophies with fighting styles. The Wudang mountains house a picturesque Taoist complex of temples and monasteries that we view during the course of this inspirational excursion.
Today we visit the three top sites in Beijing.
Tiananmen Square is the symbolic heart of China and a gathering spot for the masses. This massive square can accommodate one million people.
Next up is the Forbidden City, the inner sanctum and palace where for centuries Chinese emperors ruled. It has a 9,000-room maze of courtyards and ceremonial halls where 24 past emperors resided.
The final stop of the day is the Summer Palace. This was built in 1888 and it is a former summer retreat and imperial park for past rulers. We then enjoy a lakeside cruise on Kunming Lake with views of the hills, bridges and pagodas that adorn the Palace grounds.
Lunch is at a local restaurant and dinner is to your own arrangement, with overnight in Beijing.
Today begins with an excursion to the Mutianyu section of the Great Wall – the longest fully restored segment that is open to tourists.
This area is considered more serene and tourist-free, with vegetation comprising of pines and cypress covering large tracts of the hillside.
This portion of the wall was built over 1,400 years ago and it was strengthened in 1404. Today it is a replica of the fortifications of 1568 carried out during the Ming Dynasty era. This section of the wall features iconic parapets that enabled soldiers to fire arrows at the enemy from both sides of the fortification. The design of the Mutianyu section is also considered to feature some of the best architectural parts open to tourists, with 23 watchtowers rebuilt in their original style.
Transport up to the wall is via cable car, while the trip down is by a thrilling toboggan ride.
Lunch is at a local restaurant and in the evening we enjoy a classic Peking duck dinner at a local restaurant, with overnight in Beijing.
Immerse yourself in the most impressive collection of Buddhist Chinese stone carvings on today’s fascinating excursion.
The Longmen Grottoes comprise of over 2,300 caves carved into limestone cliffs stretching 1-km. They date from 316 to 907 A.D. The complex contains almost 110,000 statues, 60 stupas and 2,800 inscriptions carved on ancient stone slabs and these contain fascinating information.
For example, some of the inscriptions in Yaofangdong Cave describe how to treat diseases and illnesses. Work on the sculptures in this cave continued for 150 years, representing marked changes in artistic styles. The site contains historic information about music, religion, calligraphy, costumes and architecture and provides an insight into a past age.
We get to this destination on a high-speed train to Luoyang where we are greeted by a local guide upon arrival.
Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants. Finally, we take a drive to Dengfeng to our overnight accommodation.
Be awed by a kung fu spectacle on today’s immersive tour.
Shaolin is famous worldwide and this temple is where this ancient martial art originated. It is believed to date back to the 5th century. It is located on Shaoshi mountain and the temple is noteworthy for its ‘forest of pagodas’, a collection of 240 tombs of various sizes that date back to between 618 to 1911 A.D.
Of note, an ancient tree in the monastery grounds with holes in it is reputed to have been used by monks in a bygone age to practice finger punching. A display of kung fu is a highlight of the day, followed by a two-hour kung fu lesson.
Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Dengfeng.
The bulk of today’s activity is composed of studying kung fu
There are two different, two-hour lessons in the morning and afternoon.
Shaolin Kung Fu, also known as Shaolin Wushu, is one of the most famous martial arts forms in China. Though this martial art is celebrated for combat skills, stamina, flexibility and balance – meditation is an essential element for the proper practice of Shaolin Kung Fu. Warrior monks used this form of defence to combat robbers in the 16th century and protect their temples and riches from marauders.
Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Dengfeng.
Today you can build on what you have learned in yesterday’s combat lessons.
There is a two-hour kung fu instruction in the morning to gain further instruction into this noble art.
Past monks learned martial arts because of widespread lawlessness in Henan province. The temples were targets because of their central role in society and the considerable and regular income they were given.
Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants.
We transfer to a hotel in Zhengzhou for overnight. Today’s activity gives a fascinating historical and a hands-on introduction into a world-renowned martial art.
Continue your enlightenment with a journey to the Wudang Mountains and a famous complex of Taoist temples and monasteries famed for their practice of tai chi.
The buildings at this site, including the Golden Shrine and Purple Heaven Palace, represent the peak of architectural and artistic achievement in the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties. The temples and palaces are located in a spectacular series of summits, gullies and ravines.
Wudang is home to one of the most important martial arts schools in China and you can experience masters and martial arts enthusiasts displaying their skills. This mountain range is considered as the cradle of the philosophy of tai chi and the religious complex also played a profound role in the development of Taoism.
We transfer to the station for a high-speed train to Shiyan to get to this attraction. We are greeted by a local guide on arrival and are driven to Wudangshan where we overnight.
Lunch is to your own arrangement and dinner is at a local restaurant.
You don’t have to worry about the scenery taking your breath away after you practice breathing sessions during two lessons of tai chi instruction.
Tai chi was created to help circulate the body’s vital blood force after prolonged periods of sitting during meditation. The art is also used to combat the aging process.
The Wudang version of tai chi is described as a passive and defensive martial art and is also a blend of religious philosophy and self-defence. Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Wudangshan.
Your knowledge of Wudang tai chi continues today with two, two-hour sessions.
Local legend states the originator of tai chi was performing this new-found discipline in a cave when he found a magpie and a snake fighting. He observed that the magpie was aggressive while the snake just parried the attacks, finally striking a deadly blow when the bird was exhausted.
Tai chi is thought to have extensive health benefits and is under study in contemporary times so that its use can become more widespread and you will get the opportunity to experience the benefits today.
The Wudang form of tai chi focuses on using the mind to coordinate the leverage of the relaxed body as well as the circulation and expression of qi, the body’s vital energy. The eight basic hand movements of tai chi can be interpreted as heaven, earth, water, fire, wind, thunder, lake and mountain. These can be divided into two parts: four primary hands (warding off, pulling back, pressing and pushing) and four corner hands (pulling down, splitting, elbowing and shouldering).
Lunch and dinner are at local restaurants and overnight is in Wudangshan.
Enjoy a free day in one of the world’s great cities, Beijing.
After arrival, explore the capital at your leisure. The options are widespread, including abundant UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Another choice is to ride a rickshaw through the hutongs (mazes of narrow alleys) linking traditional one-storey courtyard houses.
The Beijing opera is celebrated as a cultural treasure and the make-up, masks and unique vocal style can be experienced at Liyuan Theatre. Alternatively, the 798 Art District is a landmark of Beijing’s urban culture and is named after a factory built at this site in the 1950s and this complex contains widespread art exhibits and the chance to see artists at work.
A simpler choice would be to unwind at Beihai Park, with a view of pavilions, bridges and gardens and the locals going about their daily lives.
Ahead of all this, we transfer to the airport for the flight to Beijing and upon arrival, we are greeted by a local guide, followed by the transfer to the hotel.
Lunch and dinner are to your own arrangement, with overnight in Beijing.
After breakfast, we transfer to Beijing Airport for the flight to your home destination and the conclusion of this excellent 12-day tour.
