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WILD CHINA Beijing Hong Kong FR $2,999 21 DAYS Highlights • Walk on the Great Wall of China • Marvel at the Terracotta Warriors • Lose your heart to the Chengdu panda • Explore the sacred Mount Emei • Enjoy the lovely lakeside town of Dali • Absorb Lijiang’s fascinating culture • Trek the dramatic Tiger Leaping Gorge • Discover village life in Yangshuo Departures 2014 START FINISH Mar 23 Apr 12 Mar 30 Apr 19 Apr 13 May 03 Apr 20 May 10 Apr 27 May 17 May 11 May 31 May 18 Jun 07 May 25 Jun 14 Inclusions Tiger Leaping Gorge Lijiang CHINA Chengdu Leshan START Dali Kunming FINISH Jun 08 Jun 28 Jun 22 Jul 12 Jun 29 Jul 19 Jul 06 Jul 26 Jul 20 Aug 09 Jul 27 Aug 16 Aug 03 Aug 23 Aug 10 Aug 30 Beijing Xi’an Mt. Emei START Guilin Yangshuo FINISH Aug 17 Sep 06 Sep 07 Sep 27 Sep 14 Oct 04 Sep 28 Oct 18 Oct 05 Oct 25 Oct 12 Nov 01 Oct 26 Nov 15 Trip Style: Classic Service Level: Standard Physical Grading: 3 Age Group: Any age Accommodation: Simple hotels (11 nts), guesthouses (4 nts), basic monastery (2 nts), sleeper trains (3 nts) Transport: Train, public bus, air-conditioned bus, plane Meals: 1 lunch Budget: Allow USD $315-450 for meals not included Group Leader: Chief Experience Officer (CEO) Group Size: Max 16, Avg 12 Tour Code: GAACWC My Own Room Available: Fr $599 You might like Stay longer in Hong Kong Check out pages 134-136 Stay longer in Beijing Check out page 137 Hong Kong TWITTER.COM/STATRAVELAU China is home to a whopping 1.3 billion people, ultra-modern architecture, awesome natural sights and iconic historical wonders. But the real uniqueness of this amazing adventure lies in your interaction with the local cultures and people. Be whisked away from the tourist trail when you check out the real China and discover its ‘wild’ side with a visit to a giant panda breeding centre. Allow yourself to be immersed in a completely different way of life as you hike the beautiful Mount Emei and trek through the spectacular Tiger Leaping Gorge; all on a three-week tour that takes you down the road less travelled. DAY 01-03 04-05 06 07-08 09-10 11-12 13-14 15-19 20-21 ITINERARY Beijing Arrive at any time and feel free to explore. China’s capital is a city on a grand scale - check out the vast expanses of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City, see the Temple of Heaven and pay an included visit to the astounding Great Wall of China. Catch the overnight train to Xi’an on Day 3. Xi’an Explore the Muslim Quarter and its Great Mosque as well as exotic street food stalls and the majestic city walls which you can cycle around. But the big highlight for most visitors are the magnificent and unique Terracotta Warriors. Re-discovered only as recently as 1974 after having been buried for over 2,000 years, all face east in battle formation complete with horses and chariots. Chengdu Things get considerably cuter today with a visit to the Giant Panda Breeding Research Base just outside of Chengdu. Getting close to these beautiful and iconic Chinese animals is a real highlight. Leshan / Emeishan Hike Mount Emei, one of the four sacred Buddhist mountains of China and stay the night in a monastery seeing how real monks live. Opt to board a boat and head out into the Mingjiang River to get an overall view of the world’s largest sitting outdoor Buddha in Leshan. Lijiang Lijiang is a World Heritage Site and home to the Naxi minority. Old men smoking pipes and women in their traditional costumes are to be found everywhere. The best way to spend a day here is to get lost in the small pedestrian lanes that meander throughout the town. Every twist and turn reveals picturesque old buildings, local arts and crafts, canals and beautiful arched bridges. Optional visit to the Black Dragon Pool Park where you may be lucky enough to hear Naxi music. Tiger Leaping Gorge In the heart of Yunnan province, the fast-flowing Yangtze has cut a dramatic gorge so narrow in places that legend has it a tiger once escaped capture by jumping across it. Enjoy a two-day trek through this magnificent and unspoilt landscape. Be prepared for something more than an easy stroll - at times the trek can be hard work, particularly in the summer, but it’s more than worth it! Dali The ancient walled town of Dali nestles snugly between the towering Cang Shan Mountains and beautiful Erhai Lake. Check out temples, the old Muslim Quarter, the stunning ‘Three Pagodas’ and the colourful Bai markets. Kunming / Yangshuo Travel overland to Kunming and explore the Green Lake and local markets on an included city tour. Fly from Kunming to Guilin and then transfer to Yangshuo, which boasts spectacular scenery and a relaxed atmosphere. Surrounded by covered limestone hills and green paddy fields, spend three days exploring the peaks, rivers, caves and villages of the Yangshuo area, plus enjoy an included scenic cruise along the Li River. On Day 19, travel by bus and overnight train to Hong Kong. (L) Hong Kong Hong Kong is one of the world’s most energetic and vibrant cities. It boasts an unbeatable array of cultural sights, shopping and fabulous restaurants, and offers an irresistible mix of British colonial history with heaps of authentic Chinese atmosphere! Your tour ends on Day 21. ORIENTAL ASIA CALL 1300 676 561 TO BOOK 129
CHINA ADVENTURE (ACTIVE) HIDDEN CHINA FR $1,699 & INNER MONGOLIA FR $1,499 Beijing Hong Kong 15 DAYS Beijing Beijing 12 DAYS ORIENTAL ASIA Highlights • Trek through timeless rice paddies and walk upon the Great Wall • Cycle along Xi’an’s ancient city walls and through Beijing’s hutongs • Relive those Bruce Lee fantasies watching the kung fu monks Highlights • Stroll the Great Wall and stare down the Terracotta Warriors • Stand in awe in front of 50,000 Buddhas at the Yungang Caves • Learn the ancient art of Chinese painting in Pingyao DAY ITINERARY DAY ITINERARY 01-04 05-08 09-10 11-13 14-15 Beijing / Great Wall of China Trek Discover the history of the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square on a guided tour of China’s fascinating capital and on a bike ride through the atmospheric hutongs. On Day 3, travel to a lesser-known stretch of the Great Wall for a hike and the chance to stay in the home of a local farmer. Take the overnight train to Luoyang on Day 4. (B) Shaolin / Longmen Caves / Xi’an Transfer to the holy mountain of Song Shan and visit the Shaolin Monastery, founded in the 5th Century and known as the mystical birthplace of kung fu. See over 100,000 Buddha images carved into the mountainside at the Longmen Grottoes before travelling by highspeed train to Xi’an. It goes without saying that you’ll pay a visit to the Terracotta Warriors, but you’ll also get to cycle Xi’an’s city walls. Yangshuo Take an orientation walk around Yangshuo and a bike ride into the countryside to climb Moon Hill. Optional activities include a cooking school, tai chi lessons or a spectacular sound and light show. (L) Longshen / Guilin Famous for their centuries-old rice terraces; hiking in the villages around Longshen affords an authentic, peaceful glimpse into rural China. The scenery is spectacular at any time of the year. Hong Kong Arrive into Shenzen and cross the border into Hong Kong, travelling by metro into the heart of the city. Spend your free time taking in all the many sights of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, not forgetting to ride the Victoria Peak Tram to look down on the skyscrapers lining one of the world’s most recognisable harbours. Tour ends on Day 15. 01-02 03 04-05 06-08 09-10 11-12 Beijing Arrive into Beijing, perhaps with time to explore before meeting your group this evening. On Day 2, take a trip to one of mankind’s most incredible feats of engineering, the Great Wall of China, before returning to Beijing for the sleeper train to Inner Mongolia. (B) Inner Mongolia / Ulanchap Arrive into Ulanchap and head out to the vast expanse of grasslands that lie 70km west of the city. Here, you’ll visit a Mongolian family, enjoy a traditional Mongolian dinner and spend the night in a ger. (D) Datong Once a political and economic powerhouse, Datong is now famous for its temples, pagodas and other treasures. Visit the Yungang Grottoes to see over 50,000 Buddha statues, and the Hanging Monastery. (2B) Pingyao Travel by train (an experience in itself!) through beautiful scenery to arrive into the traditional town of Pingyao in the evening of Day 6. On Day 7, stroll the city walls, market tower and Confucius Temple before visiting a local family for a Chinese painting lesson. (3B) Xi’an Start your stay in Xi’an with a visit to the seriously impressive Terracotta Warriors, thousands of soldiers, horses and chariots standing sentinel at the tomb of an emperor. Enjoy a traditional farmhouse lunch, tour the Great Mosque in the city’s Muslim Quarter and hop into the saddle for a bike ride round the ancient walls. (B, L) Beijing Travel by high-speed train to Beijing for a guided tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City. Tour ends any time on Day 12. (B) Inclusions Trip Style: Active Service Level: Standard Physical Grading: 3 Age Group: Any age Accommodation: Hotels (8 nts), simple guesthouses (2 nts), homestay (1 nt), sleeper train (3 nts) Transport: Train, local bus, plane, bicycle Meals: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch Budget: Allow USD $275-375 for meals not included Group Leader: Chief Experience Officer (CEO), local guides Group Size: Max 15, Avg 10 Tour Code: GAACBH My Own Room Available: Fr $399 Departures 2014 Mar-Oct Saturdays, typically 2-3 departures per month LAOS CHINA Xi’an Beijing Longsheng Guilin Yangshuo Shaolin Hong Kong Inclusions Trip Style: Classic Service Level: Basic Physical Grading: 2 Age Group: Any age Accommodation: Hotels (8 nts), ger (1 nt, multishare), sleeper train (2 nts) Transport: Train, private van, bus Meals: 8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner Budget: Allow USD $200-260 for meals not included Group Leader: Chief Experience Officer (CEO), local guides Group Size: Max 16, Avg 12 Tour Code: GAACNC My Own Room Available: Fr $249 Departures 2014 START FINISH Apr 28 May 09 May 19 May 30 Jun 16 Jun 27 START FINISH Jul 14 Jul 25 Aug 11 Aug 22 Sep 08 Sep 19 START FINISH Oct 06 Oct 17 MONGOLIA Inner Mongolia Datong Pingyao Xi’an CHINA Beijing 130 VISIT WWW.STATRAVEL.COM.AU
Page 1 and 2: ORIENTAL ASIA ORIENTAL ASIA Average
Page 3 and 4: TIBET ADVENTURE ANCIENT FR $2,999 E
Page 5 and 6: MONGOLIA & BEYOND Beijing St. Peter
Page 7 and 8: THE VODKATRAIN FR $3,320 Beijing St
Page 9 and 10: ORIENTAL ASIA THE RUSKI HUSKI Beiji
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Page 15: CHINA EXPRESS BEIJING TO SHANGHAI F
Page 19 and 20: THE DRAGON TRIP: HONG KONG TO HONG
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Page 27 and 28: DISCOVER JAPAN Tokyo Tokyo FR $4,59
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