Hotel
Private Mini Van / Coach
2 Crew Per Vehicle
Easy / Moderate
3* Hotel
Beijing - Shanghai
10 - 50+
All Year
Unlimited
10
11
China has to be seen to be believed. It is a country of such diversity, from it’s mega cities to the rural hinterlands, from the ancient history of the Great Wall of China and the Terracotta Army, to it’s modern high-tech economy. A population of 1.3 billion have helped to create this, the world’s next super power.
Tour Type: Hotel
Vehicle Type: Private minivan / coach
Crew: 2 crew PER vehicle
Tour Rating: Easy / Moderate
Accommodation: 3* Hotel
Tour start – finish: Beijing – Shanghai
Number on Tour: 10 – 50+
Beijing
Temple of Heaven
Forbidden City
Summer Palace
Tian An Men Square
Great Wall
Xi’an
Terracotta Army
Shanghai
International Flights
Arrival/Departure transfers on days 1 & 7
Full Board: 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners
6 nights in 3* accommodation
Tickets for bullet train
Internal flight
Transport in a private minivan/ coach
Services of 1 or 2 person crew (leader and driver per vehicle)
All entrance fees
All road taxes
Travel insurance for all UK residents (if no school policy in place)
Free teacher places
The knowledge and know how of 21+ years travel experience in the schools’ market
Full Public Liability, Professional Indemnity & Crisis Management Insurance cover
100% Financial Protection through ABTA / ATOL Bonding
All tours fully risk assessed
Full bespoke in house service to take the strain out of organising your tour
Free iPad or Kindle with your first booking
Drinks (except mealtimes)
Visa costs (if applicable)
Spending money
Tips for guide(s) and driver(s)
Single Supplements
Optional Activities
There are currently no optional activities included in this tour. If there is anything you would like us to add as an option on any day please let us know and we will research and add it to the itinerary with the price listed for participation.
Visas & permits
Visas are required for British, Australian, New Zealand, Canadian, US and other EU nationals for a stay of up to 60 days. Please ensure your passport is valid for eight months from date of entry and you have two clear blank pages. All other nationalities should contact their Chinese embassy for details. Visas are your responsibility so please don’t forget to check!
Vaccinations
It is recommended that you be vaccinated for Tetanus and Polio, if you haven’t had a booster in the last ten years. Food and waterborne diseases are more common, so we recommend vaccinations for typhoid (valid 3 years) and Hepatitis A (validity varies). China is not a high-risk malaria area, with anti malarials not normally being advised, but please consult a physician or travel clinic for further information.
Travel insurance
All our passengers must be fully insured for travel to China. It is essential that you get the correct level of cover. Please ensure that the policy provides adequate cover for hospital treatment, repatriation fIights home in the event of you being too ill to continue the trek, personal accident, personal baggage and associated valuables. You must bring the policy with you as it is obligatory for joining any expedition.
Packing
Luggage: Pack all your gear in a rucksack / backpack for this type of trip. Also bring a daypack, to keep personal items such as your wallet, camera and water bottle. Your rucksack / backpack must not have an exterior frame. Only the soft, fIexible variety is permitted. Leave your suitcase at home, they’re simply not practical. Don’t overdo it! Luggage is limited to 20kgs. We will supply a full kit checklist on booking to aid your preparation. Some ideas of what to bring would be:
Towel
Torch and batteries
Camera and spare memory card / film
Mosquito repellent
Water bottle (water at meal times provided)
Personal first aid kit, antiseptic gel and wipes
Waterproof / wind proof jacket
A sturdy pair of walking shoes
Two spare passport photos / photo copy of your passport
Sunscreen
Cultural awareness
We cannot emphasise enough that we are travellers and therefore guests. Although we ourselves might have different views, ideas, rules and morals, it is our duty to respect and adjust where possible to the people of the region we are visiting. Never throw pens / sweets out of the vehicle. It is very patronising! Your Tour Leader will also brief you on environmental matters on the ground.
Religious Awareness
The Chinese Communist Party have declared China an official Atheist country, with a recent poll concluding that 61% of the population share this standpoint. However, the following religions are also practised in China: Chinese Folk Religions, Taoism & Confucianism, Buddhisim, Islam and Christianity.
Animal Welfare Policy
The welfare of animals in the different countries we tour in, is important to us. Our Animal Welfare Policy at Nomadic School Tours was created in accordance with ABTA and Industry guidelines, which focuses on the health care and positive maintenance of our working animals and wildlife we encounter. By working closely together with our local business partners, we strive to maintain the correct standards of animal welfare.
Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge
Recently, in conjunction with our Animal Welfare Policy, Nomadic has decided to financially support Jarjeer Mule and Donkey Refuge. Jarjeer Mules is a retirement home, orphanage and care centre for working equines in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains near Marrakech. The team works with local people offering support not only to the equines but also children and adults who want to learn more about equine care.
Nomadic School Tours Association
Nomadic School Tours work with and donate to the Ait Ouham Association for Development, which is a grass roots organisation that tackles local issues such as lack of education and poor infrastructure in the Atlas mountain area of Morocco. It especially concentrates on the education and creating opportunities for girls in the Valley to further their education.
Currency
GBP £1.00 = CNY 8.24
USD $1.00 = CNY 6.71
EUR €1.00 = CNY 7.45
CNY —CHINESE YUAN RENMINBI rates are subject to fIuctuation. Exchange facilities are available at various bureau de changes in major towns and most banks have ATMs. How much spending money is needed, depends largely on the individual. We currently recommend an average of USD $20 – $30 per day. We can’t specify every sundry cost however and you’ll need to allow for expenses such as drinks, snacks and the odd souvenir. Travellers Cheques can be difficult to change en-route so we recommend you have cash for convenience and bring a card to use in the ATM’s—most accept Visa, MasterCard, Electron, Cirrus and Maestro. There are ATM’s at the airport, which you can use upon arrival.
Local prices
Mineral water (local brand, 500ml) 10 yuan
Chocolate bar (local brand) 15 yuan
Climate
Although China is a small country in terms of area, there is a lot going on here in terms of weather. With a climate that is diverse and varied, China can be divided into several climatic zones, each of which are distinct and individual. In general the weather can be classified as temperate, with similar seasonal changes to the UK, but more extremes and much more varied due to the size of China and it’s topography. The weather will be very season specific.
We will pick you up from Beijing international airport and transfer you to your hotel. Today will largely depend on your flight arrival time, but typically we will visit the Temple of Heaven. The Temple of Heaven is an imperial complex of religious buildings. The complex was visited by the Emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties for annual ceremonies of prayer to Heaven for good harvest. The Temple was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998 and was described as a masterpiece of architecture and landscape design which has had profound influence on architecture and planning in the Far East over many centuries.
Today is full of excitement, as after breakfast we head out of Beijing city centre and up to one of the seven new wonders of the world – The Great Wall of China. Nothing can prepare you for the sight of this magnificent structure. It is over 6000km long, 6-7metres high and 4-5 metres wide. It was started more than 2000 years ago and it was only the Qin Dynasty that joined it all together, to make a structure that people claim can actually be seen from space! Next is a trip to the Summer Palace. Also included on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the Summer Palace is a vast ensemble of lakes, gardens and palaces. The design is based on a legend in Chinese mythology about three divine mountains with the centrepiece being the Great Temple of Gratitude and Longevity. We head back to our hotel for dinner and a well earned rest.
For your last day in Beijing we are packing it full of history. You start your tour at the world-famous Tian An Men square. One of the top ten largest squares in the world, it was here on the 1st of October in 1949 Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the Peoples Republic of China. From the square you can see the entrance to the Forbidden City, along with the Monument to the Peoples Heroes, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum and The Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. Next stop is the Forbidden City, home to many dynasties, including the Ming and Qing dynasties from 1420 – 1912. After lunch we will board a high speed bullet train which will take us to Xi’an at over 300 km/h for the next part of our adventure.
After breakfast we will head out into the countryside for a visit to a local village. This will give you the opportunity to see how people live outside the big cities and how urbanisation is affecting the farming community. Your day will include the opportunity to see the Yaodongs, former cave dwellings. Yaodongs means Earth Caves and are one of four types of the most distinctive Chinese traditional dwellings. Yaodongs are generally carved out of a hillside which keeps them warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Some villagers use them for housing farm animals while others have them attached to more traditional brick houses. We will also visit a dairy farm where you will enjoy a lunch made from the local produce.
Today may well be the highlight of your time in China. The Terracotta Army is a sight to be seen. 8000 clay figures, only recently discovered by local farmers in 1974, include warriors and chariots with horses. The Mausoleum’s construction was started over 2000 years ago and involved more than 700,000 workers. It was Qin Shi Huang, China’s first emperor, that ordered the start of this ancient burial ground. From here we will visit the Xi’an City Wall which represents one of the oldest, largest and best preserved Chinese city walls. It was built under the rule of the Hongwu Emperor as a military defence system. It stretches for 14km and was originally constructed with a moat, drawbridges, watch towers, corner towers, paraper walls and gate towers. After this incredible experience we will take you to the airport to catch your flight to Shanghai.
With a population of over 24 million people, Shanghai is truly a Mega City and the economic hub of China. After breakfast we will visit the Bund, the former international settlers location on the waterfront, with incredible views across to the financial city skyline. Next to the Bund is the Oriental Pearl Radio and TV Tower where we will take a trip up to the 88th floor for a bird’s eye view of this amazing city. This Tower is the 5th largest of the 7 in the world and has two observation decks as well as a revolving restaurant. The upper observation platform has an outside area with a 1.5 inch glass floor. Lastly we will take you into Old Shanghai Quarter which contains some ancient but renovated features. The Old City is a combination of ancient winding streets with modern high-rise buildings progressively encroaching on the older areas.
Our final morning has arrived and it is time to depart for home. You will ride on the Maglev (the magnetic rail) train back to Shanghai international airport for your flight home. Thank you for travelling with Nomadic School Tours.
Beijing Tiantan Hotel
Nomadic’s View
The Tiantan Hotel is situated in Chongwen District, close to Tiantan Park. The rooms in this Beijing Hotel come with air conditioning, mini-bar, refrigerators and internet access. Dining facilities include a Chinese restaurant, a cafe and bar. If you need to relax after a day of sightseeing there is a gym and a games room where you can play pool, ping pong, chess or cards.
Days Inn City Centre Xi’an
Nomadic’s View
The Days Inn City Centre Xi’an is located on North Street just 5 minutes from the Bell Tower, one of Xi’an’s top attractions. The airport is only 30 minutes away from the hotel making it a convenient choice for those wanting to enjoy all that Xi’an has to offer. The rooms come standard with air conditioning, en-suites and access to high speed internet. Nearby sights include the Terracotta Army, and the ancient city walls of Xi’an, preserved since the 14th century.
Holiday Inn Express Zhabei Shanghai
Nomadic’s View
The Holiday Inn Express stands just north of Shanghai Railway Station and is just a 15 minute drive from Nanjing Road with all its upscale boutiques, dining options and Metro lines. Recently refurbished in 2016, this hotel offers various rooms equipped with all the usual amenities – TV, free internet access, air conditioning, coffee and tea making facilities and free bottled water. Each booking also comes with free breakfast and access to daily trips to the shopping district.
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