Beijing China

Every year, millions of people come to China to see the capital, a fast changing metropolitan city of old and new.
From the Forbidden City, to the Great Wall of China and other of Beijing’s historic splendors, to the rickshaws rides and delicious food, china’s ancient history has been inspiring travelers since the days of Marco Polo. With its unrivalled antiquity and stupendous scenery, the Chinese capital has infinite potential for travelers.

Day 1 - Arrival

- Arrive in Beijing and transfer to your hotel.
- Depending upon your flight schedule, visit the Beijing City Planning museum – your best introduction to the city.
- Travel back in time to the Forbidden City and see Tiananmen Square, one of the largest open spaces on the planet.

Day 2 - Great Wall of China

- Travel to the Badaling section and embark on a 2-hour hike along the Great Wall with a picnic in one of the beacon towers.
Many parts of the wall are covered by overgrowth of wild plants, and some parts of the wall are quite crumbled, which makes it quite a challenging hike. Be prepared for some steep climbs!

Day 3 - Local School

- Guided tour in the Hutong, the heritage dwellings of old Beijing. Ancient hutongs are alleys formed by lines of traditional courtyard residences. Many neighborhoods were formed by joining one courtyard to another to form a hutong, and then joining one hutong to another
- You’ll have the opportunity to explore these narrow streets by rickshaw and have a real insight into the lives of the local people and their culture.

Day 4 - Local School: CAS program

- Local school project: meet the children of migrant workers who have come to Beijing to work in the construction boom. They receive an education at school but there is scope for you to make a difference.
** They have a strong desire and need for exposure to English. Your work will involve teaching English, playing with the children, conducting activities in English, supporting their teachers and encouraging them to practice their language skills. You can also become involved in improving facilities in the school in some way by engaging in manual work. - Kung Fu show of the Shaolin Monks.

Day 5 - Local School & train to Xi'an

- Spend the day working with the children.
- After dinner, overnight in the train to Xi’an.

Day 6 - Xi'an

- Upon your arrival in Xi’an, you’ll drive to visit Terracotta Army, a collection of terracotta sculptures depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang, the first Emperor of China.
- Visit the Big Goose Pagoda and the Great Mosque of Xi’an, one of the oldest and renowned mosques in China.
- Explore Muslim Snack Street, renowned for its food.

Day 7 - Xi'an & transfer to Beijing

- Take in a cycling tour to explore the Ancient City Wall - the most complete that has survived in China.
- Visit the Shanxi Museum (one of the first and largest in China) and the Bell Tower of Xi’an built in 1384. - Sleeper train and return to Beijing.

Day 8 - Departure

- Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
The program will vary depending on departure time.